New Features
Learn about new features now available in ProcessMaker version 4.1 for ProcessMaker build 4.1.16.
These release notes document new features available in ProcessMaker version 4.1.16. Release notes are documented in alphabetical order by package. Core section documents new features also available in the ProcessMaker open-source edition.
ProcessMaker 4.1 is build 4.1.16. Release notes after this release are listed as ProcessMaker 4.1.17.
Collections Package
Relational Collections
In conjunction with ProcessMaker version 4.1, configure how records in one ProcessMaker Collection relate to the records in another Collection. For example, if one ProcessMaker Collection contains records for all professors in a university and another Collection contains records of all scheduled courses for that university's current semester, indicate the relationship between the professors in the first Collection with the scheduled courses of the second.
Follow these guidelines to configure the relationship between records in one ProcessMaker Collection with those in another:
Access the ProcessMaker Collection configuration settings from which its records relate to the second Collection.
Click the Relationships tab in the configuration settings and then click the +Relationship button. The Add Relationship screen displays.
In the Relationship section of the Add Relationship screen, indicate the data from the parent ProcessMaker Collection that maintains the relationship with the second ProcessMaker Collection. Select from the Parent Collection Data Key setting the key name that contains the data within each record in the parent ProcessMaker Collection. The Parent Collection Data Key setting's value determines the relationship with the second Collection. For example, select the ProcessMaker Screen control labeled Professor Name that stores the name of each professor at the university in this parent Collection.
Select the ProcessMaker Collection from which an aspect of its data relates to the data in the parent Collection. This is the child ProcessMaker Collection. The data within the child ProcessMaker Collection must explicitly be included within the record. For example, select the ProcessMaker Collection that contains records of all scheduled courses at that university for the current semester. Each record contains the names of each professor available to teach each course.
Select which aspect of each record in the second (child) ProcessMaker Collection relates to the data in the parent Collection. For example, select the ProcessMaker Screen control labeled Course Professor that stores the professor's name who teaches each course; this indicates the relationship between each professor and the courses that professor teaches that semester.
Configure Which Columns Display in a ProcessMaker Collection
While configuring a ProcessMaker Collection, click the Columns tab to configure which columns display Collection information similarly to Saved Searches. For example, configure when each record was created or modified, by whom, and pertinent values within each record of that ProcessMaker Collection.
Call Signals Configured with Webhooks
In conjunction with ProcessMaker version 4.1, each ProcessMaker Collection has its own signals that can be configured with webhooks when particular events in that Collection occur. A ProcessMaker Collection event occurs when a record in that Collection is created, edited, and/or deleted. Each of these record events may be enabled separately.
A webhook automates the sending or receiving of data to or from another application or third-party service when an event occurs. The data is sent or received via a unique URL that ProcessMaker and that application or service can parse.
New to ProcessMaker version 4.1 core, all ProcessMaker Collection signals are managed from the Signals page in the Designer top menu. BPMN 2.0 signals are also managed from the Signals page. Both types of signals are collectively referred to as ProcessMaker Signals.
Note that if a comma-separated value (CSV) file is imported into a ProcessMaker Collection to create records and that Collection is configured to call a signal when records are created, that signal is called for each new record, thereby triggering that signal's configured webhook if it is enabled.
Conversation Forms Package
The Conversations Form package is released in conjunction with ProcessMaker version 4.1. Design functional rule-based modern chat style forms using ProcessMaker Screens with the new Conversational-type Screen. The Conversation Form package provides the following features and attributes:
When your Conversational-type ProcessMaker Screen renders, that Screen displays as a streaming interactive form that supports rich text, text input, and multiple choice options that can be validated based on the reader's input.
ProcessMaker Screen control labels and values create a conversational flow with the reader. As the form renders from top to bottom, each ProcessMaker Screen control displays as a "chat style" instruction or question. The interactive form scrolls up the page and the next ProcessMaker Screen control displays as the reader responds to each instruction or question. If an interstitial ProcessMaker Screen is used, an animated GIF of dots displays as if someone is chatting with the reader.
Integrate Request variable values within the reader conversation as you would in Form-type ProcessMaker Screens. For example, if the reader's name is known from a parent Request and stored in a Request variable, use mustache syntax to reference that Request variable's value within a Rich Text control to display that reader's name in a personalized message within the chat response.
Determine when the reader has deserted the chat experience. Each reader response to the chat experience resets a timeout counter. If the counter expires, a message displays Are you still there? and then begins a final countdown. If the timer expires or the reader navigates away from that page, then the accumulated chat content automatically submits and completes with a message This conversation has expired. with a button to restart the chat experience which reads Start Over.
The Conversation Form package is not available in the ProcessMaker open-source edition, as are any of the non-core packages.
Core
Manage your organization's BPMN 2.0 signals and ProcessMaker Collection signals from the Signals page. Managing your organization's signals outside of the Process model design promotes greater reusability and transparency to which ProcessMaker assets subscribe to each signal. A ProcessMaker asset subscribes to a signal by calling that signal, such as when a signal-type BPMN 2.0 element broadcasts a selected signal or when a ProcessMaker Collection event occurs in that Collection. For example, a ProcessMaker Collection can call different signals when a record in that Collection is created, edited, or deleted, respectively. Both BPMN 2.0 signals and ProcessMaker Collection signals are collectively referred to as ProcessMaker Signals.
ProcessMaker Signals may be configured with its own webhook. A webhook automates the sending or receiving of data to or from another application or third-party service when an event occurs. The data is sent or received via a unique URL that ProcessMaker and that application or service can parse.
Signals are managed on the Signals page. Follow these guidelines to configure a BPMN 2.0 signal:
View the Signals page from the Designer top menu, and then click the Signals icon in the left sidebar.
Specify the unique ID and name for the ProcessMaker Signal, both of which are required. If the signal is to have a webhook, as a best practice include in the name whether the signal's webhook gets or posts data so that Process designers and ProcessMaker Collection managers may understand its function from their respective assets. Note that webhook functionality is not available in the ProcessMaker open-source edition. Webhook functionality requires the Data Connector package.
From a signal-type BPMN 2.0 element within your Process models or a ProcessMaker Collection, subscribe to the signal. Selecting which BPMN 2.0 signal to call subscribes that ProcessMaker asset to that signal. After subscribing to a signal from a ProcessMaker asset, that signal receives calls to it from the subscribing ProcessMaker asset.
Optionally, view the signal's Catch Events tab to view which ProcessMaker assets subscribe to that signal.
Data Connector Package
Webhooks in BPMN 2.0 Signals
In conjunction with ProcessMaker version 4.1, configure webhooks for your BPMN 2.0 signals. That signal triggers when a signal-type BPMN 2.0 element in a Process's Request calls it or an event in a subscribing ProcessMaker asset occurs. For example, a ProcessMaker Collection can trigger different signals when a record in that Collection is created, edited, or deleted, respectively. All signals are managed from the Signals page in the Designer top menu. Both BPMN 2.0 signals and ProcessMaker Collection signals are collectively referred to as ProcessMaker Signals.
A webhook automates the sending or receiving of data to or from another application or third-party service when an event occurs. The data is sent or received via a unique URL that ProcessMaker and that application or service can parse.
Use webhooks from ProcessMaker Signals to design more robust Processes that interact closely with third-party services such as DocuSign or Stripe to manage digital signatures or payments, respectively. Follow these guidelines to call a ProcessMaker Signal configured with a webhook:
Signal Start Event element: Since Signal Start Event elements receive signals, call a ProcessMaker Signal that gets data from its webhook.
Intermediate Signal Catch Event element: Since Intermediate Signal Catch Event elements receive signals, call a ProcessMaker Signal that gets data from its webhook.
Intermediate Signal Throw Event element: Since Intermediate Signal Throw Event elements send signals, call a ProcessMaker Signal that posts data from its webhook.
Signal End Event element: Since Signal End Event elements send signals, call a ProcessMaker Signal that posts data from its webhook.
Boundary Signal Event element: Since Boundary Signal Event elements receive signals, call a ProcessMaker Signal that gets data from its webhook.
ProcessMaker Signals are managed on the Signals page. Follow these guidelines to configure a webhook for a ProcessMaker Signal:
View the Signals page from the Designer top menu, and then click the Signals icon in the left sidebar.
Do one of the following:
Create a new ProcessMaker Signal. Specify the unique ID and name for the ProcessMaker Signal, both of which are required. As a best practice, include in the name whether the ProcessMaker Signal's webhook gets or posts data so that Process designers may understand its function from their respective assets.
View the ProcessMaker Signal from which to add a webhook.
Enable webhook functionality and define the webhook URL properties, including from which form fields in the webhook callback to accept a response, to get or post data, authentication, and URL restrictions. If webhook functionality is not enabled for the ProcessMaker Signal, then it cannot perform a call to a third-party application or service.
Optionally, view the ProcessMaker Signal's Catch Events tab to view which ProcessMaker assets subscribe to that Signal.
Manage Third-Party Service Callbacks in ProcessMaker Data Connector Connectors
In conjunction with ProcessMaker version 4.1, configure ProcessMaker Data Connector connectors in your Process models how to receive a third-party service callback and then store that response in Request data. ProcessMaker Data Connector connectors have the Callback panel to configure callback responses.
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