> #### 5.5.5 Define Chained Process Node attributes

> The purpose of the Chained Process Node is to create a second workflow process, which will operate independently while the original process, continues with its own flow logic without waiting for the newly created process to complete.

> Creating chained processes is similar to creating subprocesses, as described in the previous section. The main difference is that the interaction between a parent process and a chained process goes in one direction only. Neither the workflow enactment thread nor the values of the user-defined process attributes are passed back from the chained process to the parent process.

> The Chained Process Node is similar to an OR Node in that it is in a running state for an extremely short time. As soon as the connected process and arrows are all activated and any Epilogue Script runs, the Chained Process Node is completed.

> ###### To access a chained process:

> 1. Display the process definition.

> 2. Right-click the Chained Process Node () and select General from the popup menu. Type a Chained Process Node name and (optional) a description.

> Note: The node's name cannot be longer than 30 characters, and the description is limited to 255 characters.

> 3. Before you connect your activity to a chained process, you must first determine how data will flow into it. Make a list of the user-defined process attributes in both the process and the chained process. To do this, select the User Defined Attributes tab to review the data you may need to link from the parent process definition to the chained process definition. (Do this for both the parent process definition and the chained process definition.)

> 4. Select the Data Mapping tab. This tab will display the same functional elements as illustrated in "Define Subprocess Node attributes".

> 5. Click the Select Chained Plan button, and on the Select Chained Plan dialog that appears, click the Get Process Definitions button. Select a process definition name, and click OK. (See Define Subprocess Node attributes".)

> 6. The Chained Process Node Properties Dialog, Data Mapping pane reappears. Note that the ID of the selected process definition, which is displayed in the Current Chained Plan field, is read only. You cannot modify it manually.

> Use the New Data Mapping panel to map user-defined process attributes from the current process definition to the chained process definition you have chosen. Using the three drop-down lists, select a data type and user-defined process attributes for each process definition. Click Add Mapping.

> Note that the list of data types in the Mapping Type drop-down list is taken from the parent process definition, rather than the chained process definition. The other two drop-down lists display all user-defined process attributes of the selected data type in both the parent process definition and the chained process definition.
> Only when both parent process definition and the chained process definition contain user-defined process attributes of the selected data type is the Add Mapping button enabled.

> 7. On the Existing Data Mapping panel, select a data mapping item, and click the check boxes to indicate whether the data value passes from parent process to the chained process ("Input"). Note: In the Chained Process Node, the data value cannot pass from the chained process to the parent process ("Output") as it does in the Subprocess Node. Note that each mapped pair of user-defined process attributes may be set individually.

> 8. On the Existing Data Mapping panel, you may also select a data mapping item, and click Delete Mapping to remove it.

> 9. You may also use the Script tab to add a Prologue Script or Epilogue Script to the Chained Process Node.

> 10. Click OK when finished.

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