Create Request Task

As a workflow progresses, there may be situations where another change or request type is required.

This could be handled within the same workflow, unless it is in a field of responsibility of another team or analyst, or it is a distinct business process in itself (for example, a change request initiating a release request).

Create Request Tasks give you more control of the assignment of workflows, and allow you to break large and complex workflows into smaller, more manageable segments. They can be used to generate requests when this type of task is completed, or as part of a workflow. They are manual by default, but they can be automatic.

The Create Request task will automatically generate another request based on a workflow template.

For example, you can launch a separate procurement request from a hardware or software request.

In it, you can map in all the data from the original request that pertains to the procurement request. This way the child procurement request submits with all of the necessary fields already populated. See example at the end of this document.

This new request is linked to the original as its child and can be viewed in the linking diagram.

Once created, the new and the original requests run independently. When the new (child) request is closed, this is indicated in the linking diagram. This will not be indicated in the history of the original (parent) request. If you want the original (parent workflow) to wait until this request is complete before proceeding, use a delay task and set it to wait until child requests are closed.

The Create Request task allows for any request field, including custom fields, to be mapped as a static value or a value from the existing request.

You should not define Create Request tasks directly after the Request Start task in a workflow, or after another task that in turn has a Create Request task. This may result in infinite recursions, creating a request that creates a task that in turn creates a request and so on.

1. On the dependency diagram, double-click the Create Request task icon to view the Create Request Task Details window.

2. If needed, take action on the task in order to edit the details.

3. Complete the common task fields on this task. See Also: Creating a Task

4. Complete the remaining Task Information fields:

Workflow Process	From the drop down list, select the workflow process that contains the workflow template you want to use for the request.
Workflow Template	From the list, select the template that you want to use to create this request. This list displays only those templates for workflow processes to which you have access. You must have access through your security role both to the template and the workflow process.
Field Mappings	The Field Mappings table allows you to populate field values on the Request being created with either static values or values from the existing Request. This table has replaced the request Params explorer option that was displayed in earlier versions of ASM. Click the Add button beneath the table to display the Add fields window. Select the field you wish to map. The field appears. In the Value field to its right, specify the mapping details. See Rules Builder for instruction. In the Update column, identify how often you want the field to update, using the drop down list.
Request Assign Analyst/Group	You can assign the request that will be created from the Task to an analyst or a workflow management group. If an assignment has been made on the template, this is inherited to the request. However, if you assign the request to a different analyst at request level, this assignment will apply instead.

5. Complete the Task Description details.

6. Complete the Action Information details.

7. After you have completed the fields, save or defer the task for later action.

Example

Complete the Common Task Fields

1. Complete the Task Status, Title, Description (this forms the body of the notification email, in many cases), and where present, the Request Status on Rejection (Approval Tasks) and Request Status on Completion.

Updating the Request Status on completion of the task will automatically update the request's overall, or "Completion Status" so that it is easy to tell exactly where the request is at all times. For example, after the new request is created, you might want to automatically change the request status to "Pending Procurement".

2. Enter the time it should take this task to complete.

3. OLAs can be applied to tasks by Task Type and Assigned Group. If you are using OLA for tasks, it is important to specify the correct task type and assigned group to get the correct OLA applied to the task.

4. All CMDB items linked to the request are displayed on this type of task in the Linked CIs and Linked Services fields. If required, you can schedule changes against linked CI the CMDB items and create a planned outage against these items as they will not be available for use when they are being updated.

5. After you have completed the fields,

   • forward the task internally - Assign the task to a Group

   • Save your task's changes