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Troubleshooting Validation Errors and Warnings for Process Definitions

Overview

When using the SugarBPM™ Visual Designer for creating process definitions, a validation job periodically runs to inspect the layout and configuration of the process definition's elements. The validation job may run automatically at regular intervals configured in Admin > System Settings, and the administrator may also manually trigger the validate action at any time from the designer toolbar. This article explains the errors and warnings that may be returned on validation and how to resolve them.

Errors

If an element on the canvas contains a configuration or flow error, the Visual Designer will place a red exclamation point icon over the element until the error is resolved and a validation job is run to confirm its resolution. The error icon will have a corresponding explanation in the Element Errors panel. Some errors may occur and then resolve themselves naturally as you piece together the process definition. Other errors may be more complicated and require reconfiguration of one or more elements. The following sections describe common errors and how to resolve them.

Warnings

When an element on the canvas is only partially configured, the Visual Designer will place a yellow Warning icon over the element until the issue is resolved and a new validation job has run. The icon will have a corresponding explanation in the validation panel. Most issues will resolve themselves naturally as you piece together the process definition, but the warnings serve as an aid to help you address potential points of failure in your process design. The following sections describe common warnings and how to clear them from the validation panel.

Index of Errors and Warnings

A path is not guaranteed to be taken

This error appears when a Gateway element has been configured in a way that leaves no guarantee that any of the paths will trigger and there is no default path set as a fallback.

To resolve this error, right-click on the Gateway element and select a default path to take under "Default Flow" in case none of the criteria in the Gateway's settings are satisfied.

Action type is [Unassigned]

This error appears when an Action element has been added to the design canvas but has not yet been assigned a specific action type (e.g. Change Field, Add Related Record). This will result in no action, which does not interrupt the process, but is likely not what the user intended.

To resolve this error, right-click on the Action element and select an item from the Action Type menu.

Converging gateway type does not match gateway type of an incoming flow

This error appears when a converging Gateway is not compatible with the last type of diverging Gateway.

To resolve this error, confirm that you are using the correct converging Gateway type. For branches created with exclusive or event-based diverging Gateways, use an exclusive converging gateway. For branches created with parallel or inclusive diverging gateways, use a parallel converging gateway.

Criteria box expression will never evaluate to true (Gateways)

For diverging Gateways, this warning indicates that a criteria box in the element settings has been configured in such a way that the expression will never be true. For example, the statement "Name is 'xyz' AND Name is not 'xyz'" is never true. This will result in the corresponding path never executing.

To clear this warning, eliminate any logical contradictions in the criteria that prevent the expression from being true.

Criteria box expression will never evaluate to true (Start events and Wait events)

For a Start event or Wait event, this error appears when the criteria box in the element's settings has been configured in such a way that the expression will never be true. For example, the criteria "Name is 'xyz' AND Name is not 'xyz'" is never true. For Start events, this will result in the process never being triggered. For Wait events, this will result in the process waiting indefinitely at the Wait event.

To resolve this error, eliminate any logical contradictions in the criteria that prevent the expression from being true.

Data does not currently exist in the system: {data type}

This error appears when a specific piece of data (e.g. a module field, module relationship, user, role, team, form activity, business rule, business rule action, or email template) is referenced in an element's settings but cannot be found in the system.

To resolve this error, check the element's settings and ensure that all referenced data exists in your instance.

Duration value specified must not be zero

This error appears when the "Duration" option has been selected for a Wait event and a duration value of 0 has been entered (regardless of time units). The zero value will cause the process to error out when it reaches this element.

To resolve this error, right-click on the Wait event, select "Settings", and change the Duration value to at least 1 minute or use a Fixed Date option instead.

Element does not meet the minimum number of incoming flows: {number}

This warning is given when an element on the design canvas has an insufficient number of incoming sequence connectors. The number of required incoming flows is shown at the end of the warning message in place of the {number} placeholder.

To clear this warning, insert one or more sequence connectors from a Start or Intermediate element to the element with the warning so that the minimum number shown in the warning message is satisfied. 

Element exceeds the maximum number of incoming flows: {number}

This warning is given when an element on the design canvas has too many incoming sequence connectors. The number of required incoming flows is shown at the end of the warning message in place of the {number} placeholder.

To clear this warning, remove one or more sequence connectors coming into the element with the warning so that the limit shown in the warning message is satisfied. 

Element does not meet the minimum number of outgoing flows: {number}

This warning is given when an element on the design canvas has an insufficient number of outgoing sequence connectors. The number of required outgoing flows is shown at the end of the warning message in place of the {number} placeholder.

To clear this warning, insert one or more sequence connectors from the element with the warning to an Intermediate or End event so that the minimum number shown in the warning message is satisfied. If the warning is shown on a Gateway, there must be at least two events after the Gateway. Connect the Gateway to these elements using a separate sequence connector for each element.

Element is not reachable

This warning is given when there is no valid path coming from a Start event to the element that shows the warning.

To clear this warning, create a direct path or a chain of paths leading to the element from a Start event.

Expected time is less than zero

This error appears on Activity elements when a negative value has been entered for "Expected Time" under the Form settings. A negative value for the expected time duration will result in a perpetual "In Progress" state for the process as it approaches the Activity element and will prevent any other settings defined in the Activity from taking effect.

To resolve this error, right-click on the Activity element, select "Forms", and click on the Expected Time tab. Change the Duration value to at least 1 minute.

Selected dropdown field contains invalid options

This warning appears when an action element on the design canvas has a dropdown option that no longer exists, possibly because of a mismatch in code-level customization.

To resolve this warning, you can either unselect the field in the action element or, if the mismatch is caused by a code customization, review the field list settings in the custom code.

Required field is not set: {field name}

This warning is shown when an element's settings are incomplete. The missing but required field is shown at the end of the warning message in place of the {field name} placeholder. 

To clear this warning, right-click on the element, select "Settings", enter a value for the required field, and save the settings.

Wait time criteria must contain exactly one datetime constant

This error appears when the "Fixed Date" option has been selected for a Wait event and multiple date or datetime objects have been used to calculate the fixed date. For example, "(Date Created) + (1d)" is a valid expression, as it contains one datetime (the Date Created field) and one timespan (1 day). But "(Date Created) + (2018/12/05 01:00)" is not valid, as it contains a datetime field and a static datetime. For a list of the supported configurations for fixed date calculations, refer to the Process Definitions documentation.

To resolve this error, confirm that there is only one fixed date/datetime constant or date/datetime field reference made in the Fixed Date criteria box for the Wait event. All other pieces of the expression must be mathematical operators (+/-) or time-span constants.

Wait time parameters have not been set

This error appears when neither the Duration nor the Fixed Date criteria have been configured and saved in a Wait event's settings. This error will always apply when a Wait event has been newly created but not yet configured. An unconfigured Wait event will cause an error when the process reaches this element.

To resolve this error, right-click on the Wait event, select "Settings", and configure and save valid parameters for the Wait event.