Synchronization of global types (S)

Once a global type is linked to a project it can be used in all contexts where the local custom type is used. Items of the linked tables can be assigned to the process steps in the same way as local items.

Global types are managed outside the projects so the projects must be updated if something was changed in the linked types and tables. This data synchronization is done on loading the project or on demand when the Refresh tables button in the Synchronize group  of the Tables tab is pressed. The following happens:

•The linked global types, tables and their items will get the current names and the items will get current descriptions, cost/hour values and url's.
•The properties of the linked global types (scope and extra item properties) get the current values.
•The new global table items will appear in the linked tables.
•The deleted items or items of deleted tables will be removed from all properties of all process diagrams of the project (without warning)
•The deleted global types will be removed from the project together with all their local items.

 

The similar synchronization takes place also when an older version of a project is loaded. Since there are no old versions of the global tables (there is always only one current version of them) the retrieved old version of a project using global tables will not necessarily look the same as at the moment it was saved. The deleted global type folders will stay, but all the global tables will be refreshed, i.e., the deleted global tables and table items will disappear, and renamed global tables and items will get current names. However, all the custom properties in the process diagram steps of the retrieved project version will retain their original values. The same concerns older version of process diagrams retrieved from history. At the moment you will make the older version current the full synchronization will take place and all deleted global types, tables and items will disappear from the process step properties as well.

 

When a process diagram is shared or submitted then the actual set of the items used in the process is stored together with the shared or submitted version. The user of Engage Process Publisher can decide if users of Engage Process Viewer will see the process diagrams with the stored items or the items will be synchronized with the current state of global tables each time a process diagram is open.