PMG makes it easy to follow the RRULE’s
Run your processes on your schedule
Workflow Scheduler lovers, listen up. We introduced an important new feature in v22.1 –advanced scheduling options via RRULE.
You can now use iCalendar RRULE (Recurrence Rule) definitions in Workflow Scheduler to specify the timing of running scheduled workflows.
Using this industry-standard data format, PMG can programmatically create very specific custom workflow schedules. In addition, you can now import schedules from other systems and synchronize Platform activities with recurring events from external calendaring systems, such as Exchange Server.
The RRULE data format was introduced in 2009 and provides a method to encode the timing of recurring calendar events. According to the iCalendar website, RRULE’s purpose is “for representing and exchanging calendaring and scheduling information such as events, to-dos, journal entries, and free/busy information, independent of any particular calendar service or protocol.”
So in short, by adding RRULE support to the Platform, we’ve tapped into an existing framework that many of you may be familiar with. If you have complex scheduling needs for a workflow (i.e., run every 3rd Tuesday of the month for 12 occurrences), you’re going to want take advantage of this.
To create a workflow schedule via RRULE, simply select Advanced when configuring the Schedule Mode for a Task. You’ll then be presented with a field to define and set your schedule.
And don’t worry… you don’t need to be fluent in RRULE to create your scheduling parameters. The Workflow Scheduler user interface helps you generate RRULE configurations by typing in something as simple as “every week on Monday at 1:30 PM”. Now, how cool is that?
How to use it in a workflow
But wait, there’s more. New actions to create and update the Workflow Schedule are now available in the Workflow Designer. In the example shown below, the New Workflow Schedule action is configured to create a new schedule for the workflow SendReminderEmail.
The RRULE we used looks like this:
RRULE:FREQ=WEEKLY;BYDAY=MO,FR;BYHOUR=3;BYMINUTE=30
Let’s break that RRULE down to understand what it means:
- RRULE: – declares the beginning of the rule.
- FREQ=WEEKLY; (Frequency = weekly) – states that the recurrence frequency is weekly
- BYDAY=MO,FR; (Day = Monday and Friday) – specifies which days of the week to include in the recurrence. Multiple days are separated by commas.
- BYHOUR=3;BYMINUTE=30 (Start Hour;Start Minute) – specifies the hour and minute when the recurrence happens. In this case, it’s 3:30AM.
Optional RRULE parameters include:
- INTERVAL=1; – states that the recurrence interval is every 1 week
- WKST=SU; (Week Start = Sunday) – Localization setting that states that the first day of the week is Sunday.
To recap, it’s now possible to use an industry-standard format for recurrence rules within the Platform. This enhanced feature not only expands options for setting schedules, it also lets you synchronize scheduled workflows with other recurring events that may be happening outside the PMG Platform.
So, get out there and make your own rules!
