LAUNCHERS AND LAUNCHPAD

Introduction

When starting to learn workflows, two words that you will keep seeing again and again are Launcher and Launchpad. At first, it can be a bit confusing, like both sounds almost same and it’s hard to understand which one does what. But once you slowly go through it, it’s actually not that complicated.

In workflows, not everything is supposed to run automatically. Some things need a person to take action, like entering some details or deciding when to start something. That’s where Launcher and Launchpad comes in. They make things more controlled instead of everything just running on its own in the background.

In real situations, system cannot always take decisions correctly. Sometimes it needs input from user side. Like maybe a person has to give some data or trigger something at the right time. If everything is automated without control, it might lead to mistakes or unwanted actions. So having a manual way to start a workflow is actually helpful.

Also, these concepts are useful when workflows involve users directly, like filling forms, approvals, or confirmations. One more thing is access — not every user should be able to run everything. So managing who can see and use what becomes important.

What is a Launcher?

A Launcher is something that helps you start a workflow by hand. You don’t have to wait for something needs to happen to start it. You can start the workflow when you want to by clicking on the Launcher.

The Launcher is like a button that says start. When you click on the Launcher the workflow will. It will do all the things it is supposed to do. You use a Launcher when the workflow needs something from you or when you only want to run the workflow.

What is launchpad?

Launchpad is a place were, you can find all the launchers. It is like a page that people use to look at and use the Launchpad workflows.

The Launchpad will show the launchers that you are allowed to use. If you don't have any permission to use a launcher you will not see it. This means you need to have access, to a launcher to be able to see it in the Launchpad. The Launchpad only shows the launchers that you can use so you will only see the Launchpad launchers that you have permission to use. 

Benefits of Using Launcher and Launchpad

There are several advantages of using launcher and launchpad in workflows:

User Control: Workflows can be triggered manually when needed instead of automatically.

Interactive Input: Users can provide required details through forms.

Access Management: Only authorized users can see and use specific launchers.

Flexibility: Suitable for different scenarios where, decisions or inputs are required.

Better User Experience: Everything is available in one place (launchpad), making it easy to use.

Example Scenario

Let’s consider a simple case where, a system needs to collect a user’s mobile number.

Since this requires user input, it cannot be automated. So, a launcher is created. When the user clicks it from the launchpad a form will opens asking for the mobile number. After entering the number and submitting, the workflow continues and sends a confirmation email to the user.

This is a simple example but it clearly shows how launcher and launchpad works together.

Workflow Explanation

A typical workflow using launcher includes the following steps:

1) Interactive Trigger

This connects the launcher to the workflow. Without this, the launcher cannot start the workflow.

2) Interactive Form

A form is used to collect input from the user, like mobile number or any other details.

3) Action Step

After receiving input, an action is performed. For example, sending an email or updating data.

4) End Step

This marks the completion of the workflow.

Important Configurations

Just creating launcher and workflow is not enough. There are some important configurations that must be done properly.

When a launcher is created and linked to workflow, an entitlement is automatically generated. This entitlement controls who can see and use the launcher.

If the entitlement is not assigned properly, the launcher will not appear in launchpad.

Common Issue

One common problem is that launcher does not show in launchpad even after assigning access. This may confuse many beginners.

The reason for this is mostly incorrect role or entitlement setup.

Solution Approach

To fix this issue, a role can be created and configured properly:

• Add required identity to the role.

• Attach the entitlement to that role.

• Make sure the role is enabled.

Also, there is one small but important setting. The entitlement should be enabled for Access Request. If this is not enabled, launcher might still not appear.

After doing all these steps correctly, the launcher becomes visible in launchpad.

Conclusion

Launcher and Launchpad play an important role in workflows where user interaction is needed. It provides a simple way to start workflows manually and collect input. Understanding how entitlement and role work along with launcher is very important. Without proper configuration, even correct workflows may not work. Overall, it is a basic but essential concept in workflow design, and learning it properly helps in building more complex workflows in future.