While Loop Event
The While Loop Event allows you to repeatedly execute actions in your workflow until a specific condition is met. This event is ideal when you need to run operations iteratively, checking a condition at the start of each loop, and breaking out of the loop when the condition is satisfied.
Overview
The While Loop Event enables you to execute a mini workflow that runs continuously based on a condition. At the start of the loop, a binary condition checks whether the loop should continue or stop. If the condition is true, the loop runs; if false, the loop ends. This setup ensures that your workflow can dynamically process data or perform tasks as long as necessary, stopping only when the condition is no longer met.
Configuring the While Loop Event
1. Title & Description
To configure the While Loop Event, begin by providing a Title and a Description for the event. These will help identify the purpose of the loop within your workflow.
- Title: The name of your loop.
- Description: A brief description of what this loop will achieve.
2. Binary Condition Setup
The most important configuration for the While Loop is the binary condition that determines when the loop should continue or stop. This condition is evaluated at the start of each iteration.
Example: You might want to keep a loop running while the number of items in a queue is greater than zero. In this case, the condition would check the length of the queue and continue looping until it’s empty.
| Field | Description | Example Input |
|---|---|---|
| Condition | Define the condition that controls the loop. | {queue_length > 0}, {is_order_pending} |
Example:
For this condition, the loop will continue running as long as the queue is not empty (queue_length > 0).
3. Configuring the Workflow Inside the Loop
After setting the binary condition, the next step is to design the actions that will be executed during each iteration.
- Click on "Configure Whole Loop": This will open the workflow builder canvas where you can define the mini workflow for the loop.
- Start Node: This represents the entry point of your loop.
- End Node: This marks the exit point of the loop.
4. Binary Condition Node
Upon opening the workflow builder, you'll see a Binary Condition Node connected to the Start Node. This condition node will evaluate the condition defined earlier to decide if the loop should continue or stop.
- Configure the If Block: Inside the If block, define the condition that controls whether the loop should break or continue. For example, you could use a variable that gets updated in each iteration to determine when the loop should stop.
Example:
- If condition:
QueueLength > 0 - If the condition is true, the loop continues.
- If the condition is false, the loop breaks and exits.
5. Adding the Break Node
By default, a Break Node is attached to the If block. This node automatically exits the loop if the condition evaluates to false.
6. Else Block Logic
If the condition in the If block evaluates to false, the loop will break. However, if the condition is true, you can design the logic that will be executed in each iteration.
- Drag and Drop Actions: After the Else block, you can begin adding various actions to the loop. These actions will run each time the loop continues.
- You can include tasks such as updating records, sending notifications, processing data, or any other operation that needs to be executed repeatedly.
Example: If you're processing items in a queue, you could have actions like:
- Decreasing the queue length.
- Sending an email notification once a task is completed.
7. Finalizing the Workflow
Once your loop is configured, you can save the workflow. The loop will then run according to the conditions you've set, iterating over your defined logic until the condition no longer holds true.
Example Workflow:
- Condition:
QueueLength > 0 - If Block: Continue looping.
- Else Block: Exit the loop.
Example Scenarios
Scenario 1: Processing Pending Orders
You might want to process orders in a loop until all orders are processed:
- Condition: Check if there are any pending orders in the system.
- If Block: If pending orders exist, process one order at a time.
- Else Block: Exit the loop once all orders are processed.
Scenario 2: Sending Notifications in a Queue
If you're sending notifications in a queue, you can loop through the queue and send notifications to users:
- Condition: Check if the queue length is greater than zero.
- If Block: Send a notification to the next user in the queue.
- Else Block: Stop the loop when the queue is empty.
Note: For each iteration, you can configure actions like:
- Sending an email.
- Updating a database record.
- Running a script to process data.
Why Use the While Loop Event?
- Dynamic Iteration: The While Loop allows you to run tasks repeatedly based on dynamic conditions.
- Flexible Workflow Design: You can configure the loop's start and end conditions, as well as the actions to be executed in each iteration.
- Control Over Looping: The binary condition ensures that you have complete control over when the loop should stop, making it ideal for scenarios that need continual execution until a certain condition is met.
Final Thoughts
The While Loop Event provides flexibility in automating repetitive tasks based on conditions that are evaluated at the start of each loop iteration. By combining this feature with the workflow builder, you can design powerful workflows that run until specified conditions are satisfied. This ensures efficiency in automating dynamic processes, making it a great tool for managing tasks that require multiple iterations.