The Advanced Assignment step allows you to assign a subsequent step to a user based on the output value of the step. You can also configure the step to use the job's location to automatically assign a user or group to a subsequent step by querying a reference layer that contains a field with a list of users or groups. Once the step is completed, the subsequent step can be automatically assigned to the chosen user or group.
When the step is run, you are prompted to choose to whom to assign a subsequent step. If the step is configured with a reference layer, the user or group to whom a subsequent step is assigned is determined automatically.
When the step is run, the following actions can be performed:
- The step can be finished by clicking Proceed.
- The step can be canceled by clicking Cancel.
Note:
If the step isn't optional, the step must be run before it can finish.
Configure the step
Do the following to configure the step:
- Create or edit a workflow diagram to access the Step Library panel.
- Drag Advanced Assignment from the Step Library panel to a connection arrow of a step on the workflow canvas.
The Step Details panel appears.
- Provide a name for the step in the Step Name text box.
- Optionally, add the message that you want to appear when the step is run in the User Prompt text box.
If the user prompt contains plain text and Arcade expressions, format the text as follows:
'This job is currently assigned to ' + JobOwner($Job) + '.'Tip:
Click This input supports Arcade Expressions
and choose an ArcGIS Arcade expression to add it to its associated text box. - If you don't want all paths leading out of this step to be assigned to the chosen user or group, uncheck the Automatically Switch Assignment check box and use the output value of this step to change the assignment using a path.
This may be required for workflows with parallel steps when you only want to assign one of the steps to the chosen user or group.
Note:
When the Automatically Switch Assignment check box is checked, the chosen user or group assignment overrides all path assignments settings leading out of this step.
- To configure the step assignment for a group, check the Force Group Assignment check box to ensure that the step is always assigned to the group, even when the user running the step is a member of the group.
- Choose one of the following Assignment Method options:
- User Defined—Manually choose the user to whom a subsequent step is assigned.
- Spatially—Query a reference layer that contains a field with a list of users or groups using the job's location to determine the user or group to whom a subsequent step is assigned.
- If you chose User Defined, do one of the following:
- All Users—Choose this option to allow any user to be assigned to a subsequent step.
- Group—Choose this option, click the Group drop-down arrow, and choose a group to only allow users in the chosen group to be assigned to a subsequent step.
- If you chose Spatially, click Add to add a reference layer.
The Advanced Assignment Step dialog box appears.
- Choose one of the following options to specify where the reference layer is located:
- This Enterprise—A feature layer hosted on the same portal as Workflow Manager.
- ArcGIS Online—A feature layer hosted on ArcGIS Online.
- Other—A feature layer hosted on another portal.
Note:
The feature layer must be a polygon layer.
- If you chose Other, type the URL for the portal that contains the feature layer in the Portal URL text box and press Enter.
For ArcGIS Enterprise, use the format https://webadaptorhost.domain.com/webadaptorname.
- Provide the item ID for the feature layer in the Item ID text box.
- Click the Layer Name drop-down arrow and choose the layer that you want to use as the reference layer.
- Click the Assignment Field drop-down arrow and choose the field that you want to use to determine user or group assignment.
Note:
The field that you choose can only contain users or groups.
- Provide a name for the reference layer in the Reference Name text box.
This is the name that's displayed in the step's configuration.
- Click OK.
The reference layer appears in the Step Details panel.
Note:
You can edit the reference layer by clicking Edit Reference Layer
, or delete the reference layer by clicking Delete Reference Layer 
. - In the Step Details panel under Reference Layer, choose one of the following options:
- User—Choose this option if the Assignment Field you chose contains users.
- Group—Choose this option if the Assignment Field you chose contains groups.
- Choose one of the following options to specify where the reference layer is located:
- Click the Options tab.
- Configure Step Options as necessary.
- Manual—Run the step manually.
- Optional—Allow the step to be finished without being run.
- Automatic—Run the step as soon as it becomes active.
Note:
If your workflow diagram is configured to automatically run a sequence of steps that includes the Evaluate Data Quality or the Run GP Service step, steps that attempt to run after the user token that started the sequence of steps expires will not run automatically. You must have a license for the ArcGIS Workflow Manager Server Advanced role to continue running more automated steps without manual intervention.
- Run on a Schedule—Run the step according to a schedule you set.
- Manual—Run the step manually.
- Optionally, choose one of the following options to configure help in the step:
- None—Configure the step without step help.
- Text—Configure help text for the step in the Text text box.
You can use ArcGIS Arcade expressions to provide a dynamic value for the step help. If the step help contains plain text and Arcade expressions, you must format the text as follows:
'For further assistance, please contact' + JobCreator($Job) + '.' - URL—Configure the step with a link to a help resource in the URL text box.
Note:
Steps run in the web app only support HTTP and HTTPS URL formats. Steps run in ArcGIS Pro support HTTP, HTTPS, and file formats.
You can also use Arcade expressions to provide a dynamic value. If the URL contains plain text and Arcade expressions, you must format the text as follows:
'https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/' + JobExtendedProperty($Job, 'tools', 'toolbox') + '/' + jobExtendedProperty($job, 'tools', 'alias') + '.htm'Configure the Automatically Encode Arcade Result check box:
- If an Arcade expression returns special characters that must be escaped when converted to a URL, such as a space or a forward slash, ensure that the Automatically Encode Arcade Result check box is checked.
- If an Arcade expression is used to form the base URL, uncheck the Automatically Encode Arcade Result check box.
- Optionally, click the Style tab to change the shape and color of the step.
- Optionally, click the About tab and provide a description for the step in the Step Description text box.
Tip:
The About tab also contains the step's ID that can be used with dynamic job properties to obtain a step's output. Click Copy Step ID
to copy the step ID to your clipboard.
Return value
When the step is completed, its return value is stored to indicate the result of the step. The return value can be immediately evaluated using paths to determine the next steps in the workflow. You can also retrieve the return value for completed steps throughout the workflow using ArcGIS Arcade expressions. The following table lists the step's return values:
| Return value | Description |
|---|---|
| S000001 | The step completed successfully. |
F000001 | The step failed to complete successfully. |
Output value
When the step is completed, its output value is stored and can be used to determine the path the workflow follows or can be used as inputs for other steps throughout the workflow. The following table lists the step's output value:
| Output | Description |
|---|---|
| assignment | Returns the username or group ID of the user or group to whom a subsequent step is assigned. |
assignmentMethod | Returns UserDefined or Spatial depending on method that was used to assign the user or group. |