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The Designer user interface

The image below shows the 5 main parts of the Designer interface. Click the links to read more about each part.

Designer user interface overview

Designer overview (video)
Toolbar overview
Canvas overview
Property Pane overview
Swimlane overview
Solution Tree Pane overview

designer overview

Watch the following video for a guided tour of Designer from the Winshuttle Youtube channel.

Designer overview (video)

Toolbar overview

The toolbar buttons give you quick and easy access to commands and functions, such as inserting nodes, saving files, etc. Each button and its function is described in the table below. Note that each function is also available as a command from the Winshuttle Designer menu bar under File, Edit, Insert, etc.

Button	Name	Action
	New	Creates a new workflow solution for forms. A workflow is a graphical representation of the flow of information (documents and/or forms) through an enterprise. Above: A very basic workflow example.
	Open	Opens a previously created workflow/solution.
	Save	Saves changes to the current workflow/solution.
	Print	Prints the workflow layout.
	Launch InfoPath	Starts Microsoft InfoPath. If you have not yet published any forms, a new InfoPath window opens. Otherwise, the last published form opens.
	Publish InfoPath Form	Publishes the selected form to the specified SharePoint site.
	Publish	Publishes the current workflow in Designer to the specified SharePoint site.
	Retrieve Workflow	Displays the workflows for the selected site allowing you to choose one to be loaded into Designer.
	Retrieve Solution	Displays the Solution files from central site allowing you to choose one to be loaded into Designer.
	Start Node The Start node is used as a visual reference in a workflow to indicate where it begins. A Start node is required to initiate a process.	Creates a Start node to indicate the beginning of a workflow.
	End Node An End node is used as a visual reference in a workflow to indicate where it ends. An End node is required to conclude a process or subprocess (loop).	Creates an End node to indicate the completion of a workflow.
	Activity Node A single step or task in a workflow.	Creates a step in the workflow that requires one or more participants to complete a task before the workflow continues.
	Approval Node The Approval node is a step within a workflow that requires the consent or decision of its assignees to proceed to the next step in the workflow.	Creates a step within a workflow that allows one or more participants to approve or reject an item under review.
	Plug-in Node The Plug-in node is used to automate tasks in a workflow, such as: Copy a form or document to another location. Interface with a Web service. Design, add, or integrate your own functionality into a process.	Allows you to integrate programming (in any of the .NET languages) into a workflow to interface with external systems.
	Loop Node The Loop Block node allows you to integrate subprocesses within a main workflow.	Allows you to create a sub workflow within a workflow.
	Decision Node A Decision node represents a branching point in a workflow--for example, when an approver must approve or reject a document.	Creates a node with branching in the workflow.
	Notification Node A Notification node is used to send email notification(s) to individuals participating in a workflow--for example, when an document is approved the author might be sent an email to notify them of approval.	Creates a step within the workflow that sends an email notification.
	AND Join Node The And/Join node is used to evaluate Approval node dispositions and move on to the next step in a workflow based on the property setting of the Approval nodes.	Creates a step within a workflow that uses conditional logic (AND) to evaluate the next sequence of execution in a workflow.
	XOR Join Node The Xor/Join node is used to evaluate Approval node dispositions and move on to the next step in a workflow based on the property setting of the Approval nodes.	Creates a step within a workflow that uses conditional logic (OR) to evaluate the next sequence of execution in a workflow.
	Value Setter The Value Setter node allows you to set values in a form field or list column. This functionality can be used to manipulate a workflow route, based on the setting of values in a form field or list column.	Creates a node that sets an existing or computed value into a form or a SharePoint column.

Canvas overview

The Canvas is the term used to describe the blank workspace where you create workflows and includes the toolbar, swimlanes, and properties pane.

Property Pane overview

The Properties Pane reflects the attributes and settings of what is highlighted in the canvas. The Properties pane lets you view and change the properties assigned to a workflow or individual nodes and transitions in the workflow.

Each item has different properties and settings. To change a setting, click in the text box to the right of the property name. Some properties include a […] button, which you can click to specify more settings, or a drop-down list from which you can select a setting.

Swimlane overview

Workflows are composed of swimlanes, representing the functional roles in a process. Each swimlane in a workflow appears in the Designer canvas. When a workflow is started, real people must be assigned to a swimlane and the swimlane behavior must be set. Swimlanes are associated with SharePoint groups, and tasks are assigned to (placed within) swimlanes.

Every process must have at least the following swimlanes, which are created automatically:

Originator — the person who initiates the process.
The Originator is the person who initiates a workflow. Every workflow must have an Originator Swim Lane.
Process Owner — the person who has overall responsibility for the process.
The Process Owner is the person responsible for all processes in a specified group. By default, the Originator (see above) is the Process Owner, but you can assign a different Process Owner as needed. Every workflow must have a Process Owner.
Important: The Originator and a Process Owner swimlane are set as default participants in every workflow. Do not remove these swimlanes.

You can add as many swimlanes as you need for your work environment. Swimlanes are configured through the Swimlane Collection Editor, which allows you to add, edit, and delete swimlanes, and to set the assignment behavior for a swimlane.

Designer Screen Swimlane Example

Solution Tree Pane overview

The Solution Window enables you to interact with and set properties for each element contained within a Winshuttle Solution.

Workflow Solution Management provides you with an integrated authoring experience and ensures that your deployment of workflows, forms, and documents is streamlined from start to publication in your environment.

See the Designer Conceptual Overview section for a more detailed description of each of the elements (Form views, Deployment profiles, etc.) that comprise a Winshuttle solution.

Winshuttle Solution Window