The interactive HMI shapes can be configured to only be enabled when certain tag conditions are met. This can be useful for creating simple workflows for operators when steps need to be followed in a specific order, or when data shouldn't be entered unless certain conditions are met (a machine is running or not running, for example). Note that this feature only works on Text Input, Button, Dropdown, Combo Box and Toggle shapes.

To set up these workflows, select a valid shape on the diagram canvas, then click the 'Configure Workflow Rules' button in the left panel:

That will open a popup window to configure the shape's workflow rules. Click the green + icon on the right to create your first rule or add additional rules to an existing list:

Each rule is made up of several parts:

• Tag Name: The tag this rule is going to monitor to determine if the shape should be enabled. Multiple rules for the same shape can look at different tags.

• Tag Property: The property of the source tag set above that this rule will look at. This is chosen from a list of properties like Value, alarm limits, etc. Note that some of the options in this dropdown depend on features being enabled on that tag. For example, choosing to base a rule on an alarm limit value will not work if that alarm limit isn't enabled on the tag.

• Decimal Places: If a numeric Tag property is chosen above, this rounds the value to a specified number of decimals if it is not blank.

• Aggregation: If a DB Tag or an ERP Tag is chosen above, this aggregation selects/calculates a value from that Tag.

• Nth: If 'Nth' is chosen above as Aggregation, this defines the index of the value from its Tag property's value collection.

• Condition: This is the comparison the diagram will make between the value it pulls out of the source tag and the comparison value you configure below. The available options vary based on the Data Type set above.

• Target: This chooses the comparison target value between 'Predefined' and 'Tag'.

• Value: If 'Predefined' is chosen above as Target, The Tag Property value you configured the rule to use can be compared to this 'hard-coded' value, using the Condition you configured above. The allowed values in this field will vary based on the Data Type chosen above. For example, you will not be able to enter 'Bob' for the comparison value of an integer tag value.

• Tag Name, Tag Property, Decimal Places, Aggregation, and Nth under Target: If 'Tag' is chosen above as Target, these define another Tag as a comparison target.

The image below shows an example set of rules that will only enable a button if one tag value is greater than a preset value, and another tag's value is 'true'. If either of those conditions are not met, the button will be disabled.

Note that when designing a workflow, shapes further 'down' the workflow will generally require more rules. The first button might only require a single check for validity. The second will (probably) want to duplicate that first check, as well as add another, and so on.