Define a Data Field

Data fields identify inputs to and outputs from user activities.

1. In Project Explorer, drill down and select Data Fields under WelcomeUsers-Process.
   Data Fields is under Parameters in the tree.
   Data Fields open in the Properties pane.

   
2. Click Add Data Field (INS)
   A new data field has Type text, and Label and Name are Field. It opens in Project Explorer.
3. Click Label to change Field to Message.
   The Name also changes to Message.
4. From Project Explorer, expand Data Fields, and then drag and drop Message onto the Display Message task.

   A popup menu opens.

   

   Tip: If the drag and drop fails, the popup does not open. Check the selection is a data field, and the target is a user task.
5. Click Add Data To View.
   The process associates a user task with a work item. The field contents for the work item are now set to read-only.
6. From the Highlighting menu, check that Enable Highlighting is enabled.
   

   With Highlighting enabled, and Message selected from the WelcomeUsers-Process pane, Display Message is highlighted because the process associates Message with Display Message.

   Other tasks and steps in the process are grayed out.

   

   Note: The same reference highlighting can identify the tasks associated with parameters and participants.
7. Click away from Display Message to clear the highlight.
8. Press CTRL + S to save the changes.