Start forms

Start forms set the process variables that your workflow requires. There are two types of variables you can define at the start of a workflow with different purposes:

Type	Purpose
Form reference	Asking the initiator to confirm or provide information in a dialog box.
Form property	Setting the workflow configuration variables.

Form properties

The form properties were the default way of configuring a user task in the deprecated Flowable Eclipse Designer. For backwards compatibility, the Workflow Designer supports all form properties but you should use form references to design your user tasks and take advantage of the enhanced configuration options that they offer.

You should only use form properties to set configuration variables. You can use any form type that is not exclusively meant for user tasks. The properties you set for each start form determine how the workflow interprets them.

Property	Configuration
Default	The default value of the process variable. All configuration variables must have a default value.
Required	Selected: You must provide a value for these variables to start the workflow. All configuration variables are considered required. If you prefer to use a form property instead of the recommended form reference to display a start form dialog box, you must either provide a default value or select the Writable property. Clear (default): Do not use this option for configuration variables. In the context of a start form dialog box, this option allows you to start the workflow without providing a value for these variables.
Readable	Selected (default): Do not use this option for configuration variables. If you prefer to use a form property instead of the recommended form reference, a dialog box appears before the start of the workflow. You must fill in the required information or accept the default values and submit them to start the workflow. Clear: These variables become configuration variables. When you configure the start form, you must provide a default value for these variables.
Writable	Selected (default): You can edit the configuration variables on the workflow definition page. If you prefer to use a form property instead of the recommended form reference to display a start form dialog box, the initiator can provide a value or overwrite the default value. Clear: You cannot provide another value for these variables in the UI. You can still change the value with a script task.

The term start form refers to both the start event forms and the dialog box that appears before the start of the workflow.