Execution Mode #

Extension Kit rules can be executed in these modes: EventHandler, Background, and BackgroundTransaction.

EventHandler rules are executed during the event that triggered them, specifically in the BeforeCheckInChangesFinalize event handler. This occurs before an object is checked in but after state transitions and signatures have been finalized. Workflow changes are not allowed in this event handler. If a rule is configured to modify the object’s state, the change will be executed in the background after the event handler has finished. Rules executed in this mode take advantage of M-Files event handlers’ transactionality, meaning any changes they make to the vault are rolled back if an error occurs. However, they are subject to all event handler constraints, most notable being the 90-seconds timeout.

Background rules are executed in the background, after the event that caused them has finished. When Background mode is selected, rules are not transactional. This means that these tasks run independently of any transaction and do not roll back changes if a failure occurs during execution.

To have transactional behavior in the background, the BackgroundTransaction execution mode should be selected in the configuration. This mode ensures that tasks run within the context of a transaction, allowing any changes made by the task to be rolled back if the transaction fails.

In some modules, such as Object Creator, the execution mode can be set in advanced rule configuration. However, for most modules, the execution mode is set to an appropriate version by default and cannot be changed.

Execution Mode Overview by Modules #

Execution Order #

When execution mode is event handler, rules are executed by module and in order they are specified in configuration. Modules execution order is as follows:

1. Orchestrator
2. Property Operations
3. Property Calculations
4. Extended Auto Properties
5. Auto Numbering Properties
6. Versioning
7. Extended Permissions
8. Extension Methods
9. Document Processing
10. Object Creation
11. Validation
12. Property Builder
13. SQL Integration
14. HTTP Integration
15. Reporting
16. E-mail Notifications
17. Vault to Vault
18. Data Transfer
19. Excel Reader
20. Word Reader
21. Excel Writer
22. Word Writer
23. Extended Assignments
24. Object Templates
25. Auto State Transition