WPB Branches - How to create branches

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Branches

Source Documents: WPB Producer Manual, WPB Online Help.

What are branches?

In a process it’s an option to follow one or the other way. It’s just like being at a corner.

Why do we need branches?

Using branches will allow the user to digress from the sequential path within a simulation. This gives the user much more flexibility and portrays a more realistic process workflow. Two or more branches can be added to a lesson so that the user has a choice of where to go to next.

Where & How are branches?

In the WPB, branches are materialized with specific branch macro in a "New Page"

You can have more than 2 branches but we’ll only mention 2 branches for clarity.

Example: You are in sales Order Process where you can either create a standard Sales Order (Order Type OR) or create a MTO (Make-To-Order) process (Order Type YMBO).

How to create branches?

Steps to create your branches:

I. Record your process (Action Record Application)

You record the main process.

Keep in mind to have a common "starting point" for your branch – this is your corner.

Eg: Doc type, transaction cmd field,…So it means that you should think during your first recording where the branch will start and start from there the branch recording itself.

In our example the order type selection is the branch starting point (corner). This screen is "Create Sales Order: Initial screen". So you record the standard process with Doc.Type OR.

II. Record the other process (the branch)

In the Same Project, you record the other option you want to include.

So in our example, it is the MTO process with doc.Type YMBO).

You start from your defined starting point. In our example this is "Create Sales Order: Initial screen"

III. Make up your recording (optional)

In your project tab, you can merge some "New Page" but keep in mind to keep your two "starting point" identical.

Tools Automation Merge selected "New Pages" macro.

IV. Merge now your two "starting" page

Select your "New Page" that are your starting point for the branches. Then Merge them.

ToolsAutomationMerge selected "New Pages" macro.

In our example these are the "Create Sales Order: Initial screen" where you enter the order type.

V. Create the branch (point where the user has to select one or the other way – your corner)

On the previous merged "starting point", Edit Insert Special Macros Create Branch

If the previous steps were done properly you should only have 2 entries in the pop-up window "Edit Branch"

If you have something like this

This is not good. You can still correct that in your
Folder project.

You should have this:

There, in the Edit Branch window, you select where the next step (after the choice of the branch) of the process starts. 3 and 13
are the process step number visible in your Thumbnail view.

Your select for your corner either your 1^st way – Standard process (3) or 2^nd way – MTO Process (13).

You select the new page corresponding to “starting point”

It will show up like this in your project explorer overview (Thumbnail view).

The Orange arrows indicate that the user will be directed to a specific process step.

Stopping your mouse pointer on the arrow shows you which step.

VI.Test your process!

Limitation:

Keep in mind that projects with branches cannot be rerecorded. WPB cannot guess which step to go.

A work around is to clone your project. Then you split your branches into 2 processes for rerecording and then recreate the branches in the new
version.