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Infor Lawson IPA Process Designer Activity Node Reference

A searchable reference of Infor Process Automation (IPA) activity nodes as named in the Infor Process Designer user guide, with typical uses for Lawson S3 sites. Use it when you design a new flow, review an old ProcessFlow conversion or plan around nodes deprecated from 2024.10.

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Activity node	Group (Infor guide)	What it does	Typical use with S3	Key settings	Status
Start	Process	Entry point; declares process variables	Define variables used by later nodes	Variables with initial expressions	Current
End	Process	Ends the flow; can set a status for the process	Mark the work unit outcome	Status	Current
Assign	Control	Sets variables with JavaScript expressions; can create a checkpoint	Build keys, dates and messages	Variable expressions, checkpoint	Current
Branch	Control	Routes to one path based on conditions; can simulate a loop	Route by query result or return code	Conditional expressions per path	Current
Wait	Control	Pauses the flow	Wait before polling for a batch result	Wait duration	Current
SubProcess	Control	Calls another process as part of this one	Reuse a common posting or notification flow	Process name, input variables	Current
Trigger	Control	Starts another process	Fan out one work unit per record	Process name, variables	Current
System Command	Control	Runs an operating system command on the IPA server	Call a script that moves files or runs a utility	Command line	Current
Custom Activity	Control	Runs custom code	Legacy custom logic	Implementation class	Deprecated (2024.10 notice)
Data Iterator	Data	Loops over records in data such as a file's lines	Process an inbound interface file line by line	Input data, record separator	Current
For Each	Data	Loops over a set of values	Repeat steps for each item in a list	Collection to iterate	Current
Data Transformation	Data	Transforms data between formats	Legacy mapping	Mapping	Deprecated (2024.10 notice)
File Access	Data	Reads, writes, appends, deletes, lists files or checks a file exists	Write an export file or read an inbound file	Action, file name, file channel	Current
FTP	Data	Gets or puts files on an FTP server	Send positive pay or bank files	Action (get/put), server config, paths	Current
IDM	Data	Adds, retrieves, updates or deletes documents in Infor Document Management	Attach a generated PDF to a record	Action, document type, attributes	Current
LDAP Query	Data	Queries an LDAP directory	Look up a manager or email address	Search base, filter, attributes	Current
Msg Builder	Data	Accumulates text into a message variable	Build a CSV or email body inside a loop	Target variable, text to append	Current
SQL Query	Data	Runs a SQL select through a JDBC configuration	Read tables directly	Configuration, SQL statement	Deprecated (2024.10 notice)
SQL Transaction	Data	Runs SQL insert, update or delete	Write to staging tables	Configuration, SQL statement	Deprecated (2024.10 notice)
User Action	User Interaction	Sends a work item to users or tasks for an action such as approve or reject	Requisition or invoice approvals	Task or user, actions, timeout and escalation	Current
Email	Notification	Sends an email	Notify approvers or send error reports	To, subject, body, attachments	Current
JMS	Queue	Sends or receives JMS messages	Legacy queue integration	Queue configuration	Deprecated (2024.10 notice)
WebSphere MQ	Queue	Sends or receives WebSphere MQ messages	Legacy queue integration	Queue manager configuration	Deprecated (2024.10 notice)
JSON Builder	Web/XML/JSON	Builds a JSON document	Prepare a REST request body	Structure and variables	Current
JSON Parser	Web/XML/JSON	Parses JSON into variables	Read a REST response	Input JSON, schema or sample	Current
XML	Web/XML/JSON	Parses or builds XML	Read an XML file or SOAP payload	Schema, input	Current
Web Run	Web/XML/JSON	Calls a URL (query/get or send/post)	Call a Lawson servlet or a REST API	Web root configuration, URL, method, post data	Current
Web Service	Web/XML/JSON	Calls a SOAP web service	Call an external SOAP service	WSDL, operation, payload	Current
Infor Lawson Query	Infor Lawson	Queries S3 data	Read vendors, employees or GL data from a product line	Data area, table, fields, criteria	Current
Infor Lawson Transaction	Infor Lawson	Performs an S3 transaction	Add or change records through S3 forms	Data area, form, function code, field values	Current
Infor Lawson Form Transaction	Infor Lawson	Performs an S3 form transaction	Form-level updates	Data area, form, field values	Current
Landmark Transaction	Infor Lawson	Queries and performs transactions on Landmark data; iterative node with start and end	Read or update IPA and Landmark business classes such as PfiWorkunit variables	Data area, business class, action, criteria	Current
Landmark Admin	Infor Lawson	Runs Landmark admin commands	Administrative tasks on Landmark	Command	Current
Resource Query / Resource Update	Infor Lawson	Queries or updates resource (user and identity) data	Find approvers, maintain resources	Resource, criteria, fields	Current
ION Outbox	ION	Publishes a BOD to ION	Send S3 events to other Infor apps	BOD noun, verb, payload	Current
ION Notification / ION Alert	ION	Sends an ION notification or alert to Infor OS users	Tell users about failed interfaces	Recipients, message	Current

Node names follow the Infor Process Designer User Guide table of contents (Landmark 2026.x). The 2024.10 notice in 'Recommendation by category' lists Custom, Data Transformation, JMS, Social, SQL Query, SQL Transaction and WebSphere MQ as deprecated and to be removed; check Infor Support for the removal timing on your deployment.

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ProcessFlow vs IPA

Lawson ProcessFlow was the original workflow engine for S3. IPA is its Landmark-based successor: processes are designed in Infor Process Designer (IPD) or IPD Web, stored and run on the Landmark runtime, and each run is a work unit. Most ProcessFlow concepts carry over (start, branch, user action, email, Lawson query and transaction), but IPA adds Landmark Transaction for Landmark data, ION nodes for Infor OS, JSON nodes and restart features such as checkpoints and auto restart on work units. When converting, retest every Lawson Transaction node, since field names and function codes must match the current S3 forms.

Replacing deprecated SQL and queue nodes

Infor's best-practices page states that, starting with 2024.10, Custom, Data Transformation, JMS, Social, SQL Query, SQL Transaction and WebSphere MQ nodes are deprecated and will be removed from IPD, IPD Web and the runtime server, and that they are not supported in multi-tenant environments. For SQL Query, the usual path is to read S3 data with Infor Lawson Query, or call a REST or web endpoint with Web Run. For SQL Transaction, write through Infor Lawson Transaction so S3 edits and audit apply. Queue nodes can move to ION (ION Outbox) or to Infor Cloverleaf where that is licensed.

Inventory flows: search process files for the deprecated node names
Rewrite reads first, then writes
Test restart behaviour after each change

Variables and restartability

Variables are declared in Start and set in Assign with JavaScript expressions; configuration variables hold environment-specific values such as paths and URLs so the same flow moves between test and production unchanged. Infor's restart guidance by category is practical: nodes that create data (Infor Lawson Transaction, Landmark Transaction, Email, File Access write, FTP put, ION Outbox) should usually be bypassed on restart or wrapped in a query-then-create pattern; read nodes (Infor Lawson Query, Data Iterator, File Access read) can usually be re-run. A PfiWorkunit variable updated with Landmark Transaction works as a checkpoint so a restarted flow skips completed steps.

How to check a flow in the system

Use the IPD debugger with breakpoints to step through a process and inspect runtime variables before uploading. After upload, use My Workunits to see each run, its variables and the error connector path. Setting a status through the End node makes work unit lists readable for support staff. For performance, Infor recommends fewer nodes, more logic in JavaScript inside Assign, fewer repetitive file writes and a sensible query page size.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lawson process flow?

ProcessFlow was Lawson's workflow engine for S3: approvals, notifications and interface automation built from nodes. Infor Process Automation (IPA) replaced it on Landmark, keeping the node model and adding Landmark, ION and JSON capabilities, plus restart and debugging features.

Is IPA the same as Infor ION Workflow?

No. ION Workflow is modelled in ION Desk and runs in Infor OS, mostly triggered by BODs and ION monitors. IPA flows are modelled in Infor Process Designer and run on Landmark. They can work together through the ION Outbox and ION Notification nodes.

Which IPA nodes are deprecated?

Infor's best-practices page lists Custom, Data Transformation, JMS, Social, SQL Query, SQL Transaction and WebSphere MQ as deprecated starting with 2024.10, with removal from IPD, IPD Web and the runtime server. Check Infor Support for the removal timing on your deployment.

How do I read S3 data in an IPA flow?

Use the Infor Lawson Query node, selecting the data area, table, fields and criteria. Its output variables feed later nodes. For updates use Infor Lawson Transaction so S3 business rules run, rather than writing SQL to the tables.

If you want users to ask about IPA work units and approvals in plain English on your own servers, we can add a private assistant over your Landmark and S3 data.

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