FlowX.AI Data Search
Search for specific data across process instances using Elasticsearch-powered indexing for fast, precise results.
The Data Search service enables you to find specific data across process instances within your FlowX.AI platform. It uses Elasticsearch to perform fast, indexed searches across process data.
Simple Search
Search by a single field and value
Advanced Search
Search using multiple criteria simultaneously
Cross-Application
Search across multiple applications
Date Filtering
Filter results by process creation dates
Prerequisites
Before using the Data Search service, ensure you have:
Elasticsearch Configuration
Elasticsearch Configuration
- Elasticsearch cluster running and accessible
- Indexing enabled in FlowX Engine configuration
- Proper network connectivity between services
Kafka Topics
Kafka Topics
KAFKA_TOPIC_DATA_SEARCH_IN
configured for requestsKAFKA_TOPIC_DATA_SEARCH_OUT
configured for responses- Proper topic permissions and access
Process Data
Process Data
- Process instances with indexed data
- Searchable fields defined in Process Settings
- Completed process instances for reliable results
Quick start
Set up your data process
Create a process that stores searchable data and configure field indexing.
Create a search process
Build a process with Kafka Send/Receive actions for search functionality.
Configure search parameters
Define your search criteria using simple or advanced syntax.
Handle search results
Process the returned data and display results to users.
1. Set up your data process
First, create a process that contains searchable data. Add a Service Task with a business rule:
Critical Step: After creating your data structure, you must configure field indexing in Process Settings → Data Search for the search to work.
Configure Field Indexing
Navigate to Process Settings → Data Search and add the field paths you want to search:
Fields that we indexed in our example:
application.client.personalInfo.firstName
application.client.personalInfo.lastName
application.client.personalInfo.email
2. Create your search process
Create a new process with a Send Message Task:
Configuration:
- Action Type: Kafka Send Action
- Topic:
KAFKA_TOPIC_DATA_SEARCH_IN
3. Configure search parameters
Choose your search approach based on your needs:
Use when searching by a single field:
Use when searching by a single field:
Use when searching by multiple criteria (AND logic):
searchKeys
must match for a result to be returned.Search across multiple applications:
Filter by process creation dates:
4. Handle search results
Add a Receive Message Task with:
- Data Stream:
KAFKA_TOPIC_DATA_SEARCH_OUT
Success response example:
Search parameters reference
Quick reference table
Parameter | Type | Mandatory | Description | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|
searchKey | String | Yes | Single field path to search | "application.client.personalInfo.lastName" |
value | String | Yes | Value to search for (with searchKey) | "Johnson" |
searchKeys | Array | Yes (if multiple fields) | Multiple field-value pairs (AND logic) | [{"key": "field1", "value": "val1"}] |
processDefinitionNames | Array | Yes | Limit to specific processes | ["client_onboarding"] |
applicationIds | Array | No | Search across applications | ["uuid-1", "uuid-2"] |
states | Array | No | Filter by process states | ["FINISHED", "STARTED"] |
processStartDateAfter | String | No | Include processes after date | "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z" |
processStartDateBefore | String | No | Include processes before date | "2024-12-31T23:59:59Z" |
Basic search parameters
searchKey (String)
searchKey (String)
Purpose: The field path to search in for single-field searches.
Usage: Use dot notation to specify the exact path to the field you want to search or a specific key in the payload.
Examples:
"application.client.personalInfo.firstName"
"application.client.address.city"
"application.client.business.industry"
Important: This field must be indexed in Process Settings → Data Search to work.
searchKeys
. Choose one approach.value (String)
value (String)
Purpose: The exact value to search for when using searchKey
.
Usage: Must match the stored value exactly (case-sensitive).
Examples:
"Johnson"
- searches for exact lastName match"Technology"
- searches for exact industry match"Active"
- searches for exact status match
Note: Only used with searchKey
, not with searchKeys
.
searchKeys (Array)
searchKeys (Array)
Purpose: Array of key-value pairs for multi-field searches with AND logic.
Usage: All conditions must match for a result to be returned.
Format:
Example:
searchKey
. Choose one approach.Filtering parameters
processDefinitionNames (Array)
processDefinitionNames (Array)
Purpose: Limit search to specific process definitions.
Default: Searches all processes if omitted.
Usage: Improves performance by narrowing search scope.
Examples:
["client_onboarding"]
- search only in client processes["employee_registration", "contractor_onboarding"]
- search in multiple process types
Best Practice: Always specify to improve search performance.
applicationIds (Array)
applicationIds (Array)
Purpose: Search across specific applications.
Default: Searches current application if omitted.
Usage: Enable cross-application searches.
Examples:
["8dd20844-2dc5-4445-83a5-bbbcc82bed5f"]
- search in specific app["app-1-uuid", "app-2-uuid", "app-3-uuid"]
- search across multiple apps
Use Case: Useful for consolidated reporting across different business units.
states (Array)
states (Array)
Purpose: Filter results by process instance status.
Default: Returns all states if omitted.
Available States:
"CREATED"
- Process instance created but not started"STARTED"
- Process is currently running"FINISHED"
- Process completed successfully"FAILED"
- Process encountered an error and stopped"TERMINATED"
- Process was manually stopped/cancelled"ONHOLD"
- Process is paused or waiting for external input
Examples:
["FINISHED"]
- only completed processes["STARTED", "ONHOLD"]
- active or paused processes["FAILED", "TERMINATED"]
- processes that didn’t complete normally
Best Practice: Use ["FINISHED"]
for most business searches to get complete data.
Date range parameters
processStartDateAfter (String)
processStartDateAfter (String)
Purpose: Include only processes started after the specified date.
Format: ISO 8601 timestamp (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ
)
Examples:
"2024-01-01T00:00:00Z"
- processes started after Jan 1, 2024"2024-06-15T09:30:00Z"
- processes started after June 15, 2024 at 9:30 AM
Use Cases:
- Monthly reports:
"2024-03-01T00:00:00Z"
- Recent activity:
"2024-05-20T00:00:00Z"
processStartDateBefore (String)
processStartDateBefore (String)
Purpose: Include only processes started before the specified date.
Format: ISO 8601 timestamp (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ
)
Examples:
"2024-12-31T23:59:59Z"
- processes started before end of 2024"2024-06-30T23:59:59Z"
- processes started before end of June 2024
Use Cases:
- Historical analysis:
"2024-01-01T00:00:00Z"
- Quarterly reports:
"2024-03-31T23:59:59Z"
Process states explained
Understanding process states is crucial for effective searching:
State | Description | When to Use |
---|---|---|
CREATED | Process instance exists but hasn’t started execution | Rarely used for business searches |
STARTED | Process is actively running | Find ongoing processes, current workload |
FINISHED | Process completed successfully | Most common for business data searches |
FAILED | Process encountered an error | Error analysis, troubleshooting |
TERMINATED | Process was manually cancelled | Audit trails, cancelled applications |
ONHOLD | Process is paused/waiting | Active cases needing attention |
Recommendation: Use ["FINISHED"]
for most business searches to ensure you’re getting complete, reliable data.
Response structure
The search returns a JSON object with these fields:
result
(Array): List of matching process instances, automatically sorted byprocessStartDate
in descending order (newest first)processInstanceUUID
: Unique process identifierstate
: Current process stateprocessStartDate
: When the process starteddata
: The actual process data with your searchable fields
tooManyResults
(Boolean): True if more than 50 results found (limit applied)success
(Boolean): Whether the search completed successfullyerrorMessage
(String): Error details if search failed
Use cases & examples
HR employee lookup
Search for employees by department, position, or location across HR systems.
Compliance Auditing
Locate specific transactions or approvals for regulatory compliance.
Business Intelligence
Analyze process data patterns and generate reports.
Real-world example: Customer support search
Customer calls with issue
Support agent needs to find customer’s account quickly.
Search by multiple criteria
Get comprehensive results
Receive full customer profile with account details, order history, and support tickets.
Resolve customer issue
Use the retrieved data to address the customer’s concern effectively.
Best practices
Performance optimization
Performance optimization
- Limit search scope using
processDefinitionNames
andstates
- Use date ranges for time-sensitive searches
- Index only frequently searched fields to reduce storage overhead
- Monitor search response times and optimize queries
- Avoid wildcard searches on large datasets
Data Modeling
Data Modeling
- Use consistent field naming across processes
- Normalize data formats (dates, phone numbers, etc.)
- Consider search patterns when designing data structures
- Document indexed fields for team reference
- Plan for data growth and scaling needs
Security & Compliance
Security & Compliance
- Don’t index sensitive data (SSN, passwords, etc.)
- Implement proper access controls for search endpoints
- Log search activities for audit trails
- Sanitize search inputs to prevent injection attacks
- Follow data retention policies for search results
Error Handling
Error Handling
- Handle empty results gracefully in your UI
- Implement retry logic for failed searches
- Provide meaningful error messages to users
- Set reasonable timeouts for search operations
- Monitor and alert on search failures
Troubleshooting
No Search Results
No Search Results
Possible Causes:
- Fields not indexed in Process Settings → Data Search
- Incorrect field path (case-sensitive)
- Process instances not in expected state
- Elasticsearch indexing delay
Solutions:
- Verify field indexing configuration
- Check exact field paths in process data
- Ensure processes are in FINISHED state
- Wait 30-60 seconds after process completion
Search Timeout Errors
Search Timeout Errors
Possible Causes:
- Query too broad (searching all data)
- Elasticsearch cluster performance issues
- Large dataset without proper filtering
Solutions:
- Add more specific filters (
processDefinitionNames
,states
) - Use date ranges to limit scope
- Check Elasticsearch cluster health
- Optimize indexing strategy
Invalid Search Key Errors
Invalid Search Key Errors
Possible Causes:
- Typos in field paths
- Field doesn’t exist in process data
- Incorrect JSON format in request
Solutions:
- Verify field paths exist in process instances
- Check for case sensitivity
- Validate JSON syntax
- Test with simple field paths first
Connection Issues
Connection Issues
Possible Causes:
- Kafka topics not properly configured
- Network connectivity problems
- Service authentication issues
Solutions:
- Verify Kafka topic configuration
- Check network connectivity
- Validate service credentials
- Review FlowX Engine logs