Search activity
A Search activity allows you to perform searches against directory data to find objects, such as users or groups, that match the criteria you specify based on object properties, object location, and other information available in the execution environment of the workflow, and to pass these objects to other activities so that the workflow can perform the appropriate actions on them. You can insert activities into a Search activity and have those activities process the objects found by the Search activity.
The following topics cover the configurable settings of a Search activity:
Search scenario
You can configure a Search activity to:
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Search in the Organizational Unit or container: Search a certain OU or container for objects that match your search criteria.
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Search for resources managed or owned by the user or group: Search for the managed objects of a particular user or group that match your search criteria. Managed objects of a user or group are those for which the user or group is the primary owner (manager) or a secondary owner.
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Search the group for its members: Search for the members of a certain group that match your search criteria.
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Search for direct reports of the user: Search for the direct reports of a particular user that match your search criteria. Direct reports of a given user are the users for which that user is the manager.
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Search within the attribute of the object (ASQ search): Search for the objects listed in a certain attribute of a particular object that match your search criteria.
Object type
You can specify the type of the objects you want the activity to search for. The list from which you can select the object type varies depending on the search scenario you have selected.
Table 40: Search activity: Object type
Search in the Organizational Unit or container. |
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Users
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Contacts
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Groups
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Computers
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Printers
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Organizational Units
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Shared Folders
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Exchange Recipients
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Inactive Accounts
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All Objects |
Search for resources managed or owned by the user or group.
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Search within the object's attribute (ASQ search). |
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Users
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Contacts
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Groups
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Computers
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Printers
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Organizational Units
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Shared Folders
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Exchange Recipients
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All Objects |
Search the group for its members. |
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Users
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Contacts
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Groups
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Computers
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Exchange Recipients
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All Objects |
Search for direct reports of the user. |
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Search scope
The search scope determines where to search for the objects of the specified type. The search scope settings depend upon the search scenario, and are as follows.
Table 41: Search activity: Search scope
Search in the Organizational Unit (OU) or container |
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Fixed container in directory: Search in the given OU or container. You can select the desired OU or container in Active Directory when you configure a Search activity.
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Parent OU of workflow target object: Search in the OU that holds the target object of the request that started the workflow.
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Object identified by workflow parameter: Search in the OU or container specified by the value of a certain parameter of the workflow. You can choose the desired parameter when you configure a Search activity.
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Object from workflow data context: Search in the OU or container that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When configuring a Search activity, you can specify which OU or container you want the activity to select at workflow run time.
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Object identified by DN-value rule expression: Search in the OU or container whose Distinguished Name (DN) is specified by the string value of a certain rule expression. By using a rule expression you can compose a string value based on properties of various objects found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. You can create the desired rule expression when you configure a Search activity. |
Search for resources managed or owned by the user or group |
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Workflow target object: Search for resources managed or owned by the target object of the request that started the workflow.
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Object identified by workflow parameter: Search for resources managed or owned by the object specified by the value of a certain parameter of the workflow. You can choose the desired parameter when you configure a Search activity.
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Object from workflow data context: Search for resources managed or owned by the object that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When configuring a Search activity, you can specify which object you want the activity to select at workflow run time.
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Object identified by DN-value rule expression: Search for resources managed or owned by the object whose Distinguished Name (DN) is specified by the string value of a certain rule expression. By using a rule expression, you can compose a string value based on properties of various objects found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. You can create the desired rule expression when you configure a Search activity. |
Search the group for its members |
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Workflow target object: Search for members of the group that is the target object of the request that started the workflow.
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Object identified by workflow parameter: Search the group specified by the value of a certain parameter of the workflow. You can choose the desired parameter when you configure a Search activity.
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Object from workflow data context: Search for members of the group object that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When configuring a Search activity, you can specify which group object you want the activity to select at workflow run time.
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Object identified by DN-value rule expression: Search the group whose Distinguished Name (DN) is specified by the string value of a certain rule expression. By using a rule expression, you can compose a string value based on properties of various objects found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. You can create the desired rule expression when you configure a Search activity. |
Search for direct reports of the user |
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Workflow target object: Search for direct reports of the target object of the request that started the workflow.
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Object identified by workflow parameter: Search for direct reports of the object specified by the value of a certain parameter of the workflow. You can choose the desired parameter when you configure a Search activity.
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Object from workflow data context: Search for direct reports of the object that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When configuring a Search activity, you can specify which object you want the activity to select at workflow run time.
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Object identified by DN-value rule expression: Search for direct reports of the object whose Distinguished Name (DN) is specified by the string value of a certain rule expression. By using a rule expression, you can compose a string value based on properties of various objects found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. You can create the desired rule expression when you configure a Search activity. |
Search within the object's attribute (ASQ search) |
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Fixed object in directory: Search in a certain attribute of the given object. You can select the desired object in Active Directory when you configure a Search activity.
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Workflow target object: Search in a certain attribute of the target object of the request that started the workflow.
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Object from workflow data context: Search in a certain attribute of the object that will be selected by the Search activity on the basis of the data found in the workflow environment at the time of executing the workflow. When configuring a Search activity, you can specify which object you want the activity to select at workflow run time. |