Sitting at the core of how Dell Boomi Processes function are Documents. Dell Boomi Processes are designed to determine the path of Document(s) containing data. As long as a Process has a Document containing data it will continue to execute. This data can be replaced by other data through Connector calls, but there has to be data in a Document moving through the Process. Once that Document(s) ceases to contain data the Process stops.

There are two exceptions to this. No Data Start Shapes will execute the Shape right after them, even though they do not have any data. End shapes will be referenced even if the Document(s) does not have any data long before it reaches the end shape.

Boomi’s requirement of continuous data flow in Document(s) determines Process design in two ways:

1. If you have data in your document and make a connector call the data returned by the call will replace the data that was previously in your document.
2. If you call a connector looking for a record and nothing is returned, the process will stop.

Boomi has Shapes to accomplish what you need to with these process rules.

1. Use the same data to do multiple things - Branch Shape. This shape enables you to add multiple branches and send the same data to each. It will then execute these branches one after the other.
2. Checking whether a record exists - Branch Shape. When checking if a record exists your Process will stop if no record is returned. If you want a process to continue even if a record is not returned you need to use the branch shape. Subsequent branches will execute after a null return. Note if you have the End and Return Shape at the end of the branch subsequent branches will not execute.
3. Reference one field retrieved earlier in the Process - Dynamic Document Properties and Set Properties Shape. Dynamic Document Properties enable you to set a property that is attached to the document, so as the data in the document is transformed and changed you continue to have access to that property. The one limitation here is that if you make a Connector Call you will lose your Dynamic Document Properties. Process Properties can also work for this purpose, but only if your Process only has one Document running at a time. The Flow Control Shape can be used to run documents individuall.
4. Reference entire documents retrieved earlier in the Process - Cache Shapes. Use the Add to Cache Shape to store data in your Document that will be overridden during the course of your Process, but you will need to reference at a later point. You can retrieve this data later on using the Load from Cache Shape.