Description:

The Stop workflow step belongs to the Engine category in FlowWright. Its XML definition identifies the step as stop, with the label “Stops and completes the instance execution” and the display name “Stop.” The step is implemented as a Process step using FlowWright.Workflow.StopStep from FlowWright.Workflow.dll.

The Stop step is designed to provide a termination point for workflow execution. When a process reaches this step, the instance execution is stopped and completed.

The step supports:

• Stopping workflow instance execution
• Completing a workflow instance
• Providing a defined termination point for a workflow path
• Ending successful workflow processing
• Ending alternate or conditional workflow paths
• Terminating a workflow after a cancellation, rejection, or other business outcome
• Creating clear completion points in complex workflow definitions

Usage:

The Stop step is typically placed at the end of a workflow path when no further process execution is required.

A workflow can have one or more Stop steps depending on its business logic. For example, different decision branches can terminate independently:

Start → Validate Request → Decision

• Approved → Process Request → Stop
• Rejected → Record Rejection → Stop

The Stop step can also be used when a workflow should terminate early based on a business condition.

Typical uses include:

• Completing a successfully processed workflow.
• Terminating a rejected request.
• Ending a canceled workflow path.
• Ending an exception or alternate processing path.
• Providing explicit termination points after conditional decisions.
• Completing a workflow after all required processing has finished.
• Simplifying complex workflow definitions by providing clear termination points.

Typical workflow suggestions:

• Normal process completion - Place a Stop step after the final business operation when the workflow has completed all required processing.
• Approval completion - Use Stop after an approval process has successfully completed.
• Rejection path - Use Stop at the end of a rejection branch when no further workflow processing is required.
• Cancellation - Use Stop after a cancellation operation when the process should no longer continue.
• Conditional termination - Use Stop after a decision branch when a particular business condition requires the process to terminate.
• Early termination - A workflow can use Stop before its normal end when a condition means that subsequent processing is unnecessary.
• Multiple business outcomes - Complex processes can use multiple Stop steps to provide explicit termination points for different outcomes.

Example:

Let’s build and execute the “stopDef” example.          

• Create a new process definition named “stopDef” and open it in designer mode. 
• Drag the “Task, Decision, and Stop” steps to the canvas. 
• Connect the dots from “Start” to the other steps, as shown above.
• Click the Task1 (Manager1 Approval) step to configure its "Required" properties. Enter a task name. Then navigate to the “Optional” tab and configure the user to whom the task is routed. 
• Click the Task2 (Pros Cons Sheet) step to configure its "Required" properties. Enter a task name. Navigate to the “Optional” tab and configure the user to whom the task is routed. 
• Click the “Decision” step to configure its “Required” properties. Enter a step name and a condition to evaluate. Click the Save button. Note: Click the "AI Predict" button to have the Copilot add new process steps that match your process description. 

• Select the outgoing connection links for the “Decision” step, and set their properties to True or False. 

• Save the process definition, create a new instance, and execute it. Render the process instance. Click the process step to view its properties. The step should stop processing once the task step completes. 

Tips:

• Use Stop when the workflow instance should no longer continue executing.
• Place Stop after the final operation of a completed workflow path.
• Use separate Stop steps where different business branches need explicit termination points.
• Use Stop after cancellation or rejection processing when no additional workflow operations are required.
• Avoid placing business-processing logic after a Stop step when that processing is expected to execute within the same workflow path.
• Keep termination points visually clear in complex process definitions.
• Use meaningful step names when multiple Stop steps exist so that their purpose is clear to workflow designers and administrators.
• Test each business path to confirm that it reaches the intended termination point.
• Remember that the Stop step has no configurable properties, so there are no variables, global, timeout, credential, or other settings to configure. 
• The XML defines True and False return values but does not document any additional conditions that control those returns. Do not assume additional return behavior solely from the XML.

Notes:

• Category: Engine.
• Internal name: stop.
• Label: Stops and completes the instance execution.
• Display name: Stop.
• Namespace: FlowWright.Workflow.StopStep.
• DLL: FlowWright.Workflow.dll.
• Step definition type: Process.
• Input connections: 2.
• Output connections: 2.
• Configurable properties: None.
• Property types: None.
• Returns: True and False.
• Primary function: Stops and completes the instance execution.

Recommended workflow pattern

A common workflow pattern is:

Start → Business Processing → Decision → Final Operation → Stop

For workflows with multiple outcomes:

Start → Business Processing → Decision

→ Success → Finalize → Stop

→ Failure → Handle Failure → Stop

→ Cancellation → Handle Cancellation → Stop

This pattern gives each terminal business outcome a clear point at which the FlowWright instance execution is stopped and completed.

Definition Sample:

You may download the sample definition provided for the Stop step and import it into the FlowWright Process Definition (XML file) page.

After importing the sample, verify and complete any required workflow configuration, including:

• Connections from preceding workflow steps.
• The business logic leading to the Stop step.
• Any alternate workflow paths that should also terminate.
• Environment-specific process configuration.

Because the Stop step has no configurable properties, no step-specific values need to be entered after importing the definition.

After verifying the workflow, save the Process Definition before execution.

Click here to download the sample file.