Modifying Locked Elements in a Published Process App

After a process app is published, certain design elements are locked and cannot be modified. This is because data that depends on those elements could have been created at runtime. For example, you cannot delete a state because it could still exist in the state history for one or more items, and you cannot change the style of a numeric field because items could already exist in that table with that field set to a number with the original style.

However, there may be cases when you need to modify or even delete locked elements. For example, you may add elements to your process and determine during testing that they need to be removed or modified.

This topic lists the elements that are locked and describes how to reset the process app so the elements can be modified.

The following list describes the items that are locked after a process app is published:

The process app name and category cannot be changed.
The database name for fields and tables cannot be changed.
Internal names for workflows, states, and transitions cannot be changed.
Fields, selection values, and states cannot be permanently deleted. They are instead marked deleted (or disabled, in the case of states).
The Backfill to existing items check box is not available for Multi-Selection fields.
Some styles options for Numeric and Date/Time fields cannot be changed.
Text fields cannot be changed to the Fixed length style from the Memo or Journal style and cannot be changed from the Fixed length style to the Memo or Journal style.
The related table for Relational fields cannot be changed.
The prefix for applications cannot be changed.

To reset a process app so you can modify locked items:

Select the process app at the top of the App Explorer.
Click Remove Publish Restrictions.
Acknowledge the warning that informs you that you must first undeploy the process app if you plan to deploy it to an environment where it has already been deployed. If you do not first undeploy the process app, your changes made in these steps are ignored. The publish status changes to "published/unlocked."
Modify items as needed.
Deploy the process app.
1. In the Quick Access Toolbar, click Deploy.
2. In the Deploy Process App dialog box that opens, select your environment in the Deploy to list, and complete other fields as needed.
  Note: To restore original elements, manually change them to their original values.

Modifying Locked Elements in a Published Process App

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