Build an Application:

Step-by-Step #4
Exercise to Accompany
Expressions: Transform Your Data

The Appian Step-by-Step series consists of 12 exercises that accompany

the courses in the Appian Developer learning path. Exercises build upon
each other. Complete exercises in order and keep the app and all
objects until you are done with the project.

1 Welcome to the Appian Developer Learning Path

2 Create an Application

3 Manage Users and Groups

4 Expressions

5 Design Record Types

6 Sites

7 Query Your Data

8 Interfaces 101

9 Process Modeling 101: Part 1

10 Process Modeling 101: Part 2

11 Reports

12 Task Report

© Appian Corporation, 2024

Exercise 4: Expressions 3
Create Constants 3
Create an Expression Rule 4
Troubleshooting Resources 7

Notice of Rights

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Copyright 2024 by Appian Corporation. All rights reserved. Information in this document is subject to
change. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, without
prior written permission of Appian Corporation. For more information on obtaining permission for
reprints or excerpts, contact Appian Training at [email protected].

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 This exercise was developed for Appian 24.4. If Appian Community
Edition is on a later Appian version, functionality might be different.
Go to academy.appian.com to download the latest exercise.

Exercise 4: Expressions
In this exercise, you will create two types of rule objects: six constants and one expression
rule.

Create Constants
A constant is a literal value that can be called from any expression, across objects in your
application. In this section, you will create constants that point to the groups and folders you
just created.

First, you will create constants that point to groups.

1. From within the W#SA Constants folder, click NEW > Constant.

2. In the Create Constant dialog, configure the following properties:

● Name: Enter W#SA_ADMINISTRATORS_GROUP_POINTER.

● Description: Enter A pointer to the W#SA application
administrators group.
● Type: Select Group.
● Value: Enter and select W#SA Administrators.
● Environment Specific: Keep this configuration unselected.
● Save In: Ensure W#SA Constants is selected.

3. Click CREATE.

4. Follow steps 1–3 to create constants for the remaining four groups:

● W#SA Users
● W#SA Supervisors
● W#SA Registrars
● W#SA Mechanics

Next, you will create a constant that points to the W#SA Documents folder.

1. Click NEW > Constant.

2. In the Create Constant dialog, configure the following properties:

● Name: Enter W#SA_DOCUMENTS_FOLDER_POINTER.

● Description: Enter A pointer to the W#SA application documents
folder.
● Type: Select Folder.

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 ● Value: Enter and select W#SA Documents.
● Environment Specific: Keep this configuration unselected.
● Save In: Ensure W#SA Rules & Constants is selected.

3. Click CREATE.

Create an Expression Rule

An expression rule is a reusable object containing a statement that evaluates to return a
value. In this section, you will create an expression that formats a user’s name. You will use
this expression rule in a later exercise.

Follow the steps below to create this expression rule.

1. From within the W#SA Expressions folder, click NEW > Expression Rule.

2. In the Create Expression Rule dialog, configure the following properties:

● Name: Enter W#SA_FormatDisplayName.

● Description: Enter Formats a user’s name for the W#SA
application.

3. Click CREATE.

4. In the Rule Inputs pane, click the New Rule Input icon.

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 5. Configure the following properties:

● Name: Enter user.

● Description: Click Add.

○ Description: Enter Username of logged in user.

○ Click ADD.

● Type: Select Text.

6. Enter the following expression into the Expression Editor:

a!match(
value: ri!user,
whenTrue: isnull(fv!value),
then: "",
whenTrue: isusernametaken(fv!value),
then: proper(
user(fv!value, "firstName") & " " & user(fv!value,
"lastName")
),
default: proper(joinarray(split(fv!value, "."), " "))
)

In this expression, a!match evaluates the input (a username) against multiple

conditions and returns a value (the formatted name) based on a match. Function
variables, which use the domain prefix fv!, are special variables used within certain
functions and interfaces. Here, you are using fv!value to reference the value parameter
(ri!user).

7. In the toolbar, click Format to automatically format your expression.

8. Click SAVE CHANGES.

9. Test this expression:

● In Test Inputs, in the Expression column, enter the function

loggedInUser(). This function returns the current user who is logged in.
● Click TEST RULE to see the formatted name.

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 Tip: About a!match

a!match evaluates a value against multiple conditions and returns a value based
on a match. If no match is found, the default is returned.

● First, this expression checks whether the user’s username is null. If the
user’s username is null, an empty string is returned.
● If the user’s username is not null, then the expression checks whether the
user is an active user. If the user is active, the first and last name associated
with the username is returned.
● If the username is not null and the user is not active, the default is
returned.
● The process for formatting users and non-users is different. The last line in
the expression reformats the username input as First and Last Name for a
non-user.

Visit the Appian Community YouTube channel and Appian Documentation to

learn more about functions.

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Troubleshooting Resources
Stuck on a step, or need help troubleshooting? Appian provides several support resources
that you can use as you build:

1. Acme Auto Solution Application - The Acme Auto Solution Application (AS) is the
solution to the exercises you are following in the Step-by-Steps. You can use the AS
application as a reference tool. Review it to see how specific objects are configured, or
test the application to see how the features work from a business user’s perspective.
This application is preloaded into your workspace. If you do not see it in the list of
applications in your workspace, you can deploy it from the App Catalog. Refer to Build
an Application: Step-by-Step #1 for more information on how to use the App
Catalog.

2. Community Discussions for New Users - Check out the New to Appian thread in
Community. Join our community of experts to ask questions and find answers from
past discussions.

3. Appian Documentation - Appian’s product documentation will provide you with an

overview of key Appian features, newest release information, additional tutorials, and
helpful patterns and recipes to implement in your app.

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