> For clean Markdown of any page, append .md to the page URL. > For a complete documentation index, see https://docs.itential.com/llms.txt. > For AI client integration (Claude Code, Cursor, etc.), connect to the MCP server at https://docs.itential.com/_mcp/server. # Enumerations in applications > How to define and use enumerations (enums) in the pronghorn.json file for Itential Platform applications. This guide explains the enum feature and how to use it in the `pronghorn.json` file for Itential Platform applications. ## Terminology and concepts Enum is short for "enumerations," meaning "specifically listed." An enum specifies a list of constant values assigned to a type. A constant is an identifier (name) for a value that cannot change during the execution of a script or command. Essentially, an enum is a special "class" representing a group of constants. Once an enum is defined in configuration, you can constrain input to the set of values in that enumeration. ## Define workflow tasks using enums Enums represent a fixed number of possible values. Use an enum when there is a definite number of fixed values for a variable — similar to Boolean values of `true` or `false`. To create an enum input for a task: * Use the `enum` keyword as the type. * Use enum for values that are not going to change, such as months, days of the week, colors, or shirt sizes. Create an `enumerals` array containing all valid values. In the example below, the `enumerals` array contains the days of the week. ### Example The `WhatDay` task: ```json "methods": [ { "name": "WhatDay", "description": "Day of the week picker.", "summary": "Day of the week picker.", "deprecated": false, "roles": [ "admin" ], "input": [ { "name": "theDay", "type": "enum", "enumerals": ["sunday", "monday", "tuesday", "wednesday", "thursday", "friday", "saturday"], "description": "Pick a day of the week." } ], "output": { "name": "hoursDaylight", "description": "The numerical value of how many hours of daylight the selected day has.", "type": "string" }, "task": true } ] ``` You can create enumeration values that appear as a selection when filling a user input field. You can also lock enum values to ensure that only the values you have defined are accepted. ## Use enumerations in Workflow Builder Once a task is created: #### Open Workflow Builder Navigate to Workflow Builder. #### Add the task to the canvas Add the task to the canvas — for example, the `WhatDay` task. ![](/_fern-img/1f856a8cebd34cca7531e946305b5e08233c7c6fb8c75d2ccbff70c6e816362f.webp) #### Configure the task Double-click the task to configure it. Change the field type from `job` to `static`. A pre-populated dropdown list containing the days of the week will appear. ![](/_fern-img/17edb6ef84880405c0536edb38b1f86ec1c0b7b92434cddff7fdc33a47f46600.webp) ## Itential application schema The following JSON schema can be used as a reference for building valid `pronghorn.json` files, specifically the `enum` property: ```json { "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-06/schema#", "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string", "description": "Unique name of Pronghorn module. Most likely matches name in package.json.", "pattern": "^(@[a-zA-Z0-9][-._a-zA-Z0-9]*/)?[a-zA-Z0-9][-._a-zA-Z0-9]*$" }, "title": { "type": "string", "description": "Application's web API (REST or JSON RPC) namespace.", "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z0-9][-_a-zA-Z0-9]*$" }, "displayName": { "type": "string", "description": "Name displayed for application in Workflow Builder's application drop-down." }, "export": { "type": "string", "description": "Application's JavaScript namespace. Must match value of module.export assignment.", "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z0-9][-_a-zA-Z0-9]*$" }, "type": { "enum": [ "Application", "Broker", "Adapter" ] }, "summary": { "type": "string", "description": "A summary of functions this application provides." }, "src": { "type": "string", "description": "File reference to package's main JavaScript module, relative to directory where pronghorn.json and package.json files are stored.", "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z0-9][.-_a-zA-Z0-9]*.(js|bin)$" }, "encrypted": { "type": "boolean", "description": "When true, Pronghorn expects an encrypted main JavaScript module with a .bin filename extension." }, "roles": { "type": "array", "minItems": 1, "items": { "type": "string", "description": "The allowed set of user roles the application's methods and views can specify.", "pattern": "^[a-z-A-Z0-9][.-_a-z-A-Z0-9]*$" } }, "methods": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "object", "description": "Object describing an application's method and its API.", "properties": { "name": { "type": "string", "description": "Method's name. Must match prototype function name defined in JavaScript source.", "pattern": "^[a-z][a-zA-Z0-9]*$" }, "display_name": { "type": "string", "description": "Text displayed in a workflow task's properties dialog." }, "deprecated": { "type": "boolean", "description": "If true, method is deprecated.", "default": false }, "summary": { "type": "string", "description": "A brief explanation of the method.", "maxLength": 50 }, "description": { "type": "string", "description": "Explain the method's purpose: what it does, what problem it solves, and why it was created." }, "input": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "object", "description": "Object describing a parameter.", "properties": { "name": { "type": "string", "description": "Parameter's name. Must match parameter's name defined in JavaScript source.", "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z0-9][.-_a-zA-Z0-9]*$" }, "type": { "enum": [ "object", "array", "boolean", "number", "string", "enum", "*" ] }, "enumerals": { "type": "array", "description": "Only used when type is enum.", "items": { "type": "string", "description": "An allowed value" } }, "description": { "type": "string", "description": "Describe the parameter's purpose." }, "info": { "type": "string", "description": "A tooltip. Include references to other APIs that return the parameter." }, "required": { "type": "boolean", "description": "When true, parameter is mandatory.", "default": true } }, "required": [ "name", "type", "description" ] } }, "output": { "type": "object", "description": "Describes the returned data.", "properties": { "name": { "type": "string", "description": "The outgoing variable name when method is called by a workflow job.", "pattern": "^[a-z-A-Z0-9][.-_a-z-A-Z0-9]*$" }, "type": { "enum": [ "object", "array", "boolean", "number", "string", "enum", "*" ] }, "enumerals": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "string", "description": "An allowed value" } }, "description": { "type": "string", "description": "Returned value's description." } }, "required": [ "name", "type", "description" ] }, "task": { "type": "boolean", "default": false, "description": "When true, method can be called by a workflow job." }, "route": { "type": "object", "description": "When defined, enables a web API for the method.", "properties": { "path": { "type": "string", "description": "Final part of URL appended after namespace.", "pattern": "^(/[a-zA-Z0-9%][.-_a-zA-Z0-9%]*)+(/[:][.a-zA-Z0-9%][-_a-zA-Z0-9%]*)*$" }, "verb": { "enum": [ "POST", "GET", "DELETE", "PUT" ], "description": "HTTP request type." } } }, "roles": { "type": "array", "minItems": 1, "items": { "type": "string", "description": "The allowed set of user roles for this method.", "pattern": "^[a-z-A-Z0-9][.-_a-z-A-Z0-9]*$" } } }, "required": [ "name", "summary", "description", "input", "output", "roles" ] } }, "views": { "type": "array", "items": { "type": "object", "description": "Object describing an application's views.", "properties": { "path": { "type": "string", "description": "Final part of URL appended after namespace.", "pattern": "(^/$)|(^(/([-a-zA-Z0-9@:%._+~#=]{2,256}))+$)" }, "deprecated": { "type": "boolean", "description": "If true, view is deprecated.", "default": false }, "title": { "type": "string", "description": "Application name when type is view.", "maxLength": 50 }, "template": { "type": "string", "description": "Relative file reference to the view's HTML file.", "pattern": "^[a-zA-Z]([._-]|[a-zA-Z0-9])*(/[a-zA-Z]([._-]|[a-zA-Z0-9])*)*[.](jade|html)$" }, "roles": { "type": "array", "minItems": 1, "items": { "type": "string", "description": "The allowed set of user roles for this view.", "pattern": "^[a-z-A-Z0-9][.-_a-z-A-Z0-9]*$" } }, "type": { "enum": [ "task", "view", "dialog" ], "description": "Manual workflow tasks are type task. Applications are type view. Modal application views are type dialog." }, "variables": { "type": "object", "description": "A skeleton object holding the view's parameters and return data.", "properties": { "incoming": { "type": "object", "description": "A skeleton object holding the view's parameters." }, "outgoing": { "type": "object", "description": "A skeleton object holding the view's returned data." } }, "required": [ "incoming", "outgoing" ] } }, "required": [ "path", "template", "roles", "type" ] } } }, "required": [ "id", "type", "encrypted", "roles" ] } ``` ## References * [enum on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/enum) * [enumify on npm](https://www.npmjs.com/package/enumify) * [JSON schema: Enumerated values](https://json-schema.org/understanding-json-schema/reference/generic.html#enumerated-values) * [JSON schema validation: enum](https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/json-schema-validation)