Flows Management

The uBIQUITY platform allows authenticated users to save, manage, and reuse their searches through a system called Flows (research flows). A flow represents the set of information related to a specific search:

• the used parameters (language, corpus, comparison criteria, filters);
• the obtained results;
• any annotations or comparisons performed.

Flows allow users to resume interrupted work at any time, preserving the original configuration, result order, and visualization mode. This functionality is essential to ensure operational continuity and long-term persistence of research data.

The platform allows saving comparison flows through a system that clearly distinguishes between flow creation and subsequent saving of modifications.

Creation and saving modes

Create Flow Displayed when the user saves a flow for the first time. This command creates a new Flow associated with the current configuration.

Save Flow Once the Flow has been created, the button automatically switches to “Save Flow”. This command saves any modifications made to an existing Flow without creating a new one, but by saving a new version of the flow.

Creation or saving can occur in two ways:

• from the Compare window, using the toolbar located at the top of the screen;
• from the “Flows” section, where it is possible to create new flows, rename them, or manage existing ones.

Each time a Flow is created or updated, the system stores:

• the user who performed the operation;
• the date and time;
• the configuration of filters and search criteria;
• the visualization mode (tabular, comparative, etc.);
• any associated metadata.

Flows are saved in the user database and can be reloaded in subsequent sessions or managed from the dedicated section.

The platform also allows manual creation of a new Flow directly from the “Flows” window, using the “Create Flow” button. This mode is useful for preparing empty workflows, to be filled later with a search or used as reference structures.

Procedure

• the user clicks the “Create Flow” button in the Flows window toolbar;
• a modal window opens requesting the insertion of the Flow Name (mandatory field);
• by confirming with Save, the new Flow is added to the list and is initially marked as empty until it is associated with a search.

For a complete distinction between “Create Flow” and “Save Flow”, see section 10.2.

Additional functionalities

• it is possible to rename a Flow using the rename icon;
• manually created flows can be used as templates or preliminary containers to organize working sessions.

Advantages

This method allows planning complex activities by preparing structured workflows in advance.

The “Flows” window collects all flows saved by the user and allows them to be managed in a simple and orderly manner. Each row of the table represents a single flow, accompanied by a set of operational icons.

The main available actions are:

Icon	Function	Description
	Rename	Allows renaming the selected flow.
	History	Displays the modification history or previous versions of the flow.
	Delete	Permanently deletes the flow from the database, after confirmation.

All operations are immediate and accompanied by confirmation or status messages, to avoid accidental deletions. It is possible to search the list of flows by creation date or name.

At the top of the “Flows” window, a search bar is available that allows quick identification of a specific flow within the list.

Features

• the user can type part of the flow name to dynamically filter the table;
• the filter is case-insensitive and applied in real time.

This search bar simplifies flow management when the user has a large number of saved sessions, improving productivity and organization.

When the user modifies a flow (for example by changing search parameters or result sorting), they can:

• update the existing flow, overwriting previous data;
• or create a new version, keeping both configurations.

The system automatically records:

• the date of the last modification;
• the name of the user who performed the update;
• the list of main changes.

This history is accessible via the History icon. In case of error, it is possible to restore a previous version of the flow with a single click.

The Flow History function opens a modal window displaying all previous versions of a flow, ordered chronologically.

Displayed elements:

• Version Number → progressive version number (e.g. v1.0, v1.1, v2.0);
• Modified By → username who performed the modification;
• Date / Time → date and time of the update;
• Description / Change Log → summary of the changes made.

Available actions:

• View → opens the previous version in read-only mode;
• Restore → restores the selected version as the active flow;
• Delete → removes a specific version from the history.

System behavior

Each time a new version is saved, the system automatically preserves the previous one, creating a complete historical trace. In this way, the user can retrace the evolution of each flow, ensuring transparency, traceability, and revision control.

Flow removal is performed using the red bin icon located next to each item in the list. Upon clicking, the system displays a confirmation window requesting user validation.

• If the user confirms, the flow is permanently deleted from the database.
• If the user cancels, the operation is ignored without any modification.

Deletion is irreversible, but deleted flows are recorded in system logs for traceability purposes. In case of accidental deletion, the user can recreate an identical flow by importing a previously exported file.