--- url: /flow/operation-guide/using-flow/using-flowmonitor.md --- # Using FlowMonitor FlowMonitor is your gateway to using Flow. Not only can you manage the operation of FlowService but you can also start the Flow Designer application. Your system administrator should have installed FlowMonitor on your computer. ::: tip Your Flow system may be installed in such a way that it is not possible for you to access it from your own computer. In this case you will need to access it through the computer on which it is installed. Your system or network administrator will provide you with remote access details to connect to the Flow system computer. ::: FlowMonitor will display as an icon in your task tray (next to your clock in the lower left corner). if the icon does not appear in your task tray you can manually start the application. ![](/flow/images/operation-guide/flowmonitor-task-tray.jpg) ### Starting FlowMonitor If the FlowMonitor icon does not show if you task tray you will need to start the application manually. Normally it will start when your computer boots however it can be closed down requiring you to start it again. 1. Click the Windows `Start` button. 2. Click the `All Programs` menu group 3. Click the `Startup` menu group 4. Click the `FlowMonitor` icon from the startup group ::: tip If FlowMonitor does not appear in your startup group then ask your system administrator to install FlowMonitor so that it starts automatically when you computer starts. This will cause the FlowMonitor icon to appear in your startup group. ::: ### Using FlowMonitor :::: details Starting Flow Designer 1. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 2. Click `Open Flow` to start Flow Designer ::: tip Quick Start Flow Designer - Double click the FlowMonitor icon in your task tray to quickly start the Flow Designer against the last configuration database you logged into. This will start Flow Designer and log you in using windows authentication. ::: :::: ::: details Opening FlowWeb 1. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 2. Click `Open Web` to open the FlowWeb in your default web browser. ::: :::: details Selecting an instance of FlowService to manage Multiple instances of FlowService can be installed around your computer network. These other instances may be providing redundancy for another instance, or they may be responsible for processing their own set of Actions. 1. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 2. Point and hover over `Host` to expand the context menu. This menu item will show the name of the currently selected host computer. 3. Select the computer that is hosting the FlowService instance you wish to manage. This will refresh the menu to show FlowService instances that are running on this host. Click `Refresh Hosts` if the desired host is not displayed. 4. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 5. Point and hover over `Service` to expand the context menu. This menu item will show the name of the currently selected FlowService instance on the host computer. 6. Select the FlowService instance you wish to manage. This will refresh the menu to show the status of the FlowService instance. A popup message will announce the status of the FlowService instance. The FlowMonitor icon will change to show ![](/flow/images/operation-guide/flowmonitor-service-stopped.jpg) or ![](/flow/images/operation-guide/flowmonitor-service-started.jpg) to indicate the status of the FlowService instance. ::: tip Ask your system administrator for help if your desired host is not displayed even after clicking `Refresh Hosts`. It is likely that a firewall setting is preventing communication of your FlowMonitor to the host computer. Port 35699 needs to be opened on the host computer to accept connections from your computer. ::: :::: ::: details Checking operation of an instance of FlowService 1. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 2. Select the instance of FlowService that you wish to check by using the above steps. 3. A popup message will announce the status of the FlowService instance. The FlowMonitor icon will also change to show ![](/flow/images/operation-guide/flowmonitor-service-stopped.jpg) or ![](/flow/images/operation-guide/flowmonitor-service-started.jpg) to indicate the status of the FlowService instance. ::: ::: details Starting FlowService 1. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 2. Check the desired instance of FlowService is selected by reviewing the name displayed in the `Host` and `Service` menu items. If not select the instance of FlowService that you wish to start by using the above steps. 3. Click `Start FlowService` to start the instance of FlowService 4. A popup message will display once FlowService is started. It will indicate whether it started successfully or if there are problems. Notify your system administrator if there are problems. ::: ::: details Stopping FlowService 1. Right click the `FlowMonitor` icon in your task tray. 2. Check the desired instance of FlowService is selected by reviewing the name displayed in the `Host` and `Service` menu items. If not select the instance of FlowService that you wish to start by using the above steps. 3. Click `Stop FlowService` to stop the instance of FlowService. 4. A popup message will display once FlowService is stopped. It will indicate whether it stopped successfully or if there are problems. Notify your system administrator if there are problems. ::: ::: details Viewing Actions scheduled by FlowService See [Checking which Actions FlowService is executing](/flow/operation-guide/using-flow/monitoring-actions-and-handling-errors/checking-which-actions-flowservice-is-executing) for information on viewing the Actions scheduled for execution by FlowService. :::