Actions are controlled actions in a computer-based process by a status schema model defined at design-time, stored in a computer-readable medium and including a precondition identifying how a status affects whether an action is to be allowed to be performed at runtime by a data object node instance having the status. A status schema instance is created for a particular data object node instance being used in a computer-based process. The status schema instance corresponds to the status schema model and includes a status variable having an inhibiting status value. Conditioned upon a determination that the data object node instance includes a value for a status variable that corresponds to the inhibiting status value of the status variable of the status schema model, actions are prohibited to be performed by the data object node instance other than an action with an explicit precondition from the inhibiting status value.