Re: What does this winbdow mean?

The return value is returned by the process (program, BAT, script) that you called. It can be used in the Programs-Before settings page to evaluate whether to Abort the profile or not, by arranging for your process to return different values depending on events while it was running, final outcome, whatever.

The setting is 'Abort the profile if the programs return value is not [value/s]'). See the contextual Help on the Programs-Before settings page (press F1 with page open) for how to enter multiple values, if required. The corollary is of course not to abort if the value returned matches what you specify. The 'abort if' setting is optional, so you don't have to use it. The Test result dialog simply displays what it was, so you can tell if it is (not?) as expected.

There's no internal 'prompt' function related to the Programs-Before settings, given that you can write your own - exactly as you like - in the called process. But you should remember that this likely won't work well on a Schedule, especially if logged out, and in Vista-and later it may not be visible even if you're not.

There's no Run Before for Groups. It doesn't fit with the way Groups work internally.