Petri-Net workflow support for financial approval and similar processes. This package comes with a workflow editor, a Petri-Net execution engine and and integration with the rest of the ]project-open[ system.
Workflow Engine.NET v3.4
Workflows are a way to formalize and understand any business process involving multiple steps and complex participation amongst workers to achieve the final result. In a manufacturing or engineering setting the workflow can be quite rigid and inflexible, while in service and consulting industries changes can be rapid and a process completly out of order and coordination among project members can take a diverse/infinite number of steps and paths towards completion. ]project-open[ workflows are adaptable and customizable to account for and attempt to portray the actual realities of the business world.
Using these basic elements, the Petri-Net formalism allows to specify arbitrarily complex processes. Petri-Nets are known to be sufficiently powerful to represent even workflows specified in workflow formalisms such as BPMN and EPC.
In ]po[, every workflow is related to a business object such as a project, vacation request, [translation task] etc. There are more then 40 business objects in ]po[. There can be more then one active workflow per business object.
For example, you may create a new workflow with the key "simple_vacation_approval_wf" designed for the approval process of absences of type "Vacation". In order to enable this workflow, please enter the "simple_vacation_approval_wf" into the "String1" field of Admin -> Categories -> Intranet Absence Type -> "Vacation". The next time you create a new "Vacation" absence, a workflow is automatically created.
Please note that the WF integration of the objects above includea "skipping" the first WF transition. This trick allows to design workflows with a clean optical appearance with the first transition representing an "Edit Object" action that is not necessary directly after the creation of an object.
The "Inbox" is the interface between the user and the workflow. The inbox will show a new task every time that a user needs to perform a certain workflow action - for example approve a vacation request. This way, the inbox acts like a cockpit for every ]po[ user and allows the user to take actions (approve or reject vacation requests) to follow-up the status of the users's own requests.
Real-world experience with workflows shows that the assignment of users to actions/transitions is suprisingly complex. Assignments depend on the workflow transition (approving a project budget vs. executing the project), on the type of workflow (PMs approve vacation requests of their project members, HR approves sickness leaves) and on the context (project budgets > 50.000 EUR need to be approved by Senior Managers, while the Account Managers may approve smaller budgets).
"Callbacks" is the mechanism that allows ]po[ workflows to modify its underlying business object and the system in general. For example let's assume that the HR department has approved a vacation request. We now want to set the status of the vacation request to "approved". Technically, a callback is nothing but the name of a PL/SQL procedure, and the following PL/SQL procedure is readily available for this purpose:
The "case_id" and "transition_key" variables are filled in by the ]po[ workflow automatically, so that a developer only needs to specify the "object_status_id". Looking at Admin -> Categories -> Intranet Absence Status we see that the status "active" has the status_id=16000.
]po[ Workflow TOC For Deciders: Workflow Tutorial - A step-by-step introduction to the ]po[ workflow based on a real-world example.
The Application of Petri Nets to Workflow Management (copy from wvdaalst/publications/p53.pdf)]]
For Workflow Designers: Workflow Developer's Guide
Workflow Package Documentation
Workflows Pre-Defined by ]project-open[
Workflow Conceptual Guide
Intranet-Workflow Package Documentation
For Developers: Workflow Requirements
Workflow Design Documentation
Workflow Maintainers Guide
Workflow Concepts Reference
Procedure Files tcl/display-procs.tcl Procs to render workflow information in HTML. tcl/expenses-procs.tcl Procs to render workflow information in HTML. tcl/graph-procs.tcl Helper procs for generating graphical representations of workflows. tcl/intranet-workflow-procs.tcl ]project-open[ specific extension for acs-workflow. tcl/wizard-procs.tcl Helper-procs for the process wizard. tcl/workflow-procs.tcl Tcl-API for the workflow engine. Procedures wf_action_pretty Returns the pretty version of a task action. wf_add_arc wf_add_arc_in wf_add_arc_out wf_add_place wf_add_role wf_add_trans_attribute_map wf_add_trans_role_assign_map wf_add_transition wf_assignment_widget Returns an HTML fragment containing a form element for entering the value of an attribute. wf_attribute_value_pretty Returns a nice display version of the value of an attribute. wf_attribute_widget Returns an HTML fragment containing a form element for entering the value of an attribute. wf_case_add_manual_assignment wf_case_add_task_assignment wf_case_cancel Cancels a case wf_case_clear_manual_assignments wf_case_clear_task_assignments wf_case_comment Comment on a case wf_case_info Get information about a case. wf_case_new Creates and initializes a case of the given workflow type. wf_case_remove_case_deadline wf_case_remove_manual_assignment wf_case_remove_task_assignment wf_case_resume Resumes a suspended case wf_case_set_case_deadline wf_case_set_manual_assignments wf_case_set_task_assignments wf_case_suspend Suspends a case wf_decorate_workflow Adds linking information to the workflow net, based on the arguments given. wf_delete_arc wf_delete_place wf_delete_role wf_delete_trans_attribute_map wf_delete_trans_role_assign_map wf_delete_transition wf_expenses_get_assign_panels wf_export_workflow Generates a SQL script that can re-create this process in another installation. wf_generate_dot_representation Generates a dot-file for use with Graphviz. wf_get_workflow_net We cache the workflow net, although we don't really need that anymore. wf_get_workflow_net_internal wf_graphviz_dot_exec Implementation of wf_graphviz_dot_exec. wf_graphviz_installed_p Will tell you whether the AT&T GraphViz package is installed or not. wf_if_null If string is emtpy, returns value_if_null, otherwise returns string. wf_ismap_to_client_map Translates a server-side imagemap as generated by graphviz into a client-side imagemap that you can include in your HTML. wf_journal Get the journal for a case. wf_make_unique Takes a name (split in two parts) and makes it unique with respect to the list passed in taken_names, by putting an integer number between name_part_one and name_part_two, chopping name_part_one as required to stay within maxlen. wf_message_transition_fire Fires a message transition. wf_move_role_down wf_move_role_up wf_name_to_key Generates a key from a name by making it all lowercase, removing non-letters and putting in underscores instead of spaces. wf_new_journal Creates a new journal entry that can be passed to PL/SQL routines wf_progress_bar Returns an HTML fragment that displays the progress of a wizard nicely. wf_simple_wizard_process_def Gives the process definition list for use with wf_progress_bar wf_simple_workflow_p Returns whether the workflow is "almost linear" or not. wf_split_query_url_to_arg_spec Splits a URL including query arguments (e.g., /foo/bar?baz=greble&yank=zazz) up into a list of lists of name/value pairs, that can be passed as an argument to export_vars. wf_sweep_message_transition_tcl Sweep those message transitions that have a TCL callback and advance the transitions. wf_sweep_time_events Sweep timed transitions and hold timeouts. wf_task_action Tells the workflow engine that the given action has been taken. wf_task_actions Returns a list of the possible actions given the task state. wf_task_info Get detailed information about one task. wf_task_list Get information about the tasks are on a user's work list. wf_task_panels Add the panels for a task into the multirow target. wf_task_state_pretty Returns a pretty-print version of a task state. wf_valid_key_p Check that a value is valid as a key for a workflow/transition/place in a workflow definition. wf_wizard_massage_tasks We store tasks in a client property as a list of array gets with the keys: task_name, transition_key, task_time, loop_to_transition_key, loop_question, loop_answer, assigning_transition_key. wf_workflow_changed Flushes the cache. wf_workflow_info Get the definition of a workflow. SQL Files sql/postgresql/acs-workflow-create.sql sql/postgresql/acs-workflow-drop.sql sql/postgresql/load-workflow.sql sql/postgresql/sample-article-create.sql sql/postgresql/sample-article-drop.sql sql/postgresql/sample-expenses-create.sql sql/postgresql/sample-expenses-drop.sql sql/postgresql/test/workflow-case-package-test.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.0-4.0.1.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.0.1-4.1b.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.1.1-4.3.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.5.0-4.5.1.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.5.1-4.5.2.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.5.2-4.5.3.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.5.3-4.5.4.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.5.4-4.5.6.sql sql/postgresql/upgrade/upgrade-4.5.6-4.5.7.sql sql/postgresql/wf-callback-package-body.sql sql/postgresql/wf-callback-package-head.sql sql/postgresql/wf-callback-package.sql sql/postgresql/wf-core-create.sql sql/postgresql/wf-core-drop.sql sql/postgresql/workflow-case-package-body.sql sql/postgresql/workflow-case-package-head.sql sql/postgresql/workflow-case-package.sql sql/postgresql/workflow-package-body.sql sql/postgresql/workflow-package-head.sql sql/postgresql/workflow-package.sql Content Pages www/ active-tasks.adp active-tasks.tcl admin/ arc-add.tcl arc-delete.tcl delete an arc. arc-edit-2.tcl Edit arc. arc-edit.adp arc-edit.tcl Edit arc. assign-transition-role-2.tcl Add assignment of a transition to a role. assign-transition-role.adp assign-transition-role.tcl attribute-add-2.tcl Really add the attribute. attribute-add.adp attribute-add.tcl Add a workflow attribute. attribute-delete.tcl Delete the attribute. attributes-table.adp attributes-table.tcl attributes.adp attributes.tcl Manage workflow attributes. case-debug.adp case-debug.tcl Displays information about a case. cases.adp cases.tcl View active cases. context-add-2.tcl Add new context. context-add.adp context-add.tcl Add new context. define-place-info.adp define-place-info.tcl define-transition-info.adp define-transition-info.tcl define.adp define.tcl The advanced process builder main page. export-2.adp export-2.tcl Export the definition of a workflow as a SQL script. export-download.tcl Export the definition of a workflow as a SQL script. export.adp export.tcl Export the definition of a workflow as a SQL script. index.adp index.tcl Admin index page. init-2.tcl Hack to initialize a new case. init.adp init.tcl This page should go away and the applications take care of this themselves. name-edit-2.tcl Edit name of workflow. name-edit.adp name-edit.tcl Edit name of workflow. place-add-2.tcl Add place. place-add.adp place-add.tcl Add place. place-delete.tcl Delete place. place-display.adp place-display.tcl place-edit-2.tcl Edit place. place-edit.adp place-edit.tcl Edit place. role-add-2.tcl Adds a role role-add.adp role-add.tcl Adds a role to a workflow role-delete.tcl Delete role. role-edit-2.tcl Edits a role role-edit.adp role-edit.tcl Edit a role. role-manual-2.tcl Make role manually assigned. role-manual.adp role-manual.tcl Makes a role manually assigned role-move-down.tcl Move role down. role-move-up.tcl Move role up. roles-assignment-table.adp roles-assignment-table.tcl roles-table.adp roles-table.tcl static-assignment-add.tcl static-assignment-delete.tcl static-assignments-table.adp static-assignments-table.tcl static-assignments.adp static-assignments.tcl Manage static assignments for a workflow. task-actions-2.tcl Update task attributes. task-actions.adp task-actions.tcl Task actions. task-add-2.tcl Add task. task-add.adp task-add.tcl Add task task-assignment-add.tcl Make assignment manual. task-assignment-delete.tcl Make assignment static for the given transition. task-assignment.adp task-assignment.tcl Manage assignment of a transition. task-attribute-add.tcl Add another attribute to be set by a task. task-attribute-delete.tcl The attribute should not be set by the transition. task-attribute-move-up.tcl Move up one attribute in the sort_order sequence. task-attributes.adp task-attributes.tcl Manage attributes to set during a task. task-delete.tcl Delete task. task-edit-2.tcl Edit task. task-edit.adp task-edit.tcl Edit task. task-panel-add-2.tcl Add the panel. task-panel-add.adp task-panel-add.tcl Add a task panel. task-panel-delete.tcl Delete the panel. task-panel-edit-2.tcl Edit the panel. task-panel-edit.adp task-panel-edit.tcl Edit a task panel. task-panel-move-up.tcl Move up one task panel in the sort_key sequence. task-panels.adp task-panels.tcl Manage workflow task panels. transition-display.adp transition-display.tcl transition-panels-table.adp transition-panels-table.tcl transitions-table.adp transitions-table.tcl unassigned-tasks.adp unassigned-tasks.tcl List unassigned tasks wizard/ assignments.adp assignments.tcl Fourth stage of simple process wizard. create.adp create.tcl Fifth stage of simple process wizard. debug.tcl index.adp index.tcl Simple process wizard. loop-add-2.tcl loop-add.adp loop-add.tcl loop-delete.tcl loops.adp loops.tcl Third stage of simple process wizard. manual-assignment.tcl new-2.tcl Second stage of simple process wizard. progress-bar.adp progress-bar.tcl reset-tasks.tcl static-assignment.tcl task-add-2.tcl task-add.adp task-add.tcl task-delete.tcl task-edit-2.tcl task-edit.adp task-edit.tcl task-move.tcl Move a task up one step. tasks.adp tasks.tcl Second stage of workflow definition. workflow-add-2.tcl Add new process. workflow-add.adp workflow-add.tcl Create new process. workflow-cases-delete.tcl Delete a workflow definition from the system. workflow-copy-2.tcl Make a copy of a process. workflow-copy.adp workflow-copy.tcl Make a copy of a process. workflow-delete.tcl Delete a workflow definition from the system. workflow-display.adp workflow-display.tcl workflow-dot.tcl Returns a graphviz-dot file representation of the workflow. workflow-graph.adp workflow-graph.tcl workflow-roles.adp workflow-roles.tcl Display roles for a workflow workflow-summary.adp workflow-summary.tcl Displays basic aggregate statistics on a workflow workflow-tabs.adp workflow-tabs.tcl workflow.adp workflow.tcl Index page for a workflow. assign-yourself.tcl This page assigns a task to the user accessing this page. assignee-add-2.tcl Add assignee to task. assignee-add.adp assignee-add.tcl Add assignee assignee-remove-2.tcl Remove assignee from task. case-assignment-remove-2.tcl Remove manual assignment. case-assignment-set-2.tcl Set case assignments for a role. case-assignment-set.adp case-assignment-set.tcl Set case assignments for a role. case-assignments-table.adp case-assignments-table.tcl case-assignments.adp case-assignments.tcl View/change role assignments for a case. case-attributes-table.adp case-attributes-table.tcl case-deadline-remove-2.tcl Sets deadline for case transition. case-deadline-set-2.tcl Sets deadline for case transition. case-deadline-set.adp case-deadline-set.tcl Set the deadline for a transition in a case. case-deadlines-table.adp case-deadlines-table.tcl case-deadlines.adp case-deadlines.tcl Displays deadlines set for a case. case-state-change.tcl Change the state of a case case-state-graph.adp case-state-graph.tcl case.adp case.tcl Displays information about a case. comment-add-2.tcl Add a comment to the journal for a case. comment-add.adp comment-add.tcl Add a comment to the journal for a case. finished-tasks.adp finished-tasks.tcl index.adp index.tcl Displays the user's task list. journal.adp journal.tcl sample/ expenses-approval-aids.adp expenses-approval-aids.tcl expenses-claim-info.adp expenses-claim-info.tcl task-action.adp task-action.tcl task-assignees.adp task-assignees.tcl Remove one or more assignees for a task. task-deadline-set-2.tcl Update deadline for a task task-deadline-set.adp task-deadline-set.tcl Set the deadline for a task task-default-info.adp task-default-info.tcl task-instructions.adp task-instructions.tcl task-list.adp task-list.tcl task.adp task.tcl Displays information about a specific task. test-display.tcl transition-fire.tcl Fire a transition. workflow-gif.tcl workflow.tcl Admin big picture view of a workflow, including places, transitions and arcs 2ff7e9595c
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