Oracle Workflow

Workflow An Introduction
(Unit 1)

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Objectives
Concept of Workflow Importance in Business Process Features Components of Oracle Workflow Workflow Terminology Using Oracle Workflow Builder Designing Workflow Process Using Quick Start Wizard

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Whats a Workflow?
Business processes revolve around routing information to various users through a set of constantly changing rules. The flow of information is governed by various conditions and checking for outcome of the previous steps. An established process of routing will be subject to continuous monitoring and routing Each organization follows a different set of business practices.

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Routing the information

WF gets the right information to the right people WF lets you provide each person with all the information they need to take any action. WF can route supporting information to each decision maker in a business process.

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Define your Business Processes

WF allows you to define and modify the business processes using a drag-and-drop process designer. Routes documents from one user to another in an approval hierarchy. Advanced processes like looping, parallel flows, response tracking, branching into sub-processes based on responses are also possible. Since it is integrated with Oracle Database, it can make full use of PL/SQL to express any business rule.

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E-Mail Integration
E-Mail notifications can be sent using WF to any email address. E-Mail notifications not only provide the user with messages needing their intervention but also tracks the respond that the person gives to the email and act accordingly. E-Mail notifications can even send attachments to the user and provide him with an URL or Documents which to view.

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Whats Oracle Workflow?

A graphical tool that allows you to CREATE, TRACK and MODIFY business processes Embedded in the Oracle Database Server, it can monitor the workflow activity statuses.

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What can Oracle Workflow do?

Routes information to various users based on certain rules. Tracks the responses from the users and takes actions accordingly. Enables people to receive E-Mail notifications Allows incorporation of custom packages and procedures E-Mail integration of choice. Internet enabled workflow allows you to view Workflow notifications through any Internet browser. One can also monitor the processes through a browser.
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Why use Oracle Workflow?

Create a clear business process definition Automate the business routings Monitor the processes Allow users to define their own business processes to suit their organizational needs Readily change the business process definitions in case of a change in business processes.

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Components of Oracle Workflow

Workflow Builder Workflow Engine Workflow Definitions Loader Notification Systems Workflow Monitor

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Whats a Workflow Builder?

Work Flow builder is a Graphical interface to create and modify a business process with simple drag and drop operations. It has two components Navigator Window Process Window A workflow builder would be used by a person to design and modify a workflow. It is more of a designers tool rather than an end-users tool.

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What can a Workflow Builder do?

Using the Workflow Builder, one can create and modify all workflow objects, including activities, item types, and messages. At any time you can add, remove, or change workflow activities, or set up new pre-requisite relationships among activities. A navigation tree structure allows summary view as also allows expanding activities within the workflow as needed to greater levels of detail. Oracle Workflow Builder can be used from a desktop PC or from a disconnected laptop PC.

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How does Workflow Builder appear?

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Workflow Builder Navigator Window

Oracle Workflow

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Workflow Builder Process Window

Oracle Workflow

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Whats a Workflow Engine?

The Workflow Engine embedded in the Oracle8 server monitors workflow states and coordinates the routing of activities for a process. Changes in workflow state, such as the completion of workflow activities, are signaled to the engine via a PL/SQL API or a Java API. Based on flexiblydefined workflow rules, the engine determines which activities are eligible to run, and then runs them. The Workflow Engine supports sophisticated workflow rules, including looping, branching,parallel flows, and subflows.
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A Schematic representation
Oracle WebDB 2.0 or higher, Oracle Web Application Server 3.0.1 or higher, Oracle Application Server 4.0.7 or higher
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Workflow Definitions Loader

The Workflow Definitions Loader is a utility program that moves workflow definitions between database and corresponding flat file representations. Can be used to move workflow definitions From a development to a production database To apply upgrades to existing definitions. Workflow Definitions Loader is also integrated into Oracle Workflow Builder It allows opening and saving workflow definitions in both a database and file.
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A Schematic Representation

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Notification Systems (1 of 2)
Oracle Workflow lets you include users in your workflows to handle activities that cannot be automated, such as approvals for requisitions or sales orders. Electronic notifications are routed to a role, which can be an individual user or a group of users. Any user associated with that role can act on the notification. Each notification includes a message that contains all the information a user needs to make a decision.

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Notification Systems (2 of 2)
The information may be embedded in the message body or attached as a separate document. Oracle Workflow interprets each notification activity response to decide how to move on to the next workflow activity. Web users can access a Notification Web page to see their outstanding work items, then navigate to additional pages to see more details or provide a response.

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A Schematic Representation

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Viewing Notifications

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Viewing a Notification

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Whats a Workflow Monitor?

The Workflow Monitor displays an annotated view of the process diagram for a particular instance of a workflow process. Users can get a graphical depiction of their work item status. It also displays a separate status summary for the work item, the process, and each activity in the process.

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A Schematic Representation

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Viewing Workflow Diagrams

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What does a Workflow comprise of? (1 of 2)

Processes (Item Types) A set of rules which determine how the business methodology is to be routed. Activities These are the actions performed during the business process Attributes These are the various input or output variables that are needed by the business process

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What does a Workflow comprise of? (2 of 2)

Notifications A notice sent to a particular user(s) to perform some action or just for information Messages Each notification carries a message with it which is the actual text of the notification Functions These are various PL/SQL procedures to be performed when a particular activity is initiated by the Workflow.

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General Workflow Terminology (1 of 7)

Process
A set of activities that need to be performed to accomplish a business goal.

Process Definition

A workflow process as defined in Oracle Workflow Builde

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General Workflow Terminology (2 of 7)

Item
A specific process or transaction managed by WF process.

Item Type
A grouping of all items of a category that share the same set of attributes For e.g.: PO Requisition is an Item Type used to group all PO requisitions created.

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General Workflow Terminology (3 of 7)

Access Level
A numeric value ranging from 0 1000 defining at which level the user operates and whether user can modify the workflow definition

Protection Level
A numeric value ranging from 0 1000 that represents who the workflow definition is protected from for modification

Access levels and Protection levels work in collaboration to decide who can modify what in an Oracle Workflow.
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General Workflow Terminology (4 of 7)

Activity
A unit of work performed during a business process

Attribute
A variable whose value can be initialized, referred or during a process run Attributes can be associated with Activities, Item Types and Messages

se

Node
An instance of an activity in a process diagram.
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General Workflow Terminology (5 of 7)

Lookup Code
An internal name of a value defined in lookup type

Lookup type
A predefined list of values used to interact with users or define the results of an activity

Result Type
The name of the lookup type that contains an activitys possible result values.

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General Workflow Terminology (6 of 7)

Notification
An instance of a message delivered to a user

Performer
A user/role assigned to perform a particular (human) activity. Generally, assigned to a notification

Role
One or more users grouped by a common responsibility or position

Message
Information to be sent containing subject, body some message attributes
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an

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General Workflow Terminology (7 of 7)

Function
A PL/SQL Procedure that can perform automated tasks which define the business rules

Timeout
The amount of time during which a notification activity must be performed before the WF engine transitions to an alternate activity (if defined) or error process.

Transition
The relationship between completion of one activity and initialization of another activity. (Arrows)
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Steps to build a Workflow

Plan your business process Create the components of your workflow in the navigator window. You can use the WFSTD item type for predefined components like lookup types and functions. Create the process diagram by dragging the components into the process window. Save and Launch your work flow

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Methods in designing a Workflow

TopDown Design If you prefer to approach your design from a high level, you can first sketching out the process diagram with activities, then go back later to create the supporting objects for each activity BottomUp Design If you prefer to take a more programmatic approach to your design, you can first define each of the supporting objects of your process before attempting to create a higher level process diagram.

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Designing a simple Workflow (1 of 2)

Start Oracle Workflow Builder Workflow Builder Icon will exist in Oracle for Windows group Create a new workspace for your new process definition. Click on File->New to create a new workspace (Data Store) Create a new item type. This classifies the work item to be managed by your process. Define item type attributes

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Designing a simple Workflow (2 of 2)

Create new lookup types and assign lookup codes to them Create new messages. Create a new process activity, notification activity or function activity. Diagram the process. Save your work by choosing Save or Save As from the File menu. If you use any PL/SQL procedures in function activities, code that procedure into the database.
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Re-cap
Understood the concepts of a Workflow Realized its advantage in automating and monitoring Business Processes and the flexibility that it provides. Features of Oracle Workflow 2.5 Components of Oracle Workflow Components of a Workflow General Workflow terminology w.r.t various components discussed above. Designing a Workflow, Quick-Start Wizard
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