Workflow Process

A workflow process starts from the Document Management System (DMS), and ECM Toolbox Workflow checking for documents that meets kickoff criteria. Once a document meets the criteria, ECM Toolbox Workflow will record the document data, and look for path which accepts the document (there may be more than one). Once the document enters a path’s queue, it is up to the system and workflow users to interact with the document (work instance).

Step 1. Kick-off

A workflow kickoff service connects to the DMS and looks for the indexes that meets the kickoff criteria. The documents that are selected for kickoff are then recorded in the workflow database.

Step 2. Workflow Admission

ECM Toolbox Workflow will then create a work item that represents the document, then create a work instance that represents the work item in a queue. A work item can be associated with multiple work instances, creating parallel workflow capabilities.

Step 3. User processing

Once assigned to a queue, the work instance will now be available to a user who has access to the queue and be subject to the automation setup by the workflow designer, who plans out possible steps for that work instance.

A document will usually first appear in a GroupBox listing. From there, the user may look at the document and take or assign ownership of the document. Once owned, the document will be displayed in the user’s Inbox.

From the Inbox, the user may look at the document, change the values of fields associated with the document, assign the document to another user for review, and do other things. A change of values is important, as that may direct the workflow to automatically do something else with the document.

For an administrator to create a workflow, they must be familiar with the document review process and the people involved. The people who see the document are determined by the queues they are permitted to view. The administrator must also be familiar with the possible rule conditions and actions that he can use to direct the document though the system.