Oracle Workflow Basics

Workflow Overview

Oracle Workflow is a tool that facilitates business process reengineering by executing the increasingly complex task of getting various types of information to many people according to constantly changing business rules. Workflow has existed, in a sense, in the Oracle Applications for some time. For example, the purchasing approval process in the Purchasing module is a workflow, however, Oracle has packaged and labeled these types of processes as 'Workflow' and included additional functionality and processes in order to accomplish three important business requirements:

·         Route Information

·         Define and modify business rules

·         Deliver electronic notifications

Workflow Components

Workflow is comprised of 6 components:

·         Workflow Builder

·         Workflow Engine

·         Workflow Definitions Loader

·         Notification System

·         Workflow Monitor

·         Directory Services

 

The Workflow Vocabulary

With Workflow, Oracle reuses old familiar terms within a new context where they sometimes take on new meanings. For this reason, it is important to familiarize yourself with the terms used in Workflow. The terms listed below are the most commonly used and may be the most confusing. For a complete listing of terms refer to the glossary in the workflow manual available on the most up-to-date Oracle Applications Documentation Library Release CD.

·         Process: A series of actions taken to manage a document or transaction to achieve a desired result (business process). The entire flow above represents a process. Also known as Item Type.

·         Item: A document or transaction. Example: Purchase Order 2291.

·         Process Instance: A specific example of a business process.     

·         Activity: A unit of work performed in a process. Each icon in the flow above is an activity but there are three types of activities: Function Activity, Notification Activity, and Process Activity.

·         Function Activity: An automated unit of work that is defined by a program written as a PL/SQL stored procedure.  The 'Approve Requisition' is a function activity defined by the PL/SQL stored procedure 'WF_REQDEMO.APPROVE_REQ'.

·         Notification Activity: A unit of work that requires human intervention. A notification activity sends a message to a user containing the information necessary to complete the work. The 'Notify Requestor No Approver Available' is an example of a notification activity.

·         Process Activity: A process within a process. 'Notify Approver' is an example of a process activity.

·         Data Store: Flat file (Workflow stored on PC) or a connection to the database. You must define a data store then define a process and assign to the data store.

·         Item Type: The categorization of a process. Example: PO Requisition.

·         Item Key: The 'primary key' of the item. The item key and item type together uniquely identify a workflow process.

·         Item Type Attribute: The variables used by messages and functions. The data of the requisition, purchase order, etc. Example: Requisition Amount, Requisition Id.

·         Performer: The person or role that will receive the notification within a process.

·         Role: A responsibility defined in the Oracle Applications if using imbedded workflow.

Workflow Builder

The Builder is the interface which provides a graphical representation of your workflow process. The builder runs on your PC allowing you to graphically create, view, and modify a business process. You save a process definition to a database or flat file from the builder. The builder ties together each of the components of a workflow process:

·         Attributes (Variables)

·         Processes

·         Notifications

·         Functions

·         Messages

·         Lookup Types

The Builder cannot be installed on a central file server or be shared by other client PC's over the network. It is strictly an individual PC tool.

Workflow Engine

A workflow is initiated by calling one of the published Workflow Engine PL/SQL API's. Once the workflow process has begun, the engine manages all the automated aspects of a workflow process:

·         Monitors the state of activities for an item

·         automatically executes functions and sends notifications

·         determines the next activity once a prerequisite activity completes

·         maintains a history of completed activities

·         detects error conditions and starts error processes

·         defers processes to the background engine that have timed out

Definitions Loader

The Definitions Loader is a utility program that lets you transfer workflow processes between a database and your PC (flat file). The Definitions Loader runs on the server and allows you to upgrade the database with new process definitions or upload existing process definitions after a database upgrade. The definitions are stored on the server under the $PO_TOP, $INV_TOP, etc. directories.

Notification System

The Notification System routes notifications to a role (responsibility) or a specific user. There are three ways in which to access notifications - email, web browser, or via the Oracle Applications.  The method in which to view notifications can be set at the user level so applications users can access notifications via the notification viewer, travelling salespeople can access via a web browser or email, etc.

The Oracle Applications contains a Notification Viewer form in order for application users to access their notifications. The form must be added to an existing responsibility menu in order to access notifications. The form is not document or module specific so if the form is assigned to an Order Management and Purchasing responsibility the OM responsibility will see notifications for PO, OM, INV etc. and the PO responsibility will see the same.

Viewing notifications from a web browser requires Oracle Web Server 2.1 or higher or Oracle Web Application Server 3.0.1 or higher. It is not necessary, however, to have the web applications configured and running in order to use the web for notifications. If you have installed Oracle Applications 10.7 NCA or 11+ the Web Application Server is installed as part of the applications installation. In order to view notifications via the Web you would simply give users the 'Workflow Self Service' application.

E-Mail notification can be done using Oracle Interoffice Messaging, UNIX Sendmail, or Windows NT MAPI-compliant mail applications. Other mail systems can be used if the appropriate Oracle InterOffice or UNIX gateway software is installed. If you use email notifications it is recommended that you provide formatting instructions in notifications that require a response since they are case sensitive. Example: APPROVE <> Approve.

Workflow Monitor

The Workflow monitor is a Java applet that displays status information for a single workflow process instance.  It can only be viewed by Netscape 4.0+ or Internet Explorer 4.0+.  The monitor can be displayed in 'User' mode to display end-user information or 'Admin' mode to display administrator information and functionality. 

 

Process Title:	Displays the name of the workflow process and the name of the item type and user key.  If no user key has been set, then the item key is displayed.
Process Diagram Window:	Graphical representation of workflow processes and subprocesses currently listed in the process title.  Also displays color-coded status cues for activities: ·         Red:  Error ·         Green:  Active/In Progress.  Status could be ACTIVE, NOTIFIED, or DEFERRED. ·         Yellow:  Suspended.  Status would be HOLD. ·         <none>:  Normal.  Status could be COMPLETE, WAITING, or NULL.
Detail Tab Window:	Provides detailed information about a selected process of activity. Note:  Some information will only appear when monitor is run in ‘ADMIN’ mode
Administration Buttons:	Available only in ‘ADMIN’ mode.  Can be used to perform administrative functions by calling the appropriate workflow engine API: ·         Abort Process:  Aborts the selected process and cancels any outstanding notifications. ·         Suspend Process:  Available only when a process title or activity is selected. ·         Resume Process: Available only when a suspended process is selected. ·         Reassign:  Available only when a notification activity is selected. ·         Expedite: Available only when a process title or activity is selected. ·         Attribute:  Used to change the value of an item type attribute.

Directory Services

Oracle Workflow does not maintain its own repository of users and roles, instead it consists of three views that pull the information from a variety of Oracle Applications tables. Each view contains the columns that Workflow needs to reference to get information about a user or role. These views are:

·         WF_USERS

·         WF_ROLES

·         WF_USER_ROLES

Note:  Please refer to the latest Oracle Workflow Technical Reference Manual for a detailed description of these views.

The directory service will map to additional data sources of users and roles as additional products in Oracle Applications implement workflow process. This will require the application of patches.  If you are using workflow in standalone mode then there are three local tables you will need to populate. The local tables are:

WF_LOCAL_USERS

            Name                                                   Null?               Datatype

            NAME                                                            NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            DISPLAY_NAME                             NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(80)

            DESCRIPTION                                                                     VARCHAR2(240)

            NOTIFICATION_PREFERENCE               NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(8)

            LANGUAGE                                     NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            TERRITORY                                     NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            EMAIL_ADDRESS                                                  VARCHAR2(240)

            FAX                                                                            VARCHAR2(240)

            STATUS                                             NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(8)

            EXPIRATION DATE                                                            DATE

WF_LOCAL_ROLES

Name                                                   Null?               Datatype

            NAME                                                            NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            DISPLAY_NAME                             NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(80)

            DESCRIPTION                                                                     VARCHAR2(240)

            NOTIFICATION_PREFERENCE               NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(8)

            LANGUAGE                                     NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            TERRITORY                                     NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            EMAIL_ADDRESS                                                  VARCHAR2(240)

            FAX                                                                            VARCHAR2(240)

            STATUS                                             NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(8)

            EXPIRATION DATE                                                            DATE

WF_LOCAL_USER_ROLES

            Name                                                   Null?               Datatype

            USER_NAME                                                NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            ROLE_NAME                                               NOT NULL    VARCHAR2(30)

            USER_ORIG_SYSTEM                                                        VARCHAR2(30)

           USER_ORIG_SYSTEM_ID                                                 NUMBER

ROLE_ORIG_SYSTEM                                                       VARCHAR2(30)

           ROLE_ORIG_SYSTEM_ID                                                 NUMBER

Creating a Workflow

1.      Identify your business needs.

2.      Identify the activities that will accomplish those needs. When developing these activities limit each activity to a very small piece of the process in order to avoid trying to do too much. If an activity is not basic you will not be able to reuse it in another workflow.

·         Function, notification, and/or process

·         Possible results from activity

3.      Identify how the process will get initiated.

4.      Identify possible results of the process.

5.      Identify the workflow to be modified. Backup the original workflow.

In the Builder:

6.      Define Sub Processes first.

7.      Define the item type of the process.

8.      Define item type attributes for the process.

9.      Define lookup types and lookup codes.

10.  Define messages.

11.  Define message attributes.

12.  Define the activities in the process as Function, Notification, or Process.

13.  Diagram the relationship of the activities.

In Procedure Builder, a text editor, or SQL*Plus:

14.  Write PL/SQL code for the functions.

Any functions used in the workflow MUST have matching PL/SQL code to execute. In order for custom code to work properly with the Workflow tool you must follow the same format as the seeded PL/SQL.

Minimum Hardware & Software Requirements

·         If installing Oracle Applications release 11+, you must install workflow as part of the applications installation in order for it to work correctly.

·         If installing Oracle Applications release 10.7, then you will need to install workflow on top of the existing installation. If you install the standalone workflow you will not get the 'seeded' workflows used by the Oracle Applications.

·         486 processor

·         Clock speed of 66Mhz (90 Mhz+ is recommended)

·         Network card

·         SVGA color monitor

·         At least one PC at the site should be configured with a modem and dial-in access for Oracle support

·         Dual speed, ISO 9660 format CD-ROM available as a logical drive

·         17.3 MB of disk space to install Oracle installer, workflow Builder, and Net8

Note:  Oracle Net8 requires and only supports the use of Microsoft’s TCPIP drivers.

·         Workflow Server requires previously installed Oracle Web Application Server 3.0.1+ or Oracle Application Server 4.0.7+ 

·         The E-mail notification component works with Oracle Internet Messaging 4.2, UNIX Sendmail, or a Windows NT MAPI-compliant mail applications.  Requires Oracle Internet Messaging 4.2 or UNIX gateway product to communicate with any other e-mail application

Note:  To send and receive mail with HTML attachments, E-mail application should support HTML attachments and have a web browser application that supports JavaScript and frames.

·         Web notifications and Workflow Monitor require Oracle WebDB or Oracle Application Server to be installed first.  To view the Workflow Monitor you need a web browser that supports Java Development Kit (JDK), 1.1.4+, and Abstract Windowing Toolkit (AWT).

Seeded Workflows in the Oracle Applications

You can use Oracle Workflow to customize the following predefined workflow processes. For a full description of each workflow refer to the respective product's User's Guide.

Application	Workflow Processes
Application Implementation Wizard	Various processes that guide the setup and implementation of Oracle Applications
Application Object Library	Standard function activities that can be used to incorporate concurrent manager processing into any Oracle Applications workflow process.
Business Intelligence System	·         BIS Management by Exceptions Process
Self-Service Expenses	·         Expense Reporting Process
Self-Service Human Resources	·         Candidate Offer Approval Process ·         Career management Reviews Process ·         360 Appraisals Process ·         Other Processes that allow viewing and updates of personal details on the web as well as allow employees enroll in a class and apply for a job
Self-Service Purchasing	·         Receipt Confirmation Process ·         Requisition Approval Process
Oracle Web Customers	·         Customer Self-Service Registration Approval Process ·         Order Entry Review Process
Oracle Web Suppliers	·         Supplier Self-Service Registration Approval Process
Oracle Engineering	·         Engineering Change Orders Process
Oracle General Ledger	·         Journal Approval Process ·         Step-Down AutoAllocations Process ·         Global InterCompany System
Oracle Federal Human Resources	·         GHR Personnel Action Process ·         GHR Position Description Process ·         GHR Within Grade Increase Process
Oracle Human Resources	·         Task Flow Item Type
Oracle Order Management	·         ATO Change Order Management Process ·         Order Header and Line Processes
Oracle Payables	·         AP Open Interface Import Process ·         Credit Card Transaction Employees Process ·         Credit Card Transaction Manager Process ·         Expense Reporting Process
Oracle Planning	·         Planning Exception Message Process
Oracle Projects	·         Project Approval and Status Change Process ·         Budget Approval Process
Oracle Project Manufacturing	·         Indirect/capital Project Definition Process ·         Contract Project Definition Process
Oracle Process Manufacturing	·         Quality Control Sample Creation Notification Process ·         Quality Control Sample Acceptance Process ·         Quality Control Assay Testing Process ·         Item Activation Process ·         Lot Expire and Lot Retest Process ·         Process Manufacturing Intelligence
Oracle Purchasing	·         Procurement Workflow ·         Document Approval Process ·         Automatic Document Creation Process ·         Change Orders Process ·         Send Notifications Process ·         Price/Sales Catalog Notification Process ·         Requisition Account Generator ·         Purchasing Account Generator
Oracle Receivables	·         Credit Memo Request Approval Process
Oracle Service	·         Service Request Process ·         Service Request Actions and Dispatch Process ·         Field Service Dispatch Process
Oracle Assets	·         Fixed Assets Account Generator