Building BPM Web Portals with Camunda and Drupal

Ishan Mahajan| Program Manager, Srijan Technologies | @ishanmahajan

#SrijanWW | @srijan

#SrijanWW | @srijanCamunda

● Open source platform for workflow and business process management.

● Model and execute BPMN 2.0, CMMN 1.1 and DMN 1.1.

○ BPMN for structured workflows

● Ships with a set of applications to help model, execute and administer process applications running on the Camunda core engine.

#SrijanWW | @srijanCamunda Overview

#SrijanWW | @srijanUse Case: Drupal as BPM Portal

REST API

REST / Java API

Engine(BPMN, CMMN, DMN)

End User

#SrijanWW | @srijanWhat does a BPM Portal typically do?

● Involve End Users.○ Easily provide BPM access to customers, vendors, partners and

other users outside of the organisation.

● Initiate workflow processes.○ Complete tasks.

● User dashboard and Activity/Task list.○ Task assignment.

○ Real time information and status of ongoing processes.

#SrijanWW | @srijanUse Drupal to enhance the BPM portal

● Beyond task forms○ Define rules to complete tasks.

● Send and manage notifications.

● User registration and onboarding

● User roles and groups.

● Provide instructions and support content to complete tasks.

● Content Management.○ Setup task forms, task instruction pages and other content.

○ Other CMS features.

#SrijanWW | @srijan

How can a Drupal - Camunda integration work?

#SrijanWW | @srijanWorkflow definition using Camunda Modeler

#SrijanWW | @srijanWorkflow definition using Camunda Modeler

#SrijanWW | @srijanDrupal - Camunda Interaction

● Task screens:○ Webforms, content pages (text,

videos etc)● Assign a task● Complete a task

○ On form submission (manual approval)

○ Define rules using the Rules module

● Execute task● Determine process path

task status and owner

● Task screens:○ ...

Camunda ids, task type

● ...

#SrijanWW | @srijanLet’s take a simple Example

#SrijanWW | @srijanCamunda Tasklist

#SrijanWW | @srijanInitiate workflow process from BPM Portal

● On submission of this form, a new process instance (workflow) will be initiated in Camunda.

● The first task (“Approve Request”) will be available on the BPM portal dashboard.

#SrijanWW | @srijan

Drupal

Title Camunda ID Other Fields Content Type

1 Drupal Camp Request

fe380689-97e8-11e6-a3c2-06287ee19e0b Request owner, Organic group etc

Camunda Request

2 Approve Request fe3854c1-97e8-11e6-a3c2-06287ee19e0b Task owner, status Camunda Task

#SrijanWW | @srijanUser Dashboard

● Team members can view and claim eligible tasks.

#SrijanWW | @srijan

#SrijanWW | @srijanTask Completion

#SrijanWW | @srijan

Title Camunda ID Other Fields Content Type

1 Drupal Camp Request

fe380689-97e8-11e6-a3c2-06287ee19e0b Request owner, Organic group etc

Camunda Request

2 Approve Request fe3854c1-97e8-11e6-a3c2-06287ee19e0b Task owner, status Camunda Task

3 Close Request 603b6f5a-97ed-11e6-a3c2-06287ee19e0b Task owner, status Camunda Task

#SrijanWW | @srijanUser Dashboard

● Again, the newly created task can be claimed and then acted upon.

#SrijanWW | @srijanDrupal - Camunda Interaction

● Task screens:○ Webforms, content pages (text,

videos etc)● Assign a task● Complete a task

○ On form submission (manual approval)

○ Define rules using the Rules module

● Execute task● Determine process path

task status and owner

● Task screens:○ ...

Camunda ids, task type

● ...

#SrijanWW | @srijanSetup: maximum flexibility & minimum duplication

● Ensure all process definition is stored in Camunda.

● Let the BPM engine dictate the direction of the workflows.

● Drupal is used to manage content related workflows tasks and to mark tasks as

complete.

Drupal Camunda

● All the data captured through task forms and task content.

● Task owner.● Task status.● Camunda IDs

● Only data that determines the path of the workflow.

○ Task owner.○ Task status.

#SrijanWW | @srijanCamunda connector Drupal module

● Allows Drupal to connect with Camunda using REST.

● User dashboard to claim/assign and complete tasks.

● Configure forms and other screens for a task.

● Configure rules (using the Rules module) for a task.

● Sandbox URL: https://www.drupal.org/sandbox/ishanmahajan/2821362

#SrijanWW | @srijanWhy use Camunda when Drupal can handle workflows?

● Ability to model BPMN diagrams and easily manage workflow steps.

● Process definition history & versioning

● Process definition heatmap

● Process instance history: user actions, audit logs with timestamps

● Process duration report

● REST APIs

● BPM engine shared by multiple applications within an organisation

#SrijanWW | @srijanProcess Definition Heatmap

#SrijanWW | @srijanProcess Instance History

#SrijanWW | @srijanTry it out!

● https://docs.camunda.org/get-started/

● https://camunda.org/examples

● https://camunda.org/contribute/

● Easy to setup

○ Tomcat Distribution

○ Docker Image

● Start with the Camunda Tasklist application.

● Drupal sandbox module

https://blog.camunda.org/post/2017/01/integrating-camunda-drupal/

#SrijanWW | @srijanCamunda Tasklist

Thank You!

Ishan Mahajan| Program Manager, Srijan Technologies | @ishanmahajan | ishan.mahajan@srijan.net

#SrijanWW | @srijan