workflow awareness

7/26/2019 Workflow Awareness

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MISSION CONTROL

Launching your Success

Integrating your SelfService Application

Workflow withMicrosoft Exchange andother Fun Stuff youcould do to make it

cool.Muzaffer Lakdawala


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Our Agenda

What is workflow

Why you need to know workflow

Workflow building blocks

Components.

Features.

Capabilities.

Casestudy: Using workflow to solve business problems.

Business problems.

Solutions.

Workflow migration.

Lessons learned

Q&A
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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What Is Workflow?

Oracle Workflow is a complete workflow managementsystem that supports business process definition andautomation. Its technology enables automation andcontinuous improvement to business processes, routinginformation of any type according to user-definedbusiness rules.

Oracle Workflow is part of the Oracle e-business suite, aset of applications, which is designed to transform yourbusiness to an iBusiness.


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What Is Workflow?

A framework and toolkit for building your

processes:

Define process flow logic.

Route information.

Define & validate business rules.

F l e x i b l e

D y n a m i c

P o w e r f u l

C u s t o m i z a b l e

I n t e g r a t e d
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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Workflow Building Blocks

Workflow is NOTone distinct application.

Delivery of robust workflow solutions requires integrating

the features, functionality and capabilities of many

individual components.

System:Mailer

OracleWorkflow

Components

Compatible

Applications(ex:

MicrosoftExchange)

WebApplicationDirectory

OracleWorkflowBuilder


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages

NotificationsLookupTypes

Workflow

Definition

Loader

Workflow

Background

Engine

Workflow

Builder

Monitoring &

Administration

Electronic

Notifications

PL/SQL

Extendibility
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader

WorkflowBackgroundEngine

Workflow

Builder

Monitoring &Administration

ElectronicNotifications

PL/SQLExtendibility


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader


WorkflowBuilder



PL/SQLExtendibility


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader


WorkflowBuilder



PL/SQLExtendibility


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


Workflow

Definition

Loader

Workflow

Background

Engine

Workflow

Builder

Monitoring &

Administration

Electronic

Notifications

PL/SQL

Extendibility


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What Is Workflow?


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Web Application Directory Services

Oracle Workflow offersflexibility in defining

workflow users and roles.

If you are using the version ofOracle Workflow embedded inOracle Applications, OracleWorkflow directory service views

are automatically based on aunifiedOracle Applicationsenvironment.

The unified environment maps overOracle Human Resources tables,Oracle Application Object Librarytables, various Oracle Applications

tables, and the WF_LOCAL tables.

Unified Environment

Web ApplicationDictionary

AOL

WF_LOCAL Vendors

HR Customers


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Web Application Directory Services

The WF_LOCAL tables/views have three key components:

WF_LOCAL_USER

You can use this table to define users which are not included

in unified Oracle Application Environment.

WF_LOCAL_ROLES

You can use this table to define roles which are not includedin unified Oracle Application Environment.

WF_LOCAL_USER_ROLES

The Wf_Local_User_Roles table is an intersection of the

users and roles.

These tables define users and roles that are not defined inunified Oracle Application Environment.


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System: Mailer

Oracle provides e-mail templates within System: Mailer workflow,to customize e-mail verbiage.

Determines what emails are sent out and in what format.

SystemMailer

Template

CanceledMail

SummaryMail

Open FYIMail

InvalidMail

OpenMail

WarningMail

ClosedMail

There are 7 templates that Oracleuses for sending out notifications.

Open- When expecting a response.

Open FYI- When no response isexpected.

Summary- Used when user isexpecting summary notification.

Cancel - Informs previous

notifications are canceled.Invalid - Informs users of invalidresponse.

Closed- Informs users of closednotification.


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Solution: Table driven Custom


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Solution: Table driven CustomBusiness Rules

Create a custom table to define dynamic business rules.

Provide a custom form to allow maintenance of theparameters and attributes of the rules.

Most business rule changes can be handled by operations

staff adding and changing table values.

One custom table is used to hold rules for taxation,

required field specification, expense thresholds, per diemvalues etc.

Custom business rule validation programs dont need to

change every time a business rule is modified.

Add one custom procedure to the workflow to handle all

rules, instead of customizing delivered packages.

Your workflow process performs validations basedon the values defined in the table


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Custom Business Rules

The framework of the workflow validation programs werebuilt flexibly to validate different types of business rules

using table driven parameters.Typical fields in the table structure might be:

Rule_Name: Justification, Receipts, Per Diem.

Rule_For: Expense Types.

Cost_Centre: Cost Centre for which rule applies.

Yes_No_Null: Rule applies if Amex was used or not used.

Effective_Start_Date: Start date for the rule.

Effective_End_Date: End date for the rule.

Value1: Stores Business agreed numeric value. (Ex:Mileage Rate)

Value2: Stores IRS allowed numeric value. (Max Per Diemallowance.)

Value3: Stores any other numeric value.

Description: Plain English meaning for the rule.


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O ti l S t P bl #4


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Operational Support Problem #4

How can notification of errors and exception beefficiently distributed and work tracked among

support staff?

Want an organized approach to monitoring the system.

Notify appropriate roles of the errors and exception.

Need to make sure all issues are being worked.

Want to avoid multiple people unknowingly working the

same issue.


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O ti l S t P bl #5


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Operational Support Problem #5

Migration of Workflow components fromdevelopment to production instances can be

tricky and introduce potential for error

Need to follow a structured approach for migrating workflow

which minimizes risk of error

Changes to the workflow should be minimized

Mi ti M th d l


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Migration Methodology

Migration from Development to Production :

Local user and roles tables.

Change the script to point to the right public folders([email protected] [email protected])

Oracle Workflow

Chain Link is not an available option.

Check-in Oracle Workflow into external version controlprograms for future modifications and upgrades.

Using Oracle Workflow Builder open the workflow file fromTEST and save it back in PRODUCTION. It requires APPSpassword.

Using concurrent program to upload file. UNIXlevel access isrequired.

Microsoft Exchange Public Folders.

Allow the Production Folders to accept E-mails.

Mi ti M th d l


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Migration Methodology

Refresh from Production to Development :

Local user and roles tables.

Using the update script change the local user and roles table topoint to the right public folders([email protected] [email protected]).

Workflow

It is migrated from Production to Test instance during the refresh,as Oracle Workflow is stored in tables.

Case St d Re ie Wo kflo Sol tion


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Case Study Review: Workflow Solution

Following actions were thoughtfully applied to addressbusiness issues and avoid workflow pitfalls.

Fully utilized Notifications and email capabilities.

Careful approach to customizing the workflow process.

Intelligent Use of Roles.

Integration with Microsoft Exchange and email.

Minimized the need for on-going changes to workflow.

Implemented a structured methodology for migration.


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Lesson Learned


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Lesson Learned

E-Mail

Strong Mail Server Network is required.

A simple Expense Report can generate up to 5 e-mails.

Reply-To functionality is great but has to be implemented

with caution:

No E-mail signatures allowed.

Responses split into more than one line must be in quotes.

Cant be removed without modifications to standard workflowpackages.

Keep messages simple! - People dont read email carefully

Custom Business Rules

Keep all customizations confined to one PL/SQL Package

Complex rules require complex coding and complex

testing procedures - there should be good business

reason.

Not all rules can be table driven.


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workflow awareness

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