Application development in WEBCON BPS
This article aims at providing key information required to configurate new application elements. The article presents both required and optional information that will help you to add configuration components, such as:
- Form field
- Step
- Transition path
- Report
- BPS group
- Action – general
- Action – form validation
- Action – e-mail notification
- Hardcopy template
- Privileges
Glossary of basic terms
Below you can find a collection of basic terms used for describing WEBCON BPS environment.
Tab. 1 Glossary of basic terms
| Term | Description |
| WEBCON Business Process Suite (BPS) | WEBCON BPS is a complex platform allowing for managing document and business processes in an organisation. |
| Application | A WEBCON BPS application defined as a collection of logically combined business processes that operate cohesively alongside one-another, and share a presentation layer. |
| Process |
Business process projection in WEBCON BPS. It consists of workflows, form types and form fields. For example:
|
| Workflow |
The business logic of a process, consists of a sequence of steps with a series of operations to be carried out in the respective business process in WEBCON BPS. For example:
|
| Form type |
A set of form fields required in a single workflow type. For example:
|
| Fields |
Fields in the form that allow the users for data entry or data display. For example:
|
| Step |
A workflow phase, i.e., a stage at which a workflow instance is currently activated. Instances residing in steps usually wait for operation or task completion before going to the next step. Steps can be managed manually by the user (e.g. transitional steps) or automatically processed by the system (e.g. OCR steps). For example:
|
| Transition path |
A logical connection between workflow steps, presented to the user as buttons. For example:
|
| Workflow instance |
A single workflow instance, of the respective form type, registered in the system. A workflow instance may represent various things depending on a business scenario whereas the complexity of operations proceeded in the workflow instance depends on the workflow configuration. For example:
|
| Workflow actors |
Users who are workflow actors. For example:
|
| Task | An operation that must be executed in the system by the respective user (or group of users). A task can be seen in the workflow instance in the information section. |
| Portal | It is the cornerstone, central point and end user interface for WEBCON BPS. It contains full information about all applications in the system. |
| Application page | A Portal site generated automatically for each application created in the system. It contains information regarding one concrete application and can be used as an easy unconventional form of connecting users with the application. |
| Report | A presentation component that displays workflow instances registered in the WEBCON BPS system. The users will be able to see only those workflow instances they hold privileges to. One report can hold many views in the form of tables or charts depending which of the solutions allows for deploying information in the most effective manner. |
| Dashboard | A presentation component that serves as a customizable digital desktop. It may contain various embedded elements, text, images and other presentation components held in the application. Each and every dashboard can be tailored to the consumers’ needs. |
| Active Directory (AD) | A catalogue service for Windows systems that stores information about the users and domain groups. |
| AD Group (domain) | A collection of domain users. It can be used for granting privileges or assigning tasks in the process. |
| BPS group | A group of users created and managed via WEBCON BPS Portal. |
| Action |
An operation or incident defined in the workflow which is automatically executed by the system, provided conditions of its execution are met. For example:
|
Form field
Information required to add a new form field.
Tab. 2 Information about form fields
| Form field | |
| Required: | |
| Name | Maximum length - 50 characters |
| Description | Description of the form field function |
| Type of form field | Text, number, multiple text lines, date, choice field, data table |
| Read | At which steps the form field is to be available for a read-only option? |
| Editability | At which steps the form field can be edited? |
| Requiredness | At which steps the form field is required to be completed? |
| Optional: | |
| Translations | Fill in when a process is translated into many languages. Maximum length - 50 characters. |
| Description for the user | Description available to the user when filling out the form. When a description is provided, the user will see a tooltip next to the field on the form. |
| Default value | Fill in when the form field is to be given a default value. The default value will be inserted into the field whenever it is empty – it can be a rigid value or calculated with a business rule. |
| Data source | Provide only for choice fields and data tables. Can contain descriptions of the values available for selection. If possible, give the name of the data source (other BPS workflow instances, SQL table, web service) |
| Data table | Provide only for data tables. Give the list of columns to be displayed in the table. Indicate the column that should be displayed in the form of links. To save space on the form, you can divide the table into pages by specifying how many rows are to be displayed on one page (10 by default). |
| Visibility requirement | Define if the visibility of form fields depends on other conditions (e.g. form field value, currently logged in user). |
| Editability requirement | Define if the visibility of form fields depends on other conditions (e.g. form field value, currently logged in user). |
| Style and behaviours | Define how the style of form fields is to be changed compared to the standard look (highlighting, font colour/ background). It will be modified with CSS. |
Step
Information required to add a new step.
Tab. 3 Information about steps
| Step | |
| Required: | |
| Name | Step name |
| Description | Brief description of the function of the step and workflow actors in the step |
| Step type | Step type – starting step, final step, positive/negative, system step, workflow control step |
| Transition path | Paths to and from the step, step location in the workflow, target step(s) |
| Optional: | |
| Description on the form | Description in the form available to the workflow users This will be shown to users in the “Task details” section of the form. |
| Actions | List of actions carried out at the step entry/step exit, “Timeout” actions |
| Menu buttons | List of menu buttons, their function and correlated actions |
| Workflow control | In case of the workflow control step - you must define a business rule that will select a path leading to further steps. |
Transition path
Information required to add a new transition path.
Tab. 4 Information about transition paths
| Transition patTransition path Transition path | |
| Required: | |
| Name | The name displayed to the user in the form |
| Step | The step at which a path must be added. Give the full name of the workflow step. |
| Target step | The step an instance reaches when going through the path. Give the full name of the workflow step. |
| Tasks | A task assigned to the specific person. Full name of the function or actor (author, current user, currently assigned users ). |
| Task notification | Yes/No – for sending a standard task notification |
| CC Tasks | A task assigned to the person in a carbon copy. Full name of the function or actor (author, current user currently assigned users). |
| CC Task notification | Yes/No – for sending a standard CC task notification |
| Form field validation | Should the required fields be checked before going through the path? |
| Optional: | |
| Form field validation | Should the required fields be checked before going through the path? |
| Comment requirement | Should a comment be added before going through the path? |
| Visibility requirement | Fill in when the path visibility depends on other conditions(e.g. form field value, currently logged in user) |
| Workflow control | Fill in when selection of the target step is dictated by circumstances occurred (e.g. form field value, currently logged in user) |
| Actions | List of actions executed by the system when going through the path (validations, e-mail notifications, recalculating form field values) |
Report
Information required to add a new report.
Tab. 5 Information about reports
| Reports | |
| Required: | |
| Name | Report name |
| Report type | Table, chart, or KPI report |
| Data source | Specify the process(es) whose instances are to be presented in the report |
| Report columns | Process form fields, system form fields displayed in the report |
| Privileges | Given to the person authorised to access the report |
| Optional: | |
| Search panel | What form fields should be included in the search panel |
| Bulk actions | Should the report hold mass actions, e.g., for rejecting several instances at the same time? |
| Views | Should the report hold dedicated views, presenting other information? |
| Sorting | The manner of sorting instances in the report – what form fields to choose? |
BPS group
Information required to add a new BPS group
Tab. 6 Information about BPS groups
| BPS groupBPS groupBPS groupBPS groups | |
| Required: | |
| Name displayed | Group name displayed |
| Group identifier | Group identifier in the nazwa@nazwa.pl format |
| Purpose of the group | Purpose of the group, business context and target privileges |
| Optional: | |
| Members of the group | Users who are members of the group. They can be added just after creating the group |
Action – General
Information required to add a new action
Tab. 7 Information about action
| Action - general | |
| Required: | |
| Name | Action name |
| Description | Brief description of the action function |
| Action type | What is the function of a given action? Exemplary action types: validation, e-mail notification, printout, change of the field value |
| Trigger | Transition paths, step entry/step exit, “Timeout” option, menu buttons |
| Optional: | |
| Action execution condition | Requirement that must be fulfilled for the action to be carried out |
| Description on the form | Description on the form available to the workflow users |
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