WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT

With many traditional systems the processes for modifying data are hardcoded and require reprogramming in case processes change. With the Axxerion workflow technology you can interactively design and modify these processes in a graphical environment. The underlying mathematical foundation is Petri Net technology, which enables a formal specification of processes using places, tasks and transitions.

Below is a summary of the main functions of the workflow management technology. The workflow management technology can be used within all Axxerion modules.

State: Every workflow has a number of states, including one begin state. A state is depicted by a circle in the workflow diagram. For every state you can define the access rights of the objects involved.

Workflow tasks: You can specify tasks that need to be performed when a certain state is reached. Tasks are assigned to user groups and you can specify how many people within the user group should perform the task. Tasks are depicted by rectangles in the diagram.

Transitions: Transitions are depicted by arrows that connect states and tasks. Depending on the outcome of a task the transitions can point to different states. Transitions can also be used to go back to an earlier state in the workflow.

Attributes: The standard fields can be augmented with an unlimited number of custom data fields called attributes. Attributes can be of various types such as text, enumerations, integer, floating point number or reference to another object. Attributes can be editable, read-only or hidden depending on the status of the workflow and user group access permissions.

Process diagram: You can design the workflow with a special drawing application that is automatically downloaded from the server and runs in the web browser. When the workflow is executed you can see the current state in the diagram.

Escalation: Time-based triggers can be assigned to stages in the workflow. For example, if a certain stage in the process is not reached at a certain time the workflow engine can send a reminder or generate escalation tasks.

Parallel paths: The workflow engine support parallel paths, for example when a request is received one path starts a procedure for getting more information from the requestor while another path starts the internal evaluation. The various paths can be synchronized at a milestone stage, which checks the status of all paths that are started up.

Sub workflows: Workflows can be nested in other workflows. For example if there is already a workflow for a purchase approval this workflow can be used for approving a computer purchase in a new employee hire workflow.

Decision rules: Workflows can have multiple decision points that can have simple or complex decision rules. For example, a decision rule can specify that if the total invoice amount is more than a certain amount and the person is not a manager it needs to go through additional approvals.

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