Essentials (Siebel 7.

7)

Module 43: Invoking Workflow

Processes
Module Objectives

After completing this module you will be able to:

 Describe the relationships between workflow policies,
workflow groups, and workflow policy actions
 Invoke workflow processes using workflow policy actions
and runtime events

Why you need to know:

 There are different ways to invoke workflow, so you need
to understand the available mechanisms in order to fully
optimize application features

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Invoking Workflow
 A workflow process can be invoked by:
 Workflow policies
 Runtime events
 Custom UI elements

Workflow
Workflow Runtime
Runtime Custom
Custom
Policies
Policies Events
Events Control
Control

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Invoking with Workflow Policies
 A workflow policy is a defined set of conditions and actions
 Actions are executed when conditions are met
 Example: When a service request priority = Critical:
 Send urgent message to service request owner
 Update service request priority to Very High

Workflow
Workflow Runtime
Runtime Custom
Custom
Policies
Policies Events
Events Control
Control

Conditions
Conditions Actions
Actions

IF <all conditions> = True THEN <execute these actions>

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Requirements for Workflow Policies
 Enable the Workflow Management component group
 Navigate to Administration – Server Configuration > Enterprises >
Component Groups

Workflow Component
Definitions

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Workflow Component Definitions
 Workflow Component Group consists of six server component
definitions

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Steps for Defining a Workflow Policy

1. Create a Workflow Group

2. Create a Workflow Policy Action

3. Create a Workflow Policy

4. Generate Database Triggers

5. Start Workflow Monitor Agent

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1. Create a Workflow Group

 A workflow group is a collection of workflow policies that are
monitored concurrently
 To create a workflow group, navigate to Administration -
Business Process > Policy Groups

Monitor high-
frequency policies

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2. Create a Workflow Policy Action

 Actions initiate a workflow process
 One policy can initiate several actions
 One action can be reused by several policies
 To create an action, navigate to Administration - Business
Process > Actions

Specify Run Workflow

Process program

Specify workflow
process to invoke

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3. Create a Workflow Policy

 To create a workflow policy, navigate to Administration -
Business Process > Policies

Create
policy

Associate action to
invoke workflow process

Workflow process to
be invoked by policy

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Triggering Policy Actions

 All conditions must be met and the policy duration must be
satisfied to trigger the workflow policy actions

Duration set to zero means that the policy is

triggered as soon as the conditions are met

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4. Generate Database Triggers

 Workflow policies use database triggers to identify which
records satisfy policy conditions
 A trigger is a process or a stored procedure attached to a table
that fires when a specified data modification event occurs
 When a trigger fires against a Policy Condition, a record is
inserted in the Escalation Request Table (S_ESCL_REQ)
 S_ESCL_REQ contains all the rows in the database that could
trigger a policy to take action

Generate Database
Triggers

Record is inserted, S_ESCL_REQ

updated, or deleted Table updated

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4. Generate Database Triggers Continued

 To generate triggers, navigate to Administration - Server
Management > Jobs

Click Start to start

Create new Job and select Component Job
Generate Triggers

Specify
parameters

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5. Start Workflow Monitor Agent

 Monitors all policies within a single Workflow group
 Create a custom Workflow Monitor Agent component definition to
specify a Workflow group
 Alternatively, start Workflow Monitor Agent using the Server
Manager command-line interface

Select custom Workflow Monitor

Agent component definition

Include parameter for the Group Name

for this Workflow Monitor Agent
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Invoking with Runtime Events
 A runtime event responds to an action or occurrence from a
single user within a single user session

Workflow
Workflow Runtime
Runtime Custom
Custom
Policies Events Control
Control
Policies Events

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Examples of Runtime Events

Event Object Type: Buscomp

Event: WriteRecord
Event Object: <Buscomp_Name>

Event Object Type: Buscomp

Event: CopyRecord
Event Object: <Buscomp_Name>

Event Object Type: Buscomp

Event: PreDeleteRecord
Event Object: <Buscomp_Name>

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Using Runtime Events in Workflow
 Example: This workflow process changes the SR priority to High
when Area = Network

Runtime event
defined here

 The process is invoked when a service request is created or

updated and then saved
 The runtime event, WriteRecord, is specified on the branch
following the Start step

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Using Run-Time Events in Workflow Continued
 Specify the triggering event in the detail applet for the workflow
step branch following the Start step
 Business Component Events are most common for invoking
workflow processes
 Example: Specify an action that occurs to a field in the BC that will
invoke the process

Select type Specify BusComp to Specify event

of event monitor for the event to monitor

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Invoking Workflow Processes with Custom Control
 Use Control User Properties to customize application behavior
 User clicks a button on an applet that launches a workflow process

Workflow
Workflow Runtime
Runtime Custom
Custom
Policies
Policies Events
Events Control
Control

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Example of Invoking from Custom Control
 User presses a button on an Opportunity applet to create a new
activity

Specify a user-
defined name for a
Method to invoke
on the control

Create Applet User Property specifying the

workflow to execute when the named
method is invoked

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Comparing Different Methods
 Use different methods for different needs

Workflow
Workflow Runtime
Runtime Custom
Custom
Policies
Policies Events
Events Control
Control

Generate Required Not Required Not Required

Triggers
WF Monitor Required Not Required Not Required
Agent
Runtime Event Not Used Invokes process Not Used

Synchronous Asynchronous Synchronous Synchronous

(runs in background) (runs in user session) (runs in user session)
Runs on No Yes Yes
Mobile Client (runs on Siebel Server)

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Workflow Scenarios
 Which method is best for each scenario?

1. Send out a welcome letter each time a new

account is created Workflow
Workflow
Policies
Policies
2. Send out welcome letters at the end of the day
to all new accounts that were created that day

3. Send an email alert to the manager when SR Runtime

Runtime
Status = Critical Events
Events

4. Send an email alert to the manager when SR

Status = Critical for more than one hour

5. Click Send Info (a new button) on the Account Custom

Custom
screen to send an account summary to the Control
Control
Team Lead

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Administration, Monitoring, and Diagnostics

 Detailed information allows better tracking and managing
of workflow instances

Workflow Instance Deployment View

Policy and Frequency Analysis View

Workflow Instance Admin View

Workflow Instance Monitoring View

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Workflow Instance Deployment View

 Used to set Monitoring Level for Workflow processes
 Parameter changed at run time—no need to restart server

Monitoring level

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Understanding Monitoring Level

 Performance impact
 Monitoring level introduces performance overhead
 Recommended production setting is 1-Status

Levels Record Process Record Step Record Process Performance

Instance Instance Properties Impact

0-None N None None None

1-Status Y None None 5%

2-Progress Y All Steps None 25%

3-Detail* Y All Steps All steps 60%

4-Debug** Y All Steps All Steps 75%

* In Detail, data is written at the end of the workflow

** In Debug mode, data is written to disk after every step

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Policy and Frequency Analysis View

 Used to display a log of all the policies executed in a single
group monitored by Workflow Monitor Agent
 Provides information about the number of times a workflow
policy executes and execution trends
 Log: Lists workflow policies
 Chart: Displays execution frequency of a selected policy in chart
form

Displays executed policies in

top applet, frequency chart in
bottom applet

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Workflow Instance Admin View

 Lists all instances in Running, Waiting, or Error states
 Allows manual recovery
Workflow Instance
Admin view

Lists all persisted

instances

Lists all related

instances
Lists all process
properties data

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Workflow Instance Monitor View

 Lists all instances whose monitoring levels are set
 Integrated with chart server to display aggregate information

Workflow Instance
Monitor view

Process Instances
applet shows detail

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Summary

This module showed you how to:

 Describe the relationships between workflow policies,
workflow groups, and workflow policy actions
 Invoke workflow processes using workflow policy actions
and runtime events

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Lab
 In the lab you will:
 Invoke a workflow process via a workflow policy and runtime event

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