Now that you have identified the spaces and the users, the next step is to identify the workflow processes.

Annet_Recruiter will be logged in. She starts a process workflow (we will be creating this workflow in the next section) for the document by specifying the metadata values such as nurse_id, nurse_name, assignemt_id, driver_licence, is_birthcert, and emp_expiration_date. She then assigns the task to her colleague Lee_Credential. Annet_Recruiter can track the status of the task from her Alfresco Explorer interface. If the task is not completed within a specified time, or is rejected for some other reason, then Annet_Recruiter can cancel the workflow request or reassign it to somebody else. On the other hand, Lee_Credential receives a notification about the new task in her My Tasks To Do window. She examines the task and completes the task. She can approve or reject the workflow. If approved, the document will be moved to the Company Home | GlobalPlacement | Nurse folder. If it is rejected, it will remain in the Annet_Recruiter home space pending further action.

Annet_Recruiter and Lee_Credential can both track the status through the customized dashlet named GlobalPlacement. We shall discuss this shortly, after implementing a workflow.

For any workflow to be deployed, you should have the following files:

The following steps need to be followed in order to create a custom advanced workflow:

For each task in the process definition (as defined by <task> elements), it is possible to associate a task description. The description specifies the information that may be attached to a task, that is, it's properties (name and data type) and associations (name and type of associated object). A user may view and edit this information in the task dialog within the Alfresco Explorer.

The task model is expressed as a content model, as supported by the Data Dictionary. To create a task model, you need to:

The task model can be dynamically deployed without restarting the server.

For localized workflow interaction, it is necessary to provide resource bundles containing UI labels for each piece of text that is exposed to the user. With the appropriate resource bundles, a single workflow instance may spawn tasks where the user interface for each task is rendered in a different language, based on the locale of the user. The resource bundles can also be dynamically deployed without restarting the server.

Alfresco currently supports the ability to manage workflow process definitions dynamically via the Workflow Console, assuming that the definitions are using existing task models and messages. With the introduction of dynamic models, it is now possible to dynamically manage new workflow process definitions by using new task models and messages, and client configuration. In addition, it is also possible to deploy workflow definitions directly from a repository location.

Manual Deployment of Workflow

Process definitions can be configured into Alfresco so that they are deployed whenever Alfresco starts.

The Spring bean workflowDeployer deploys process definitions. It may be used with Alfresco's configuration extension mechanism to deploy custom workflows. A code snippet is provided for deploying workflows programmatically

<bean id="extension.workflowBootstrap" parent="workflowDeployer">
 <property name="workflowDefinitions">
	<list>
		   <props>
               <prop key="engineId">jbpm</prop>
               <prop key="location">alfresco/extension/ Global-review-process-definition.xml</prop>
               <prop key="mimetype">text/xml</prop>
               <prop key="redeploy">true</prop>
             </props>
      </list> 
 </property>
</bean>

There are two ways of building the process definition .One is by hand, that is, by creating a jPDL XML document. The second option is by designer, that is, by using a tool to generate the jPDL XML document.

The first option: Creating a jPDL XML by hand

Let's create a jPDL XML document by hand. Carry out the following steps to create a jPDL XML document by hand:

1. Go to Company Home > Data Dictionary > Workflow Definitions.
2. In the header, click on the Create Content option.
   
3. The Create Content Wizard is displayed, as shown in the following screenshot:
   
4. In the Name text box, enter Global-review-process-definition.
5. Select XML as the Content Type.
6. Click on the Next button to add content into the specified file.
7. Copy the following piece of code into the Content Wizard, as shown in the following screenshot:

   Note

   You can download the code samples from the Packt web site.

   

   <process-definition xmlns="urn:jbpm.org:jpdl-3.1" 
   name="global:documentReview">  <swimlane name="initiator"></swimlane>
   <swimlane name="assignee">
   <assignment class="org.alfresco.repo.workflow.jbpm.
   AlfrescoAssignment"> 
   <actor>#{bpm_assignee}</actor> 
   </assignment> 
   </swimlane>
   <start-state name="start">
   <task name="global:reviewTask" swimlane="initiator" />
   <transition name="" to="startreview"/>
   </start-state>
   <node name="startreview" >
   <transition name="review" to="review" >
   <action class="org.alfresco.repo.workflow.jbpm.
   AlfrescoJavaScript"> 
   <script> 
   </script>
   </action>
   </transition>
   </node>
   <task-node name="review"> 
   <task name="global:submitReviewTask" swimlane="assignee">
   </task>
   <transition name="Reject" to="end" >
   </transition> 
   </transition> 
   </task-node>
   <end-state name="end"/> </process-definition>

8. Click on the Next button, and then click on the Finish button.
9. Select the Workflow Deployed checkbox. By default, the process definition will not be deployed unless the 'Workflow Deployed' checkbox is selected during the upload.
10. In the Workflow Engine Id field, enter jbpm, as shown in the following screenshot:
    
11. Click on the OK button.
12. To verify the changes, click on the logout button, and then click on the login button and log back in again.

The definition above describes the three steps of the Review, Approve and sends email task workflow. The following are the things to be considered when creating a process definition:

1. There's always a start and an end.
2. The process definition's name and task names are important. These tasks are defined in the workflow model files. The properties are displayed on the basis of these tasks.
3. Swimlanes are used to declare workflow roles.
4. Tasks are associated with a swimlane.
5. Certain actions are performed on the basis of these tasks, as defined in the process definition.

The second option: Using the JBoss jBPM process designer

JBoss jBPM also includes a graphical designer tool for authoring business processes. The most important feature of the graphical designer tool is that it includes support for both the tasks of the business analyst as well as those of the technical developer. This enables a smooth transition from business process modeling to practical implementation. Carry out the following steps to configure jBPM:

1. To implement the graphical designed tool, you have to download the jBPM plugins from http://labs.jboss.com/jbossjbpm/downloads.
2. Once the installation is over, restart Eclipse.
3. Go to File | New | Project. Expand the JBoss jBPM process designer folder, and select Process Project, as shown in the following screenshot:
   
4. Enter the Project Name, and then click on Next.
5. Select the jBPM Location, as mentioned in the following screenshot. Click on the Finish button.
   
6. Copy the process definition code and paste it into the src/main/jpd package.
7. The process should look similar to the following screenshot:
   
8. Deploy it.

The following steps need to be followed in order to deploy a workflow via JBoss jBPM Process Designer. These steps will deploy the workflow without the need to restart the server.

1. Ensure that the Alfresco Server is up and running.
2. Click on the source tab and copy the content of the file Global-review-process-definition.
3. Click on the Deployment tab and enter the following information:
   • Server Name = machine name where Alfresco is installed
   • Server Port = port number assigned to Alfresco (the default is 8080)
   • Server Deployer = /alfresco/jbpm/deployprocess
   • Click on Test Connection.
   • When everything is OK, then click on the Deploy Process Archive button.

The following screenshot shows the details mentioned earlier:

If Hot Deployment is done, then we can see the workflow images, which show the current status of the workflow, in Alfresco Explorer under the workflow outline section. The screenshot is shown in the next section of this chapter, which is titled Manage Adhoc Task of Out of Box Features Workflow Task Lists Dashboards.

Modify the following files:

/jsp/workflow/start-workflow-wizard/workflow-options.jsp
/jsp/workflow/manage-task-dialog.jsp

Change the rendered and expanded value to true.

Modify this code:

<a:panel rendered="false" id="workflow-outline" label="#{msg.workflow_outline}" progressive="true" expanded="false"
border="white" bgcolor="white" titleBorder="lbgrey" expandedTitleBorder="dotted" titleBgcolor="white" styleClass="mainSubTitle">

to:

<a:panel rendered="true" id="workflow-outline" label="#{msg.workflow_outline}" progressive="true" expanded="true"
border="white" bgcolor="white" titleBorder="lbgrey" expandedTitleBorder="dotted" titleBgcolor="white" styleClass="mainSubTitle">

The Start Workflow Wizard uses XML configuration to display the relevant controls to collect data from the user. The Manage Task dialog uses the same approach to display the data that it needs to collect. The Alfresco Explorer can also be dynamically deployed without restarting the server.

Let's test the workflow by carrying out the following steps:

Click on the My Alfresco menu link in the toolbar to view your personal dashboard. This dashboard includes the tasks that you need to process, as shown in the following screenshot. You may notice that the new task listed in the My Tasks To Do window was assigned to you by Annet_Recruiter.

For various business reasons, you may need to reassign a task. You can do this by clicking on the Reassign Task button, as shown in the preceding screenshot. Once you click on the Reassign Task button, you will see the Reassign Task window, as shown in the following screenshot. You can search for the appropriate user to reassign the task to.

You can manage a task by clicking on the Manage Task button. Once you click on the Manage Task button, you will see the Manage Task window, as shown in the following screenshot. You can update the document and the properties based on the access permissions that you have on the document.

To complete the task, click on either the Approve button or the Reject button, as shown in the following screenshot:

Once you have completed a task that was assigned to you, you will notice that the task is removed from the My Tasks To Do window, and is moved to the My Completed Tasks window, as shown in the following screenshot:

As an initiator, you can view the status of a workflow by clicking on the View Status button. You can cancel a task by clicking on the Cancel Workflow button.

Workflow information in the Document Details page

For a specific document in your space, you can determine the workflow details by clicking on the document's View Details button.

The document's details page also lists the workflow details, as shown in the following screenshot. If you have sent this document to multiple people for approval, then all of these workflow tasks will be listed here for your reference.