Package wt.workflow

Provides classes to represent and manage workflow definitions, initiate and manage process instances, and distribute work items to users and groups.

See:
Description

Interface Summary

TableField
TableProcessor

Class Summary

SortedEnumByPrincipal	An enumeration that returns objects in sorted order.
SortedEnumByPrincipal.SortEntry
SortedEnumByPrincipal.SortPredicate
TableLoaderAction	TableLoaderAction populates a table model with formated work item data.
TableTemplateProcessor
WorkflowProcessor

Exception Summary

WfException

Provides an abstraction of an abnormal occurrence or error in the usage or processing of the Workflow service.

Package wt.workflow Description

Provides classes to represent and manage workflow definitions, initiate and manage process instances, and distribute work items to users and groups.

The Workflow Service

The workflow service resides in the package wt.workflow. It provides functionality to create and manage workflow definitions, initiate and manage process instances, and distribute work items to users and groups.

For additional information about the creation of workflow process definitions, initiation of process instances, and participation in workflow processes, see the Windchill Workflow Tutorial.

Design Overview

The workflow package contains the following five subpackages:

engine

Directly responsible for the flow of control and data from an execution point of view.

definer

Definition of workflow objects, that is, processes, activities, and the other objects that compose the workflow network.

work

Responsible for the delivery and execution of assigned activities and work list.

robots

Responsible for the execution of robot activities, that is, activities that are executed by the system rather than assigned to a participant.

worklist

Responsible for server-side support of work list construction.

External Interface

With the exception of wt.workflow.robots and wt.workflow.worklist, each workflow subpackage has its own independent service.

The wt.workflow.engine.WfEngineHelper provides an abstraction of the API required to instantiate and initiate workflow process instances. This service also supports the invocation of robot activities through a specification of WfActivity.

The wt.workflow.definer.WfDefinerHelper provides an abstraction of the API required to create and edit workflow definitions.

The wt.workflow.work.WorkflowHelper provides an abstraction of the API to the workflow service to handle work item distribution, voting, and completion.

Business Rules

Work items are created by the workflow engine and are delivered to the user through the work list interface and optionally via e-mail. An assigned activity may have many assignees. Each assignee receives a work item in their work list. The completion of an activity is based on the completion policy specified at define time. For example, an assignment to a group may declare the policy as follows: all members must act, a single member may act on behalf of the group, or a specific number of group members must act. Depending on the completion policy, when an assignee "accepts" or "completes" a work item, corresponding work items on the work list of others are removed.

LifeCycle definition allows the integration of workflows into the specification for each phase and gate. The life cycle service will transparently launch these workflows when the life cycle managed object enters the phase or gate.