1. Apps that “Work” and “Flow”
Kenneth Geerts
Koen Handekyn

2. Positioning of the d’Ox platform
Solution
Development
Hosting
Partner
d’Ox
Platform
Blueprint
UP-IO
Blueprint
eContract
Blueprint
UP-Archive
Virtual
Machine
Object
Store
Database
Process Workflow Store

3. Overview
‣ d’Ox-Process
Batch and Realtime Document and Message
Processing
‣ d’Ox-Tasks
High Volume Searchable Human Task
Workflow
‣ d’Ox-Store
Scalable Enterprise Content Management
foundation for the Cloud (CMIS)
‣ d’Ox-Apps
Reusable application components and
HTML5 app framework
Open API’s facilitate deep integration within
existing applications and solutions: CMIS,
REST,WS
Missing some functionality?You can
easily extend the platform with
your own functionality.

4. ‣ OpenWFE was a Java open source workflow engine. Later it was
rewritten in Ruby and renamed Ruote.
‣ Other popular engines are
• JBPM
• Activiti
• Enhydra Shark
• ...

5. Why a WFE ?
Uncoupling / Flexibility / Versioning
(Process Definition + State)
Business Process
Administration / Monitoring
(List, Find, Cancel, Replay)
Why Route?
Expressive DSL

6. “Related” (confused) Standards
‣ (WS-)BPEL
• short for Web Services Business Process Execution Language (WS-BPEL) is an OASIS[1] standard
executable language for specifying actions within business processes with
web services. Processes in BPEL export and import information by using web service interfaces
exclusively. [ this is an ‘orchestration’ language ]
‣ BPMN
• A standard Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) will provide businesses with the
capability of understanding their internal business procedures in a graphical notation and will
give organizations the ability to communicate these procedures in a standard manner.

7. BPMN example

8. What is a Workflow engine?
A Workflow Engine
is
NOT
a
State Machine

9. What is a Workflow engine?
A Workflow Engine
is
an execution system for
business processes

10. What is a Workflow engine?
A “workflow”
can be translated into a state machine
however
each relevant workflow
would correspond to very complex state model
due to combinatorial explosion

11. What is a Workflow engine?
A Workflow Engine
Understands and Executes
a Workflow Language
that describes
a “flow” of “tasks”

12. What is aTask?
ATask
represents a piece of work
that is typically executed by a Human person
but some tasks might be handled by a piece of software
In “Ruote” this is called a “participant”
HUMAN | AUTOMATED

13. What is aTask?
id + participant + type + meta-data
Key Actions (verbs)
reserve
delegate
update
proceed
cancel

14. Patterns

15. Sequence
sequence do
participant :ref => 'alpha', :activity => 'write'
participant :ref => 'bravo', :activity => 'fix typos'
end
sequence do
alpha :activity => 'write'
bravo :activity => 'fix typos'
end

16. Concurrence
concurrence do
iron
watch_tv
end

17. Structured Discrimantor
sequence do
concurrence count: 1 do
kiss
hug
end
smile
end

18. Choice
sequence do
participant 'alpha', :activity => 'request further info',
:if => '${f:decision} == accepted'
participant 'alpha', :activity => 'send refusal note',
:if => '${f:decision} == refused'
end

19. Multi Choice
concurrence do
regular_service
:if => '${f:price} < 50'
premium_service
:if => '${f:price} > 40'
extra_service
:if => '${f:extra_ordered}'
end

20. Cursor
cursor do
participant 'a'
participant 'b'
participant 'c'
jump :to => 'b', :if => '${f:back_to_b}'
participant 'd'
jump :to => 'c', :if => '${f:back_to_c}'
participant 'e'
end
‘skip’, ‘back’, ‘jump’, ‘rewind’, ‘continue’, ‘reset’
and ‘break’

21. Break if
cursor :break_if => '${f:rejected}' do
employee
line_manager
ceo, :if ‘${f:amount}>1000’
end

22. :) Let’s go Live :)

23. Merci