This document discusses workflows and the Windows Workflow Foundation. It defines workflows as encapsulated logic for coordinating business processes. Workflows can model real-world processes and handle long-running and stateful behavior. The Windows Workflow Foundation provides a single workflow technology for .NET that allows workflows to be developed visually using tools like SharePoint Designer or code-based using Visual Studio. It also discusses workflow terminology, the workflow life cycle, and options for authoring workflows for Office 2007 and SharePoint.

1. Defining Business Process
and Workflows
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2. Lesson 3 – Windows Workflow Foundation
Introducing workflows and the Windows Workflow
Foundation
The WF Runtime Engine and Services
Workflow Basics and Terminology
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3. What are workflows?
Encapsulated logic for coordinating business processes
Provides abstractions to model real world processes
Valuable for modeling long running and stateful behavior
Workflows in WF are decomposed into activities
Sequential workflows State machine workflow
modeled as flowchart modeled as state diagram
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4. Sample Business Process
Request Approval
Revise proposal
Send Task to
Approver Approver
Delegates
Request change
Decision
Approval
Proposal Rejected Completed
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5. Simplified Business Process
Request Approval
Send Task to
Approver
Decision
Approval
Completed
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6. Windows WorkFlow Foundation
Single workflow technology for Windows
Extensible framework & toolset
Base for Microsoft products and customer solutions
Transform workflow from niche to mainstream paradigm
Exposed to developers via .NET 3.0
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7. WF Runtime Engine And Services
My custom workflow
WF Base Activity Library
Workflow State Tracking Dynamic
Execution Management Infrastructure Update
Runtime Engine: provides intrinsic behaviors to activities
Persistence Communication Tracking …
Runtime Services: pluggable implementations with defaults
Windows Workflow Foundation
Host Process
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8. Workflow Basics
Custom Workflow consists out
of one or more activities
Activity Libraries
WF Base Activity Library
SharePoint Activity Library
Custom Libraries
Activity is a class
Events/Properties
Methods called by WF Runtime
engine
WF created using Visual
Studio.NET
Deployed as .NET assembly
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9. Workflow Terminology
Template • Workflow Task
Feature scoped at the site collection – Human-based interventions
Defines the forms and association stored as normal task items in a
options task list
Association – Internally linked with the
Created when connecting template instance
with container or content type – Notify instance when changes
Stores parameter info for the occur
workflow – Can be associated with custom
task form
Instance
Created at the moment the workflow
is started
• Workflow History Item
Instance of association, not of – Logging of events in history list
template – Normal list items with Workflow
Workflow instances run as System specific meta-data like instance
Account! id, association id, etc…
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10. Workflow in SharePoint and the Office Clients
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11. Lesson 4 – Building Custom Workflows
Workflow Life Cycle
Your Options for Creating Custom Workflows
Custom Workflows with the Microsoft Office SharePoint
Designer 2007
Custom Workflows with Visual Studio 2005
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12. WorkFlow Life Cycle
Developer develops a workflow template.
Server box administrator deploys the template to a site
collection.
List administrator associates a workflow template with a
list or content type on that site collection to create a new
association.
User starts an instance of a workflow association on an
item (or workflow instance starts automatically on event).
Workflow executes, perhaps creating some tasks and
history items on the Tasks and Workflow History lists
specified in the association.
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13. Workflow Authoring for Office 2007
SharePoint Designer Visual Studio Workflow Designer
for corporate Web designers for professional developers
Development Model Development Model
Wizard-based workflow designer Visual workflow designer
Activities Activities
Re-use OOB/deployed activities Re-use OOB/deployed activities
Can author new activities
Forms Forms
Autogenerated Forms Designed Forms
-ASPX -InfoPath
-ASPX
Deployment Deployment
Workflow authored live against server Solutions package generated
Runtime compilation Box administrator installable
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14. Scenarios LOB
Integration
Structured
(BizTalk)
Visual Studio & Workflow SDK Purchase Order
Processing
Custom Tracking Apps
Service Requests
Asset Tracking
Document Processes
SharePoint Designer Spec Review
Workflows Weekly Status Report
Custom Form Actions
Email Notification
Exception Handling
Document Review Server Features
(parallel) List Moderation
Publishing Process
Ad Hoc
Document Expiration
Ringi (eApproval) Translation Process
Out-of-the-Box
Solutions Document Approval Task & Issue Tracking
(serial) (WSS, Access, & Project)
(with customization)
Signature Collection Custom Routing
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15. The Workflow Designer
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16. Workflows with the Microsoft Office
SharePoint Designer 2007
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17. Five Steps to Develop a VS.NET Workflow
1. Model your workflow in Visual Studio
2. Create and bind your forms
3. Code your workflow
4. Deploy your
workflow to the
server
5. Debug
Before you start
Install the VS.NET Extensions for WF
Install the ECM Starter Kit
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18. Custom Workflows with Visual Studio 2005
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19. What you have learned
• Workflow definition
• Workflows in OBA applications are running with the help
of the Windows Workflow Foundation
• Custom workflows can be build with Microsoft products
but don’t forget that there are some very good third-
party products that built on top of everything you saw
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20. Office Business Applications Workshop