Folder Class

Folder Class

A folder is a container that is used to group other objects. Folders are the primary mechanism through which users access documents. Users typically think of folders as a place where documents are stored;, however, filing documents in multiple folders does not create extra copies of those documents, but rather creates a logical association between the folder and the document. Folders:

• Have system properties that the system manages automatically, such as Date Created.
• Can have custom properties for storing business-related metadata.
• Are secured.
• Are hierarchical, in the sense that a folder can have subfolders.
• Can contain documents and custom objects.
• Can generate server events when they are created, modified, or deleted. These events are then used to customize behavior.
• Can be annotated.

Document Class

Document Class

Most users think of a document as a file they create with an application such as Word. The user stores the document in the document management system so that a history of changes to the document is maintained and the document can be easily found and edited. Users who design enterprise content management applications and those who manage them will need to understand how documents can be leveraged to support a variety of application needs. A document might be used to maintain a traditional electronic file as well as other types of data, such as an XML document or content that is managed in an external repository. Documents:

• Have system properties that the system manages automatically, such as Date Created.
• Can have custom properties for storing business-related metadata about the document.
• Are secured.
• Can have content that can be indexed for searching.
• Can point to content that is outside of the object store (external content).
• Can have no content (metadata only).
• Can be versioned to maintain a history of the content over time.
• Can be filed in folders.
• Can have a lifecycle.
• Can participate in business processes as workflow attachments.
• Can generate server events when they are created, modified, or deleted. These events are then used to customize behavior.
• Can be rendered to different formats, such as PDF and HTML.
• Can be published to a Web site.
• Can be annotated.
• Can be audited.

Roster vs Queue in PE

Roster vs Queue:

Queue: by using queue we can search the work items which are presented in that specific Queue only
 
Roster: by using roster we can search the work item across all the queues. it means if we select the roster in our search criteria, the system will search for the work item in all the queues.

A roster is a database structure that holds all the active workflow elements (workflows and all work items, whatever their location), whereas a queue is a structure that only contains work items maintained there while they await processing.

The Roster is a file containing a reference to all work items in a workflow. A Queue is a file containing a reference to a subset of the work items in a workflow. Queues are typically used to assign security to control access. 

Milestones and Deadlines

Milestones : Milestones are defined as key notification points in a business process. These are points at which participants need to receive a message describing an important task or tasks that are pending or completed

Deadlines : Deadlines are time-based constraints that can be applied to steps in a business process. A step with a deadline implies that the participant must complete the step within a specified amount of time. The specified time (the deadline) is relative to the time that the step starts (when the participant receives the work packet).

Isolated regions,Queues, Roster and Event logs

Isolated region : An isolated region is a logical subdivision of the Process Engine database. An isolated region consists of queues, rosters, and event logs

Roster: A roster is a database structure that stores the current location and other information about a work item. Process rosters provide the Process Engine software with an efficient way to locate a specific work item

Event Logs : An event log is a database structure that contains information about system-level events related to work item processing.

Queues: A queue is a database structure that holds work items

4 different types of queues are available in PE

A user queue is a queue that holds work items waiting to be processed by a specific user.

A work queue is a queue holding work items that can be completed by one of a number of users, rather than by a specific participant, or work items that can be completed by an automated process.

System queues are queues holding work items that are undergoing or waiting for processing by the Process Engine server

Component queue holds work items to be processed by component step in workflow. The components steps are to process a work item using an external component.

Component Integrator

Component Integrator : The Component Integrator is used to integrate Java or Java Message Service (JMS) components for use in processes. Components are registered in the Process Configuration Console to make them available in Process Designer.

Maps, Routes and Steps in Work Flow

Maps, Routes and Steps in Work Flow

Maps:  A map represents the sequences of steps and routes required to complete a process.

Routes: Routes define the order of execution for a series of steps based on specific rules (using workflow data fields) and user responses (Approve and Deny as examples). You can specify to always take a route or to only take the route when a condition is met.

-- Single (linear) routing
-- Conditional routing
-- Parallel routing

Steps: Steps represent specific business or system activities. Activities can be performed by an individual user (the participant), by a group of users, or by an automated application

There are several types of steps:
       
Launch step: The first step in a process. Every process has this step.
       
General step: Represents a general activity to be processed by a participant (or a group of users), or an automated process. It can be categorized as follows:
       
Participant step: A step that has an associated participant or a group of users, all of whom must process the work item to complete the step. The identity of these users can be defined at runtime through the use of groups.
       
Work queue step: A step that is assigned to a work queue (see definition below) instead of a specific participant.
     
Unassigned step: A step that has no effect in the process and can be used for routing or documentation purposes.

System step: Represents one or more functions to be performed by the system. For example, a system step might include assigning data field values, creating a new process instance, or suspending a process for a specified period of time.

Submap step: Calls another map in the current process definition.
      
Component step: Performs operations in an external application or system.It is accomplished by IBM FileNet Business Process Manager’s Component Integrator.
      
Web services step: Invokes or implements Web services. IBM FileNet Business Process Manager uses Web services to integrate to external applications and services.

Process design and Process definition

Process design: Process design starts by identifying the activities and the order in which those activities must be performed to accomplish the business process.

Process definition: A process definition describes the activities and resources required to accomplish a business process. It consists of a directed graph, with a series of process activities or steps (nodes) connected together by a series of routes (arcs), which define the sequence in which the steps are executed. Steps and routes are organized into reusable maps

There can be multiple process definitions per business process to support multiple versions. Process definitions can also inherit from other process definitions. Inheritance allows organizations to specialize processes to create consistency across a set of related processes. The process definitions are stored in the IBM FileNet P8 Content Engine repository.

Workflow, Workflow Definitions and Work Item

Workflow: Workflow is a structured way of performing tasks by an individual or a team.
 
Examples of workflow include auto insurance claims that require the efforts of multiple people to process. The workflow process involves a policy holder filing a claim, a field agent processing the claim, an adjustor adjusting the claim amount, and finally the claimant either receiving the claim amount or the claim being rejected.

Workflow Definition : A workflow definition consists of workflow properties and workflow maps. A workflow map consists of two or more steps. To create a workflow map, you define the steps that are involved in a workflow process and the routes that specify the sequence of the steps.

Work Item : A work item is a single unit of work composed of a collection of fields. Work items transverse the process map, moving the data required by the process from step to step as indicted by the map.

Design Entry Template in FileNet (FileNet Content Engine)

Users can easily add documents, folders, and custom objects to an object store using entry templates. Entry templates also make it easy to define approval workflows for these objects. For example, a manufacturing company’s template designer can create a set of entry templates for the various types of engineering specifications that are managed in the object store. The entry templates in this example predefine the document class, all property values except the document title, the access rights, and an approval workflow. When using the entry template to add a document to the object store, a user interacts with a wizard, which decreases the chance of invalid data entry by limiting the number of steps required and providing a more controlled entry process. Entry templates are created in Workplace, typically by a relatively small set of users, and are used by a much larger number of users. Some of the key capabilities of entry templates and advantages to using them are as follows:
Documents, folders, form data, and custom objects can be created with entry templates.

• Users who are not administrators can create entry templates. For example, a project manager can create the entry templates used by her project team.
• Entry templates support FileNet P8 records management by providing a simplified and customizable method of declaring a document as a record.
• Entry templates can specify the folder in which the object will be filed, can either prevent or allow the user to change the folder, and can restrict the user to selecting a particular folder or its subfolders.
• Default property values can be specified in an entry template, and the template designer can elect to show or hide each property to users of the template.
• Entry templates can specify whether a document should be added as a major or minor version and can specify whether a user can change this setting.
• Entry templates can be set up to automatically classify the document based on its content.
• Entry templates can specify the access rights for the object, and the designer can elect to hide or show the access rights for the user to modify.
• Entry templates can serve as placeholders for documents that a user provides while processing a workflow step. When the user clicks on the entry template in the Workplace step processor, the entry template wizard prompts the user to add a document and the new document replaces the entry template attachment.
• Entry templates support specifying a workflow that will be launched when the user creates an object with the template, whether the workflow is a simple approval workflow that is defined in the entry template wizard or any other workflow created using Process Designer. For workflows created using the entry template wizard, the user can choose from a workflow with three steps—review, approve, and publish—or one with multiple, sequential approval steps. The template designer can specify the participants in advance, or let the user do so when using the template.  

Entry templates make it easy for users to add documents, folders and custom objects to an object store. Entry templates also make it easy to define approval workflows for these objects.

Below are the steps to create a Entry Template.

 

Steps :

1. Go to Workplace XT --> Advanced Tools --> Entry Templates --> Add

2. Select Document Entry Template or Folder Entry Template

3. Select Object Store and Folder (define the destination path where the new object is added )

4. (Optional)

Select the display option for the Select Folder step in the add wizard. 

• To permit users to change the location when adding an object, select Show Select Folder step. This option is selected by default.
• To prevent users from changing the location, select Hide Select Folder step.

5. Click on Next 

 

6. Select Class

 

 

 

7. Optional: Click Order Class properties to change the order in which the properties are displayed in the entry template.

8. Select the Required check box next to the property name if the user must enter a value for a property.

9. In the Default Value field, type any preset value.

 

10. Select the Access Level for each property. The access level determines what the end user can do with a property when adding an object

Editable  Allows the user to edit the property value

Read Only  Displays the property and value, but the value cannot be changed.

Hide  Does not display the property

Hide/Editable  Does not display the property, but the value can be changed pro-grammatically

11. Specify whether to add the object a compound document.

 

12. Specify whether to add the object as a major version.

 

13. Specify whether to allow users to add documents with the same file name. The Allow duplicate names setting is only supported on Workplace XT

 

14. Specify whether users see the properties when adding a new object.  

 

To permit users to view or change the preset property values, select Show Set Properties step. This option is selected by default 

 

To hide all the property names and values, select Hide Set Properties step. Do not choose this option if you marked any properties as required and didn't set a default value

15. Click on Next.

16. Add Users and Groups(Who can access Entry Template).

17. Click on Next and Select Work flow, properties. 

18. Click on Next.

19. Select Folder (Where you store the Entry Template) and Click on NEXT

 

 

12. Add Entry Template Name

13. Add (Set Security)  Users and Groups (Who can Modify the Entry Template)

14. Click on Finish 

******Entry Template Created*********