Creating Application Workflows

There are two types of workflows in SBM Composer: application workflows and orchestration workflows.

An application workflow ensures the proper flow of primary items using a defined process that consists of fields, states, and transitions. Items must follow this application workflow from the time they are submitted to the time they are closed.

An orchestration workflow is a sequenced arrangement of Web service calls. Orchestration workflows can be linked to application workflows through actions on transitions and states.

This topic focuses on application workflows. For information about orchestration workflows, see Using Orchestrations.

See the Tutorial for a video about creating an application workflow.

• How do I add a new workflow?

  A basic workflow is provided when you create a new process app. To add additional workflows, right-click the Application Workflows heading in App Explorer, and then select Add New Workflow. When the workflow is selected in App Explorer, the application workflow editor opens to the right. Add states and transitions to the workflow by dragging them from the Workflow Palette to the workflow editor.

• How do I decide which workflow is used?

  Administrators assign workflows to projects in SBM System Administrator. This is necessary only if there are multiple workflows in an application, and you do not want to use the first one listed under the Application Workflows heading in App Explorer.

• What is a sub-workflow?

  A sub-workflow is derived from an existing workflow. You could create a sub-workflow if you want to recreate the basic process defined in the existing workflow, but want to remove some states or change the privileges on some transitions in the sub-workflow. Each workflow can contain multiple sub-workflows, and sub-workflows can contain their own sub-workflows. To add a sub-workflow, right-click the existing workflow name in App Explorer, and then select Add New Sub-workflow.

• How do I link two workflows?

  Use the Action Wizard to put a "transition" action on a transition in one workflow. In the wizard, you specify the condition under which the action should be invoked and the transition that should be executed as a result of the action. Select a transition in another workflow in the application to link the two workflows. (Note: You can also use an "orchestration workflow" action to link to an orchestration workflow, or use Post or Subtask transitions to create a new item in another project, where the new item follows the workflow of the other project.)