So far we’ve created an application folder and a business process. The next step is to define the business process diagram is design section of process. A process diagram is a visualized model.
The following screen renders expense form diagram. We will create similar example by following the steps below. Process diagram steps are pools, roles, diagram and routes.
...
Pool
Pool is a container of a diagram.
- Click the plus icon below the pools title. New pool and pop-up will open under the pools title.
- In the pop-up, set the pool features.
- Enter the "Expense Form" name in to name field.
- Click the "Ok" button, "Ok" button is found on the bottom-hand side of the pop-up. Diagram overview screen will open on the same screen.
Roles
Role is (workflow), and the applicable business logic, using Emakin’s visual process designer.
Click the Expense Management folder entry on Emakin’s sidebar and the folder is displayed;
Click the rightmost Menu button on Emakin’s top bar to open the business processes sidebar;
Click the Expense Submission process entry in the processes sidebar and the process is displayed;
Click the Edit button on the Expense Submission process to open the Process Designer.
The objective is to design a process diagram similar to the one depicted below. Usually, it involves dealing with pools, roles, tasks, actions, and routes.
...
Pools
A pool is just a container for a workflow. The Process Designer automatically creates one default pool, named Pool, and that’s good enough for this exercise. The workflow diagram is designed inside this pool.
Click the Pool in the Pools section and the pool is displayed in the Process Designer.
Roles
A role is just a definition of who will be responsible for the task.
- Click the plus icon below the roles title. New role and pop-up will open under the roles title.
- In the pop-up, set the roles features.
Role 1:
- Enter the "Accounting Specialist" name into the name field.
- Click the close button, "close" button is found on the bottom-hand side of the pop-up.
Role 2:
- Enter the "Accounting Manager" name into the name field.
- Click the close button, "close" button is found on the bottom-hand side of the pop-up.
Diagram
Expense form application will run within three task steps so we will design three task in the diagram overview step.
When the diagram overview screen is opened, you will see expense form headed task.
- First task title is expense form, If you want you can change the task name. We need to give a role to this task.
* Click this task and select the "Accounting Specialist" below the role title.
* When the task is created, "add new" field will appear near the task. It is action field.
* Double-click on the action field, enter "submit" name into the field.
* When the submit action is created, new action field will appear below the submit action.
* Double- click on the new action field, enter "avoid" name into the field.
- To create a second task. Click "Submit" action button, "Add new task" button will be seen on the screen.
* Click on "Add new task" button, new task will be seen on the screen.
* When the task is created, "add new" field will appear near the task. It is action field.
* Double- click on the action field, enter "approve" name into the field.
* When the approve action is created, new action field will appear below the submit action.
* Double- click on the new action field, enter "reject" name into the field.
* Select the "Accounting Manager" below the role title.
...
Routes
Routes are links between Actions and Tasks to build relation within process diagram.
...
certain tasks. Let’s create a couple roles, named Accounting Manager and Accounting Specialist, by executing these steps twice:
Click the + button in the roles section and the create role pop-up is displayed;
Enter the role name in the Name field of the pop-up;
Click the Ok button on the pop-up and the role is created and displayed.
Tasks
A task is a work item in a workflow. Our business process consists of executing three sequential tasks, firstly to submit, then review, and finally archive an expense. The Process Designer automatically creates one default task, named Task, inside the default pool. This task is marked as a starting point for the workflow, thus coloured green, so let’s use it for this exercise.
Submit expense
Click the green Task in the workflow diagram to select it and open the task properties sidebar;
Enter Submit Expense as the Name of the task;
Click an empty space anywhere in the diagram to unselect the task.
Review expense
Click the Add New Task button on Emakin’s top bar to add a new task to the diagram;
Click the newly created orange task in the diagram to select it and open the task properties sidebar;
Enter Review Expense as the Name of the task;
Select Accounting Manager as the Role responsible for executing this task;
Click an empty space anywhere in the diagram to unselect the task.
Archive expense
Click the Add New Task button on Emakin’s top bar to add a new task to the diagram;
Click the newly created orange task in the diagram to select it and open the task properties sidebar;
Enter Archive Expense as the Name of the task;
Select Accounting Specialist as the Role responsible for executing this task;
Click an empty space anywhere in the diagram to unselect the task.
Actions
Actions are specified per task and represent the possible outcomes from its completion.
Submit expense
Double-click the Add New grey box adjacent to the Submit Expense task;
Enter Submit and press the Enter key to create the task action.
Review expense
Double-click the Add New grey box adjacent to the Review Expense task;
Enter Approve and press the Enter key to create the task action;
Double-click the Add New grey box adjacent to the Review Expense task;
Enter Reject and press the Enter key to create the task action.
Archive expense
Double-click the Add New grey box adjacent to the Archive Expense task;
Enter File and press the Enter key to create the task action.
Routes
Routes are the connections (arrows) between actions and tasks that define the workflow sequence and possible execution paths. The steps to create a route are trivial:
Hover the mouse pointer on an action grey box and an adjacent small red square appears;
Drag the red square in direction of the target task to draw a route (connection arrow);
The route will automatically connect to the target task when the mouse pointer is in close proximity.
Let’s proceed and create the following routes:
[Submit Expense]>
Submit→ [Review Expense][Review Expense]>
Approve→ [Archive Expense][Review Expense]>
Reject→ [Submit Expense]
...
Next: Create Data Model
Previous: Create the business process