An activity can specify that when it executes, a business method must be invoked.

The following types of business method can be invoked:

• a method which performs some business processing;
• a method which allocates manual work to an allocation target; and
• a method which performs deadline processing for a Task whose deadline has expired.

Example

Your organization has a process whereby correspondence is sent to customers whenever their payment details change.

You plan to implement this process using Curam Workflow. You identify that two business methods will be required by your workflow:

• a 'print' method to print a 'payment increase' letter to a Person; and
• an 'identify user' allocation function to identify a User who works in an office close to the Person'sAddress.

You implement these two methods and use the Admin screens to add these methods to the BPO Method Library. The Admin server application creates two Business Process Object Method rows for your methods. Your methods are now available for use when defining your workflow.

You now define your workflow (Process Definition), containing these activities:

• system prints out a letter (automatic) - you specify that this automatic activity should invoke your 'print' method;
• User puts the letter in an envelope and posts it (manual) - you specify that the relevant User should be identified by your 'identify user' allocation function.

Person John Smith's payment details change due to an increase in rates. This increase raises an event which causes the Workflow Engine to enact your workflow.

The Workflow Engine executes the initial activity ('system prints out a letter') and invokes your 'print' method passing the required parameters (e.g. the case identifier).

The Workflow Engine transitions to the next activity ('User puts the letter in an envelope'). Because this activity is a manual one, the Workflow Engine creates a Task for a User to perform the work, and invokes your allocation function to determine which User should be allocated the Task.

Technical Notes

This table exists purely so that Process Definition Tool (PDT) can list the subset of available business methods which you intend to use in your workflows.

A business method is referenced by name only - the method signature is not included. As such:

• overloaded methods (i.e. those with the same name but different signatures) cannot be invoked; and
• any changes you make to the signature of a method may result in execution-time failures of workflows that reference your method.

See the Workflow Guide for further information.