The Process Definition Tool (PDT) allows you to define 'Workflow Data Objects' which hold shared data for the activities in a workflow. At workflow execution time, instances of these Workflow Data Objects are wrapped in an XML string and stored as Process Instance WDO Data records (one record per Workflow Data Object).

Example

You define a workflow (Process Definition) to allow correspondence to be sent to customers whenever their payment details change. The workflow has a single Workflow Data Object 'CorrespondenceDetails' which has two attributes: 'CaseID' and 'RefNo' (defined by example below). The activities defined in your workflow are:

• system prints out a letter (automatic); and
• User puts the letter in an envelope and posts it (manual).

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 and create a Process Instance. The event includes the ID of John's case. The Workflow Engine creates a new XML string representing the 'CorrespondenceDetails' Workflow Data Object, using the value provided to initialize the 'caseID' attribute. It then creates a Process Instance WDO Data record to store this XML representation of the 'CorrespondenceDetails' Workflow Data Object.

The system transitions to the first activity definition in your workflow - printing a letter. This activity requires the 'Case ID' attribute as a parameter. The Workflow Engine retrieves the Process Instance WDO Data record for the 'CorrespondenceDetails' Workflow Data Object and obtains the value of the 'Case ID' attribute from it. It then passes this value to the business processing for the activity. The business processing prints out a letter for the specified case (using the case to navigate to Person John Smith's financial and contact details).

The business processing returns a correspondence reference number which will be used to identify the printed letter. The Workflow Engine uses this value to initialize the 'RefNo' attribute of the 'CorrespondenceDetails' Workflow Data Object. It then updates the Process Instance WDO Data record for the 'CorrespondenceDetails' Workflow Data Object.

The next activity is 'User puts the letter in an envelope'. The Workflow Engine creates a Task for User Ronan Rooney to collect the letter from the printer, specifying the correspondence reference number that Ronan should look for (to ensure that he picks up the correct letter).

Technical Notes

See the Workflow Reference Guide for further information.