Workflow portal

• 100% web based .Net  application
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or higher compliant
• Firefox compliant
• Safari compliant
• Single sign on and automatic seamless authentication
• Intuitive no training required
• Interface supports multiple languages (double byte compliant)
• Customized workflow portal based on user rights and preferences
• Smart portal with summary of user current activity for all processes
• Real time monitoring with graphical view of the workflows
• Direct access to statistics and reports with graphical views
• Quickly access the forms with the "Quick View" feature
• Comprehensive audit trail
• Post and follow user’s comments for ongoing requests
• Fast switching from user to manager mode for additional privileges and rights
• Single or multiple processes view
• Multiple-criteria search for requests and actions
• Direct access to a specific request (quick search)
• Multiple sort options for actions and requests
• Use form data as search criteria
• Customize the display of the workflow data
• Automatic detection of URL and email addresses
• Sort the columns of the statistics, search results, follow-up with a simple drag and drop
• Delegation of task for user defined period of time

Alerts

• Event based email notification (to do, to assign, delay, request closed, etc.)
• Text or HTML formatted email notifications
• Customizable e-mail templates
• Email notifications including attachments
• SMTP protocol compliant with Exchange , Lotus, etc.
• Direct launch of action to do from e-mail notification
• Receive notifications of the latest user’s comments

e-Forms

• Fill out forms online within the web browser
• Use Web Forms (support AJAX)
• Form fields integration with external applications and databases
• Electronic signatures
• Attach files to forms

Customization

• Manage customized views (search results, statistics)
• Add links to external web contents to provide additional information
• Add a custom application top banner
• Embed workflow portal in existing web applications
• Create your own “skins” to customize the portal look and feel

Instant form creation

• Fully web-based (no plugins required)
• Seamless integration in WorkflowGen
• WYSIWYG, intuitive interface
• Drag and drop form fields and sections
• Ready to use Sections for super fast design

Power tools

• Gridview with calculations
• Advanced attachments management
• Databinding (SQL,Web Service,XML)
• Dependent list
• Field management (Required/Readonyl/Hidden activates based on a custom condition)
• Field validations (RegEx, Range, Custom and Compare)

Reusability

• Section/Field duplication
• Save a custom section/field as a reusable template
• Full customization of the form fields and form layout
• Change CSS file for advanced customization
• .Net Web Forms generated on the fly (editable in Visual Studio)

Unleash form features

• Use the graphical interface of Microsoft Visual Web Developer Express or Visual Studio
• Start from scratch or reuse the .Net code generated on the fly by the WorkflowGen builtin form designer
• Leverage on your .net skills to add powerfull features
• Integrate Ajax and Jquery addons
• Reuse your business objects

WorkflowGen integration

• Once the form is created you can easily declare it in your WorkflowGen processes
• Required and read-only fields are managed in the process definition, you don’t have to code this in your web forms!

Main features

• Field validation management
• Field colorization management
• File attachment management
• Gridview management
• Xml Signature management
• Two .NET web form creation modes : Simple without programming, Advanced for a total control of the code and the data

Workflow functions

• Mix human based actions and automatic actions in the workflow
• Create any business rules based on workflow data
• Create conditions or exceptions based on workflow data or ready to use macros
• Customize contents and layout of event based email notifications (SMTP)
• Automatic escalation based on workflow data
• Enable delegation for workflow participants
• Create complex workflows with sub-processes
• Customize and secure display of data in user interface
• Ready to use document validation application
• Attach any kind of file to workflows
• Save as draft mode for forms
• Define workflow data stored in database without programming
• Use all assignment methods (automatic, self service, dynamic, etc)
• Parallel and/or Serial routing
• Automatic synchronization action
• Define lead times for the entire workflow
• Define lead times for each action at design time or runtime
• Launch a workflow from a remote system
• Unique request Ids for all the processes
• Relative request Ids per process and or per year and month
• Time zone management

Action assignment methods

• Manual (the current user selects a user to perform the next action)
• Automatic using a workflow data which contains the user
• Self service (the first member of a team who takes the action handles the action)
• By a coordinator who dispatches
• By the manager of
• By the person who did a previous action

Ready-to-use workflow applications

• .NET Web form support
• XmlToDatabase: Export .Net Web form data into one or multiples databases
• DocApproval: route and approve documents within the web browser
• DocUpload: upload documents to a process
• GetUsersFromDir: Query the directory at the runtime to retrieve user list for dynamic assignments and/or e-mail notifications
• XML Transformation: Transform XML files into other formats (EAI)
• Raise Exception: cancel one or several other actions in the running request
• Remote Approval: approve user requests by email reply from a mobile device

Process design

• 100% web based .Net 2 application
• Implement workflows graphically without programming
• Process data management (Text, Numeric, Date, Time, File)
• Action management (Human, Automatic, Sub-process)
• Notification management (Customizable event based notifications)
• Application management (e-Forms, Import/export, Web services, alerts,etc.)
• Roles associated to users and/or groups and/or directories
• Category management (organize processes per category)
• Display automatic report of process definition with debug feature
• Compliance with Workflow Management Coalition standards (WfMC)
• Test workflows on production server

Process management

• Organize processes within secured folders for easy decentralization
• Delegate process administration per folder
• Import/Export process definition in XPDL (XML based standard)
• 1 click deployment of processes from development to production server
• 24/7 process availability: Update workflow definition of live processes
• Versioning of workflows          
• Use different status to manage workflows (Active, Test, Archived, etc)
• Organize workflows in one or multiple categories for the end users
• Duplicate an existing workflow to create a new one

Authentication

• Active directory authentication (basic or integrated)
• Applicative authentication (password are managed in a database)
• LDAP directory authentication
• Integration with existing Single Sign On system
• Directory synchronization with anonymous authentication mode
• Timeout sessions supported
• Logout management

Communication

• SSL encryption

Forms

• Secure access to form fields based upon profile and action
• Electronic Signature with certificates

Directory management

• Creation of multiple directories (for departments, clients, partners, etc.)
• Users with more than 20 properties re-usable in the workflows
• Group management
• Hierarchy management
• Query existing directories to dynamically create virtual groups
• Workflow history management for deleted users
• Detailed report on users’ activity
• Replace a user by another one

Automatic directory synchronization

• Active directory
• CSV Text files
• LDAP native queries
• SQL (via text files)

Participant management

• Create global participants shared by multiple workflows
• Role based workflow participants
• Use multiple profiles to grant accesses to the features of the product
• Define participants as single users, groups, coordinators or directories
• Enable process supervisors to reassign actions, cancel requests, view statistics
• Limit process supervisor’s scope for specific requests
• Enable user’s rights on request comments

Data persistence

• Store workflow data (text, numeric, date, time) in SQL server or Oracle
• Store associated files on the current web server, on a remote file server or within the database system
• Database size and network bandwidth usage optimized

Export

• Export process and form data at anytime at the runtime
• Documented SQL views to directly query the database
• Ready to use SQL server DTS job to replicate workflow data into another database

Backup

• Standard SQL backup for data stored in the database
• Standard file server backup for file data
• Option to store process file data (including attachments) in the database to perform online backup

• Ready to use statistics and score boards with graphics
• Export to CSV format
• Generate statistics by using workflow data as criteria
• Activity reporting per demand, action, process, participant
• Customizable reports with reporting module and business intelligence tool

Portal integration
• Integrate ready to use Workflow portlets into your portal via XML RSS technology
• Add links to third party applications to directly launch workflows
• Easy launch of a process from an URL
• Add custom banners to the WorkflowGen end user module with logos and links

Database integration
• Export process and form data to databases via SQL commands

Developer Kit
• Create web services to handle actions in the workflow
• Trigger workflows from third party applications
• Use third party applications in workflow
• Dynamically generate documents from workflow data
• Export documents and data to third party applications
• Export/Import data between workflows and third party applications

Web Service API
• Access requests and actions data and statuses from 3rd party applications via web services in real time
• Contents of the WorkflowGen portal are available as RSS feeds
• Users are able to syndicate/register these feeds in any Web Portal solution or any RSS compliant tool like Outlook 2007 as well as widgets.

SharePoint / WSS (2003, 2007, 2010) connectors
• Embed WorkflowGen portal items in a SPS Web Part
• Export data from workflows to SPS or WSS lists
• Export files from workflows to SPS or WSS libraries
• Trigger workflows from SPS libraries to validate documents

Other integration examples
• SAP
• PeopleSoft
• IBM AS/400
• Salesforce.com
• Any backend systems with COM, .NET or web services like interfaces

• Leave application
• Expense report
• IT Clearance application
• Investment application

• Work order
• Corrective action
• Save Internal procedure validation
• Help desk ticket management

• Stateless and sessionless web application
• No server side stay in memory objects
• File data saved using the file or database system
• Database size is small and the network bandwidth usage is optimized
• Deploy WorkflowGen in a web farm environment with load balancing
• Use multiple servers for web applications, files and databases
• Use a real-time replicated secondary database to reduce the server’s response time (database scaling feature)

The workflow engine comprises:
• a .Net web application for end users (Workflow Portal)
• a .Net web application for administrators and process managers
• a SQL relational database containing the process definition, request follow-up and user management (which can be synchronized with existing directories).

The WorkflowGen database contains:
• user management
• process definition
• follow-up information about on-going and closed processes, as well as significant workflow related data (approvals, amounts, documents, etc).
• Files, such as PDF documents, are stored on the server and auto-archived in chronological order.

Applications used to implement actions:
• .Net Web Form management
• Form data export to SQL database
• Document upload
• Document approval
• Retrieve users from the directory to perform an action or for email notification
• XML transformation (for EAI features)
• Raise exception to cancel one or many actions
• Remote approval with a mobile device

You can also re-use existing compatible web services as well as a connector for SharePoint 2003-2007-2010.
The development kit allows you to develop your own workflow applications.
Dozen of ready to use applications with source code examples are available on the Community site.

End users

The WorkflowGen Portal is a full web based application (no ActiveX components required).

Operating systems:
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2000 sp3 or higher
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2008
• Mac OSX

Web browsers:
• Internet Explorer 6 or higher
• Firefox 1.5 or higher
• Safari 4 or higher

Plugin:
• Flash plugin version 8 or higher (only required to display process graphical follow-up)

Display:
• Super VGA (1,024x768) or higher-resolution video adapter and monitor

Web Server

Operating systems:
• Windows Server 2008 or 2008 R2 (32-bit or 64-bit)
• Windows Server 2003 or 2003 R2 (32-bit or 64-bit)
• Windows Server 2000 Sp3 or higher
• Windows XP
• Windows Vista
• Windows 7

Web server:
• Microsoft IIS 5 or higher
• .NET Framework 2.0 or higher

Minimal hardware configuration:
• Processor: 1Ghz
• RAM: 512Mo
• Hard disk: 20Go

Databases

DBMS:
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (Free)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Express Edition (Free)
• Oracle 9i
• Oracle 10g
• Oracle 11g

Minimal hardware configuration:
• Processor: 1Ghz
• RAM: 512Mo
• Hard disk: 20Go

Note: The database server can be installed on the same machine as the web server.

Authentication methods and Directory synchronization

Authentication methods:
• Integrated Windows or IIS (Active Directory)
• Applicative (WorkflowGen)
• Forms
• Custom (SSO: Single Sign On)

Directory Synchronization:
• Active Directory
• LDAP compatible directory
• Text files

Workflows with .Net Web Forms

End Users
• Internet Explorer 6 or higher on Windows
• Firefox 1.5 or higher
• Safari 4 or higher

Web Forms Administrators and Developers
• Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition (Free)
• Visual Studio 2008
• Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition (Free)
• Visual Studio 2005
• Any .Net 2 or .Net 3.5 compatible IDE

Alerts and XML Syndication

Email alerts
• Email alerts are sent via SMTP protocols (Exchange, Lotus Notes are compatible)
• Any email client can receive WorkflowGen alerts
• Email layout and content can be customized in HTML or Plain text

XML Syndication
• WorkflowGen provides a XML RSS feed (called the "portlet") to embed existing Web Portal with WorkflowGen data

Web farm architecture

WorkflowGen complies with Web Farm architecture.
Load balancing features enable clustering and offer outstanding scalability for the most demanding workflows.