This document discusses using Alfresco actions, rules, and workflows to automate document review and approval processes. It provides an example of a simple two-step review/approve workflow and describes how to add status tracking and user tasks. Actions are used to copy workflow status, rules trigger actions like starting advanced workflows, and simple workflows integrate with advanced workflows that include user tasks. The document demonstrates configuring and implementing these capabilities in Alfresco.

1. The Learning Pathway
Actions Rules
and Simple and Advanced
Workflow Integration Use
Cases
Jörg Sauer

2. The longest title ever
• Actions, Rules and Simple and Advanced
Workflow Integration Use Cases
is about
o Actions to extend Alfresco functionality
o Rules to automate execution of Actions
o Use Simple Workflows to implement a Workflow
without coding
• Add Rules to run certain Actions in Workflow steps
• Use a simple Advanced Workflow to leverage Tasks
in Simple Workflows

3. Basic Example to be extended
• Review Publish Workflow with 2 phase
approval
review approve publish
1 Drafts reject 2 Review 3 Approve 4 Published
reject

4. Simple Workflow
review approve publish
1 Drafts reject 2 Review 3 Approve 4 Published
reject
• Pros:
o User can build workflow
o Easy to understand
• Cons:
o No State: Implicit state by location (folder)
o No Task: Implicit task by folder access
o No branching: Serial workflow only

5. Demo Simple Workflow

6. Adding Status
• Content Model:
o Provide custom Aspect to hold workflow status

7. Amend Workflow with status
• Set Status on each workflow folder
o Add Aspect: Workflow Status
o Set workflow status accordingly
reject
review approve publish
1 Drafts reject 2 Review 3 Approve 4 Published
• Status: draft • Status: under review • Status: pend. approval • Status: published

8. After configuration

9. Transfer Status to incoming documents
• JavaScript to copy status
• Execute by Rule

10. Simple Workflow Status Demo

11. Alfresco Repository Actions
• Action: Unit of work that is performed against a node
• Examples:
o Move node
o Transform content of node
o Send email
• Out of the Box Actions
• Custom Actions
o Implement own Action class
o Deploy in Application Context

12. Implement Copy Workflow Status Action

13. Deploy Action (Application Context)
• Beans: webinar-action-context.xml
• Labels: webinar-action.properties

14. Simple Workflow: Implementation Details
• Documents amended with properties for
o Approve step label, copy/move, destination
o Reject step label, copy/move, destination
(all optional)

15. Intention: Create User Task
o Every time simple workflow is assigned, create
advanced workflow task for specific user.
o User can
• access task in task list
• see task description
• access attached document
• approve or reject directly from within task
o Advantage
• No notification emails
• No need to check simple workflow folders

16. Simple Workflow Task Architecture
• Required:
o Custom aspect for task description.
(attached to simple workflow folder)
o Advanced workflow to be started by rule
• Configure user
• Provide task
• Implement simple workflow actions for
– Approve
– Reject
o Bug Fix for Alfresco StartWorkflowActionExecuter
o UI for Rule Config

17. Workflow Description Aspect

18. Simple Workflow Task Advanced Workflow

19. Content Model for Workflow
• Aspects:
o simpleWorflow: Manage Action Labels
• Content Types:
o simpleWfTaskStart: Properties for Start Task
• Assignee
• Task Description
• Simple Workflow Approve & Reject Action Labels
• All above become process variables!
o ApprovalOnlyTask: Task properties to approve document
o ApproveOrRejectTask: Properties for approving or rejecting the
document
• Simplicity: all in sample model
• Best practice: own workflow model

20. Workflow Model (partial)

21. Simple Process Definition
• Create Process Definition
o Graphically
o Change root tag:
o Add Swimlanes
o Add tasks to task node, will render UI

22. Workflow Deployment
• Attention: No actions implemented yet!
• But want to check if model is correct &
workflow deploys
• Context file:
• Redeploy off on production systems!

23. Workflow Actions
• User decides in task to
o Approve
o Reject
• Workflow will transition to nodes
o approveDocument: code will approve simple
workflow
o rejectDocument: code will reject simple workflow
• Todo: Implement Event Handler
o for node-enter event (approve / reject)

24. Code (sneaking)
• UI has actions for approve/reject
• Look for action definition in web-client-
config-actions.xml
• Sample implementation can be found in
DocumentDetailsDialog.approve() / reject() methods!
• OpenSource Rules!

25. Review Alfresco implementation
• DocumentDetailsDialog.approve()

26. Direct Code reuse
• Problem:
o From Package org.alfresco.web.bean
o Workflow Event not within web context.
o DocNode not core object
• Solution:
o Reprogram but use native Foundation Services API
o Should be fool proof ;-)

27. Lets get the event
• Define in Process Definition
• Derive from JBPMSpringActionHandler

28. What to Implement Where
• initializeHandler():
o Get all services needed from the factory
• ServiceRegistry (in case you need something)
• NodeService to deal with the node
• CopyService to copy/move the document
• execute():
o Get the process variables through executionContext
o Implement the approve / reject action

29. Hiding Reject Transition if Not Set
• Hide reject transition accordingly
o task-assign event (has to be this event!)
o use bpm:hiddenTransitions (bpm_hiddenTransitions)

30. Testing First Version
• Redeploy
• Manually start Simple Workflow Task workflow
• Fill in all details in the start form
• Test both scenarios:
o Approval only (reject transition hidden?)
o Approve or Reject
• Task should show up in task list
• Open Task and pick Action
• Check if document has been moved / copied
according to Simple Workflow configuration.

31. What’s Missing
• Action to start Simple Workflow Task
Workflow
o Repository Action
• UI to fill in Assignee in Rules Configuration
o Action Handler
• Simple approach:
o Use JavaScript to start Workflow
• Either fixed assignee or
• assignee is property of folder

32. Life Code Review in IDE
• JavaScript to start workflow
• Action Executer
• Action Handler
• Event Implementation

33. Final Demo
• Configured Simple Workflow
• Add Rule to kick off Simple Workflow Task
Workflow
• Push Document into folder with simple workflow.
o Review document status
o Search for documents with status
o Review task list
• Manage tasks
o See documents transition through simple workflow by using
advanced workflows functionality

34. Resume
• Actions extend Alfresco
• Simple workflows can be configured easily
• Rules are the binding glue
• Small advanced workflows can be leveraged in
actions and simple workflows.
• Your imagination is the border
• Alfresco OpenSource helps you to code and
find solutions to your problems.

35. Resources
• Training
o Alfresco API Development Course (3 days)
o Alfresco Workflow Course (2 days)
• Alfresco (API) Documentation
o http://docs.alfresco.com/3.4/index.jsp
• Wiki Resources
o http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Data_Dictionary_Guide
o http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Custom_Actions
o http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Custom_Action_UI
o http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/Workflow
o http://wiki.alfresco.com/wiki/WorkflowAdministration
• Books
o Alfresco Developer Guide (Packt Publishing)
o Professional Alfresco (Wrox Press)

36. Questions?
Email: joerg.sauer@averi.de
Twitter: joergsauer
In Person: DevCon 2011 London

37. Have you got your ticket yet?
DevCon Americas 2011
26-27th October at the Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego, CA
Get some preconference training in on 25th October
choose from Jump Start or Advanced Alfresco
∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
DevCon EMEA & APAC 2011
9-10th November at Prospero House, Central London, UK
Get some preconference training in on 8th November
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