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Workflow Development Architecture

Figure 3 illustrates the Workflow development architecture.

Figure 3. Workflow Development Architecture

Architectural components for workflow development include:

1. Siebel Tools. The Workflow Process repository object is a top level object in the Object Explorer of Siebel Tools. You use the Object List Editor (OBLE) to create a workflow process object definition. A workflow process belongs to a project. There is independent versioning of a workflow process in Siebel Tools and in the Siebel client.

   You use the Process Designer in Siebel Tools to develop a workflow process. In the Process Designer, you use process properties to create workflow definitions, or alternatively, you can enter data through unbounded picklists. In the Process Designer, configuration data is available, but run-time data is not available.

2. Repository Tables. A workflow process under development is stored in the Siebel repository tables and run-time tables. When you edit the process in Siebel Tools, it is stored in the repository tables. When you deploy a workflow process, it is also inserted into the run-time tables. To deploy a workflow process, you publish then activate it.
3. XML file. A workflow process can be exported as an XML file.
4. SIF File. A workflow process can be exported as a sif, or Siebel archive file.

You can also use Application Deployment Manager (ADM) to migrate workflow processes from one Siebel environment to another. For more information, see Migrating With Application Deployment Manager.

For a high level description of the development architecture, see About the Workflow Processes Module.

Functional View of Developing a Workflow Process

The typical approach for developing a workflow process is illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 4. Typical Approach to Developing a Workflow Process

This approach outlines activities typically performed when developing a workflow process:

1. Define. Siebel Tools is used to define the workflow process.

   When defining a workflow process, you create the object definition for the workflow process, define process properties, add steps and connectors, and so forth.

2. Save. The workflow process is frequently saved to the local database.
3. Test. The Siebel client is used to test the workflow process.
4. Debug. Siebel Tools, the Siebel client, and the local master or test database are used to publish, activate, and debug the workflow process.

   Workflow definitions are checked out from the repository into the local database, where they are modified and debugged locally before being checked in to the master repository. Debugging against a server or test database instead of debugging locally allows the Workflow engine to access server components, such as the Server Request Broker. During the development effort tasks that you can optionally perform in Siebel Tools include:

   • Check the workflow process into and out of your master database.
   • Export the workflow process to an XML file for backup purposes, or import the workflow process from an XML file to restore it.
5. Verify. To verify that the workflow process implements the functionality described during the planning phase, the workflow process is run from the Siebel client using the local master or test database.
6. Migrate. The workflow process is migrated from the master database to the staging or production database.