This section covers these topics:
Workflows on Oracle WebCenter Content Server instances specify how content is routed for review and approval before it is released and made available to others users on the server for viewing or check-out. Users on the server do not have access to a file until it successfully moves through the entire workflow. If you have been designated as a reviewer for a content item, you are notified by e-mail when you have a file to review.
When working with files in workflows, you can do the following:
You can view all your current workflow assignments for an Oracle WebCenter Content Server instance in one convenient list in Windows Explorer or your e-mail application. This list shows all files currently in a workflow that you are assigned to review. You can approve or reject the files directly from the list.
Note:
This is available only if you are connecting to a Content Server 11g instance.
To see a list of all your current workflow assignments on a content server:
Open Windows Explorer or your e-mail application, and make sure the folders pane is visible.
Open the WebCenter Content Servers node. If you do not see this node in your e-mail application, enable it first (see Section 5.5, "Showing or Hiding the WebCenter Content Servers Hierarchy").
Click the server for which you want to see all your checked-out files. If prompted, log in by entering your user name and password for that server.
Click the My Workflow Assignments node. (If the server does not have a node called My Workflow Assignments, then it is not a Content Server 11g instance.)
The content pane lists all files on the server that you have currently been assigned to review. Please note that this list matches that in Oracle WebCenter Content Server's web interface (under My Content Server). You can work with the files in this list directly to review them (see Section 13.3, "Approving or Rejecting Files in Workflows").
If you are designated as a reviewer in a workflow on an Oracle WebCenter Content Server instance, you will need to approve or reject all files in that workflow.
To approve or reject a managed content item in a workflow:
Open the My Workflow Assignments node on the Oracle WebCenter Content Server instance which stores the workflow items you need to review (see Section 13.2, "Viewing All Your Workflow Assignments"). The list shows all files on the server that you have been assigned to review. (You will typically receive an e-mail notification that you should review a content item on the server.)
Open the document to be reviewed in its associated application. See Section 10.9, "Opening Content Files" for further details.
If the workflow step was set up to allow editing of the content item, you can make changes, and check in new revisions.
If the workflow step does not allow file editing, you can only review the file, but not make any changes and check in the file as a new revision.
When you are done reviewing the file and making changes (if allowed and where required), close the file or exit the application.
For Office documents, you will typically see a special close dialog for managed documents (see Section 4.4, "Close Dialog"). If you are completely done reviewing the file and are ready to approve or reject it, make sure that you select the Document is ready for further workflow processing check box. This checks the file in to the server as a new revision and moves it from the Edit to the GenWWW state on the server, making it ready to go to the next step in the workflow. If you do not select this check box, the file is checked in to the content server as a new revision, but remains in the current workflow step, enabling you to retain ownership of the file. (The file remains in Edit mode and does not move to the GenWWW state.) You can then complete your review at a later time.
When you are ready to approve or reject the file, select it in the My Workflow Assignments node, right-click, and choose Accept or Reject. Alternatively, open the File menu and choose Accept or Reject.
If you choose Accept, the file moves to the next step in the workflow.
If you choose Reject, a dialog opens where you must provide a reason for rejecting the file. After you click OK, the file is sent back to the most recent workflow step that permitted contribution. The users assigned to that contribution step receive an e-mail notification, so they can edit the file and submit it for review again.
Note:
A content item in a workflow is not available to other users on the server until it successfully moves through the entire workflow.