AD 219 IBM Lotus Workflow in a Microsoft

AD 219 IBM Lotus Workflow in a Microsoft Environment Christian Barnes WPLC IT Specialist Pete Janzen Workplace Product Manager

Agenda Workflow Overview Customer Scenario Demo

Workflow refers to software that organizes and controls the tasks, resources, and rules required to complete a business process. Workflow software provides a data and document container for each unit of work, called a work item, and automatically routes and tracks them, according to business rules, to users or “roles” as dictated by the process definition.

Lotus Workflow Value Workflow Development and Management Tool Rapid development of business processes Document/forms centric People/Collaboration centric Graphical Process Design Generic, Domino-based, workflow engine Supports Notes client, Web browser Fully customizable via APIs and events Automate basic Domino Document Manager services Check in/out, search, initiate and archive

Lotus Workflow - Overview Workflow tool of choice for Domino based applications Architect – graphical tooling for process definition Engine – native Domino Routing (serial, conditional, parallel) Participant evaluation Automated activities Time Management Exception handling Graphical status viewers for end-users Speeds up workflow application development Allows dynamic changes to process and organization

Lotus Workflow - Overview Inherits/leverages all Domino object services Security, replication, full text indexing, RAD Back-end integration based on Domino capabilities LEI, DECS, Lotus Connector LSX Java (agents) Focused on forms/document based, collaboration intensive, business processes Not geared towards high volume non-interruptible micro-flows Rich set of functionality to support human interaction Extensive Lotus. Script based events library and API Provides Java API for use in Web. Sphere environments

Lotus Workflow Architecture Organization Model Application Process Def Db

Lotus Workflow 7 shipped concurrently with Domino 7 in Sept ’ 05 Lotus Workflow 6. 5. 1 still available Supports Domino Release 6. 0. 5 or later version Release 6. 5. 4 or later version Release 7. 0 Languages support English available now Coming soon: German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Traditional Chinese How Lotus Workflow is licensed Lotus Workflow is available as a per user license Domino Utility server customers are entitled to Lotus Workflow

Lotus Workflow 7 Platforms Server Win 2003/2 K Linux UL 1. 0 AIX 5. 2 Solaris 9 i 5 OS V 5 R 3 z. OS 1. 2 UL 1. 0 sp 2 for Linux on S 390 Architect: Windows 2 K/XP Browser: Windows – IE 6. x, Linux – Mozilla 1. 7. 2 Please see release notes as platform support is tied to Notes and Domino

Lotus Workflow 7 – What’s New Feature Productivity Enhancements • Performance improvements for name lookup in Workflow Architect • Attachment for browsers • Expose basic Workflow services as Web Services –Initiate workflow, Request status & View activity lists Reliability, Availability and Serviceability • Improved error reporting • Enhanced logging for Architect Business Value • Improved name lookups allow workflow developers to be more productive • Browser based apps can support Document Manager workflows • Allows standards based integration of Lotus Workflow services • Improved error handling and logging allows more issues to be resolved by customer which increases productivity

Web Services Allows to support Workflow services as Web Services LWFInitiate. Job – to initiate a job in Workflow LWFQuery. Job. Status – get the status of a job in Workflow LWFQuery. Work. List - get the work list of a user Integration scenarios can be with. Net, J 2 EE, MQ Series, and Web. Sphere Process Choreographer

Customer Scenario Correspondence Tracking System (CTS)

Customer Environment Large government agency in Puerto Rico Information in English and Spanish 1000’s of forms and paper are routed manually and physically throughout multiple buildings Made large investment in multifunctional machines to improve paper-intensive environment No experience or tools available for developing workflow applications Only development experience is with MS Visual Basic and. Net Auditing and tracking done using MS Excel Frustrated because MS could not propose a simple and single solution for workflow

Customer Goals Create a “Paperless” office Improve operational efficiency Information accuracy and consistency Reduce time to complete a process Improve process control and audit trails Needed business process reengineering Increase collaboration Serve customer better Introduce service quickly No technology to handle workflow Very small budget

Why not Microsoft ? MS Info. Path + MS Biztalk Server “Info. Path is the ideal application for customers who want to provide their users with a rich interface for interacting with forms as a part of their workflow processes. ” “Note that Info. Path 2003 does not include a workflow engine. Info. Path is a natural client choice for Microsoft Biz. Talk® Server because both operate on XML payloads. You can easily post data to Biz. Talk without writing code in Info. Path using Info. Path built-in support for http, XML Web services and email. In addition, Info. Path integration with Microsoft Office Share. Point Portal Server (through Microsoft Windows Share. Point Services) supports a simple workflow process by enabling users to check in and check out Info. Path forms. ” *Data from http: //www. microsoft. com

Solution Timeline 1 Day proposing IBM technology 1 Day creating system use-cases 2 Days for software installation and configuration 8 Days for application design, development, and test

Implemented System Overview Crystal Reports HTTP ODBC MS SQL Server SMTP Lotus Workflow/Domino LDAP SMTP MS Exchange MS Active Directory

Implemented Solution Deployment – MS Windows 2003, Lotus Domino 7 & Workflow 7 Workflow – Lotus Workflow Architect Client – Web Browser, e-mail, and Lexmark Multifunctional Forms – Domino form with Notes fields, HTML, and Java. Script Views – Domino views Data Integration - ODBC Data Repository – Domino & MS SQL Server 2002 Reports – Crystal Reports Security - Domino Directory – MS Active Directory SMTP – Domino & MS Exchange

CTS Use Cases Actors Mail Room Employees Multifunctional Fax Machines Staff Members Most senior Staff Member Use Cases Send correspondence Sort, track, and deliver hard mail correspondence Sort and deliver Determine correspondence action Correspondence response Respond back Acknowledge

Demo

Customer Benefits Gained Paper reduction Dynamic workflow Better tracking of paper and forms Improved business process Shorter decision making process More accurate information routed Shorter time to complete business process Accommodated geographically dispersed teams

Implementation Technical Notes Ensure database design is signed LDAP users and group entries do not show up all at once For security to work you need the FDN of the user Users in AD use “, ” you need to replace with “/” using @Replace. Substring All SQL insert and SQL statement written as SQL Statements and used Lotus @Commands @Db. Column("ODBC"; “SQL"; “name"; “pass"; "Empleado. Puesto. Division"; "Descripcion")) Db. Command("ODBC"; "SQL"; “name"; “pass"; "SELECT Nombre FROM Empleado. Puesto. Division WHERE Puesto_Division LIKE" +"'" + NPuesto +"'")) Dynamic workflow based on custom attributes in workflow activity Look and Feel done in Forms and are mostly CSS and HTML Master. Outline. Web Workstation with Crystal requires Lotus Notes Client

Q&A