Send a message within workflow with no user action!

[Kevin Yu]

Hi,
 
I have been trying to create a step after a document was released to
send an message to notify the creator that the document was released.
The step should not required any user action to complete the workitem.
All I want is to send a message and keep going to next step.
 
I have tried to create a customised method to use function
'SO_NEW_DOCUMENT_SEND_API1' to send an express mail.  The Method worked
fine if test by its own.  However, if use the method to create a task as
the step (a background process) in the workflow, it seems the workflow
will stuck at this workitem and going nowhere.
 
I am just wondering is there any better way to achieve what I intend to
do?
 
Thanks,
 
Kevin.