BPM: Responding to external stimuli

Mon Feb 28 09:57:36 EST 2011

Thanks, Mike

I am pleased that the basic principles continue to remain valid. Still keeping non-SAP for moment, but starting to explore a theoretical practical SOA example for a moment:

We build a workflow with two parallel paths.... one representing the 'main activity', one representing the 'wait-for-event' so that the main flow responds appropriately to something the process cares about  (a disturbance in the force, for example).

One of our systems - separate to that running the BPM workflow - notices that disturbance.

How do we get that event into the process at runtime? I am struggling to work out where services would be necessary; what calls what; what unique-keys the listener would use etc.?

I take it we would have to get our Jedi to call a service on our Portal? Or on the BPM? I would hope that this was a standard (ie existing) service to handle events. This service will then create the event that our workflow will respond to using a key of some sort?

If anyone has any experience or documentation links on this, I would be very grateful]

Thanks
Andy

-----Original Message-----
From: sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu [mailto:sap-wug-bounces at mit.edu] On Behalf Of Mike Pokraka
Sent: Monday 28 February 2011 11:32
To: SAP Workflow Users' Group
Subject: Re: BPM: Responding to external stimuli

Hi Andy,

I am surprised at the reactions you got, as this is certainly not a novel
construct. As we all know it's been around in SAP Workflow from way back
when.

In fact, this type of event-driven nature is one of the strengths of the
BPMN standard upon which NetWeaver BPM is based; this is one area where
UML falls short (and possibly why your colleagues are not familiar with
it?). I haven't delved deep enough into NWBPM to know on a practical
level, but if we step back from anything SAP for a moment then modelling
an exception such as you describe using BPMN is simply a message from a
party external to the process that is caught and handled as appropriate.
You could either have a parallel branch or you could make the entire
process segment which depends on the event a subprocess with an exception.
Exact details depend on the modelling software you use.

A slight twist to the story is that the message sender could be a party
that also participates in the process and thus fulfils multiple roles both
internal and external to the process. i.e. in BPMN terms they would appear
as a lane and a pool.

Hope that helps,
Mike

On Fri, February 25, 2011 6:33 pm, andy.m.catherall at kraftfoods.com wrote:
> Hi guys
>
> Final question (for today, I promise!)
>
>
> We are developing a process that cuts across a number of ECC systems and
> also SAP MDM. We are using NW CE 7.2.
>
> I note that the process designs (pools/swim lanes) describe the core
> processes well. But in my humble opinion, the ones I have seen are lacking
> a vital feature.
>
> They do not model any responses to external stimuli. For example, what
> should the workflow do if the data [equivalent of Business Object] is
> changed or deleted by a non-workflow entity?
>
> I have challenged my colleagues and some consultants on this, and was
> surprised to discover that
>
> a)      This was a new concept to them. The idea of putting an
> event-handler in parallel with the main process flow was an entirely novel
> construct. (Does this indicate that it should be done at the header, as in
> ECC style workflows?)
>
> b)      The technical practicality of preparing the workflow to respond to
> events appears to actually be quite complicated. In CE 7.2, we appear to
> be able to make use of "Intermediate Messages", but there are
> challenges... A colleague is adamant that we have to make development
> changes to PI to get some data back to BPM...
>
> In my experience, having workflows that do not respond to the fluctuations
> in the systems in which they operate causes all sorts of problems. At
> best, we 'just' have orphaned work items or confused users; at worst, we
> might be causing subtle data-inaccuracy as we over-write details that were
> changed by someone else already.
>
> So, my question is:
>
> How have are BPM workflows supposed to be designed to ensure that they are
> responsive to the environments in which they operate?
>
> Many thanks
> Andy
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Any views expressed by individuals within this email do not necessarily reflect the views of Cadbury Holdings Ltd or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. This email does not constitute a binding offer, acceptance, amendment, waiver or other agreement, or create any obligation whatsoever, unless such intention is clearly stated in the body of the email. Whilst we have taken reasonable steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are free from viruses, recipients are advised to subject this email to their own virus checking, in keeping with good computing practice. We accept no liability for any damage sustained as a result of any viruses. Please note that email received by Cadbury Holdings Ltd or its subsidiaries or affiliates may be monitored in accordance with applicable law.

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