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MISSION CONTROL

Launching your Success

Integrating your SelfService Application

Workflow withMicrosoft Exchange andother Fun Stuff youcould do to make it

cool.Muzaffer Lakdawala


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Our Agenda

What is workflow

Why you need to know workflow

Workflow building blocks

Components.

Features.

Capabilities.

Case study: Using workflow to solve business problems.

Business problems.

Solutions.

Workflow migration.

Lessons learned

Q&A
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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What Is Workflow?

Oracle Workflow is a complete workflow managementsystem that supports business process definition andautomation. Its technology enables automation andcontinuous improvement to business processes, routinginformation of any type according to user-definedbusiness rules.

Oracle Workflow is part of the Oracle e-business suite, aset of applications, which is designed to transform yourbusiness to an iBusiness.


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What Is Workflow?

A framework and toolkit for building your

processes:

Define process flow logic.

Route information.

Define & validate business rules.

F l e x i b l e

D y n a m i c

P o w e r f u l

C u s t o m i z a b l e

I n t e g r a t e d
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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Why You Need to Know Workflow

With Oracles E-business suite, Workflow becomesthe foundation for most Oracle application processes.

The success of future Oracle implementations willdepend on thoughtful configuration and creative useof workflow features.

To implement business processes in Oracle whichmeet your requirements and are efficient andmaintainable.

Workflow is powerful and flexible providingopportunities to build optimal processes. BUT thesecharacteristics also introduce complexity that canwork against you if not utilized properly.


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Workflow Building Blocks

Workflow is NOT one distinct application.

Delivery of robust workflow solutions requires integrating

the features, functionality and capabilities of many

individual components.

System:Mailer

OracleWorkflow

Components

Compatible

Applications(ex:

MicrosoftExchange)

WebApplicationDirectory

OracleWorkflowBuilder


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages

NotificationsLookupTypes

Workflow

Definition

Loader

Workflow

Background

Engine

Workflow

Builder

Monitoring &

Administration

Electronic

Notifications

PL/SQL

Extendibility
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/



Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader

WorkflowBackgroundEngine

WorkflowBuilder

Monitoring &Administration

ElectronicNotifications

PL/SQLExtendibility



Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader


Workflow

Builder



PL/SQLExtendibility



Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader


WorkflowBuilder



PL/SQLExtendibility


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


WorkflowDefinition

Loader


WorkflowBuilder



PL/SQLExtendibility


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Workflow Components

Functions Process

Attributes Messages


Workflow

Definition

Loader

Workflow

Background

Engine

Workflow

Builder

Monitoring &

Administration

Electronic

Notifications

PL/SQL

Extendibility


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What Is Workflow?


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Additional Components

The hidden power of Oracle Workflow is its flexibility to be

integrated with additional components to provide extendedfunctionality.

We will talk about three key components that were used inour recent solution.

Web Application Dictionary

System: Mailer

Microsoft Exchange


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Web Application Directory Services

Oracle Workflow offersflexibility in defining

workflow users and roles.

If you are using the version ofOracle Workflow embedded inOracle Applications, OracleWorkflow directory service views

are automatically based on aunified Oracle Applicationsenvironment.

The unified environment maps overOracle Human Resources tables,Oracle Application Object Librarytables, various Oracle Applications

tables, and the WF_LOCAL tables.

Unified Environment

Web ApplicationDictionary

AOL

WF_LOCAL Vendors

HR Customers


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Web Application Directory Services

The WF_LOCAL tables/views have three key components:

WF_LOCAL_USER

You can use this table to define users which are not included

in unified Oracle Application Environment.

WF_LOCAL_ROLES

You can use this table to define roles which are not includedin unified Oracle Application Environment.

WF_LOCAL_USER_ROLES

The Wf_Local_User_Roles table is an intersection of the

users and roles.

These tables define users and roles that are not defined inunified Oracle Application Environment.


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System: Mailer

Oracle provides e-mail templates within System: Mailer workflow,to customize e-mail verbiage.

Determines what emails are sent out and in what format.

SystemMailer

Template

CanceledMail

SummaryMail

Open FYIMail

InvalidMail

OpenMail

WarningMail

ClosedMail

There are 7 templates that Oracleuses for sending out notifications.

Open - When expecting a response.

Open FYI- When no response isexpected.

Summary- Used when user isexpecting summary notification.

Cancel - Informs previous

notifications are canceled.Invalid - Informs users of invalidresponse.

Closed- Informs users of closednotification.


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Microsoft Exchange

Oracle Workflow can be integrated with Microsoft Exchangeto expand functionality for your workflow solution.

Public Folders

Public folders allow you to collect organize and share information

with others on your team or across your organization. Public folders

can be used to store any type of files or Outlook items. Public folders

have E-mail addresses used to post messages.

Why use Public Folders?Public folders can be used as a distribution list or to define your

operations staff groups.

Public folders can receive Workflow Notifications.

Members in these group can be managed outside Oracle Workflow

world.Multiple operational staff can access the same folder and move work

to their individual work folders.

Provides mechanism to distribute work evenly and efficiently.


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Example

Suggested Folder Structure

Staff1

Staff2

Closed Items

Operations

[email protected]

System Admin

[email protected]

Manager

[email protected]

Help Desk

[email protected]

iExpense Folders
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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Case Study: Oracle Workflow

The following section illustrates how carefulworkflow design, thoughtful configuration andthe creative use of workflow capabilities can helpdeliver an efficient, controlled, and low costbusiness process.

*The solutions mentioned were developed as part of a recentimplementation of Oracle iExpenses for over 10,000 employees at

a Global 200 client.


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Case Study: Problems

Five specific business problems addressed usingWorkflow:

How can operational staff efficiently monitor and

control the automated process?

How to maintain dynamic business rules without

constantly changing code?

How to customize workflow to meet operational

needs without creating maintenance issues?

How to organize work among operational staff, to

enable quick response and efficient execution?

How to reduce potentials for errors during migrationof workflow?


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Operational Support Problem #1

Transition from a paper based process toeBusiness solution will introduce a number ofaccess and control issues for support staff.


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Support staff can lose visibility of events in theelectronic processes.

Automated work processes are efficient, but can leave

support staff feeling out of touch with their operation.

Staff not immediately aware when a problem occurs.

Monitoring and administration of Oracle Workflow

process using delivered functionality is not efficient. Difficult to monitor the overall process

Navigation through workflow diagram environment can

be intimidating for non-technical support personnel.

Tracking transactions through workflow is a one by one

proposition requiring entry of the expense reportnumber for each single transaction to view its progress

Learning curve for support staff - Oracle environmentis not always intuitive.


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Solution: Utilize e-mail capabilities

Fully utilized the e-mail capabilities of workflow to send

notification messages.

Error

Condition

Send immediatenotifications whenany error condition

occurs

Descriptive

Notification

Develop clearconcise

Notificationmessages

Notification to

Operational

Role

Send notifications tospecific operationalstaff responsible to

take action

ElectronicNotification

Manage By

Exception

Staff confidentthat notifications

identifyconditions to be

managed

Functional Staff can monitor system via e-mails


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How can modifications be made to dynamicbusiness rules without changing and migrating

workflow processes and custom code?

Workflow allows validation of business rules, but rules canchange often.

Business rules in workflow validation programs need to be

added and modified.

Constant change and migration of the workflow file and

custom codes would be costly and introduce chance forerror.


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Operational Support Issues

Examples of business requirements that call for the abilityto change business rules and parameters.

Complex per diem rules with varying rates and factors.

Some Divisions want to require entry of Project numbers,

others dont use projects.

IRS rule changes, thresholds, receipts not required for certain

expense types (lodging, auto mileage, per diems).

Rules that change based on new labor agreements, changes

to corporate policy.

Business rules that apply only for a particular department

(viz.: International division had increased receipt

requirements for VAT).

Business rules by expense type and $ amount.

Solution: Table driven Custom


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Solution: Table driven CustomBusiness Rules

Create a custom table to define dynamic business rules.

Provide a custom form to allow maintenance of theparameters and attributes of the rules.

Most business rule changes can be handled by operations

staff adding and changing table values.

One custom table is used to hold rules for taxation,

required field specification, expense thresholds, per diemvalues etc.

Custom business rule validation programs dont need to

change every time a business rule is modified.

Add one custom procedure to the workflow to handle all

rules, instead of customizing delivered packages.

Your workflow process performs validations basedon the values defined in the table


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Custom Business Rules

The framework of the workflow validation programs werebuilt flexibly to validate different types of business rules

using table driven parameters.Typical fields in the table structure might be:

Rule_Name: Justification, Receipts, Per Diem.

Rule_For: Expense Types.

Cost_Centre: Cost Centre for which rule applies.

Yes_No_Null: Rule applies if Amex was used or not used.

Effective_Start_Date: Start date for the rule.

Effective_End_Date: End date for the rule.

Value1: Stores Business agreed numeric value. (Ex:Mileage Rate)

Value2: Stores IRS allowed numeric value. (Max Per Diemallowance.)

Value3: Stores any other numeric value.

Description: Plain English meaning for the rule.


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Developing Custom Business Process

CustomBusinessProcess

Front

EndForm

End DateBusiness

Rules

PL/SQL

for BusinessRulesValidation

DefineRules asFunctions

IntroduceFunctions in

Process

MigrateRules

Build logic to apply rule

Date parameters provides ability forhistorical tracking and application of

date sensitive rules

Build rule validation withina function that can bebrought into workflow

Introduce function into proper placewithin the workflow process

Migration strategy

Maintain valuesin the table

A structured well designed approach is required toeffectively implement custom business rules

i l bl


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Would like notifications sent to the people inspecific roles.

How can this be achieved without changing the workflowfiles for every change in operational staff and theirassignments.

Support personnel and email addresses change regularly. Constant change and migration of the workflow file and

procedures would be costly and introduce chance of error.

Solutions to Operational Support


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Solutions to Operational SupportIssuesUtilize features of Workflow as well as its ability tointegrate with Microsoft Exchange:

Use Workflow ability to create Roles.

Defined operation roles and assigned roles to employees (usingWf_Local_User_Roles tables)

Workflow notification e-mails directed to the appropriateoperational roles not individual users.

Use of Microsoft Exchange features (folders) and Roles tostructure workflow so that it is independent of users.

Workflow does not need to be changed for operational staffturnover.

Send Email notifications to appropriate operational staff role

for all key events in the process.

Staff can monitor process by tracking e-mails sent to theiroperational folder.

S l ti I t t ith MS E h


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Solution: Integrate with MS Exchange

Define Public Folders in Microsoft Exchange.

Set default to Contributor for the folder.

Add list of people who can process the notifications.

Assign necessary permissions to people allowing themto manage notifications.

Re-define these folders as local users and roles inOracle Workflow Web Application Dictionary Tables.

Load users and roles from database into OracleWorkflow.

Use these local users and roles as Performers inWorkflow Notifications for all generated E-mailmessages.

O ti l S t P bl #4


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How can notification of errors and exception beefficiently distributed and work tracked among

support staff?

Want an organized approach to monitoring the system.

Notify appropriate roles of the errors and exception.

Need to make sure all issues are being worked.

Want to avoid multiple people unknowingly working the

same issue.

S l ti 4


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Solution 4

Using Microsoft Exchange Folders we can have all the systemgenerated e-mails send to central folders.

Microsoft displays to individuals numbers of emails that havenot been processed yet.

Microsoft Exchange is not the complete solution for trackingissues. It has limited capabilities for recording status andresolutions.

Staff1

Staff2

Closed Items

Operations

[email protected]

System Admin

[email protected]

Manager

[email protected]

Help Desk

[email protected]

iExpense Folders

O ti l S t P bl #5
http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/http://oracle.com/appsworld/


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Migration of Workflow components fromdevelopment to production instances can be

tricky and introduce potential for error

Need to follow a structured approach for migrating workflow

which minimizes risk of error

Changes to the workflow should be minimized

Mi ti M th d l


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Migration Methodology

Migration from Development to Production :

Local user and roles tables.

Change the script to point to the right public folders([email protected] [email protected])

Oracle Workflow

Chain Link is not an available option.

Check-in Oracle Workflow into external version controlprograms for future modifications and upgrades.

Using Oracle Workflow Builder open the workflow file fromTEST and save it back in PRODUCTION. It requires APPSpassword.

Using concurrent program to upload file. UNIX level access isrequired.

Microsoft Exchange Public Folders.

Allow the Production Folders to accept E-mails.

Mi ti M th d l


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Migration Methodology

Refresh from Production to Development :

Local user and roles tables.

Using the update script change the local user and roles table topoint to the right public folders([email protected] [email protected]).

Workflow

It is migrated from Production to Test instance during the refresh,as Oracle Workflow is stored in tables.

Case St d Re ie Wo kflo Sol tion


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Case Study Review: Workflow Solution

Following actions were thoughtfully applied to addressbusiness issues and avoid workflow pitfalls.

Fully utilized Notifications and email capabilities.

Careful approach to customizing the workflow process.

Intelligent Use of Roles.

Integration with Microsoft Exchange and email.

Minimized the need for on-going changes to workflow.

Implemented a structured methodology for migration.

Case Study Review: Result


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Case Study Review: Result

Operational staff remains fully in control of theprocess

Benefits of automated process achieved withoutlosing touch.

Operations staff obtain required business processinformation without being a workflow experts.

Workflow changes are not necessary for mostchanges to business rules and staff turnover.

Lower operational cost and overhead from improvedstreamlined business process.

Work items are organized and divided efficiently tothe proper operation roles.

Changes to workflow occur in a structured manner.

Lesson Learned


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Lesson Learned

Give very focused attention to the design of workflow - it isthe glue that will hold the pieces of your process together.

Be careful assuming you can get full benefits from yourprocess just dropping in the vanilla workflow process.

Remember that its the little things that will kill you.

Recurring costs and issues with a process can be reducedwithout a great deal of cost through expertise for Workflow.

Its tempting to go into Workflow Builder and start movingthings around, but you need to understand how things workfirst - a lot of hidden consequences.

Be creative, but within the confines of the workflow

Prototype your workflow design then Test, Test, Test andTest again.

Lesson Learned


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Lesson Learned

E-Mail

Strong Mail Server Network is required.

A simple Expense Report can generate up to 5 e-mails.

Reply-To functionality is great but has to be implemented

with caution:

No E-mail signatures allowed.

Responses split into more than one line must be in quotes.

Cant be removed without modifications to standard workflowpackages.

Keep messages simple! - People dont read email carefully

Custom Business Rules

Keep all customizations confined to one PL/SQL Package

Complex rules require complex coding and complex

testing procedures - there should be good business

reason.

Not all rules can be table driven.

Lesson Learned


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Lesson Learned

Migration

Frequent changes and migration of workflow file is costly

and introduces chance of error- Minimize them!

In process transactions will use OLD workflow process

but NEW code.

Always remember MURPHY lives on.

Any change or migration can introduce error.

Purging Workflow


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Purging Workflow

Procedure Parameters Description

WF_PURGE.ITEMS ItemtypeItemkey

Enddate

Removes all run-time data associated with completed items.

WF_PURGE.ACTIVITIES Itemtype

Enddate

Removes obsolete activities versions. These are versions of

activities that are no longer used by any item.

WF_PURGE.NOTIFICATIONS Itemtype

Enddate

Removes old notifications. These are notifications that are no

longer used by any item.

WF_PURGE.TOTAL Itemtype

Itemkey

Enddate

Purges both item and activity data.

WF_PURGE.TOTALPERM Itemtype

Itemkey

Enddate

Deletes all eligible obsolete run-time data that has a persistence

type of Permanent.

WF_PURGE.ADHOCDIRECTORY Enddate Purges all ad hoc users and roles that are not associated with a

notification.

Q&A


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Q&A

Questions

?

[email protected]

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