Overview of Workflow Framework

Module Breakdown

Module 1. Workflow Framework — Overview and recap of key concepts

Review of key concepts covered in the Foundation e-course.

Module 2. Workflow Builder

Key features of the Workflow Builder and how it's used to build unique business logic within workflows.

Module 3. Workflow Patterns and Practices

Guidelines for designing rules and composing workflows, and review of workflow design patterns and practices with the help of a case scenario.

Module 4. Event Execution

Details into the inner functioning of workflows, and how incoming events are handled by the Workflow Framework.  

Lab

Your first experience in composing unique business logic in the Workflow Builder to solve a simple order management use case.

Order Management Experience (OMX)

A diagram of the main layers of Fluent Order Management is shown below, specifically:

• Web Apps 
• Modules
• Order Management Experience 
• Workflow Engine (also known as Orchestration Engine, code name Rubix)

Workflow Framework is a component of the Order Management Experience (OMX) platform that helps deal with business logic and the orchestration aspects of the Fluent platform, Fluent Order Management.

The Workflow Framework provides the following value propositions:

• Flexible Customization – Composing logic in the workflow (rather than code), allows clients and partners more control over their business processes and reduces expensive and time-consuming change requests.
• High performance and scalable processing –  Cloud technology provides on-demand scale, enables simultaneous processing of events and ensures the platform is processing as optimally and as efficiently as possible.
• Low-Code Configuration – Allows users to view and configure without opening any Java development environment.   Non-technical users can simply search, find, and insert a Rule into a workflow.  Low code configuration also allows users to rapidly test and make changes to workflows without going through weeks or months of development cycles and testing cycles.
• User Interaction – Enables smart integration of user-specific activities within workflow logic. This is because there are specific cases where an order process simply can't be automated 100% and needs manual intervention. 

E.g. As part of the picking and packing process, a store person may need to find the right product, scan the product and confirm they've located the item via a user interaction that is configured in the workflow.

As part of the lab, you'll experience the value of low-code configuration and flexible customization.   You'll get to see how easily you can create new buttons on the screen, and how you can design a workflow based on client requirements.

Key components of the Workflow Framework 

Workflow Builder is also referred to as Workflow Modeller or Orchestration Modeller in other resources. It is the user interface (UI) of the Workflow Engine and provides visualization and management of all configured workflows, including rule sets, rules, and user actions.

👁‍🗨 You will learn about the key features visualization of the Workflow Builder UI later in Module 2.

Rule library allows users to search for ‘out-of-the-box' rules within the workflow.

 👁‍🗨  It's also possible to create custom Rules using Software Development Kits (SDKs), which can be added to the Rule Library — custom rule development is covered in the Rules SDK course.  

Workflow Engine powers the execution of workflows, business logic, and business processes. It responds to events triggering execution and triggers activities in external systems.

👁‍🗨 You will learn more about the Workflow Engine and related concepts later in the course in Module 2.

Rules SDK is a Software Development Kit that allows developers to write custom Rules in Java. These rules can be compiled into a plugin and uploaded for use in the Rule Library. 

👁‍🗨 This course mainly focuses on the 'configuration' capabilities of OMX — Rules customization is covered in the Rules SDK course.  

When designing workflows, there are a number of patterns and recommended practices that can be applied. Rules are the smallest building blocks for logic in a Workflow and should be simple, flexible, reusable, and composable.

👁‍🗨 This course provides information on design patterns as well as recommended practices that can be followed while designing your Workflows.