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The Workflow Engine comprises of:
- Design-Time forms and related design elements facilitating visual workflow process design. The GUI is implemented by a single form: "_Qenos WF Dev Workflow View".
- Run-Time engine implementing workflow process via a single subform embedded in custom forms.
- API foundating script library which can be utilised by custom code outside of the Run-Time engine.
Features:
- Highly configurable and easy to use workflow process design interface
- Data-driven dynamic Form Actions - eliminates the need to modify form design to implement workflow actions
- Standard Action entry points (Action & Close, Create & Admin Tools buttons) for consistent user experience.
- Automatic unique reference numbering (incremental & multi-server compatible).
- Waiting-On function shows who a document is waiting on based on workflow configuration
- Automatic document author / reader fields based on document status and / or 'Waiting On' function.
- Sophisticated error trapping immediately reports problems by email and / or report submitted to "Feedback" database.
- Notification History - shows Who recieved notification relating to Which action and When.
- Action History - shows Who and When used Which actions through the lifecycle of a document.
- Process (Status) History - shows status transition, by whom and when.
- "Plain English" representation of workflow process rules empowers users to understand when & why specific Actions are available within a workflow process.
- Form Section Security - uses DXL to write an automatically included subform containing dynamic 'who can access' fields used by Controlled Access Sections.
- Dynamic View Actions - uses DXL to replace view Action Bars with standard configuation driven action drop-down, which makes administrative multi-document Actions simple to deploy and enforces consistent view action look & feel.
- Data Safe - Protect sensitive fields (eg financial) from prying eyes without having to protect the entire document using Reader fields.
background
Qenos Application Framework has been in development since 2002 and now forms the backbone of all Notes based applications at Qenos Pty Ltd (Australia), a major plastics raw material manufacturer employing approximately 800 people.
The system is feature rich and includes an API interface for extensive programmability, over and above the document based Workflow design interface.
It is hoped that by releasing this system onto the Open Source 'platform', other organisations can benefit from the massive amount of time already spent on development and testing , as well as helping to drive and become involved in future development.
The Qenos experience has shown that the process of upgrading applications to the framework results in more easily maintainable applications, since the business logic has to a large extent been surfaced, reducing the need for traditional detailed documentation. Developers familiar with the framework can more quickly hit the ground running with applications they have not previously worked with.
Looking forward, it is invisioned that the increased deliniation between the business logic and the Notes client, achievable with the framework, will provide more migration / evolution options for Notes applications. The underlying principle of this thinking is similar to that of the Model-View-Controller scheme, whereby business logic, controller (engine) and client technology are essentially abstracted such that each can be independently substituted with minimal pain. |