Workflow version management
Defined processes are stored in an object store. Storing the definitions in an object store provides a mechanism for managing the lifecycle of the workflow definition by controlling user access and managing different versions of the same workflow.
- Check out the existing workflow definition from the object store.
- Modify the workflow definition by using Process Designer.
- Check the new version of the workflow definition back into the object store.
Any new work follows the latest approved workflow map available, while existing work in the system remains unaffected. (New work can also explicitly reference an older version of the workflow.) The benefit is rapid implementation of changes to business processes without requiring new versions of workflow definitions to be compatible with earlier versions, resulting in dramatic reductions in time-to-deployment and the ability to react quickly to business or transaction events. For example, the new workflow definition might have associated attachments that outline revised guidelines under which any new expense reports must be evaluated. This attachment can reference a specific version of the guidelines (also stored in the object store) revised to reflect the policy changes. This ensures that the correct guidelines are available to the participants in the approval process for both new and existing expense reports.