Workflow Center

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Workflow Center provides a convenient location for you to create and maintain high-level library items such as process apps, case solutions, and toolkits (collectively known as projects).

As a developer, you work on a project in either Process Designer or Case Builder. If you are primarily an administrator and don't actively work in Process Designer or Case Builder, Workflow Center enables you to manage snapshot creation and deployment as well as manage access to the Workflow Center repository by setting up the appropriate authorization for users and groups.

Overview

IBM® Business Automation Workflow brings together the process and case management portfolios, enabling you to manage and deploy unified process apps and case solutions through a common Workflow Center and grant other users access to those projects.

The architecture of IBM Business Automation Workflow and its runtime environments is shown in the following topology diagram:

The graphic shows the traditional and container runtime environments of IBM Business Automation Workflow and their relationship to IBM Process Federation Server and IBM Process Portal.
  • From Workflow Center, administrators install projects that are ready for testing or production on the Workflow Servers in those environments. For a quick review of the types of projects that you can manage in the Workflow Center, see Workflow projects.
  • Using IBM Process Designer create process models, services, and other assets within process applications, case solutions, and toolkits. Using Case Builder, you focus on case solutions. For more information, see Process Designer and Case Builder.
  • Using the tools in IBM Integration Designer, create integration logic for invoking and exposing services, and to create BPEL processes that integrate applications and data. For more information, see Getting started with IBM Integration Designer.
  • In addition to a repository to store and maintain projects, Workflow Center includes a Workflow Center server for playbacks.
  • The traditional runtime environment is based on WebSphere®® Application Server. The container runtime environment is based on IBM WebSphere Liberty. For more information, see Runtime environments.

Starting Workflow Center

Depending on your requirements, you should start the appropriate Workflow Center. The classic Workflow Center includes a repository for all processes, services, and other assets created in Process Designer and Integration Designer. However, an enhanced Workflow Center is now available that includes the same repository but is optimized for working with both processes and associated case solutions. If you don't want to use the enhanced Workflow Center interface, you can continue to work with your process apps and toolkits in the classic Workflow Center. The Workflow Center repository is the same as in previous releases, and regardless of which interface you use, the projects reside in the same repository.

To start Workflow Center,
  • Load the enhanced Workflow Center URL in a web browser, for example https://servername:9443/WorkflowCenter.
  • Load the classic Workflow Center URL in a web browser, for example https://servername:9443/ProcessCenter.
For process app and toolkit functions that are not available in the enhanced Workflow Center, switch to the classic Workflow Center by using the app switcher in the toolbar App switcher in the toolbar.

Basic and Advanced modes in the Workflow Center

In the Workflow Center, you can create and manage projects (case solutions, templates, process apps, and toolkits). By default, you log in to the Workflow Center in Basic mode, which offers access to simplified views. To gain access to advanced views in the Workflow Center and to perform administrative actions, such as managing connections, users, user groups, and permissions, you must be in the Advanced mode.

To change the view mode, click your user name in the landing page toolbar, select Preferences, and use the slider to select the mode that you need.

Based on what view mode you're in, you can perform some or all of the following actions:
  • Create, import, edit, sort, and manage case solutions, which you can then deploy and play back for testing purposes.
  • Create templates that you can use as starting points for other new case solutions.
  • Create, import, edit, export, sort, and archive process apps.
  • Create, import, export, edit, and sort toolkits.
  • Change user preferences and localize user interfaces.
  • (Advanced only) Perform administrative actions, such as adding and removing users and user groups, and assigning read, write, and admin permissions to users and groups.