Workflow Management

Workflows are AEM’s method for applying business processes in AEM,

and workflow models are the definition of the work to be done.
Workflows can be broken into two main categories. The first is
programmatic workflow which is applied to content in AEM and
processed based on some business rules.

Models:

Workflow models in Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) are predefined templates that
define the sequence of steps, participants, actions, and conditions involved in content
processes. These models act as blueprints for creating workflow instances.

Functionality:
 ● Define Workflow Steps: Workflow models allow users to define sequential steps
that content must pass through during the workflow process. These steps can
include actions like content creation, review, approval, and publishing.
● Specify Participants and Groups: Users can designate specific individuals or
groups as participants for each workflow step. Participants are responsible for
completing tasks assigned to them within the workflow.
● Set Conditions and Triggers: Workflow models can include conditions and
triggers that determine when certain actions should occur. For example, a
workflow step might be triggered when new content is created or when a specific
event occurs.
● Customize Logic and Routing: Users can customize the logic and routing of
workflow steps to accommodate varying content processes and business
requirements.
● Ensure Consistency and Compliance: By using predefined workflow models,
organizations can ensure consistency and compliance in their content
processes, promoting efficiency and quality control.

Instances:
Workflow instances represent the active processes through which content undergoes
various stages, such as creation, review, approval, and publication, as defined by the
associated workflow model.

Functionality:

● Task Assignment and Management: Workflow instances assign tasks to

participants and manage task progress, deadlines, and notifications.
 ● Visibility and Monitoring: Users can monitor the status and progress of workflow
instances, track pending tasks, and access relevant content and feedback.
● Notifications and Reminders: AEM sends notifications and reminders to
participants to keep them informed about pending tasks, approaching deadlines,
or workflow status changes.
● Auditing and Reporting: Workflow instances maintain detailed records of
activities, participants, and timeline, supporting auditing, reporting, and
compliance requirements.
● Error Handling and Escalation: Workflow instances may include error handling
mechanisms and escalation procedures to address issues or delays in workflow
execution.
● Integration with Content Management: Workflow instances seamlessly integrate
with AEM's content management capabilities, ensuring that content changes
adhere to defined processes and governance policies.

Launchers:

Launchers are a mechanism within AEM that allows users to automate processes by
defining rules that specify actions to be taken when certain events or conditions are
met. These rules can trigger workflows, execute scripts, or perform other operations on
content items within the repository.

Functionality:
 ● Automated Workflow Initiation: Launchers can automatically trigger workflows
when specific events or conditions occur, eliminating the need for manual
intervention.
● Process Automation: Launchers automate repetitive tasks and streamline
content management processes by executing predefined actions based on
predefined rules.
● Event Monitoring and Response: Launchers continuously monitor the content
repository for relevant events and respond promptly by triggering the appropriate
actions.
● Customization and Flexibility: Users can configure launcher rules to meet
specific business requirements, defining precise conditions and actions tailored
to their workflows.
● Integration with Content Management: Launchers seamlessly integrate with
AEM's content management capabilities, enabling users to automate content-
related tasks and enforce governance policies.

Archive:
The Workflow Archive is a repository or storage mechanism within AEM where records
of past workflow instances are retained for auditing, reporting, and analysis purposes. It
serves as a centralized location for storing comprehensive records of workflow
activities and participant interactions.

Functionality:
 ● Audit and Compliance: The Workflow Archive facilitates auditing and compliance
efforts by providing a comprehensive record of past workflow activities and
participant interactions.
● Historical Tracking: Archived workflow data enables historical tracking and
analysis of workflow performance, trends, and patterns over time.
● Reporting and Analysis: Organizations can generate reports and conduct
analysis based on archived workflow data to gain insights into workflow
efficiency, identify process bottlenecks, and measure compliance with service
level agreements (SLAs).

Failures:

Workflow failures occur when workflow instances encounter errors, exceptions, or

unexpected conditions during execution, resulting in the inability to progress through
the defined workflow steps and reach completion.

Functionality:

● Error Handling and Recovery: AEM provides error handling mechanisms and
recovery strategies to address workflow failures and resume or restart failed
instances.
● Logging and Monitoring: Workflow execution logs and monitoring tools help
administrators diagnose and troubleshoot workflow failures, identify root causes,
and implement corrective actions.
● Notification and Alerting: AEM can send notifications or alerts to administrators
or stakeholders when workflow failures occur, enabling timely response and
resolution.
Creating New Workflow:

Creating a workflow model involves several steps, including defining the steps of the
workflow, specifying transitions between steps, identifying participants and their roles,
and configuring any conditions or rules that govern the workflow's behavior. Here's a
general guide on how to create a workflow model:

1. Identify the Process: Clearly define the process or business workflow that you
want to model. Understand the sequence of steps involved, the roles of
participants, and any dependencies or conditions that may apply.
2. Map the Steps: Break down the process into individual steps or tasks. Determine
the order in which these steps should be executed and any dependencies
between them. Consider including steps for initiation, review, approval, and
completion.
3. Specify Transitions: Define the transitions between steps. Determine the
conditions or criteria that must be met for a transition to occur. For example, a
transition from a review step to an approval step may require that the content
meets certain quality standards.
4. Identify Participants and Roles: Determine who will be involved in each step of
the workflow and what their roles and responsibilities are. Assign participants to
specific steps and define their permissions and access levels within the
workflow.
5. Design Workflow Diagram: Create a visual representation of the workflow using
workflow diagramming tools or software. Use symbols and notation to represent
steps, transitions, participants, and decision points. Common notation standards
include BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation) and UML (Unified
Modeling Language) activity diagrams.
6. Configure Workflow Engine: If you're using a workflow management system or
software platform (such as Adobe Experience Manager, SharePoint, or custom-
built workflow engines), configure the workflow model within the system. Define
 the workflow steps, transitions, participants, and any additional settings or
parameters.
7. Test and Iterate: Test the workflow model to ensure that it functions as intended.
Identify any potential issues or bottlenecks and make adjustments as needed.
Iterate on the design based on feedback from stakeholders or actual usage.
8. Document the Workflow: Document the workflow model, including its purpose,
steps, participants, rules, and any other relevant information. This documentation
will serve as a reference for users, administrators, and developers involved in
implementing or managing the workflow.
9. Deploy and Monitor: Deploy the workflow model in your production environment
and monitor its performance and effectiveness over time. Collect feedback from
users and stakeholders to continuously improve the workflow and make
adjustments as necessary.

Steps of Workflow:

Workflow steps represent individual actions or tasks within a larger workflow process.
Depending on the complexity and requirements of the workflow, these steps can vary
significantly. Here's a breakdown of different types of workflow steps commonly
encountered:

1. Initiation Step: This is the first step of the workflow where the process is
triggered. It could involve the creation of a new task, document, or request that
initiates the workflow.
2. Data Collection Step: In this step, data relevant to the workflow is collected. This
could include gathering information from forms, databases, or external sources
needed to proceed with the workflow.
3. Validation Step: Before proceeding further, data collected or inputs provided may
need validation. This step ensures that the information meets certain criteria or
standards required by the workflow.
4. Assignment Step: Tasks or responsibilities are assigned to specific individuals or
groups. This step determines who is responsible for carrying out the next action
in the workflow.
5. Review Step: In a review step, content, documents, or work completed in earlier
steps are evaluated by designated reviewers. This ensures accuracy, quality, and
compliance with standards.
6. Approval Step: Similar to the review step, but with the authority to approve or
reject the work. This often involves higher-level stakeholders or decision-makers
who provide final approval before proceeding.
7. Conditional Step: Depending on certain conditions or criteria, the workflow may
take different paths. Conditional steps allow the workflow to dynamically adapt
based on specific circumstances.
8. Notification Step: Informing stakeholders about the progress, status, or
completion of certain workflow actions. Notifications can be sent via email,
messages within the system, or other communication channels.
 9. Integration Step: In workflows that interact with external systems or services,
integration steps facilitate data exchange or trigger actions in external systems
based on workflow events.
10. Escalation Step: If a task or action remains incomplete or unresolved within a
specified timeframe, escalation steps trigger notifications or reassignments to
ensure timely resolution.
11. Document Generation Step: Creating or generating documents, reports, or other
outputs based on data collected or actions taken within the workflow.
12. Archiving Step: Upon completion of the workflow, documents, data, or records
may need to be archived for future reference or compliance purposes.

These are just a few examples of workflow steps, and the actual steps in a workflow
can vary widely depending on the specific process being modeled. A well-designed
workflow carefully considers each step to ensure efficiency, accuracy, and compliance
with organizational objectives.
In workflow modeling, AND and OR splits represent decision points where the flow of
the process can diverge into multiple paths based on specific conditions or criteria.
Here's how they typically work:

1. AND Split: An AND split occurs when multiple conditions must be met
simultaneously for the workflow to proceed along a particular path. In other
words, all conditions must be true for the workflow to continue down a specific
branch. It's like a logical "and" operator in programming.
Example:
● Condition 1: Document is reviewed
● Condition 2: Document is approved
● If both conditions are met, proceed to the next step.
● If either condition fails, the workflow may take a different path, such as
returning to a previous step for revision.
2. OR Split: An OR split occurs when the workflow can proceed down multiple paths
based on different conditions, and only one of those conditions needs to be true
for the workflow to continue. It's like a logical "or" operator in programming.
Example:
● Condition 1: Document is reviewed and approved
● Condition 2: Document is flagged as urgent
● If either condition is met, proceed to the next step.
● If both conditions fail, the workflow may take a different path, such as
returning to a previous step or being escalated for further review.

Both AND and OR splits are essential for modeling complex workflows that involve
branching logic and decision-making. They allow workflows to adapt dynamically based
on various criteria, enabling more flexible and efficient process automation.

These splits are often represented graphically in workflow diagrams using symbols
such as gateways. In BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation), for instance, AND
splits are typically represented by an "AND" gateway, while OR splits are represented by
an "OR" gateway. These symbols visually indicate decision points in the workflow where
multiple paths may be taken based on different conditions.

To be Continued in the Next Blog.