I have not used the package in anger yet as i am just throwing some ideas around but i want to build a document approval workflow rather than a content workflow and i have thought about using this package as the engine.
I would build the webforms to create the documents and the workflows for managing the approval process.
I would then build forms to pull info out of the workflow to present to the users.
i know i could build a process using standard mvc etc but i like the idea of the workflow designer to quickly author new workflows and handle changes to existing flows etc. and it wont be the first time ive used umbraco for something else other than web content.
What does anyone with experience of the package think about using it this way? Is it just a bad or idea or does it have legs?
I don't see any reason not to do this - You can attach Umbraco media items to workflow. However the interesting challenge is that the owners and approvers of workflow tasks are back office CMS users, rather than front end website visitors (members in Umbraco).
So your document uploaders/approvers would have to have a CMS back office session for your idea to work.
Also, If you look at the source there are two distinct Visual studio solutions - Workflow, and Workflow for Umbraco so you could use the vanilla .net implementation instead...
I need to do some form of impersonation on the users from members.
The approval process is multi level so i could use an Order Status docType and have folders for each status. I could then have a workflow for each status to move it on or backwards if rejected.
One sticky point is a need a parallel group type approval, i.e. everyone from a set of people have to approve the doc or it gets rejected and they all need to get a notification to approve at the same time rather than sequentially. Still figuring that one out.
Is there a max number of outputs on the decision tasks?
If i can solve these things it might solve an age old problem weve had for having to build entire systems for new job types. Be great to be able to just define a new workflow type instead that is easy to change! :)
Use the package for a document approval workflow?
I have not used the package in anger yet as i am just throwing some ideas around but i want to build a document approval workflow rather than a content workflow and i have thought about using this package as the engine.
I would build the webforms to create the documents and the workflows for managing the approval process.
I would then build forms to pull info out of the workflow to present to the users.
i know i could build a process using standard mvc etc but i like the idea of the workflow designer to quickly author new workflows and handle changes to existing flows etc. and it wont be the first time ive used umbraco for something else other than web content.
What does anyone with experience of the package think about using it this way? Is it just a bad or idea or does it have legs?
Looking forward to your thoughts.
I don't see any reason not to do this - You can attach Umbraco media items to workflow. However the interesting challenge is that the owners and approvers of workflow tasks are back office CMS users, rather than front end website visitors (members in Umbraco).
So your document uploaders/approvers would have to have a CMS back office session for your idea to work.
Also, If you look at the source there are two distinct Visual studio solutions - Workflow, and Workflow for Umbraco so you could use the vanilla .net implementation instead...
Thats great. Thanks for the info Darren. I will go and have a closer look at it now and let you know how I get on if you are interested?
Damian
Sure - always interested to see what is being done with the product!
Liking the look of this. Great package! :)
I need to do some form of impersonation on the users from members.
The approval process is multi level so i could use an Order Status docType and have folders for each status. I could then have a workflow for each status to move it on or backwards if rejected.
One sticky point is a need a parallel group type approval, i.e. everyone from a set of people have to approve the doc or it gets rejected and they all need to get a notification to approve at the same time rather than sequentially. Still figuring that one out.
Is there a max number of outputs on the decision tasks?
If i can solve these things it might solve an age old problem weve had for having to build entire systems for new job types. Be great to be able to just define a new workflow type instead that is easy to change! :)
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