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Workflow

Compiere's flexible workflow model gives you the ability to define automated workflow rules that match your business practices. The system conforms to Business Process Management standards from the Workflow Management Coalition and Object Management Group.

Compiere enable three types of workflow:

  • General Workflow – Provides guidance and step-by-step instructions for achieving a task. Examples: Setup Wizards or Month End procedures. A user starts them from the menu.
  • Document Process Workflow – Started when processing any document. You can use these workflows to manage approvals. Example: Special approval for orders over a certain amount.
  • Document Value Workflow – The workflow is automatically started when any entity fulfils a user defined condition. Example: Start credit approval for a new Business Partner.

Workflow Components

Nodes and Transitions

A Compiere Workflow is composed of one or more Nodes (Steps). Each Node can have the following Actions:

  • Automatic Process – Any Process, Report, Task, Workflow, Document Action,
  • User Action – Any Window, Form - User needs to confirm Completion
  • Set Variable – Any Column to Constant or Variable
  • User Choice – Any Choice (e.g. approval), List selection
  • Wait (Sleep) – can also be used for Start/End/etc.

Transition between nodes can optionally have conditions. In addition, you can specify multiple transitions, each of which can be processed sequentially or in parallel.

Approvals

Compiere lets you specify a workflow-specific approval hierarchy or it can utilize the organization hierarchy defined in the system.

The entity responsible for a workflow can be an individual, a group, or an organization. Different individuals can be responsible for different nodes/steps in a workflow.

Priority, Escalation and Alerts

Compiere provides dynamic priority management, allowing you to use the workflow engine for call center routing and priority based customer support.

You can define escalation rules (based on inactivity, for example) and send alerts to the workflow responsible and/or the supervisor.

The Compiere Workflow Engine is also Compiere's core transaction management system. That means that all processes in Compiere are automatically workflow enabled and thus are easy to extend and modify.