Workflow
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Workflow processes are used to enforce business rules, such as who sees an item, the sequence of events an item goes through, the routing of an item, or even when an item can be created or deleted. Microsoft® Office XP Developer creates workflow processes specifically for Microsoft® Exchange folders or for Microsoft® SQL Server™ databases. When workflow is applied, all items in that folder must conform to the information flow created by the workflow process.
A workflow process is made up of a series of tasks and events, the order in which they must occur, and (optionally) the script that is executed for each event. In its simplest form, a workflow process automates and enforces the order of tasks. For example, a user can create a new item in a folder and assign it to another user. This user can resolve the item and assign it to the original user who then can close the issue.
Office Developer uses a graphical user interface (GUI) to represent the workflow process as a diagram that can be automated, extended, and edited. The conceptual model for a workflow process includes states, events, and transitions.
| Workflow component | Description |
|---|---|
| State | A state defines the current status of an item in the workflow process, such as Resolved. |
| Event | An event defines the operations that can be performed on an item, such as Create. In addition, workflow events can be used to trigger scripts. |
| Transition | A transition, which is a special type of event, moves an item from one state to another, such as Change. When creating a transition, in addition to selecting the event, you must specify the next state. |
See Also
Which Technologies Should You Use? | Workflow: Technology Backgrounder | Workflow Data Stores | Security