Next Step to close the BPM loop ...

I have seen the new CTP (Community Technichal Preview) for the BizTalk Server 2006 extensions for Windows Workflow Foundation. Some of you might have seen our findings in 2005 on interoperability between Microsoft BizTalk Server and SAP XI (now SAP NetWeaver XI). We released a whitepaper (2005) with a pretty good overview that time. It looks like we are better prepared now on the Workflow/Process Management Layer (see page 10 of that paper) since the discussion on BPEL is ongoing without having a final descision made.

Go to Paul Andrews blog and read about the new capabilities of BizTalk to connect to WF.
Now you would be able to design lots of the workflow capabilities (outside standard functionallity of SAP) in WF or BizTalk and trigger the respective transactions in XI or another Service Interface in SAP. CTP means the SDK is in early stages now so you can still give feedback and help improving the product.

I often get the feedback that BizTalk is all about developing a solution. This is not correct since most of the work (if not all, depending on requirements) can be done through configuration of properties, wizards and design time controls. - it's worth giving it a try.

-Tilo