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Introduction to Workflow System

Workflow System enables you to run business activity in the backend. Users and front-ends benefit from 

  • Non-blocking behavior: the user can continue working after triggering a workflow
  • Scalability and redundancy: job processor farms can load-balance the work and compensate failures
  • Customizability: functionality is not hard-coded into applications but can be easily adapted
  • Monitoring: the state and progress can be easily tracked
  • Reusability: functionality has to be implemented only once and can be reused from any client, also 3rd party

Workflow Basics

The DPE Workflow System is based on the Microsoft Workflow Foundation library.

A workflow template is a recipe containing a sequence of operations. It is used as a template for workflow instances. 

A workflow activity is a single operation in a workflow template. Some activities delegate their work to jobs.

A job is an operation executed through one of optionally many job processors (optionally on different machines). Using jobs is the way to scale workflow operations.

A workflow instance is a living copy of a workflow template. It has a status (e.g. Scheduled, Running, Finished, Failed) and a progress.

Component Overview


ComponentDescriptionRelated Topics

Workflow Monitor

Workflow Monitor web page can be used to monitor the status and progress of workflows. It can also be used to cancel workflows or to change their priority.

Monitoring Workflows

Job MonitorJob Monitor web page can be used to monitor the status and progress of jobs. Monitoring Jobs
Workflow TemplatesWorkflow Templates web page can be used to import and export workflow templates.Importing Workflow Templates
Workflow ServiceWorkflow Service is part of DPE Services and offers a programming interface (API) to manage the workflow database. A user has no direct contact to it.
Job ServiceJob Service is part of DPE Services and offers a programming interface (API) to manage the job database. A user has no direct contact to it.
Workflow WorkerWorkflow Worker is the component that executes workflows. It is part of the Workflow Server application.Configuring Workflow Worker
Workflow SchedulerWorkflow Scheduler is the component that can instantiate workflows based on a schedule. It is part of the Workflow Server application.Configuring Workflow Scheduler
Workflow Table WatcherWorkflow Table Watcher is the component that can instantiate workflows based on changes in a DigaSystem table. It is part of the Workflow Server application.Configuring Workflow Table Watcher
Workflow Folder WatcherWorkflow Folder Watcher is the component that can instantiate workflows based on changes in a file system folder. It is part of the Workflow Server application.Configuring Workflow Folder Watcher
Content ManagerSome user actions in the Content Manager web page instantiate workflows, e.g. dragging an entry from one table to another instantiates a copy workflow.Content Manager
3rd Party Workflow Triggers3rd party applications can instantiate workflows using the Workflow Service API.
Job ProcessorsJob processor applications are executing jobs.Installing a Job Processor, Configuring Job Processors
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