Use the BPM Engine for process and task management within your client.

Introduction

The BPM Engine in yuuvis® Momentum is provided by the BPM-ENGINE service based on the workflow functionality of the open-source software Flowable. In yuuvis® client as reference implementation, it can be integrated in order to support process and task management via the browser application.

Administrators can model process models (process-definitions in Flowable nomenclature) with the help of a Flowable modeler, pack them and export them as applications, and deploy the applications to the BPM-ENGINE service in yuuvis® Momentum. Once deployed in such a manner, a process definition can be instantiated and executed in the BPM Engine. If process instances running in the bpm engine contain user tasks, they will be available in the Inbox of the user to whom they were assigned.

The following information is intended to support administrators to set up Flowable processes that are supported by the reference client.

Processes and Tasks in the Reference Client

yuuvis® client as reference implementation offers three specific views that allow users to handle processes based on Flowable:

Users can create follow-ups for each object via the action menu. The My follow-ups view lists all active follow-ups with their follow-up date.
The Inbox view lists all user tasks that are intended for the authenticated user, such as reminder tasks of follow-up processes that have reached their follow-up date.
As of version 2021 Autumn, all tasks of processes the currently logged-in user is assigned to are listed as well.
As of version 2021 Autumn, the new My processes view lists all processes started by the logged-in user.

Recommendations

If you start a process related to a document, the ID of the document should be saved in the process variable documentId. The reference client uses this variable to retrieve and display object details.
When starting a process, specify a meaningful value for the process property name since it will be shown in the Process column in the My processes view.
When modeling a workflow, specify meaningful names for Tasks, since they will be shown in the Task column in the Inbox view.

Inbox

As of version 2021 Autumn, besides the follow-up tasks, the inbox lists all other BPM tasks as well. The following properties are displayed:

Column in yuuvis® client	Technical details	Description
Type	If the process parameter `processDefinitionName` is `Follow-up`, then `Follow-up`. Otherwise `Task.` As of 2021 Winter, an icon is displayed. If the process parameter `processDefinition.idPrefix` is `follow-up`, then a bell is shown and the tooltip shows `Follow-up`. Otherwise, a general process icon is shown and a tooltip with the localized prefix. If no localization is configured, the technical prefix is displayed.	The description that was entered while creating the follow-up.
Task	Task `name`	The time the follow-up (process) was created.
as of 2021 Winter: Subject	Web-API Gateway parameter `subject`, represented as Flowable string variable `subject`	Set while creating the process or during the process while saving the Flowable process variable `appClientsystem_subject` of type `string`
Received as of 2021 Winter: Received on	Task `CreateTime`	The date and time the task was created. The value corresponds to the due date that was entered while creating the follow-up.

As of version 2021 Winter, the inbox offers a task details area with the aspects Task, History, and Attachments (not on the following screenshot).

The following screenshot shows the three possible elements of the aspect Task:

A static task description is shown if the task name (here: 2nd_task_dynform) that is set in the Flowable process model has a description representation in the localization for the language the user has set. Use the key <task name>_description for the task description and <task name>_title for localizing the task name itself.
Dynamic messages if the Flowable variable appClientsystem_taskMessages of type JSON have been saved. Message can be plane text lines or as unformatted lists. Colors are given by a level parameter. More details are given here: (link will come soon).
A static or dynamic form. The static form is set via Flowable formKey and a form model that was saved with this name.
The dynamic form can be set by saving the Flowable variable appClientsystem_taskMessages of type JSON. More details are given here: (link will come soon)

My processes

As of version 2021 Autumn, all processes including follow-ups are listed as soon as they are started by the user. The following properties are affected:

Column in yuuvis® client	Technical details	Description
Type	Process-definition parameter `processDefinitionName` As of 2021 Winter, an icon is displayed. If the process parameter `processDefinition.idPrefix` is `follow-up`, then a bell is shown and the tooltip shows `Follow-up`. Otherwise, a general process icon is shown and a tooltip with the localized prefix. If no localization is configured, the technical prefix is displayed.	Process definition name
Process (not available anymore as of version 2021)	Process-instance parameter `name` (as set when starting the process instance)	Process instance name (e.g., a case number)
Created on	Process-instance parameter `startTime`	The time the process was created.
Status	Derived from the process-instance parameters `completed` and `suspended`	The status of the process can be running, suspended, or completed. The status is given in the user's language.

My follow-ups

This view lists the follow-up processes with the following specific properties:

Column in yuuvis® client	Corresponding Counterpart in BPM Engine	Description
Description (not available anymore as of version 2021)	Process variable `whatAbout`	The description that was entered while creating the follow-up.
as of 2021 Winter: Subject	Web-API Gateway parameter `subject`, represented as Flowable string variable `subject`	Set while creating the process.
Created on	Process parameter `startTime`	The time the follow-up (process) was created.
Follow-up date	Process variable `expiryDateTime`	The due date that was entered while creating the follow-up.
Status	Derived from process parameters `endTime` and `suspended`	Possible values for Status are `running`, `completed` and `suspended`.

Starting a Process for an Object via a Plug-in Action

The object actions can be extended with a plug-in action that can be offered in the MORE ACTIONS action group. The following example shows the Two step process action, which starts a process based on the twosteptest_proc process model (mapped to Flowable processDefinitionKey) for a single marked object or for multiple selected objects.

As of 2021 Winter, the objects are displayed in the attachment task of the task details for a selected task in the Inbox.

To provide the example Two step process action in a client, import the client plug-in configuration file shown below. To be able to import a settings file, users need an administrative role.
>> Extending Clients with Plug-ins

The twosteptest_proc process model has to be deployed to the Flowable BPM Engine.

Plug-in Configuration for an Example 'Two step pocess'

{
  "disabled": false,
  "actions": [
    {
      "id": "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.label",
      "label": "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.label",
      "description": "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.description",
      "priority": 0,
      "icon": "<svg height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\"> <path d=\"M0 0h24v24H0V0z\" fill=\"none\"></path> <path d=\"M4 10h12v2H4zM4 6h12v2H4zM4 14h8v2H4zM14 14v6l5-3z\"></path> </svg>",
      "group": "further",
      "range": "MULTI_SELECT",
      "isExecutable": "(item) => item.id",
      "run": "(selection) => this.http.post('/bpm/processes', {businessKey: selection[0].id, name: selection[0].title || selection[0].id, processDefinitionKey: 'twosteptest_proc', attachments: selection.map((s) => s.id), subject: selection[0].title, variables: [{ name: 'myVariable', type: 'string', value: 'Lorem ipsum' }]},'api-web').then(() => this.util.notifier.success(this.util.translate('yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.success')))"
    },
    "yuv-download-action",
    "yuv-delete-action",
    "yuv-delete",
    "yuv-upload",
    "yuv-upload-action",
    "yuv-move-action",
    "yuv-move",
    "yuv-follow-up-action",
    "yuv-follow-up",
    "yuv-reference-action",
    "yuv-open-context-action",
    "yuv-open-versions-action",
    "yuv-clipboard-action",
    "yuv-clipboard-link-action"
  ],
  "translations": {
    "en": {
      "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.label": "Two step process",
      "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.description": "Starts simple process with two steps, also for many objects",
      "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.success": "Process has started"
    },
    "de": {
      "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.label": "Zweischritteprozess",
      "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.description": "Startet einen einfachen Prozess mit zwei Schritten, auch für mehrere Prozesse",
      "yuv.custom.action.two.step.multi.success": "Prozess wurde gestartet"
    }
  }
}

Handling of Task Forms

As of version 2021 Winter, the Inbox view displays tasks in task forms that can be configured in order to provide a specific form for a specific Flowable task. The configuration can be done via following steps:

Display the task in the Flowable process modeler and write a technical name into the property FormKey.
Define your configuration in a JSON file as shown below.
Save this form using the configuration endpoint in the admin-controller or system-controller of the Web-API Gateway. Use the value of FormKey for the path parameter name of the configuration.
>> POST /api-web/api/admin/resources/config/{name} or POST /api-web/api/system/resources/config/{name}

The client is calling this configuration file using the corresponding endpoint of the resource-controller of the Web-API Gateway.

Structure of the JSON Configuration File

The JSON format for task forms is the same as used for the object forms. Thus, the complete feature set is supported here as well. The expandable code block below shows an example configuration.

The Flowable variable names are specified as values for the key name. We recommend user task names with a prefix (in the example: 'xyz') for easier localization.

If the variable has not been used in the process before the form is called, the given values are saved to these variables after saving the form.

The property types used in forms for yuuvis® Momentum objects can be used for the Flowable variable types as well. Only the yuuvis® property type decimal is mapped to the Flowable variable type double, and the yuuvis® property type datetime is mapped to the Flowable variable type date.

The yuuvis® table properties are saved as in a variable of type JSON.

All other attributes given in this example are mostly self-explanatory.

Example Configuration

{
  "name": "twosteptest_proc:1st_task",
  "situation": "EDIT",
  "script": "",
  "elements": [
    {
      "name": "core",
      "type": "o2mGroup",
      "elements": [
        {
          "type": "o2mGroup", 
          "layout": {
              "align": "row"
          },
          "elements": [
           {
              "type": "o2mGroup", 
              "name": "xyzSimplefields",
              "layout": {
                  "align": "column"
              },
              "elements": [
                {
                  "name": xyzDatetime",
                  "type": "datetime",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzDate",
                  "type": "datetime",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false,
                  "resolution": "date"
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzInteger",
                  "type": "integer",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzDecimal",
                  "type": "decimal",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzString",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "rows": 1,
                  "readonly": false                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzStringmultirow",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "rows": 3,
                  "readonly": false
                }
              ]
            },
            {
              "type": "o2mGroup", 
              "name": "xyzComplexfields", 
              "layout": {
                  "align": "column"
              },
              "elements": [
                {
                  "name": "xyzEmail",
                  "type": "string",
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false,
                  "classifications": ["email"]
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzUrl",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "readonly": false,
                  "classifications": ["url"]
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzPhone",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "readonly": false,
                  "classifications": ["phone"]
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzUser",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false,
                  "classifications": ["id:organization"]
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzReference",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false,
                  "classifications": ["id:reference[]"],
                  "label": "Reference"
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzCatalogcustom",
                  "type": "string",
                  "required": false,
                  "cardinality": "single",
                  "readonly": false,
                  "classifications": ["custom:catalog[/api-web/api/dms/catalogs/tenMytenant:processstatus]"],
                  "label": "Catalog status"
                },
                {
                  "name": "xyzBroc:boolean",
                  "type": "boolean",
                  "required": false,
                  "readonly": false,
                  "label": "Boolean"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        {
          "name": "xyzTest_table",
          "type": "table",
          "required": false,
          "readonly": false,
          "label": "Notices",
          "description": "List of notices",
          "classifications": "sortable",
          "elements": [
            {
              "name": "xyzColumn_string",
              "type": "string",
              "required": false,
              "cardinality": "single",
              "readonly": false,
              "label": "String"
            },
            {
              "name": "xyzColumn_date",
              "type": "datetime",
              "required": false,
              "cardinality": "single",
              "readonly": false,
              "label": "Date"
            },
            {
              "name": "xyzColumn_user",
              "type": "string",
              "required": false,
              "cardinality": "single",
              "classifications": ["id:organization"],
              "readonly": false,
              "label": "User"
            },
            {
              "name": "xyzColumn_boolean",
              "type": "boolean",
              "required": false,
              "cardinality": "single",
              "readonly": false,
              "label": "Boolean"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "name": "data",
      "type": "o2mGroupStack",
      "elements": [],
          "layout": { "align": "column" },
          "label": "Table group"
    }
  ]
}

Hint: the key-value pair "classifications": ["sortable"] allows the user to sort the table rows manually by drag & drop.

The following client-spezific Flowable variables are available:

Task parameter
(Web-API Gateway GET tasks) Example format Flowable variable name Example format Description

subject

"subject": "My subject"

appClientsystem_subject

{
  "action": "save",
  "variables": [
    {
      "name": "appClientsystem_subject",
      "type": "string",
      "value": "My subject"
    }

Process subject

The client-specific task parameter subject is presented in the Subject column of the Inbox.

The parameter can be set using the Web-API Gateway GET/PUT endpoints for tasks or the corresponding BPM-API endpoints for setting the variable appClientsystem_subject.

attachments

"attachments": ["GUID1","GUID2", "GUID2"]

appClientsystem_attachments

{
  "action": "save",
  "variables": [
    {
      "name": "appClientsystem_attachments",
      "type": "json",
      "value": [ 
          "GUID1",
          "GUID2"
      ]
    }

Process attachments

The client-specific task parameter attachment is used for the tasks' Attachments aspect area of the Inbox. The value is an array of object GUIDs. The title of the corresponding objects is displayed in the list of attachments for users.

The parameter can be set using the Web-API Gateway GET/PUT endpoints for tasks or the corresponding BPM-API endpoints for setting the variable appClientsystem_attachment.

taskMessages

Example code for the GET task's response of the Web-API Gateway:

"taskMessages": [
  {
    "message": "messageWithoutColor"
  },
  {
    "level": "error",
    "message": "messageError",
    "type": "ul"
  },
  {
    "level": "warning",
    "message": "messageWarning",
    "type": "ul"
  },
  {
    "level": "info",
    "message": "messageError"
  },
  {
    "message": "Not translated message"
  }
]

appClientsystem_taskMessages

Example code for setting the Flowable variable appClientsystem_taskMessages via BPM-API PUT tasks:

{
  "action": "save",
  "variables": [
    {
      "name": "appClientsystem_taskMessages",
      "type": "json",
      "value": [ 
        {
          "message": "messageWithoutColor"
        },
        {
          "level": "error",
          "message": "messageError",
          "type": "ul"
        },
        {
          "level": "warning",
          "message": "messageWarning",
          "type": "ul"
        },
        {
          "level": "info",
          "message": "messageError"
        },
        {
          "message": "Not translated message"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Configure Task Messages

This client-specific task parameter can be used to present necessary information for working on this particular task. The messages are presented on the top of the Task aspect area in the Inbox.

The level parameter specifies the formatting of the corresponding messages. The following values are available:

level	description
`without level`	The message is rendered in the normal format
`info`	The text is rendered in the accent color
`error`	Text is rendered in Red
`warning`	Text is rendered in Orange

If the message is a localization key, the key will be translated (see messageError in the example). The keys do not need an appended _label as required for the name for a form field.

'"Type": "ul" can be used to render messages with this setting in a list.

The value specified for taskMessages is retrieved by the GET tasks endpoint of the Web-API Gateway and can only be set by via the Flowable variable appClientsystem_taskMessages.

taskForm

Example code for the GET tasks response of the Web-API Gateway using schemaProperties:

"taskForm": {
    "schemaProperties": [
      "tenMytenant:strsingle",
      "tenMytenant:datesingle"
    ]

Example code for the GET tasks response of the Web-API Gateway using a form model:

"taskForm": {
    "model": {
            "name": "twosteptest_proc:2nd_task",
            "situation": "EDIT",
            "script": "",
            "elements": [
              {
                "name": "core",
                "type": "o2mGroup",
                "elements": [
                  {
                    "type": "o2mGroup", 
                    "layout": {
                        "align": "row"
                    },
                    "elements": [
                    {
                        "type": "o2mGroup", 
                        "name": "twosteptest_proc:simplefields",
                        "layout": {
                            "align": "column"
                        },
                        "elements": [
                          {
                            "name": "twosteptest_proc:date",
                            "labelkey": "Date",
                            "type": "datetime",
                            "required": false,
                            "cardinality": "single",
                            "readonly": false,
                            "resolution": "date"
                          },
                          {
                            "name": "twosteptest_proc:string",
                            "type": "string",
                            "cardinality": "single",
                            "required": false,
                            "rows": 1,
                            "readonly": false                
                          }
                        ]
                      }
                    ]
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
     ]

appClientsystem_taskForm

Example code for setting the Flowable variable appClientsystem_taskForm via BPM-API PUT tasks using schemaProperties:

{
  "action": "save",
  "variables": [
    {
      "name": "appClientsystem_taskForm",
      "type": "json",
      "value": { 
        "schemaProperties": [
          "tenMytenant:strsingle",
          "tenMytenant:datesingle"
        ]
      }
    }
  ]
}

Example code for saving the Flowable variable appClientsystem_taskForm via BPM-API PUT tasks using a form model:

{
  "action": "save",
  "variables": [
    {
      "name": "appClientsystem_taskForm",
      "type": "json",
      "value": { 
        "model":
          {
            "name": "twosteptest_proc:2nd_task",
            "situation": "EDIT",
            "script": "",
            "elements": [
              {
                "name": "core",
                "type": "o2mGroup",
                "elements": [
                  {
                    "type": "o2mGroup", 
                    "layout": {
                        "align": "row"
                    },
                    "elements": [
                    {
                        "type": "o2mGroup", 
                        "name": "twosteptest_proc:simplefields",
                        "layout": {
                            "align": "column"
                        },
                        "elements": [
                          {
                            "name": "twosteptest_proc:date",
                            "labelkey": "Date",
                            "type": "datetime",
                            "required": false,
                            "cardinality": "single",
                            "readonly": false,
                            "resolution": "date"
                          },
                          {
                            "name": "twosteptest_proc:string",
                            "type": "string",
                            "cardinality": "single",
                            "required": false,
                            "rows": 1,
                            "readonly": false                
                          }
                        ]
                      }
                    ]
                  }
                ]
              }
            ]
          }
      }
    }
  ]
}

Configure the Task Form

This client-specific task parameter can be used to specify user-relevant properties to be displayed in the task form. Each property is specified by its name. The attributes of this property determine the style of the form field.

Form fields can be handled either by

listing the relevant properties in schemaProperties or
configuring a more complex form with form model syntax in a model.

If name does not have a representation in the schema, it will be ignored.

The code clock below shows an example for the Flowable representation of a yuuvis table property. Tables are only shown up in a form where the types of the column properties are added as seen above.

    {
      "name": "twosteptest_proc:test_table",
      "type": "json",
      "value": [
        {
          "twosteptest_proc:column_string": "abc",
          "twosteptest_proc:column_date": "2021-09-07T17:31Z",
          "twosteptest_proc:column_user": "2685df3a-1cf8-4da3-968c-0a4a10b48921",
          "twosteptest_proc:column_boolean": true
        }
      ],
      "scope": "global"
    },

Start Forms for Starting Processes

As of version 2021 Winter, a plug-in action is available that allows to start a process via a start form as shown in the example screenshot. If all form fields are filled with valid values, the Start button is enabled. Both form fields User and Comment are required variables for starting a process. The code block below shows the corresponding plug-in configuration offering a start form with the name taskform in the object action view (displayed after a click on the object action Test process with role assignment).

Example Plugin Configuration Start Form

{ 
  "disabled": false,
  "actions": [
    {
      "id": "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.label",
      "label": "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.label",
      "description": "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.description",
      "priority": 1,
      "icon": "<svg height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" xmlns=\"http://www.w3.org/2000/svg\"> <path d=\"M0 0h24v24H0V0z\" fill=\"none\"></path> <path d=\"M4 10h12v2H4zM4 6h12v2H4zM4 14h8v2H4zM14 14v6l5-3z\"></path> </svg>",
      "group": "further",
      "range": "MULTI_SELECT",
      "isExecutable": "(item) => item.id",
      "buttons": {
        "finish": "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.start"
      },
      "plugin": {
        "component": "yuv-object-form",
        "inputs": {
          "__initOptions": "this.http.get(`/resources/config/taskform`, 'api-web').then((res) => {component.cmp.options = {formModel: res.data.tenant, disabled: false}})",
          "__init": "() => parent.finished.subscribe((event) => { var selection = parent.selection; var cmp = component.cmp; this.http.post('/bpm/processes',{businessKey: selection[0].id,name: selection[0].title || selection[0].id,processDefinitionKey: 'userGroupAssignment',attachments: selection.map((s) => s.id),subject: selection[0].title,variables: [{ name: 'user', type: 'string', value: cmp.formData.user || '' },{ name: 'comment', type: 'string', value: cmp.formData.comment || '' },{ name: 'nextUserAssignee', type: 'string', value: 'fakeUserId' },{ name: 'nextGroupAssignee', type: 'string', value: 'YUUVIS_MANAGE_SETTINGS' }]},'api-web').then(() => this.util.notifier.success(this.util.translate('yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.success')))})"
        },
        "outputs": {
          "statusChanged": "(status) => { parent.disabled = status.invalid; }"
        }
      }
    },
    "*"
  ],
  "translations": {
    "en": {
      "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.label": "Test process with role assignment",
      "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.description": "Starts a process with two tasks. Second task assigned to YUUVIS_MANAGE_SETTINGS",
      "yuv.custom.action.userGroupAssignment.multi.success": "Process has started"
    }
  }
}

The following code block shows the form definition for the plug-in action example displayed above:

Definition Example

 {
  "description": "This form is used during process start and both task of process userGroupAssignment",
  "name": "taskform",
  "situation": "EDIT",
  "elements": [
    {
      "name": "core",
      "type": "o2mGroup",
      "elements": [
        {
          "name": "user",
          "labelkey": "userGroupAssignment:user",
          "type": "string",
          "cardinality": "single",
          "required": true,
          "readonly": false,
          "classifications": ["id:organization"]
        },
        {
          "name": "comment",
          "labelkey": "userGroupAssignment:comment",
          "type": "string",
          "required": true,
          "readonly": false,
          "rows": 3
        }
      ],
      "layout": {
        "align": "column"
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "data",
      "label": "data",
      "type": "o2mGroupStack",
      "elements": []
    }
  ]
}

As of version 2021 Winter, the value multi is supported as an alternative for the value single of the property cardinality in order to configure a multi-value field:

If the cardinality of a field is single, its type is mapped to the type of the Flowable variable with the same name.
If the cardinality of a field is multi, the Flowable variable type is set to JSON and its values are listed in the specified JSON structure.

yuuvis® Momentum 2021 Winter LTS

Connection of BPM Engine