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Module 35: Building Siebel
Workflow Processes
Siebel 8.0 Essentials
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Module Objectives
After completing this module you should be able to:
List the types of workflow processes and workflow steps
Create a new workflow process and configure business service,
Siebel operation, and decision steps

Why you need to know:
Siebel workflow processes are one of several declarative
techniques to automate business logic
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Workflow Process
Is an ordered set of steps executed in response to a defined set
of conditions
Is used to automate parts of a business processes in a Siebel
application

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Workflow Designer
Siebel Tools includes a Workflow Designer used to create,
examine, and modify Siebel workflow processes
Contains a palette, workspace, and associated property windows
Palette of
workflow steps
Properties window
(displays properties
of selected item)
Workspace for
editing workflows
Multi Value Property Window
(displays properties of child
records of selected item)
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Workflow Process Steps
Siebel workflow processes consist of different types of steps
Sub process
step
Decision
point step
Business
service step
User interact
step
Start step
End step
eSales Complete Checkout Process
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Workflow Process Steps Continued
All workflow processes have a:
Start step
End step
Workflow processes often include the following common steps:
Business service step
Siebel operation step
Decision point step
Start step
End step
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Siebel Operation Step
Performs the following operations on a business component
Insert
Update
Delete
Query
Next record and previous record operations supported for iteration
over multiple records returned by a query
Queries the Contact
business component
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Business Service Step
Invokes a method of a business service
Invokes the Truncate method of the
StringManipulation business service
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Decision Point Step
Allows a workflow to branch to one of multiple steps based on
the value of inputs
If input = yes
If input = no
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Process Properties
Process properties are variables that store inputs used by and
outputs produced by workflow steps
Each workflow process has a set of process properties that
persist while the workflow process is executing
Some are populated when the workflow process is invoked
Some return data to invoking workflow process or business service
upon completion
Specific to
this workflow
Some of default properties that
appear in all workflows
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Process Properties Continued
Provide inputs to workflow steps
Receive outputs from workflow steps
Can be used as inputs for following steps
FirstName
LastName
ContactCode
StringManipulation
Length
Truncate
Concatenate
String1
String
String2
String
OutputString
String
Business
service step
Process
Properties
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Configuring a Siebel Workflow
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1. Create a New Workflow Process
2. Specify the Process Properties
3. Add Workflow Steps
4. Configure the Steps
5. Validate the Workflow Process
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1. Create a New Workflow Process
In Siebel Tools, select the Workflow Process object type
Create a new workflow process definition
Enter the process name
Assign the process to a locked project
Assign a business object
Provides context for references to business components and fields
Right-click and select Edit Workflow Process to invoke the
Workflow Designer
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2. Specify the Process Properties
Select the Process Properties tab in the Multi Value Property
Window (MVPW) to display the default process properties
Edit the default set of process properties
Add new process properties to store additional values created and
used by the workflow steps
Leave the default process properties as is

Default process properties
for all workflows
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3. Add Workflow Steps
Add a start and end step to the designer
Drag steps from the palette to the workspace
Add other steps as required
Add connectors to sequence the steps
Make sure that connector ends are anchored (red box appears)



Dynamic connectors (are drawn automatically
with right angles as necessary)
Connector anchored
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4. Configure the Steps (Siebel Operation)
For each Siebel operation step
Specify the business component and operation
Use the properties window
Specify additional child arguments as required in the MVPW
Field names
Search spec input arguments
Output arguments

Business
component
Operation
Fields retrieved
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4. Configure the Steps (Business Service)
For each business service step
Specify the business service name and business service method
Use the Properties window
Business service
and method
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4. Configure the Steps (Business Service) Continued
For each business service step
Specify inputs to use in the workflow
Select the Input Arguments tab in the MVPW
Assign a literal value or a process property to each input
Specify outputs of the business service step
Select the Output arguments tab in the MVPW
Assign each output to a process property
Input arguments
defined for method
Constant value
assigned as input
Value of process property
assigned as input
Value of output argument
assigned to process property
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4. Configure the Steps (Decision Point Step) Continued
For each decision point step, set conditions on each branch
(connector) originating at the step
Select connector
Right-click and select Edit Conditions

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4. Configure the Steps (Decision Point Step)
Enter the condition criteria for each branch in the Compose
Condition Criteria dialog box
Do not create a condition criteria for the default branch
Execution path taken if no other branches are satisfied
Does contact have
a middle name
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5. Validate the Workflow Process
Save all the configuration performed in the Workflow Designer
Return to the Workflow Process List
Right-click the workflow and select Validate
Click Start to perform the validation checks
Syntactic errors are displayed in the Errors window
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Additional Workflow Steps
Siebel workflows may contain additional types of steps
Sub process
Invokes another workflow process as a sub process
User interact
Navigates the user a view and waits for user activity
Wait
Pauses the workflow for a specified period of time before proceeding
Stop
Stops the workflow process instance if a predefined exception occurs
Task
Invokes a Siebel task (subject of a subsequent module)

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Workflow Modes
Workflows are characterized by modes that describe their
runtime behavior
Service Flow
Executes a discrete set of steps and completes
Is the default mode for a new workflow
Cannot include wait or user interact steps
Interactive flow
Designed to navigate users through a set of views
Is being replaced by Siebel tasks
Long running flow
Is a workflow that is intended to persist for some indeterminate period
of time
Can be paused and resumed as an inbox item
Cannot include a wait step
7.0 flows
Provided for backward compatibility of workflows defined prior to
Siebel 7.5 release
Should not be used for any new workflows
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Module Highlights
A workflow process is an ordered set of steps executed in
response to a defined set of conditions
Is used to automate parts of a business processes in a Siebel
application
Siebel workflow processes consist of different types of steps
(Business service, Siebel operation, decision point, etc.)
Process properties are variables that store inputs used by and
outputs produced by workflow steps
Build a workflow process by:
Creating a new workflow process
Specifying the process properties
Adding workflow steps
Configuring each step
Validating the workflow process
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Lab
In the lab you will:
Configure a workflow process that includes business service steps
Configure a workflow process that includes a decision point step