crossbase Business Process Modeling (BPM)
The new BPM tool from crossbase enables a visually designed workflow which allows for tasks to be displayed transparently.
Albrecht Bosler
CTO, crossbase mediasolution GmbH
With the BPM module, the workflow can be configured and visualized using a graphical editor. In particular, data maintenance and translation processes can be easily mapped. The resulting automated processes can make data maintenance even more efficient and clear!
Editor view of the new crossbase BPM module.
Technically, the BPM consists of:
- the BPM editor GUI (NEW),
- the workflow engine as a backend application (NEW),
- and the customized user interfaces in the applications for data maintenance (crossbase.web and crossbase.pro).
BPM Editor
In the BPM editor symbols can be selected, arranged, connected via arrows and parameterized. Processes can be mapped in a structured manner as follows: process begin, user task, automatic task, time event, parallel gateway and process end.
At the start of the process, the input quantity is determined. This can be anything from objects to be monitored, such as new items, to particular media and text elements.
One or more user groups are assigned to each user task. Additionally, one can set a desired date for completion and fine tune the data to be maintained, e.g. particular attributes, image and text categories.
A distinction is made between user tasks and automatic tasks.
Typical user tasks are the maintenance of images, features, references, texts, translations, statuses or assortments.
Typical automatic tasks include sending e-mails, setting a status, or assigning specific features.
The time event can be used to trigger further tasks, e.g. as soon as the deadline for a task has been exceeded for x days.
With the parallel gateway , several process steps can run in parallel and be connected to a common end point.
Workflow engine
The workflow engine continuously monitors the processes in the background and creates the tasks or removes completed tasks.
The tasks are displayed with the status open ("white"), completed ("green"), skipped ("gray") or canceled ("red"). This status can be reviewed In the BPM editor.
Application surfaces
In the task list the created tasks are displayed in a user-defined way:
- Object (e.g. item)
- Task (e.g. maintain feature)
- Date of receipt
- Desired date
- Description
The tasks can be processed immediately through a direct link. As soon as the task is completed, the workflow engine recognizes this and continues to control the process.
Task list in the web interface (crossbase.web)
