Connecting Workflow Apps
Questetra BPM Suite allows you to:
Call “Workflow App Y” (the child app)
from within “Workflow App X” (the parent app)
This makes it possible to connect multiple Workflow Apps and run them as part of a coordinated business process.
- Step 1. Place a [Message Start Event (HTTP)] in the child app and release the app.
- Step 2. Place a [Service Task (Start Child Process)] in the parent app, specify the child app to call, and release the parent app.
Modeling Elements Used
〈Service Task (Start Child Process)〉
- Specify the Data Items to be passed to easily connect one Workflow App with another.
〈Message Start Event (HTTP)〉
- Automatically starts a new Process when an HTTP request is received.
* You can also use a [Message Throwing Intermediate Event (HTTP)], but that method is not covered in this article.
Why Connect Workflow Apps?
There are many reasons to connect Workflow Apps—or to split a Workflow App into multiple apps. The six main reasons are:
1. Improved Process Visibility
Breaking a large workflow into smaller units keeps each Process Diagram simple and makes the overall process easier for everyone involved to understand.
2. Data Consistency
Business data from the parent Process is automatically transferred to the child Process, reducing the risk of manual data entry errors.
3. Workflow Reusability
Frequently used procedures, such as legal reviews, translations, and inspections, can be created as child apps and reused by multiple parent apps.
4. Scalability
By configuring a loop in the parent app to start multiple child Processes, you can easily create a one-to-many relationship between a parent Process and its child Processes.
5. Clearer Responsibilities
For example, the Sales Department can manage a billing flow as parent app, while the Accounting Department manages payment confirmation flow as a child app. This makes it possible to separate data access permissions and responsibility for process improvement.
6. Easier Error Isolation and Retries
If an error occurs in a child Process, only that child Process needs to be rerun. This helps reduce the workload involved in handling process failures.
Examples
Parent App
Child / Grandchild App
Wait for Child Process Completion?
Blog Production Flow
Translation Flow
Wait
Web Content Production Flow
Translation Flow
Wait
Contract Process
Legal Review Process
Wait
Billing Flow
Payment Confirmation Flow
Don’t Wait
Distribution List Setup Process (Loop / Recursive Call Structure)
Email Distribution Process
Don’t Wait
Inquiry Intake Process
Inquiry Response Process (Child App)
Don’t Wait
Inquiry Intake Process
FAQ Update and Retirement Process (Grandchild App)
Don’t Wait
By splitting Workflow Apps appropriately and connecting them together, you can design business processes that are easier to understand, reuse, operate, and scale. Long live Business Process Management!
