Add “Auto-posting to Slack” icon to your process modeling pallet!

Kyoto, Japan – September 5th, 2016 – Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 11.1 of the Cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite” on Sep. 5th, 2016. In this new version 11.1, Modelling Elements which were not included as standard functions, such as “Automatic submission to other Cloud” or “Automatic conversion to CSV format” are now available. (Service-Task add-on feature)

To formulate a “Quotation submission” into Workflow (Business system), for example, a Process-owner (administrator of business operation) would arrange several human-processing Steps and automated Steps to create a Business Process Definition (Modelling). Specifically, to define by drag & drop placement of Step-icons, such as #1) Drafting, #2) Approving, #3) Submitting, #4) Reporting the Result, #5) Storing the PDF of Winning Quotation into File Server.

Thus far, it was also possible for anyone to undergo the automation of processing easily with icons of pre-equipped Auto-processing Steps, such as “Auto-generation of PDF” and “Auto-storing to Google Drive”. However, in order to create an Auto-step icon for a processing that is not prepared as a standard Modelling Element, advanced configurations were required, such as writing a Script. With the new version 11.1, you are able to add Modelling Elements by importing Add-ons that specify data treatment and request procedures. That will allow you an easy drag & drop placement of Auto-processing Step icons, such as “Sharing Win-loss information with other departments on Slack”. This will help Questetra users to promote “Improvement of productivity” by using automated Steps.

Questetra BPM Suite

Cloud-based Workflow “Questetra BPM Suite” is a business platform for achieving paperless and telework environments. When a business issue “arrives” at a Step, a User (worker) processes it in a previously specified manner and enters the work result, then the issue goes on to the next step automatically. Its most outstanding feature is its drag & drop feature used in the configuration of the “Business flow”. This feature allows a Process-owner to iterate the Improvement cycle on his/her as a part of the day-to-day work. (BPM: Business Process Management).

Since it is applicable not only to simple business operations such as “Decision-making request” or “Document translation”, but also more complicated operations such as “Pre-shipment Quality check” and “Invoicing-Payment confirmation”, it allows to centrally visualize the progress of various in-house businesses.

Service-Task Addon feature

By importing Service definition files (Add-on XML) in advance, custom Service Steps (Service Tasks) will become available for Business Modelling. It is also possible to create definition files (Add-on XML) on your own, in case where you could not find what you want.

Other Improvements

Enhancement of Script Step

In [Script Task] (Script Step) for Auto-processing, “Method of HTTP request transmission” and “Method of Email transmission” are now available. This enables to complete external communication processing only by [Script Task], which had been thus far separately arranged as [Throwing Message Intermediate Event]. Also, due to the addition of external communication functions, time-out period of the Auto-processing Step will be extended to 30 seconds from two seconds. (Likewise, [Service Task] that has been added by Add-on XML will have a 30 seconds limitation.)

Renewal of Collective setting Functions in the Editing permission on all Human Steps

We have changed the access level configuration (read/write setting) which used to be a matrix structure of Processing-step and Business data, to a more graphical configuration screen. Moreover, the configuration of Access level is now able to be imported and exported in CSV format.

OAuth 2.0 for [Developer APIs]

Concerning [Developer APIs] which responds to requests from outside (Workflow APIs and System Settings APIs), OAuth 2.0 communication is available now. Although communication in Basic Authentication and in OAuth 1.0 is currently available, OAuth 1.0 has become deprecated and will not be supported in future versions.

Release Note for the detail: https://support.questetra.com/versions/version-1110/

Exchanges JSON with Cloud Services via OAuth2 or Custom-Headers

Kyoto, Japan – May 23rd, 2016 – Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 11.0 of the cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite” on May 23rd, 2016.

In this new version 11.0, it has become capable of communicating with more External APIs, for its automatic communication function has been enhanced. Specifically, it allows data federation with Core system which requires “Custom HTTP header” such as a Cloud database service “kintone”. This feature will allow configurations, e.g., automatic reference to “Client Master information” which exists external in the middle of “Estimate approval Process”, and automatic update of Common options file by “Daily synchronization Process”.

Questetra BPM Suite

“Questetra BPM Suite” is a multipurpose Cloud-based Workflow product (SaaS product) which is capable of “PDF Auto-generation” and “External connectivity”, etc. Using this product, you will be able to make various in-house processes going Online, not only simple business operations such as “Application procedure”, “Decision-making request”, or “Document translation”, also complicated operations such as “Service provisioning Process” or “Process of sequential operations to Bill issuance from Order acceptance”. (BPM: Business Process Management)

Its most outstanding feature is Mouse-driven configuration of “Business flow”. This feature allows a Process-owner, who knows the business should be, to continue to iterate the Improvement cycle on his/her own in day-to-day work. (Free for up to 10 Users)

Enhancement of HTTP Request Transmission function

Regarding Setting property of “Throwing Message Intermediate Event (HTTP)”, an optional “HTTP header” becomes available to be added. With this function, it is now capable of communication methods which adding header such as “X-Cybozu-API-Token:” or “X-ChatWorkToken:”, instead of having been capable of secure communications only Requests that were authorized by “OAuth 2.0 communication” or by “Basic Authentication” until now.

• Setting example 1 (Synchronization with Master data in kintone):http://en.workflow-sample.net/2016/05/sync-kintone.html
• Setting example 2 (Adding data to Master data in kintone):http://en.workflow-sample.net/2016/05/add-to-kintone.html

Other Improvements

Indication of upstream path

Regarding the feature to indicate current progress (current Step) on a Business Flow Diagram, “Route that passed through up to that point in time” has become obvious. In addition to “Current location of the Issue” and “Operator of the upstream Step” that have been indicated with icons, “Pass route” is shown in red arrow.

Dashboard

Regarding [Dashboard] feature which concurrently displays multiple Aggregation graph, it is now available to display, e.g. a line graph such as “Monthly change in the total amount of the order”, or a bar chart of “Weekly changes in total amount of Reimbursed expenses (Department breakdown)”. You are now able to display graphs from various aspects, in addition to being limited to “the number of Issues that operated by own” or “Bottlenecking in Decision-making Process (Heat map)” so far.

Hierarchical Select-box

You are able to set up hierarchical relation (dependency) among Select type data items. For example, when you select an option of “8: East Asia” at a Selection form for “Area” (out of 1: North America/2: Africa…./8:East Asia), in a Select form for “Country”, only “81: Japan/82:Korea/852:Hong Kong/86: China…” will be displayed. So far, additional description of JavaScript was required to achieve this, you are now able to set up easily by specifying the dependency. (Forward Match of [Options ID])

We will start Questetra BPMS SLA on April 1, 2016.

Now, we would like to announce that we are going to change some of the contents of our service from April 1st, 2016; including the “Introduction of service quality guarantee system”. This is a summary of those changes.

For more details regarding each change, we are planning to add a description on the related web pages, such as “Price”.

1. Implementation of SLA

As the use of the Cloud service is becoming common, many of our customers have requested us to clarify our service level. However, we were unable to provide a baseline since the service started in 2009 up until now.

From April 1st, 2016 on, we will establish an “Equal to or more than 99.9% uptime” as our Service Level Agreement. If by any chance, the accumulated downtime and the actual value of the “Service availability rate” became less than the guaranteed value, we will issue “Service credits”.

• Service credit
  • If the availability rate is less than 99.9% in a given month: The equivalent of 10% of the month’s fee will be issued as service credit.
  • If the availability rate is less than 99.0% in a given month: The equivalent of 30% of the month’s fee will be issued as service credit.

2. Expansion of Storage capacity

As the “Electronic document storage” of receipts of expense has increased, many of our customers have requested us to provide more storage capacity. However, we have limited the storage for “Attachments” to up to the equivalent of “1GB multiplied by the number of available User accounts”.

From April 1st, 2016 on, we will ensure storage capacity to up to the equivalent of “5GB multiplied by the number of available User accounts”, which is 5 times more than before. As a result, you’ll be able to save a larger amount of “attachments”.

• Subject of Storage limit (specification)
  • Files stored in File type data items in the Workflow
  • Files attached on Open Chat (Enterprise SNS)

3. Coverage for Flexible plan

Some customers, such as the ones who were conducting trials in small teams, or whose business have busy seasons and offseason, have requested a charge method according to actual usage. So far, even in such a cases, you had to register specifying the number of User accounts in advance.

From April 1st, 2016 on, you will be able to choose the “Flexible Plan”, which is based on the actual use. In those cases, you will pay the fee that corresponds only to the use (Fluctuating number of accounts registered) on a subsequent basis.

• New Prices
  • Flexible Plan: 12.00 USD per User / Month (6.00 USD per User / Month for Contracts Over 200 Users)
  • Annual Plan: 9.60 USD per User / Month (4.80 USD per User / Month for Contracts Over 200 Users)

Please note that, the “Monthly Plan”(currently in use) will no longer be available in the future. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Original Japanese version

Compatible with Customer Master or Postcode List!

Kyoto, Japan – November 2nd, 2015 – Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 10.4 of the cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite” on November 2nd, 2015.

In this new version 10.4, significant speeding up has been achieved in “Combo-box form” (Search select) in the data input screen. This will allow a Select input form to set up to refer a Master data which is as large as tens of thousands of articles. For example, by registering “Customer Master” in the Workflow platform, “Selection of a Customer” in invoicing or billing operation will become more efficient and accurate. It is also possible to register entire “Postcode-address Master” which the number of records reaches 150,000.

Speeding up Combo-box (Search-select)

The processing speed of the Data Selection Form that refers to the “Options master” (options XML), has become significantly faster. For example, a setting of input completion of data, such as “Address” and “Postcode” in referring the entire Postcode list which reaches to 150,000 lines, is now available.You can confirm the operation on the demonstration system in the following URL. http://en.workflow-sample.net/2015/11/zipcode-xml.html

Other Improvements

Debugging Execution

A designer of Business Process Definition (Process Model) becomes to be able to test run a Process Model (Debugging execution) in the middle of designing. From now on, you are able to flow testing Issues freely, without affecting the Process Models in operation nor Issue processing logs, whereas previously there was a need to test operation on another Workflow environment when you have modified many parts.

User Timezone

It becomes capable of displaying by the Timezone of each User of the time information on Issue date and in the logs of Issue processing, etc. It allows overseas staffs and remote workers who are working in different Timezone from the system standard time (server time) to recognize the time information more easily.

Request Message Throwing (enhanced)

In the function of HTTP Request automatic sending to external servers, it becomes capable of sending any text as Request body. However, it is limited to the formats (Content-type) of “text/xml”, “text/plain”, “application/json”, for the time being.

Select Animation