100ユーザまで無料でご利用いただけるようになります。
株式会社クエステトラは、2017年6月27日より、教育機関がクラウド型ワークフロー『Questetra BPM Suite SaaS Edition』をご利用の際、「100ユーザまで無料」でご利用いただける新しい料金プランを設定いたしました。
まずは日本国内限定にて、サービス開始します。
ブログ
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Parallelization of Workflow Cuts Lead Time to One Fifth
Hi, there!
In the article “What is the Value that the Parallelization of Workflow Brings?“,I mentioned that large effects can be obtained by arranging parallel processing in the Workflow.
In this article, I will introduce a case study which had great results by incorporating “parallel processing” into an existing Workflow.
Parallel processing shortened the period of time for evaluation work to 1/5
In a certain mail-order company, they have succeeded in reducing the period of time for evaluation work in the workflow of private label product development to 1/5 by incorporating “parallel processing”. (The name of the mail-order company is not disclosed)
In merchandise development of private brands, the “evaluation” work related to purchasing is an important task. There are three evaluation tasks: evaluation of suppliers, evaluation of manufacturing / production systems of products to be purchased, evaluation of the logistics system concerning the goods.
These evaluation tasks were done one after another in the past. That meant, after the evaluation of the supplier was done, they evaluated the manufacturing and production system, then evaluated the logistics system after the evaluation of the manufacturing/production system was done, and so on.
At the place of goods planning, they wanted to shorten the time required from “drafting” to “completion” (lead time), so that they could proceed with the planning of more goods. Thereupon, they considered parallelizing these three evaluation works.
I suppose that they had to proceed with the evaluation work one after another since they used to manage each goods planning project with documents in paper. By using a workflow system instead of doing it with paper, it became possible to reliably manage the situation of the projects, even when processing parallelly which is said to be difficult to manage.
They say that the time from drafting to completion has been shortened to one-fifth since they made it into parallel evaluation.
Sooner or later, I will describe the business management including parallel processing using the workflow system.
That’s it, for today!
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What is the Worth which Parallelization of Workflow Brings?
Hi, there!
If you can find a part where you can parallelize in a Workflow, your productivity will be improved greatly. In this article, I am going to talk about “parallel” processing in a Workflow.
What is “parallel” processing in a Workflow?
A Workflow is a series of Steps (tasks) necessary to produce some results, such as making products and providing services, arranged in a proper order and connecting them with arrows.
There are two ways to connect these Steps in Workflow diagram, “serially” and “parallelly”.
To define “serial” versus “parallel”, I would like you to imagine the concept of “balls of work”. A “work ball” is what shows which process (Step) in the workflow is being handled and what is being processed in it.
When connecting “serially”, only one ball is at a given Step (the Step that is being processed).
Whereas, when connecting “parallelly”, several balls can be at different Steps as well. In “parallel” processing, at the beginning when there was only one ball, it can become two or more at a certain point.
Advantage of “parallel”processing
If you are looking at a workflow diagram and you can find a part where you can process “parallelly”, it is a great opportunity to improve the business process.
If you can connect multiple Steps in parallel and process them simultaneously, you can reduce the time from the start to the end of the entire flow. That is the biggest advantage of “parallel” processing.
Assuming that the time required for processing Step A as t1 and the time for processing Step B as t2, the time needed to complete these two Steps is the sum of t1 and t2 if Step A and Step B were connected in series. Whereas, if Step A and Step B are connected in parallel, the time to complete these two steps will be only the one that takes the longest, either t1 or t2.
“t1 + t2 > t1 or t2”, thus serial is greater than parallel, it is obvious that parallel processing can shorten the processing time required for the entire workflow.
Since there is such an advantage in parallel processing, I think that it is worthwhile to consider whether or not there is a part in the process which can be done “in parallel” in the Workflow diagram, including the review of the entire work.
Is “parallel” processing difficult to manage?
By arranging “parallel” processing in the Workflow, you will be able to gain the benefits described in the previous section. However, adding “parallel” processing makes management more difficult.
Since the original, single work ball becomes several, it becomes difficult to manage where each of the balls are.
The management of parallel processing will become easy by using a Workflow system (BPM system). Also, there are cases where business improvement was achieved by arranging parallel processing. I would like to continue talking about parallel processing in the future.
That’s it, for today!
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Electronic Invoice would Save the World… Supposed to be.
It will take five more years for bank APIs to become usable…So…
“Invoice + bank remittance” is …, after all, out of date now…“When you mail a billing invoice in paper, it will be paid until its deadline. Indeed, I believed it was the way to do it until a couple of years ago, but now, it is old-fashioned.
Table of contents
1. Bill invoice in paper
For example, when you mailed a couple of invoices, naturally it will be paid combined. Then a person would identify the payments…really analog!
Speaking of human tasks, it reminds me an old time when salaries were paid in brown envelopes, even to the pennies.
2. Online banking
People are talking about ‘Fintech’, yet it is useless.
Even in “Bank API as a national policy”, only “Reference type APIs” have been released partially after a long way. Moreover, the Nationwide Bank Data Communication System in Japan has its unique problem in text data communication. That must be corrected…
3. Full automation until settlement
I would like to process from billing to payment settlement without human intervention.
That’s right! “The ones born in the 70’s” should be the ones to say good-by to “bad ways of doing things” done so far. (?)
If Banks are not yet usable, let’s use a “Settlement agent” (Money transfer agent)!
- Register “electronic invoice” on the settlement agent,
- Make request to the settlement agent and have them email the “customer”,
- Receive a report if there was a deposit from “customer” to the settlement agent.
In this way, the workflow would become unmanned.
4. Correspondence with Technical Support
Conversations with Technical Support of a money transfer agent regarding APIs… (This is fiction!)
Me: “Hey, hey, even if I specify the template ID it is not reflected in the invoice, right?”
(1 month later)
Support: “Ah, that’s true. I confirmed with our developers, they said the specification is not to reflect it. Our document is wrong.” (What?)
Me: “And also, even if I have set JST as timezone for date of invoices, it doesn’t seem to be reflected.”」
(1 month later)
Support: “That is the specification. Even if you specify the timezone, it is shown in PST.” (Huh?)
Me: “Also, the phone number for the billing source is not indicated on the bill…”
(1 month later)
Support; “Ah, that is a mistake in the document. The Phone object works if requested as child object of address object. Even though it is described as a sibling in the document. (I’ll kill you!)
note) In the capture image of sample code below, relationship of address and phone is wrong.
Well, the APIs designed by the settlement agent (money transfer agent) is really rational. And regarding the “REST Invoicing API” of “PayPAL Inc.”, I think it is awesome. (For overseas remittances, banks cannot match it.)
(But, there are some problems, at the same time… Especially, Support…)
5. Practical example
Incidentally, in an open event “Super Networking 2017” (2017-06-17), for which I am involved in the committee, electronic invoices (PayPal invoice) are practically used for collection of participation fee.
If you are up for the challenge, please join. (!?)
An email of “electronic invoice” will be delivered immediately… supposedly…
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「電子請求書」は世界を救う、、、ハズ
銀行 API が使い物になるには、あと5年はかかるのかな。。。ならば・・・
「請求書＋銀行送金」って、、、やっぱ、古い。。。
『紙で請求書を郵送したら、入金期限に入金される。』 たしかに数年前までは「それが当たり前」と思ってたんだが、、、やっぱり古い。目次
紙の請求書
たとえば、紙の請求書を2枚・3枚と郵送すれば、後日「合算」して入金される。
当然ながら、その入金内訳をヒトが解読する。って、どんだけアナログやねん！ ヒトが介在している時点で、「給料は、茶封筒に、現金で、１円単位で」みたいな『昭和の臭い』が漂う。
（せめて、請求書の送付はPDFで。。。できれば、請求書PDFは自動生成で。。。）
オンライン・バンキング
世間では「フィンテック」とか叫ばれているが、実態はマダマダだ。。。『国策としての銀行API』も、やっとこさ「参照系API」が部分解禁されただけだ。。。しかも、連携されているデータは
- “キヨウトダイガクガクチヨウ ヤマギワジユイチ”
- “カ)リクル-トホ-ルデイングス”
などのレスポンス（ホントは半角カナ）。。。貴様、コンピュータのクセに、、、まずは「カタカナ」を勉強しなおしてこい！、と。。。（特に拗音と長音がヒドイ）
決済までの全自動化
やはり、「請求から入金決済まで」の業務は、ヒトを介さずに処理したい。
そうだ！ 「昭和40年代生まれ」こそが、これまでの「悪しき伝統」との決別を実践すべきだ。（？）
そこでここでは、（【銀行】が「マダマダ」なので／来たるべき「銀行API時代」の無人業務を夢見ながら）、【決済代行会社】（資金移動業者）を使おうと思う！
- 決済代行会社に「電子請求書」を登録して、
- リクエストして、決済代行会社から「顧客」にメールしてもらって、
- 決済代行会社に「顧客」からの入金があれば報告を受ける
という流れであれば、今日でも、全て無人のワークフローでいけるハズだ。
技術サポートとの会話（フィクション）
某「ペ〇パル社」のテクニカルサポートと、 API についての会話。。。（フィクション！！←ココ大事）
筆者：「ねぇ、ねぇ、テンプレートIDを指定しても、請求書に反映されなくない？」
（１か月後）
担当者：「オー、ホントウデスネ。開発者ニ聞イテミタラ、反映シナイノガ仕様デース。ドキュメント、マチガッテマース！」
筆者：（なんやと…）「…でさ。。。 請求日とかのタイムゾーンに日本時間 JST とかセットしても反映しないみたいだけど？」
（１か月後）
担当者：「アー、ソレ、何ヲ指定シテモ、アメリカ西海岸時間 PST ニナル仕様デェ～ッス！」
筆者：（ほへ？）「…あと、、、請求元の電話番号も、請求書に反映されなくない？？」
（１か月後）
担当者：「アー、ソレー。ドキュメント、マチガッテマァーッス。phone object ハ、address object ノ、子 object トシテ Request スルト、動イチャウヨ！！ ドキュメントデハ、兄弟 object ッテ書カレテルケドネ！！」
筆者：（殺す・・・） ［下のサンプル code キャプチャは address と phone の関係が間違っている］
まぁ、決済代行会社（資金移動業者）が設計している API は実に合理的だ。「ペ〇パル社」の『REST Invoicing API』についても、流石だと思う。
（海外送金などでは、銀行はタチウチできそうにない）
しかし、まぁ、現状においては、、、色々と問題もある。。。特にサポート。。。
実用例
ちなみに、『超交流会2017』（2017-06-17）というオープンイベントでは、参加費徴収に電子請求書（PayPal請求書）が実運用されている。
その挑戦心たるやスバラシイ！ 興味ある人は、是非、「参加エントリ」してみよう（！？）
すぐさま「電子請求書」のメールが届く、、、ハズだ！なおソースコードなどの詳細について興味ある方は、以下の関連記事を参照されたい。
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Cloud BPM v11.3 supports Shared Service-Task
Automated task such as “Date Formatting” and “Slack Posting” is available for companywide
Kyoto, Japan – March 13rd, 2017 – Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 11.3 of the Cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite” on Mar 13rd, 2017. In this new version, “automatic steps” utilized in various departments within the company can be managed unitary.
When modeling daily works such as “Quotation process” or “Invoice process” into Workflow systems, the Process owner (Workflow designer) defines the process by arranging several “Human Tasks” and “Automated Tasks”. However, if you wanted to place an automated task that is not included as a standard modeling element, you had to download or make your own definition file (Addon XML) and import it individually for each modeling so far. Since the new version 11.3, it is possible to share definition files.
With this function, in a company with many desk works of document preparation for Japanese government agencies for example, if the automated task of “Date Format Converter for JP” has been shared, you will be able to call it from any department. Alternatively, if an automated task which “Auto-Posting to Slack” has been shared in a company where promoting work progress to be posted to Slack, it will be possible to easily design Workflows containing it in any department. (Slack: Cloud based enterprise social network service which is widely used as a communication platform)
User companies will be able to improve their own productivity with automation.
Questetra BPM Suite
Cloud-based Workflow “Questetra BPM Suite” is a business platform for realizing environments of paper-less and remote-working. When a process reaches “Human task”, the user will be asked to input. If it reaches “Automated task”, server-side scripting will be executed. (BPM: Business Process Management)
Since it is possible to add arbitrary “Automated tasks” besides ones incorporated as standard such as “PDF Auto-Generation” and “Auto-Save to Google Drive”, you will be able to promote “Labor saving” or “Error rate reduction” or “Eliminating fraud”, etc., proactively in accordance with the management issues. More than 500 downloadable samples have been published for your convenience.
Shared File feature
By importing the service definition file (Addon XML) describing the contents of processing of the server-side in advance, you can use Service-Task not included in the standard menu as a modeling element. Starting with version 11.3, you can import it as a shared addon that can be used across the entire business platform. You can place this Service-Task to any work you are modeling.
Other Improvements
Smartphone Interface
Improved to a responsive interface to support multiple devices. In Version 11.3, we have greatly improved screen to confirm the details of the content of the Issue, and the screen for operating the Issues in My Tasks.
Personal Default of Listing
It is now possible to specify the default value for the number of items to display when displaying the list, such as Operation history of your own or Issues you have Started. Each user can select from “10 items / 20 items / 50 items / 100 items”.
Dependency on Shared-File
You can check which App is referring the shared-file in a list. It will be helpful for the maintenance of;
- “Options Master” to be referred by Select type data item setting,
- “PDF Form” (Template PDF) to be referred by the Service-Task for PDF Auto-Generation,
- “Addon XML” for adding modeling elements.
Release Note for the detail: https://support.questetra.com/versions/version-1130/
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クラウド型ワークフローv11.3、自動工程の全社展開機能を追加
SaaSベンダーの株式会社クエステトラ（京都市、代表執行役CEO今村元一）は3月13日、クラウド型ワークフロー製品である 『Questetra BPM Suite』 の新バージョン11.3を公開しました。新バージョン11.3では、社内の様々な部署で活用されている「自動工程」を一元的に管理できるようになります。
「見積書発行プロセス」や「請求書発行プロセス」といった日常業務をワークフローシステム化する際には、プロセスオーナー（ワークフロー設計者）は幾つかの「人間工程」と「自動工程」を配置して業務プロセスを定義（モデリング）します。その際、標準のモデリング要素として組み込まれていない自動工程を配置したい場合には、必要な定義ファイル（アドオンXML）をダウンロードもしくは自作し、それぞれのモデリングの際に予め個別インポートする必要がありました。新バージョン11.3からは、定義ファイルの共有化が可能となります。
たとえば、官公庁書類を作成するデスクワークが多い会社であれば、「日付データを和暦に変換する」という自動工程の定義ファイルを共有化しておくことで、どの部署の業務プロセスでも同じロジックの「和暦変換処理」が呼び出せるようになります。
あるいは、業務進捗のSlack投稿を推進している会社であれば、「文字列データをSlackに自動投稿する」という自動工程の定義ファイルを共有化しておくことで、どの部署でも「Slack自動投稿工程」が含まれるワークフローを簡単にデザインできるようになります。（Slack：コミュニケーション基盤として広く活用されているクラウド型社内ソーシャル）
Questetra BPM Suite とは
クラウド型ワークフロー『Questetra BPM Suite』は、ペーパレス環境やリモートワーク環境を実現するための業務プラットフォームです。案件が「人間工程」に到達すればユーザ（社員）に処理結果の入力を求め、また「自動工程」に到達すればサーバサイド処理を行います。（BPM: Business Process Management）
「PDF自動生成」や「Google Drive自動保存」などの標準で組み込まれている自動工程以外にも任意の「自動工程」を追加することが可能なので、「省力化」や「ミス率の低減」や「不正の排除」等、各社の経営課題に合わせた改善を積極的に推進することが可能です。
定義ファイルの共有化機能について
サーバサイドでの処理内容が記述されたサービス定義ファイル（アドオンXML）を予めインポートしておくことで、標準メニューにはない［サービス工程］をモデリング要素として活用できるようになります。バージョン11.3以降は、業務プラットフォーム全体で利用できる［共有アドオン］としてインポートすることが可能となります。どの業務をモデリングしている時にも当該サービス工程を配置できるようになります。
- サービス定義ファイルの入手方法： https://www.questetra.com/ja/tour/m4/m415/
- サービス定義ファイルの自作方法： https://www.questetra.com/ja/tour/m4/m416/
その他の機能改良について
スマホ画面の改良
マルチデバイスに対応できるよう、レスポンシブなインターフェースに改良しています。バージョン11.3では案件内容の詳細確認画面やマイタスクにある案件を処理する際の画面などを大幅に改良しました。
列挙件数のデフォルト値の設定機能
自身の処理履歴や、自らが開始した案件など、一覧を表示させる際の表示件数について、そのデフォルト値指定が可能となりました。それぞれのユーザは「10件表示／20件表示／50件表示／100件表示」のいずれかを選択できます。
共有化された定義ファイルへの依存関係確認機能
複数の業務プロセス定義（アプリ）から参照される定義ファイルそれぞれについて、「依存している業務プロセス」が一覧できるようになりました。(1)選択肢型データの設定で参照できる「選択肢マスタ」、(2)PDF自動生成機能で参照できる「PDFフォーム（台紙PDF）」、(3)モデリング要素追加のための「サービス定義ファイル（アドオンXML）」のメンテナンスが容易になります。
詳細については、リリースノートを御参照ください。
Release Note: https://support.questetra.com/ja/versions/version-1130/
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Automate Processing by Accessing Questetra’s Own API
Case of accessing Questetra’s API from the midstream of Questetra’s process.
Happy New Year. Thank you for your continuous support this year.Though I have written blog posts about various system collaboration cases so far, I would like to write more of those kind of posts this year as well. Besides, I personally like the topic of system collaboration because it can extend options in many aspects.
In this post, I would like to introduce a method for accessing Questetra’s API from a Process of Questetra.
Table of contents
1: Use Case
As far as I know, the method has been used in the following cases.
- After approving User addition/deletion request, add/delete User account of Questetra. (API for addition/deletion of User)
- To launch the Task regularly in order to have a User changing the password periodically, and reflects the changes to the User settings of Questetra. (API for addition/deletion of User)
- Change the organization setting of Questera so that the User who makes approval is changed for a certain period, and reverse the change after reaching a deadline. (API for adding/deleting user’s affiliation to organizations）
- In Approval flows such as approval request or decision-making request, obtaining the organizational information of the applicant User and determine an approver on the request by the computing, and then allocate the Task of approval to the User. (API for querying settings of User, Organization, and Role)
- Calculate the progress rate and delay degree by referring to the data of certain Process that performs process management and write the result to the original Process. (API for acquiring processing result of business flow, API for executing task)
2: General classification of Questetra’s API
If I roughly classify the APIs of Questetra, it will be;
- A. To prepare by placing as parts in the Workflow: Operates such tasks as sending and receiving of HTTP request etc. in the midstream of a Process.
- B. Other than the above: Operate such tasks as referring and updating of Users or data in a Process that Questetra retains.
The latter is a REST API, which can be accessed with “Throwing Message Intermediate Event (HTTP)” which is one of the former.
However, even if from the same Questetra environment, it requires authentication when accessing the API of the latter.
Besides, in the case of processing (computing, etc.) based on the obtained data, you need to parse the response with “Script Task”.- For “Throwing Message Intermediate Event (HTTP)”, please refer to the following.
M225: Auto Sending of HTTP Request with Business data Inserted - For “Script Task”, please refer to the following.
M230: Auto Executing Complicated Data Processing (ECMAScript)
3: Details of settings
In this post, I will describe the case of accessing an API for adding Users through Basic authentication. (A simple case that does not require response parsing with “Script Task”.)
*When accessing API with Basic authentication, please note the following two points:
- “System Settings” > “API Clients” in the left menu > in the “API access with Basic Authentication”, enable accessing by checking on “Enable API access with Basic Authentication” in advance.
- You can confirm your API password at “Account Settings” > “Password” in the left menu > “API Password”.
The following is a sample Workflow App in which automatically adding a User account after a request has been approved by superiors.
The specification of User addition API is described in the API reference.
*The API manual can be displayed from the menu on the left side of each Questetra environment, and the URL is as follows.
https://xxxxx.questetra.net/Swagger/index
The link to the manual of online demo environment is as follows. There, you can see the manual immediately even if you do not have a Questetra environment.
System Settings API
Workflow APIThe following is a screenshot for of the corresponding API.
* In order to perform user addition processing, authentication by a User with System Administrator Authorization is needed. As it might be naturally expected.
Based on the API specification above, the settings of “Throwing Message Intermediate Event (HTTP)” can be configured as follows.
- Specify the URL of API you want to access as Access URL (If in the same Questetra environment, you can also specify a variable such as “${var[applicationRoot]}”).
- Specify Username and Password for Basic Authentication (Use API Password mentioned above).
- Specify the parameters of the API to be accessed as sending parameters.
You can download an archive of the sample Workflow App above from here (zip expands qar file).
* Change the part of Basic Authentication according to your environment.For the other API specification of Questetra, please refer to the following.
- Related manual: M317: Controlling OAuth2 Authorization Access and Basic Authentication Access from External
- Related manual: M318: Controlling Accesses from External to [Message Catch Event API]
4: Closing
By utilizing this method, we believe it is possible to automate and streamline more advanced business will flow.
If you have any questions about this post, please feel free to contact us via Contact form.
Apply for Starter Plan (Free) Here
By signing up for your Free account of your own Questetra, you will be able to use all the Questetra features including what I mentioned above.
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Cloud BPM v11.2 Enhanced File Auto-generation
In addition to PDF generation, capable of generating Excel files and saving received files
Kyoto, Japan – November 28th, 2016 – Questetra, Inc., the global SaaS provider of Business Process Management (BPM), today announced that they have published the new version 11.2 of the Cloud-based Workflow product “Questetra BPM Suite” on Nov 28th, 2016. In this new version 11.2, auto-steps such as “Excel-CSV file conversion of Table type data” and “saving received binary from external API” can be done.
Today, productivity improvement is the main focus, so the delivery of business information is now being shifted from “transfer of paper” to “data flow in system”, and the “manual work processing” in each step is replaced by “automatic computer processing” . Even in the Cloud-based workflow “Questetra BPM Suite”, various Processing can be automated, not only for simple work Step such as counting the “number of characters” in draft data, but even complicated process such as acquiring the latest information (JSON / XML) from an external API.
In the new version 11.2, the function of adding new files has been enhanced, so that you can automate the processing steps such as, 1) Creation and storage of files in which the entity is defined in string data, 2) Saving of received binary files, 3) Duplication and storage of files which are attached to a File type data item. In the invoice issuance process, for example, it is also possible to automatically generate a “CSV file for importing into accounting system” (File type data) from “Billing data” (Numeric type data).
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. More than 500 downloadable Business Samples have been published for your convenience.
File Addition feature
It can be said that the file type data items so far were “items mainly for uploading work as human processing”. As a function for automatically adding new files, there was only the “PDF generation function” (function to generate PDF with strings and images inserted into the template). With the new version 11.2 onwards, you can automatically generate and save various text-based files such as CSV, TSV, JSON, and XML. In addition, binary files such as JPEG, PNG, DOC, PPT can be received from the external APIs and saved. It is also possible to automatically delete data by overwriting it wit null data. Note that, no method is provided for binary editing in v11.2.
Other Improvements
Enhancement of Table type data
When defining each column of “Table type data”, “Date column” can be set now, in addition to “String column”, “Numeric column” and “Select column”. Also, when defining settings that automatically calculate cell values in each column (record), you could only set the “product of two numeric columns”, but you can now define “sums of two numeric columns” or “addition of constant values”.
Enhancement of Nested Select type data
When setting filtered indication of “Select type data” by referring to nested data, narrowed down display was possible only for “Select type” and “Radio button type”, but now it is also possible to set it for “Checkbox type”.
Enhancement of Automated Step
Up until now, only one data setting formula could be set for one “Service Task (Data assignment)”, but now it is possible to define multiple data setting formulas. (It makes items easy-to-see such as Business flow with multiple Service Tasks standing in a row.)
Release Note for the detail: https://support.questetra.com/versions/version-1120/
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クラウド型ワークフローv11.2、ファイル自動生成機能を強化
SaaSベンダーの株式会社クエステトラ（京都市、代表執行役CEO今村元一）は11月28日、クラウド型ワークフロー製品である 『Questetra BPM Suite』 の新バージョン11.2を公開しました。新バージョン11.2では、「テーブル型データのExcel-CSVファイル化」や「外部APIからの受信バイナリの保存」といった自動処理工程が実現できるようになります。
生産性向上に注目が集まる今日、業務情報の受け渡しは「紙の移動」から「システムによるデータフロー」に置き換わり、また各工程における処理についても「人間の作業」から「コンピュータによる自動処理」に置き換わりつつあります。クラウド型ワークフロー『Questetra BPM Suite』においても、原稿データから「文字数」をカウントするといった簡単な作業工程だけでなく、外部APIから最新情報（JSON/XML）を取得するといった複雑な工程まで、様々な処理が自動化できるようになっています。
新バージョン11.2では、新規ファイルの追加機能が強化され、(1)文字列データを実体とするファイルの生成と保存、(2)受信したバイナリのファイル保存、(3)別項目ファイルの複製保存、といった処理が自動化できるようになりました。たとえば、請求書発行プロセス内にある「請求データ」（数値型データ）から「会計システムへのインポート用CSVファイル」（ファイル型データ）を自動的に生成させることも可能となります。
Questetra BPM Suite とは
クラウド型ワークフロー『Questetra BPM Suite』は、ペーパレス環境やリモートワーク環境を実現するための業務プラットフォームです。各工程に到達した案件はログインユーザ（社員）によって作業結果が入力され、自動的に次の工程に流れていきます。最大の特徴は業務の流れをDrag＆Drop操作で簡単に変更できるところにあり、業務責任者（プロセスオーナー）は日々の業務の中で業務プロセスを少しずつ改善することが可能です。（BPM: Business Process Management）
「稟議承認」「文書翻訳」といったシンプルな業務だけでなく、「出荷前品質チェック」や「請求書発行入金確認プロセス」といった複雑な業務にも利用できるため、社内の様々な業務進捗を一元的に可視化することが可能となります。インポート可能な業務サンプルは500種以上公開されています。 (http://ja.workflow-sample.net/)
新規ファイルの追加機能について
これまでのファイル型データ項目は、「主に人間工程におけるアップロード作業のための項目」であったと言えます。新規ファイルが自動追加される機能としては「PDF生成機能」（台紙に文字列や画像などが挿し込まれたPDFを生成する機能）しかありませんでした。新バージョン11.2以降は、CSV、TSV、JSON、XMLといった様々なテキストベースのファイルを自動生成し保存することができるようになります。加えて、JPEG、PNG、DOC、PPTといったバイナリファイルを外部APIから受信して保存することも可能となりました。またNull情報の上書きによるデータ削除を自動化することも可能です。（なお、v11.2現在、バイナリ編集を行う方法については提供されていません）
会計システムへのインポートファイルを自動生成させる例：http://ja.workflow-sample.net/2016/11/file-generation.html
その他の機能改良について
テーブル型データの強化
表形式データである「テーブル型データ」の各列（カラム）を定義する際、「文字列カラム」「数値カラム」「選択肢カラム」しか利用できませんでしたが、新たに「日付カラム」が設定できるようになります。また、各列（レコード）内のセル値を自動算出させる設定を定義する際、「2つの数値カラムの積」しか設定できませんでしたが、新たに「2つの数値カラムの和」や「定数値の加算」という設定も可能となります。
選択肢型データ間の親子フィルタの強化
「選択肢型データ」において親データ参照によるフィルタ表示を設定する際、「セレクトタイプ」「ラジオボタンタイプ」に限って表示の絞り込みが可能でしたが、新たに「チェックボックスタイプ」についてもフィルタ表示できるようになります。（多段階の絞り込み入力が便利になります）
自動処理工程の強化
これまではひとつ「サービス工程（データ設定）」にはひとつのデータ設定式しか設定できませんでしたが、複数のデータ設定式を定義することが可能となります。（サービス工程が複数工程連なるような業務フローが見やすくなります）
詳細については、リリースノートを御参照ください。
Release Note: https://support.questetra.com/ja/versions/version-1120/
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Synergy Marketing, Inc.
Visualizing progress in a service application flow with frequent rule changes
Synergy Marketing, Inc.
Established
June 2005
Number of Employees
265 (As of January 1, 2024)
Business
Cloud service and Agent service to support CRM
Industry
Hitech
User Departments
Marketing
Digitization of service application forms that have frequent format changes
Q. What kind of business are you using Questetra for?
We, Synergy Marketing Inc., are providing cloud services that support corporate CRM activities.
Among them, our main product “Synergy!” is utilized for about 3,000 customers in various industries and business types.We are using Questetra for the acceptance of new applications for services and requests to change service options.
Q. Please tell us how you are utilizing it specifically.
Previously we were working using paper application forms.
Therefore, I had to ask around to the people in charge in more than one department when I wanted to know the progress status of an issue or the contents of an application, so I thought it was inefficient. Moreover, sometimes we got into trouble when urgent requests occurred or when the person in charge was absent.By using Questetra to systematize the application handling process, we can now visualize the content of applications and the progress of cases. Also, since there are many requests for adding or changing the options menu on cloud services like Synergy!, Questetra is very helpful since we can easily modify the configuration (Process Model).
Moreover, we are using the Questetra’s SNS feature (Open Chat) for communications about Issues in progress. Thanks to that I think that we have been able to prevent mistakes and improve the accuracy of our work.
Data linkage with your own services using APIs
Q. Is there anything you have devised?
We are managing information concerning our customers using our own cloud CRM service, Synergy!
We have built the following scheme to make maximum use of that data, and make it possible to feed back the information entered in Questetra.
- Input application details into Synergy! web form
- Pass to Questetra to manage case progress
- Return the processing result to Synergy!
This scheme allows us to eliminate wasteful double data input and to reduce mistakes or missing data.
Q. Please tell us what you think of Questetra.
Due to the complicated business requirements I had a hard time setting up Questetra, but I was able to successfully introduce it thanks to the accurate and speedy support of Questetra’s sales representative and customer service.
Also, half a year after introduction several requests have come up. Although some of them are difficult to deal with in Questetra’s current specification, we hope that the version update will help us deal with these requests promptly.
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シナジーマーケティング株式会社
ルール変更が多いサービス申込フローの案件進捗を可視化
シナジーマーケティング株式会社
設立
2005年6月
従業員数
265名
※2024年1月1日 時点
事業内容
CRM領域におけるクラウドサービス事業およびエージェント事業
利用部門
営業・マーケティング
この事例に関連するプロセス改善記事
この記事の目次
フォーマット変更が頻繁に発生するサービス申込書のWeb化
Q. どのような業務で Questetra をご利用なのでしょうか？
シナジーマーケティング株式会社は、企業のCRM活動を支援するクラウドサービスを提供しています。中でも、主力製品である「Synergy!」は、業種・業態を問わず約3,000のお客様にご利用いただいています。
Questetra はクラウドサービスの新規受付やサービス変更受付の業務で活用しています。
Q. 具体的な活用方法を教えてください
以前は紙の申込書をもとに業務を実施していました。
そのため、案件の進捗状況や申込内容を把握する場合に複数の部署や担当者に聞いてまわる必要があり、非効率だったと言えます。また急ぎでの対応依頼や担当者が不在の際に困ってしまうこともしばしばありました。
その申込対応業務を Questetra によってシステム化したことで、申込内容や案件進捗が可視化されました。すぐに案件状況を把握できる環境が整ったと言えます。また、「Synergy!」等のクラウドサービスでは、オプションメニューの追加・変更がよくあるのですが、設定（ワークフローアプリ）の変更で容易に対応でき、非常に助かっています。
なお、案件の進行途中での社内連絡については、Questetra の SNS 機能（オープンチャット）を使っています。案件IDを紐づけるだけで素早く情報共有できますが、加えて、取り違え等のミスを未然に防ぐこともできるので業務精度が向上したと感じています。
API 活用による自社サービスとのデータ連携
Q. 工夫されている点はありますか？
お客様についての情報は自社の Cloud CRM サービスである「Synergy!」で管理しています。
そのデータを最大限に活用し、また Questetra で入力した情報がそのままフィードバックできるような仕組みを構築しました。
- Synergy! の Web フォームでの申込内容入力
- Questetra に渡して案件処理を管理
- Synergy! に処理結果を戻す
これにより、無駄な二重入力の排除・入力ミスやモレの削減が実現できたと考えています。
Q. どういった点をご評価いただけたのかお聞かせください
業務要件が複雑だったため Questetra の設定には苦労をしたのですが、クエステトラ社の営業・サポートの方に的確かつスピーディーなサポートをいただき、無事に導入することができました。
また導入から半年ほど経過し、いくつか要望が出てきています。中には現在の Questetra の仕様では対応が難しい部分もあるのですが、バージョンアップによりスピーディに要望に対応いただけることを期待しています。
同業種の導入事例
