Workflow applications

Abstract

A facility is described for enabling workflow applications. The facility receives a request to identify an optimized resource list that identifies resources capable of performing a workflow process task. The workflow process task can be associated with a document type relating to a document associated with a workflow envelope. The workflow envelope can store multiple documents of at different document types. The facility includes a workflow engine and a simulation engine. The workflow engine performs workflow process tasks based on the tasks identified in the workflow envelope. The simulation engine can employ modeling and historical data from a workflow metrics data source to generate the optimized resource list and identify identifying resources matching the workflow process tasks identified in the workflow envelope.

1 . A system for enabling workflow applications, comprising: 
 a workflow envelope containing at least two different documents, both documents associated with a workflow process having multiple workflow process tasks;    a workflow metrics store that stores metrics relating to the workflow process;    a resource pool having a set of resources that can complete a workflow task;    a workflow simulation engine component that receives a request compute an optimized resource list, employs models and historical data stored in the workflow metrics store, and runs multiple scenarios to identify a subset of the set of resources from the resource pool that can complete an identified workflow process task from the multiple workflow process tasks of the workflow process; and    a workflow engine component that receives from an application a request for an optimized resource list to complete a workflow process task, requests the workflow simulation engine component to compute an optimized resource list and identify a subset of the set of resources from the resource pool that can complete the workflow process task, executes a workflow process task by employing the identified subset of the set of resources, and stores in the workflow metrics store metrics data about the executed workflow process task.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a security component that interprets metadata stored in the workflow envelope and relating to one of the at least two different documents so that the workflow envelope can be propagated.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a data source component that provides forms and templates relating to the workflow process.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a data source component that provides forms and templates relating to the workflow process and can propagate workflow envelopes associated with the workflow process.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein one of the at least two documents is a dynamic document that retrieves information from a data source.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the workflow engine causes the workflow envelope to accumulate an object during a task of the workflow process.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a security component that encrypts or decrypts a document the workflow envelope contains.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a set of webparts, each webpart associated with a type of document.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a unified workflow development environment that facilitates development of a workflow process by providing a drag and drop canvas, inspection of data objects, automated synchronization of workflow changes, and enables access to the at least two different documents of at least two different document types.  
     
     
         10 . A method for enabling workflow applications, comprising: 
 identifying a workflow envelope, the workflow envelope specifying a set of workflow process tasks relating to at least documents of different document types;    receiving from a client application a request for an optimized resource list, the optimized resource list specifying a list of resources from a resource pool capable of performing a workflow process task specified in the identified workflow envelope;    providing an indication of the received request to a simulation engine so that the simulation engine can generate the optimal resource list based on models and historical data stored in a workflow metrics storage and provide the generated list to the client application; and    employing a resource from the optimal resource list to perform the workflow process task specified in the identified workflow envelope.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising storing metrics data about the performed workflow process task in the workflow metrics storage.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising developing a workflow application in a unified environment that enables developers to develop, deploy, and use workflow applications.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising developing a workflow application in a unified environment that enables developers to develop, deploy, and use workflow applications, and deploying the developed workflow application.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein performing the workflow process task includes interacting with a web service via a custom action.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10  wherein performing the workflow process task includes interacting with a specified application via a custom action that invokes an application program interface provided by the specified application.  
     
     
         16 . A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer system to perform a method for enabling workflow applications, the method comprising: 
 receiving from a workflow engine a request to identify an optimized resource list, the optimized resource list for identifying resources capable of performing a workflow process task, the workflow process task associated with a document type relating to a document associated with a workflow envelope, the workflow envelope for storing multiple documents of at least two different document types;    employing modeling and historical data from a workflow metrics data source to generate the optimized resource list, the workflow metrics associating measured performance of resources during completion of prior workflow process tasks;    identifying resources matching the request from the workflow engine by running multiple scenarios; and    providing an optimized resource list.    
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16  wherein the identifying includes evaluating load optimization criteria wherein the load optimization criteria comprises at least one of load, time, and cost.  
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16  wherein the workflow envelope contains two documents of different types and the identifying includes identifying resources capable of performing workflow tasks associated with each of the two different document types.  
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16  further comprising identifying workflow response patterns so that a workflow process task can be reassigned.  
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 16  further comprising predicting outcome of a workflow based on the historical data and stored workflow metrics data.  
     
     
         21 . A computer-readable medium storing computer-interpretable information that, when interpreted, cause a computer system to display a unified workflow development and deployment tool, the information comprising: 
 a workflow interaction canvas having workflow interaction user interface elements that, when selected, cause a workflow engine to complete a workflow process task;    a metadata interaction canvas having data fields and webparts that display information from a datastore and, upon receiving information from a user, store the received information in the datastore;    an image viewer canvas that provides a digitized display of a paper document, the document representing a paper document containing information displayed or entered in the data fields of the metadata interaction canvas; and    a business information developer toolbox containing a tool that can be dragged and dropped onto the metadata interaction canvas or the workflow interaction canvas so that when the unified workflow development and deployment tool enters a runtime mode, the tool from the business information developer toolbox enables display of data, entry of data, or sequencing of workflow.