Diagramming Workflow Processes

Workflow Designer for Exchange includes a graphical editor for diagramming workflow processes. Workflow Designer translates the diagram into a set of rules that process items in an Exchange public folder. A diagram describes the states that items go through and the steps that take an item from state to state. Developers can add scripts that run when items reach a particular state, that decide which of several possible steps to take, or that implement particular steps.

The example diagram shown here is for a workflow application that helps process expense reports. A worker places an expense report in a public folder and either submits it to a manager (putting it into the “Submitted to Manager” state) or marks it “Draft.” The worker can eventually submit a draft report or delete it. Managers can approve submitted reports (putting them in the “Approved” state) or reject them (sending them back to “Draft”). This workflow application mails “Approved” reports to the accounting department and deletes them from the folder.