Workflow is an ordered set of steps executed in response to a defined set of conditions and it is used to automate any business process in siebel application. Let’s try to understand workflow with below real time scenario:

There are two ports with names as PORT_N and PORT_S. C is the center point of PORT_N and PORT_S. PORT_N is in the north direction of C and PORT_S is in the south direction of C. Any material which is to be shipped is first brought at point C. There is a person sitting at point C who guides every material’s driver which way to go based on the material type.

So we have:

• Business Process as “Materials which need to be shipped to the desired port based on material type”
• Condition’s Response as “Which way to go from point C based on the flag tagged on the material”

 Now as per definition, we can automate this process with the help of w/f as below:

• Create a start step to move any material to point C and attach a flag which will be used to decide its port.
• Create a condition to check which way to go. Based on the flag, the vehicle will be diverted to the direction of the port.
• Create an end step which will attach a flag to the material that it has been brought to its destination, when the material has been brought to its destination.

From the above example, it is observed that we can automate a business process with some steps based on some condition’s response and this is what a workflow does in siebel.

A workflow can be created, modified and examined in Siebel Tools which includes a workflow designer.

A workflow designer contains:

• Palette [of different types of steps used in w/f]
• Workspace [for editing workflows]
• Associated property window [Displays properties of selected steps] 

There are many types of steps which are being used to create a workflow. Below are some of the main w/f steps: 

Mandatory steps: 

• Start Step
• End Step  

Optional steps: 

• Operation step
• Business Service step
• Decision Point step
• Sub-Process step
• User Interact step
• Stop step

Each step has a special structure defined in Siebel palette as for example a rectangle for Business Service steps etc. 

 Apart from steps there are also connectors and error exception which is used to connect two steps in a workflow steps.

In next article we are going to explore different types of workflow steps, connectors and how to configure a Siebel workflow.

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• Siebel WorkFlow Process for begineers
• Workflow Simulator
• Invoking Siebel Business Service Using Workflow
• End Step and Stop Step in Workflow
• Configure a VBC to invoke an EAI Workflow without scripting
• Implementation Of Error Control In A Workflow