XPDL Designer allows to configure the Process Header information of a workflow process. According to WFMC, process header keeps all information specific for a process definition such as:
- Duration Unit
- Created
- Priority
- Limit
- Valid From
- Valid To
- Description
- Time Estimation
The above properties of a workflow process are configured as shown below in the figure:
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Figure: Process header information of the workflow process
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Duration Unit
Process header information also includes a property Duration that represents the duration time as a numeric value without any unit. Duration Unit represents the time unit for Duration value. Following duration units are supported by XPDL Designer:
- Y, represents year
- M, represents month
- D, represents day
- h, represents hour
- m, represents minute
- s, represents second
Created
This property stores the date and time on which the process was created. It is optional to set this property.
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Figure: Creation date of the process
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Priority
This property represents the priority of the workflow process.
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Figure: Priority of the process
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Limit
This property specifies the time limit for the processes. Whenever a process starts, counting of the time also begins at the same time so that if the time reaches the Limit set for the specified process then the user can be notified. We simply add a numeric value to represent the time limit. Time unit is used as same as we set for Duration Unit property.
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Figure: Duration unit for the process
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Valid From
Valid Form property represents the date from which the process definition is active. If it is left empty then system date is used.
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Figure: Valid From date of the process
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Valid To
Valid To property represents the date at which the process definition becomes valid. If it is left empty then it indicates that it's validity is unlimited.
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Figure: Valid To date of the process
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Description
This property allows you to add a short description of the workflow process created by you. This description can be useful for future references.
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Figure: Description of the process
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Time Estimation
XPDL Designer groups three properties of the workflow processes together as time estimation properties. The time estimation properties are used for simulation purposes. These three properties include:
- Waiting Time, it is the amount of time for which a performer has to wait for a task to get ready for performance. Time unit is used from Duration Unit property of the processes
- Working Time, it is the amount of time required by the performer to perform a specific task. Time unit is used from Duration Unit
- Duration, it is the expected duration time required to complete a task. Time unit is used from Duration Unit
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Figure: Time Estimation of the process
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