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Posted on by Fratting

Hi,

I'm looking around for products that can serve as a workflow management system for our business. We're primarily interested in the creation and management of workflows and having the system execute and track workflow requests. The user experience will be externally developed, primarily as web-based MVC applications. We want our UI applications to integrate with the workflow management system to initiate workflow requests and have the workflow management system perform callbacks to the UI application, which will host the document or information that will be made visibile to the users and approvers.

So looking at Micorosoft Dynamics AX 2012 it seems most (if not all) of the workflow mangagement capabilities are there. It has the editor to create workflows, has approval of workflows, events, etc.

But I'm not finding much as to whether or not we can replace the client forms with our own UI web-based applications and drive user experience from them in place of the built-in Dynamic forms. The impression I get is this isn't the intent of Dynamics and the client forms in Dynamics are required. Is this true? Dynamics is pushed more as an ERP vs. a workflow management system but since it does have workflow management I'm just not sure.

Also, what specifically defines a "workflow document" in Dynamics? Can it be a url to an external resource? Or must it be information captured and persisted within Dynamics?

Thanks!

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André Arnaud de Cal... 291,391 Super User 2024 Season 2 on at

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RE: Evaluation Question

Hi Fratting,

I know how to use the workflow in AX and how to extend it in AX. I don't have the knowledge of all technical details used from the Windows Workflow Foundation and how that is implemented in AX.

Maybe you can have a look at the Workflow Foundation here: msdn.microsoft.com/.../ms735967(v=vs.90).aspx

This framework is also used in Sharepoint where you can define workflows.
Fratting 50 on at

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RE: Evaluation Question

Hi Adre,

Thanks for the response. I would say I'm looking for more than just the engine. I'm looking for something that out of the box supports all the workflow administration but doesn't require us to use the user client components as most seem to require. We don't want our forms necessarily designed and hosted within the product. We want to self-host our own forms with our own technology (and supporting content for approval) and integrate our line-of-business applications with the workflow engine via standard based protocols, like Http. Dynamics seems to offer all of this but it's unclear if our hand is forced into using Dynamic's forms for user experience or if we can easily swap that out with our own hosted applications (and content).
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André Arnaud de Cal... 291,391 Super User 2024 Season 2 on at

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RE: Evaluation Question

Hi Fratting,

Microsoft Dynamics AX has been build primary as ERP system. Workflow documents support the approval flow in AX. What I understand from your question is that you are looking for a workflow engine rather than an ERP system. The AX workflow uses the Windows workflow foundation and has some AX additions. You can find som information about the architecture here: technet.microsoft.com/.../dd309641.aspx.

I think it would be not an ideal idea to use AX as workflow engine only. Normally it is driven on AX tables and form with controls created especially for AX.

You might have a look at Windows Workflow Foundation itself probably in combination with Sharepoint.