Question: What are the different ways to invoke workflows in Siebel?
Answer: Some of the known ways of executing workflows are:
1. Named Method User Property
2. Calculated Field expression
3. Script on BusComp, Applet, Application, Business Services
4. Workflow Policy
5. RCR & Server Requests
6. Asynchronous Server Request – Business Service
7. Run Time Events
8. Command prompt using Server Manager run task for comp command
9. Web services & Receiver components(JMS,MQ)
10. Through URL – EAI HTTP Receiver
11. Commands
12. Order Management Signals
Question: How to invoke workflow on specific server?
Answer: Workflows executed through workflow process manager business service are executed on the same server where request is made. Asynchronous Server Request and
Server request business service can send request to other servers for workflow execution; this can be done by specifying server name as input argument.
Question: What are different ways of error handling in workflow process?
Answer: There are two ways of error handling in Siebel workflows. Most popular to handle error in workflows are exception branches(the red arrows 🙂 ), they can be created for each step in workflow to handle error for the step.Secondly we can use Error Process Name property of workflows to call another workflow process to handle in case of any error.
Question: How to configure a workflow policy?
Answer:
1. Ensure Workflow Policy column is created in Siebel tools & Added in workflow policy object
2. Create workflow policy action to execute workflow
3. Create workflow policy record and create conditions and associate action to the workflow policy.
4. Execute “Generate Trigger” task to create triggers
5. Restart Workflow Monitor Agent
Question: What is the difference between Synchronous and Asynchronous workflow execution?
Answer: Synchronous workflow is executed in user session and user has to wait till workflow is executed. Workflow is executed synchronously usually through button click or record operations like set field value or write record, where user need to know the outcome of the workflow.
Asynchronous workflow requests are executed by server in background and does not requires user to wait for the outcome. These type of workflows are usually interface workflows.
Question: What is the difference between Stop step and End Step?
Answer: Stop step sets the status of workflow to “In Error” and End step set the status to “Completed”
Stop steps should be avoided in integration workflows and workflow policies as they may cause server component to error out.
Question: What is the difference between Workflow policy and Run time events?
Answer: Workflow policy adds the workflow execution request to the queue and executes the workflow from server components.
Runtime event executes workflows as and when requested and process is executed in user session user has to wait for the workflow to complete.