Business Processes

A Business Process is an object that performs tasks on data, in a user-defined sequence.

A Business Process can activate all other Clarify objects. For example, it can:
  • Execute or launch other objects in your integrations
  • Start and stop File Monitors
  • Manipulate data (strings and arrays)
  • Move or route data based on content
  • Analyze documents
  • Route envelopes
  • Import and export data
Business Processes support three main processes:
  • Sequence: Tasks executed one after the other.
  • Comparison: Defining results in a comparison and then branching to an alternate task or Execution: Defining results and activating the appropriate tasks.
  • Iteration: Looping or repeating tasks.

These processes allow a Business Process to handle realistic processing flows, including any exceptions that occur.

A Business Process works together with an internal document storage manager to temporarily hold data that passes from task-to-task or Business Process-to-Business Process.

Business Use

The Business Process object is required for any transformation. The Business Process relates and activates in sequence all objects you created for transformation. Add your objects (such as File Monitor, Ruleset, etc.) to a Business Process, as well as any additional tasks you may need to manipulate data.

Clarify provides dozens of additional tasks to customize Business Processes, such as CompareFiles, FormatString, SendEmail, etc. A complete list of Business Process Tasks is provided in this help. Also see the New Business Process Tasks.

Business Processes can branch off to other Business Processes.

For example, suppose you are receiving data from two trading partners, A and B. Both trading partners' data goes to the same folder and is picked up with the same File Monitor.

You could set up one Business Process with the File Monitor and a ContainString task that checks a field for A. If it is A, it sends the data to another Business Process that handles A's data. If it is not A, it sends the data to a different Business Process that handle's B's data.

A Business Process can also be launched from a Ruleset.

This allows Clarify to react to individual rules inside a Ruleset in lieu of a Ruleset in its entirety.

For example, suppose you want to be alerted by email if a trading partner sends an unaccounted-for value in a Code Table set to error in such cases. Placing a SendEmail task in a Business Process along with the Ruleset would only let you know that the entire Ruleset failed. But if you reference a Business Process with a SendEmail task from within the Ruleset, as a rule following the Code Table, Clarify could send an email specifically about that Code Table.

Clarify Use

A Business Process can be started by:
  • an Event: an object that also sends data to a Business Process
  • a Process Schedule: an object that schedules a Business Process to run either once or at regular intervals
  • a Message Filter: an object that associates external messages with Events.
  • It can also be launched from a Ruleset, another Business Process, or manually.

Business Processes can be created using a Template. Templates are Business Processes that can be used as a foundation of a new Business Process with similar tasks and parameters. Templates are also used to group Business Processes that use the same parameters together. Any Business Process may be used as a Template. Existing Business Processes can also be added to a Template, as long as it contains the same parameters.

The advantage is that any Clarify object that invokes a Business Process (primarily transformations or other Business Processes) can interface with the template, supplying the Business Process as a parameter. This increases re-usability and reduces the number of nearly-similar variations in transformations and Business Processes.

To use this object, you must:
  • Create a Business Process.
  • Add Tasks in its editor.
  • Set parameters in the editor's Properties view.
  • Sequence the tasks.
  • If you want to use the Business Process within a Ruleset or another Business Process, reference it in the Ruleset or other Business Process' editor.
  • If you want the Business Process to run independently, create an Event, Process Schedule, or a Message Filter to invoke it.

Compatibility with the new transformation engine

The Business Process object is unique among most other resources in that is backwards compliant with the new engine; a Business Process that works with the current engine can also support the new engine, as long it is converted. Once converted, it still can support the current engine. See Resource Compatibility for more information.