CasePro: Facilitates the management of workflow processes at the SharePoint Server 2010 platform

The CasePro system by Bonair is a system of BPMS class (Business Process Management System), which allows for the more effective management of workflow processes within the SharePoint Server 2010 platform.

Owing to the integration of the CasePro system from the SharePoint Server 2010, the process of building even very complicated workflow processes within the SharePoint Server does not require programming. CasePro system provides more effective and, at the same time, simpler to operate tools for modelling workflow processes than Visio and SharePoint Designer.

Owing to the linking of CasePro and SharePoint Server 2010, it is possible to:

• graphically model workflow processes without actual programming, considering business rules and the data model built, which the very project of the business process in Visio 2010 does not ensure;
• easily use in the workflow process any lists available at the SharePoint Server;
• display in one location in SharePoint the list of all tasks to be performed by a particular person, irrespectively of which websites the tasks originate from, which is difficult to achieve by standard in SharePoint;
• automatically manage the versions of the defined business processes, without the need to record files on the disk and manual version control;
• define when a particular version of a business process is to be activated for users;
• support the workflow process for status and sequences, and not just for sequences as in SharePoint Server 2010;
• launch workflow for any list or set of documents via a handy menu for a particular element of the list;
• use the so-called set of documents in SharePoint as a repository of documents for the supported case using CasePro.

CasePro, a system by Bonair, is a state-of-the-art solution that serves to automate the flow of various cases according to business processes adopted at any company.

The CasePro system comprises two main elements:

1. modeller of business processes at a particular company;
2. user portal supporting all the cases defined within a company.

1. Business process modeller

Using the business process modeller, it is possible to model any business processes. The modelling is performed using the drag&drop method, and does not require any programming. Modelling comprises three phases:
a. Designing of the data model – The hierarchic data model, designed using the modeller in a friendly manner, automatically sets up the relevant charts in the Microsoft SQL Server database. No knowledge of database construction in Microsoft SQL is required.
b. Workflow designing – Using the modeller and the drag&drop method, one can quickly build complex workflows. Easily, without the knowledge of programming, one can build any rules for workflow (e.g. conditional branches, loops, etc.). During workflow design, it is possible to use any lists from the SharePoint Server platform. The documents appended to a case can be placed in CasePro in the so-called document sets of the SharePoint Server 2010 platform.
c. Form design – For form design, a popular tool from the Office package is used – Microsoft Office InfoPath. This tool provides rich opportunities for building any static and dynamic forms. The form built in InfoPath is automatically displayed at SharePoint Server as a website, using the Forms Server for this purpose.

The CasePro system automatically manages the versions of the definition of each case, owing to which we always know according to which business process a particular case is handled.

2. User portal

The user portal presents all the cases that await handling by a particular user. When clicking onto a particular case, a form dedicated for the case is displayed. The list of tasks can be displayed as webpart of the SharePoint Server 2010 platform.
The whole is supported via a website.
The CasePro solution automates workflow according to predefined business processes within the company. Additionally, CasePro can automatically send electronic notifications via e-mail about specific tasks, e.g. reminders about the need to perform a certain task, informing about the status of a case. Owing to CasePro, every employee can clearly see which stage his or her document (case) is at. Thanks to CasePro, all bottlenecks in the business process handling are eliminated, as relevant works are transferred to the allocated persons (or groups of persons) automatically. There is no need to run around the office searching for where a particular application or specific document may be stuck.

Company employees or partners have access to the ordered resources from anywhere using a standard web browser.

An important advantage of this solution is the opportunity to the track history of a particular case flow with information on how much time an employee has devoted to the task, who it was assigned to and at what time the entire document flow process was completed. The system may also inform by e-mail of possible delays in task delivery.
Apart from standard properties of electronic document flow, CasePro features an in-built forum functionality that allows for commenting on cases or sending messages related to the cases between users.

Additional benefits achieved owing to CasePro:

1. Automation and improvement of business process handling;
2. Uniformity of support of particular cases at the company;
3. Uniform platform for case/document flow integrated with SharePoint Server 2010;
4. Flexibility of the solution owing to defining the process and data model using a graphic editor without any programming works;
5. Shortening of time for business process handling;
6. Automatic management of workflow versions and the scope of the data processed in the event of a modification to business requirements;
7. Easy management of the system via remote user access (web browser);
8. Easy access to information at which phase the case is;
9. Easy implementation – the customer can individually model cases.

The CasePro system uses the following technology:

1. Application created in ASP.NET;
2. Internet Information Services for displaying the website interface;
3. Workflow bases on Windows Workflow Foundation;
4. Database – Microsoft SQL Server;
5. Microsoft Office InfoPath is used for designing the screen forms;
6. Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2010 for displaying the task list and support of the lists published at the SharePoint Server;
7. Forms Server for displaying forms using the website interface.