Sequential Workflows and State Machine Workflows
WF provides support for modeling two flavors of a business process workflow: sequential workflows and
state machine workflows. Ultimately, both categories are constructed by piecing together any number of
related activities. However, how they execute is what sets them apart.
Sequential is the most straightforward workflow type. As its name implies, a sequential workflow enables
you to model a business process where each activity executes in sequence until the final activity completes.
This is not to say that a sequential workflow is necessarily liner or predictable. It is entirely possible to build
a sequential workflow that contains various branching and looping activities, as well as a set of activities that
execute in parallel on separate threads. The key aspect of a sequential workflow is that it has crystal-clear
beginning and ending points.
Consider the following simple sequential WF. Note the clear starting point (green circle containing an arrow at
the top) and end point (red square containing a circle at the bottom) embedded within the designer.
In contrast to sequential workflows, state machine workflows do not model activities using a linear path.
Instead, the workflow defines a number of states and a set of related events that trigger transitions between
these states.
Consider this state machine WF diagram, which represents the processing of an order. Notice that each state
in the workflow can flow across various states based on some external event. For example, the
OrderOpenState state can listen for two events (OnOrderUpdated and OnOrderProcessed). When these
events occur, there is a state transition. You will learn about state machine workflows later in this class.
WF provides support for modeling two flavors of a business process workflow: sequential workflows and
state machine workflows. Ultimately, both categories are constructed by piecing together any number of
related activities. However, how they execute is what sets them apart.
Sequential is the most straightforward workflow type. As its name implies, a sequential workflow enables
you to model a business process where each activity executes in sequence until the final activity completes.
This is not to say that a sequential workflow is necessarily liner or predictable. It is entirely possible to build
a sequential workflow that contains various branching and looping activities, as well as a set of activities that
execute in parallel on separate threads. The key aspect of a sequential workflow is that it has crystal-clear
beginning and ending points.
Consider the following simple sequential WF. Note the clear starting point (green circle containing an arrow at
the top) and end point (red square containing a circle at the bottom) embedded within the designer.
In contrast to sequential workflows, state machine workflows do not model activities using a linear path.
Instead, the workflow defines a number of states and a set of related events that trigger transitions between
these states.
Consider this state machine WF diagram, which represents the processing of an order. Notice that each state
in the workflow can flow across various states based on some external event. For example, the
OrderOpenState state can listen for two events (OnOrderUpdated and OnOrderProcessed). When these
events occur, there is a state transition. You will learn about state machine workflows later in this class.
Sequential Workflows
Table of Contents
Copyright (c) 2008. Intertech, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This information is to be used exclusively as an
online learning aid. Any attempts to copy, reproduce, or use for training is strictly prohibited.
online learning aid. Any attempts to copy, reproduce, or use for training is strictly prohibited.
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