Workflow processes and systems

1. A method performed by a federation of workflow management systems, comprising:

maintaining a master workflow process definition in a first workflow management system, wherein the first workflow management system creates an export record corresponding to the master workflow process definition;

publishing the master workflow process definition to an object directory services server;

importing a replica workflow process definition, corresponding to the master workflow process definition, by a second workflow management system, wherein the replica workflow process definition identifies the first workflow management system and includes an owning site attribute that identifies the replica workflow process definition as a copy, wherein the master workflow process definition includes the export record, and wherein the export record identifies the second workflow management system and the date and time the replica workflow process definition was imported by the second workflow management system and identifies at least one other workflow management system that has received the replica workflow process definition;

modifying the master workflow process definition to produce an updated master workflow process definition; and

sending an updated replica workflow process definition, corresponding to the updated master workflow process definition, to the second workflow management system based on the time and date identified by the export record in the master workflow process definition and according to a last modification date of the master workflow process definition, wherein the first workflow management system, the second workflow management system, and the object directory services server are each implemented in at least one hardware data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first workflow management system stores a publish audit record corresponding to the master workflow process definition.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object directory services server also stores a replica workflow process definition corresponding to the master workflow process definition.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the master workflow process definition includes producing an updated master workflow process definition that replaces the master workflow process definition.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second workflow management system imports the replica workflow process definition from object directory services server.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second workflow management system imports the replica workflow process definition from the first workflow management system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the object directory services server stores a publication record corresponding to the master workflow process definition.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the publication record in the object directory services server is updated to reference the updated master WPD.

9. A federation of workflow management systems comprising:

a first workflow management system having at least a processor and accessible memory;

a second workflow management system having at least a processor and accessible memory and connected to communicate with the first workflow management system; and

an object directory services server having at least a processor and accessible memory and connected to communicate with the first workflow management system and the second workflow management system, wherein the federation of workflow management systems is configured to

maintain a master workflow process definition in the first workflow management system, wherein the first workflow management system creates an export record corresponding to the master workflow process definition;

publish the master workflow process definition to the object directory services server;

import a replica workflow process definition, corresponding to the master workflow process definition, to the second workflow management system, wherein the replica workflow process definition identifies the first workflow management system and includes an owning site attribute that identifies the replica workflow process definition as a copy, wherein the master workflow process definition includes the export record, and wherein the export record identifies the second workflow management system and the date and time the replica workflow process definition was imported by the second workflow management system and identifies at least one other workflow management system that has received the replica workflow process definition;

modify the master workflow process definition to produce an updated master workflow process definition; and

send an updated replica workflow process definition, corresponding to the updated master workflow process definition, to the second workflow management system based on the time and date identified by the export record in the master workflow process definition and according to a last modification date of the master workflow process definition.

10. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 9 , wherein the first workflow management system stores a publish audit record corresponding to the master workflow process definition.

11. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 9 , wherein the object directory services server also stores a replica workflow process definition corresponding to the master workflow process definition.

12. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 9 , wherein modifying the master workflow process definition includes producing an updated master workflow process definition that replaces the master workflow process definition.

13. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 9 , wherein the second workflow management system imports the replica workflow process definition from object directory services server.

14. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 9 , wherein the second workflow management system imports the replica workflow process definition from the first workflow management system.

15. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 9 , wherein the object directory services server stores a publication record corresponding to the master workflow process definition.

16. The federation of workflow management systems of claim 15 , wherein the publication record in the object directory services server is updated to reference the updated master WPD.