System and method for executing a process workflow

1. A server device for executing process workflows, the server device comprising:

a processor;

a communications module coupled to the processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to:

obtain via the communications module, a representation of a workflow as a graph, the graph comprising a plurality of interconnected workflow tasks;

store the graph in a graph database;

navigate through the workflow tasks in the graph as the process is executed;

publish via the communications module, a workflow state change with a topic for the current workflow task;

receive via the communications module, a document for the current workflow task, wherein a state of the process is implied by the topic position in the graph, and wherein the topic determines at least one microservice to be employed; and

have at least one workflow task associated with the current workflow task executed by instructing a corresponding one or more microservices via the communications module.

2. The server device of claim 1 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

access a workflow manager service to define the workflow as the graph, and to display a currently executing workflow.

3. The server device of claim 1 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

use a workflow routing service to publish the workflow state change and to receive the document via a distribution cluster coupled to a group of federated microservices.

4. The server device of claim 3 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

use a workflow navigator service to communicate between the workflow graph database and the workflow routing service to communicate with the distribution cluster.

5. The server device of claim 1 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

communicate via the communications module with a plurality of external source systems to publish documents, obtain data from files, and to obtain data from an external database.

6. The server device of claim 1 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

integrate with an application development environment to tie the process workflow to an enterprise application.

7. The server device of claim 6 , wherein the enterprise application is provided by a financial institution.

8. The server device of claim 1 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

provide a user interface to design the workflow graph;

enable predefined node types to be added and connected to each other in a graph builder work area in the user interface;

enable topics to be defined at connection points in the graph; and

enable selection of the topics to define inbound and outbound configurations.

9. The server device of claim 8 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

provide at least one communication template to enable communications in the workflow to be defined.

10. The server device of claim 8 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

provide a dashboard for managing a plurality of workflows, and to enable designed workflows to be published.

11. The server device of claim 8 , wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the processor to:

enable sub-workflows to be created and shared across multiple workflows designed using the user interface.

12. A method of executing process workflows, the method executed by a device having a communications module and comprising:

obtaining via the communications module, a representation of a workflow as a graph, the graph comprising a plurality of interconnected workflow tasks;

storing the graph in a graph database;

navigating through the workflow tasks in the graph as the process is executed;

publishing via the communications module, a workflow state change with a topic for the current workflow task;

receiving via the communications module, a document for the current workflow task, wherein a state of the process is implied by the topic position in the graph, and wherein the topic determines at least one microservice to be employed; and

having at least one workflow task associated with the current workflow task executed by instructing a corresponding one or more microservices via the communications module.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

accessing a workflow manager service to define the workflow as the graph, and to display a currently executing workflow.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

using a workflow routing service to publish the workflow state change and to receive the document via a distribution cluster coupled to a group of federated microservices.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

using a workflow navigator service to communicate between the workflow graph database and the workflow routing service to communicate with the distribution cluster.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

communicating via the communications module with a plurality of external source systems to publish documents, obtain data from files, and to obtain data from an external database.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

integrating with an application development environment to tie the process workflow to an enterprise application.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

providing a user interface to design the workflow graph;

enabling predefined node types to be added and connected to each other in a graph builder work area in the user interface;

enabling topics to be defined at connection points in the graph; and

enabling selection of the topics to define inbound and outbound configurations.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

enabling sub-workflows to be created and shared across multiple workflows designed using the user interface.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium for executing process workflows, the computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for:

obtaining via a communications module, a representation of a workflow as a graph, the graph comprising a plurality of interconnected workflow tasks;

storing the graph in a graph database;

navigating through the workflow tasks in the graph as the process is executed;

publishing via the communications module, a workflow state change with a topic for the current workflow task;

receiving via the communications module, a document for the current workflow task, wherein a state of the process is implied by the topic position in the graph, and wherein the topic determines at least one microservice to be employed; and

having at least one workflow task associated with the current workflow task executed by instructing a corresponding one or more microservices via the communications module.