User interface for workflow builder
A method is disclosed for creating a workflow process. An initial activity ( 304, 316 ) is displayed. The method then displays a user interface diagram (FIG. 5 ) to configure a type of an activity to be added to the workflow process in response to a detection of designation of adding the activity. The type of the activity configured in the user interface diagram is then saved and the added activity ( 420, 312 ) whose type is configured is then displayed in the user interface diagram. In another form, the method shows an initial activity in the workflow process, the initial activity having associated therewith a list for selecting a starting activity. A first new activity is then added to the workflow process, the first new activity having associated therewith lists for selecting destination activities for each of a number of outcomes of the first new activity. The list for selecting a starting activity in the initial activity to include the first new activity is then updated. A second new activity is then added to the workflow process, the second new activity having means of selecting a corresponding destination activity for each of a number of outcomes of the second new activity. The list of starting activities in the initial activity and the lists of destination activities in the first new activity are each then updated to include the second new activity.
1. A computer-implemented method of specifying a workflow process on a display screen based on a repository of activities, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying a plurality of head-tail pairs, wherein
each of the plurality of heads contains the name of a distinct source activity,
each of the plurality of tails contains a selector for a user to select an activity from the repository as a corresponding destination activity,
the head and the tail of each pair are connected and aligned with each other in a horizontal direction of the display screen,
the plurality of heads are aligned with one another in a vertical direction of the display screen, and
the plurality of tails are aligned with one another in the vertical direction;
(b) adding a new activity to the workflow process based on a user action and saving the new activity into the repository;
(c) selecting an activity from the repository as a destination activity in a tail based on a user selection using the selector;
(d) determining, by a computer, whether the activity selected in (c) is already a source activity of one of the displayed plurality of head-tail pairs that can be reused or whether the activity selected in (c) is not already a source activity and a new head-tail pair must be added;
(e) responsive to a determination in (d) that the selected activity is not already a source activity, adding a new head-tail pair to the display, wherein the head of the new pair contains the name of the selected activity and the tail contains a selector for a user to select an activity from the repository as the corresponding destination activity; and
(f) responsive to a determination in (d) that the selected activity is already a source activity, reusing an existing head-tail pair on the display.
2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
(g) repeating steps (c), (d), (e) and (f) for each further activity specified in the workflow process.
3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of:
deleting an activity from the workflow process.
4. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon causing a computer apparatus to execute a method of specifying a workflow process on a display screen based on a repository of activities, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) displaying a plurality of head-tail pairs, wherein
each of the plurality of heads contains the name of a distinct source activity,
each of the plurality of tails contains a selector for a user to select an activity from the repository as a corresponding destination activity,
the head and the tail of each pair are connected and aligned with each other in a horizontal direction of the display screen,
the plurality of heads are aligned with one another in a vertical direction of the display screen, and
the plurality of tails are aligned with one another in the vertical direction;
(b) adding a new activity to the workflow process based on a user action and saving the new activity into the repository;
(c) selecting an activity from the repository as a destination activity in a tail based on a user selection using the selector;
(d) adding a new head-tail pair to the display, when the activity selected in (c) is not already a source activity of one of the displayed plurality of head-tail pairs, wherein the head of the new pair contains the name of the selected activity and the tail contains a selector for a user to select an activity from the repository as the corresponding destination activity; and
(e) reusing an existing head-tail pair on the display, when the activity selected in (c) is already a source activity of the existing head-tail pair.
5. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 4 , the method further comprising the step of:
(f) repeating execution of (c), (d) and (e) for each further activity specified in the workflow process.
6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 5 , the method further comprising the step of:
deleting an activity from the workflow process.