Task controlled workflow

[Electric_Soul]

Hey

 

I was wondering if anyone in the FM community came across a product that actually uses tasks to control a workflow.

 

Example: I need a day off, so I fill out a form in Filemaker, press a button, and my superior gets a task. And i mean no simple email that will get lost eventually, but a pending task in Filemaker. A record so to speak. This task will lead him to a layout where he can a approve or decline my "day off" request.

 

 

I was wondering if I have reinvented the wheel or if something like that exists?

 

If anyone wants a demo, I can create a little video presentation. Its awesome :)

 

adios

 

[Added later]

In our solution every workflow that spans severals departments is using tasks. That makes life so much easier. Like in a enterprise solution. Tasks make sure that only people with a task can alter records. This helps keeping people from altering records, even though they should not.

 

Second Example: You are building a machine. A task has been assigned to you, that allows you to make the appropriate entries in the database. Now you realizie, that you need to buy some parts before you can continue. With a task management running in the background, you can simply place a order in your system. This will create a task for the purchase deparment, and put your own task on hold. Now there is a dependency between both task. As soon as your parts have arrived, the purchase deparment finishes their task, and your task pops back up. No emails. No telephone calls. No worries, no chaos.  It simply works fluently.

[ggt667]

This should be quite simple, you would add a table with:

 

taskID

timestampCreated

timestampModified

userID

superiorUserID

taskTitle

taskBody

timestampTaskStart

timestampTaskComplete

timestampRequest

timestampApproved

[Electric_Soul]

You missed a line   I build a task management. But I was wondering if anybody else would need such a module, because I couldn't find anything on the market that actually has a task management. No discussions nothing. In my company they love the task controlled workflow approach.

A module that allows you to controll most complex workflows. Like in a production environment. There are dependencies between tasks, access rights, task delegation, bla bla bla.  now its like using SAP but much cheaper.

[Electric_Soul]

Imagine a flexible workflow for a service that has to interact with the sales and purchase department. No more calls or emails that get lost. Plus the data in your solution benefits from integrity, because a task controlls who is allowed to make changes to a record.

 

IMHO this is a feature you only find in enterprise solutions.

[Rick Whitelaw]

"IMHO this is a feature you only find in enterprise solutions."

 

You could make one. FileMaker is a good tool for such a solution.

[Electric_Soul]

I've created a module. But I've opened this thread, because I was looking for a existing solution on the market and to check if anybody is interested in such a feature.

 

 

Talking about Filemaker and its potential creating such a functionality. The module relies heavily on transactions. And as you might know, that's not a strength in FM. Still it was possible. And I wish there were a recordset like object available, to manipulate data in the memory.

 

Anyways.....  now I am thinking "Hey...  maybe somebody tries to go a bit further with the exists solution and implement a task management". I think I create a webpage and promote the idea

[LaRetta]

I am not really sure I understand your approach nor request here but regardless ... if you have an idea and a passion ... GO FOR IT.  And don't let anyone dissuade you from your goal.  Even if you don't completely succeed in the direction you are heading, it will spur other ideas even greater.  Good for you!

[Electric_Soul]

Well... I said it twice

 

 

But I've opened this thread, because I was looking for a existing solution on the market and to check if anybody is interested in such a feature.

[LaRetta]

Well ... you were answered twice.  

 

I also always read an entire thread and just telling me you answered twice does NOT make it any clearer or I wouldn't have mentioned again that I was unclear on what you wanted.

 

It appears that you are more interested in showing what you have done with task management and I encouraged you.  That is all.  

 

BTW, task management is not difficult and is used in every solution that most of us write.  So maybe that is why we were a bit stumped on what you were really asking/telling us. If you have an approach you are excited about then we will gladly consider it.  And THAT is what I was responding to.

 

In all, your response didn't feel very good considering I was only trying to encourage you to continue to show us whatever you were trying to show us.  

[Lee Smith]

I’m a little confused by your post, is this a product or are you asking questions on how to improve it, or ?

[Rick Whitelaw]

Search Transactions on the site and you'll find Todd Geist who illustrates a simple way to manage transactions in FMP. I'm not a professional developer. I started writing the solution that helps run my business (flawlessly by the way) because I couldn't find a db solution on the market that matched my business needs. If I'm not mistaken, this seems to be where you're at currently. Given nearly constant changes in the business model and the fact that I learn more about my business as time passes, the process has taken years so far. I will likely never market my solution. The reward is this: in busy times it saves me many hours per week of drudge work. I'm amply rewarded.

[Electric_Soul]

Hey guys

 

I am confused too.  Of course I have to write what I did. How would anybody know if I did not write anything?? I had know Idea that others are adapting such functionalities. Like I said, I could not find any information on it.

 

 

But I keep getting suggestions on how to create one

 

Anyways....   looks like there is no solution/module available out there. We can close this discussion and I try to improve my way of getting messages across

 

@Lee

It could become a product sure.  And improving it is always a goal, but actually not intended in this thread

 

@Rick

I am only talking about a module that can be used in any solution. Like a calendar or such.

[Fitch]

It's always interesting to see examples of what other developers have created, so yes, please post your video when you have time.

 

As LaRetta mentioned, it sounds from what you described like a not uncommon type of system. The differentiation is in the implementation details. For example:

 

A developer I know created a system where sales staff take orders on the phone and enter them. These orders appear on iPods and iPads in the shipping dept. The workers there don't even use keyboards -- they have barcode scanners that they not only use to scan package labels, but all the commands they need are printed on paper as barcodes and posted around their screens, like "new" or "complete." They just scan the action command, scan the label, done.