Tailor the Flow of Your Business Processes

One of the major strengths of the SouthWare Excellence Series™ is that its processes and built-in business rules/procedures have been proven successful by thousands of businesses over many years. But what do you do when “standard” functions aren’t enough to handle your needs or desires in a particular area?

Certainly one option is to make custom programming changes. This makes your system non-standard and not readily upgradeable, but it does give you the functions you need. But wouldn’t it be great if you could add the functions and keep your system standard?

That’s where SouthWare WorkFlow™ comes in. With its unique WorkFlow Controller technology you have the ability to “insert” new functions at many different points in a process. In many cases these functions, called FlowMods, will eliminate the need for any custom programming. Or if custom programming is still required you may be able to use a FlowMod to call the custom program at the right time and still keep your system standard!

With SouthWare WorkFlow, you can:

Review the Information Flow
SouthWare WorkFlow includes a database with information about processes, programs, and flow points within programs. With the WorkFlow Controller you can zoom between these levels of information to see how the pieces fit together. Each record can contain comments that explain its use and other information such as options that affect its use. By reviewing a process, program, or field with the WorkFlow Controller you can learn more about its function in your system.

Add FlowMods to Customize the Flow
With SouthWare WorkFlow you can add one or more FlowMods to a particular work flow point (field, question, or other processing point in a program). When the related program gets to that particular point, it calls WorkFlow to perform whatever FlowMod step(s) you have specified.

Key Features of SouthWare WorkFlow™

Comprehensive WorkFlow Info Database
• Process Overviews
• Program Explanations
• FlowPoint Lists and notes
• FlowMod identification and comments

WorkFlow Controller Review
• Zoom in/out of Database for Flow review
• Identify FlowPoints to Modify

Extensive FlowMod Functions
• Up to 99 FlowMods Before or After a FlowPoint
• Up to 10 Steps per FlowMod
• Validated step entry so there’s no programming language syntax to learn
• Flexible Step Types including:

•IF, AND, OR, ELSE testing
•Insert a value in the current field
•Change the value in another field, even another file
•Execute an object
•Display data/literal/line/graphics on the screen
•Calculate a value
•GOTO another FlowMod
•Call an external program
•Display a message and accept an answer
•Execute a Field Filter
•Call a WorkFlow Utility
•....and more!

• Built-in documentation and debugging aids
• Built-in temporary storage fields

Imbedded Customization Throughout the Excellence Series
• SouthWare programs contain FlowPoints at:

•Entry fields
•Update steps
•Other special processing points

Powerful WorkFlow Utilities
• Automatically create:

•a customized e-mail message
•a SouthWare event
•a Scheduled Action
•a record-related Note
• Customize the contents based on current data
• Override parts of G/L accounts

Sample situations you’ll be able to handle include:

• Adding your own “operator-specific” customization of keystrokes and security features
• Conditionally changing the value of one field based upon the value entered in another field
• Automating situations such as adding a service line item to an order if the stock item requires a special service
• Activating a special flag when a particular situation occurs, then testing that flag in other processes
• Calculating and accumulating amounts not stored in the standard system
• Stopping the normal flow from continuing if a special condition has not been met
• Creating an Internet e-mail message to a customer or to a salesperson when one of his orders ships
• Creating an event to record a situation that needs to be monitored