Overview

The DocFlow module is composed of a browser interface, role and definition configuration tools, and a programmable object.  Any number of flows can be defined, with varying degrees of complexity.  A common use is to manage accounts payable approvals, where one flow might be used for expense invoices, another more complex one for inventory purchases.  When an archive library image enters a flow, it is stored in a system library. Users perform actions on those images and move it from step to step, editing associated data, adding new attachments, notes, or drawings.

When the document reaches the final step, one or more new image files are added to the original source document (the parent document of the starting image): an xml document with the captured data and editing history of the document while it was in the flow, any attachments added by users, and an annotated version of the original image, if any annotations were performed.

Browser Interface

The browser interface supports any modern browser, such as Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari (though not Internet Explorer).  It is designed to be both responsive, meaning it works well on both small and large screens, and offline capable, meaning that once loaded, it can then run without a network connection.  The offline capability requires a secure (https) website with a public certificate, as browsers do not support this feature on insecure connections. To load the application for offline use, use the Settings window.

Roles

Flow security and actions are controlled by roles.  A role is simply a named-entity with one or more docflow users as members.  Any user can be part of any number of roles.

Flow Definitions

Flow definitions specify a series of steps that a document moves through, along with custom field specifications to enable data capture.  Each step has a responsible role assigned to it.  When a document is at a step, any user who is a member of the assigned role can edit the document. Additionally, any user who is a member of any role specified by the flow has view access to the document.  DocFlow users who are not members of any role used by the flow definition cannot see documents in that flow.

Flow definitions can enable annotations, which are user-drawn notations on the main image.  This edited version of the image is uploaded as a separate PDF file into the source library archive, enabling signature capture or document markup.

Custom data fields include various text input types, checkboxes, radio buttons, selection lists, url links, and a grid feature.

Scripting is available at three points of processing: at initialization, when an image first arrives in a flow, at step advances, when the user clicks the Forward button in the interface, and at the finish point, after the parent document has been updated and the image is being removed from the flow.  Scripting enables flows to be customize in various ways, such as to generate notifications, or update related documents, or control the step route that a document goes through.  For example, a flow might have five steps defined, but only certain steps are required under some conditions.  For example, an invoice under a threshold amount might skip a second approval level, but if over that threshold notify a second level approver and move to that step.