Router activity
A router activity is an activity with the Activity Type field (on the Security tab) set to Route. When referenced in a flow rule, a router that computes or derives a workbasket or Operator ID name and adds a new assignment to that workbasket or to a user's worklist.
Basics
At runtime, the router activity determines which workbasket or worklist receives the new assignment. The router activity can consider skills, backlogs, facts in the work item, urgency, deadlines, and other factors in making this determination.
Routing is one of the six R- aspects of business process management.
Routing is optional
Routing occurs as the system creates an assignment. When editing a flow rule, you can control routing using any of three options:
- Do not specify any routing. The assignment is routed to the worklist of the current owner of the work item.
- On the Assignment Properties panel, specify a router activity. Supply input parameters if needed. -
- (Visio only) To make the routing explicit on the flow diagram, drag a
shape from the Visio stencil drop it on the flow diagram and connect the line to the top of an assignment shape. Complete the Router Properties panel, specifying the activity and parameters.
Requirements
To create a route activity, note these characteristics:
- For the Applies To key part, use a class derived from the Work- base class.
- Set the Activity Type field (on the Security tab) to
Route. - Store the result in an output parameter named
AssignTo. (Only input parameters need to be declared on the Parameters tab of the Activity form.)
For example, the standard activity Work-.ToDefaultWorkbasket routes an assignment to the default workbasket associated with the current user.
Pushing work to users or pulling work from workbaskets
In many business processes, tasks to be performed by human workers are stored in central in-baskets or electronic equivalents of in-baskets. A supervisor reviews the tasks and assigns them to a worker on her team, or workers select an item to work on when they become idle. This approach is called "pulling" work.
In other settings, work is sent directly to workers based on their availability or other criteria such as skills, regions, or customer account number. This is called "pushing" work.
PRPC supports both approaches. Your routing activities can place assignments in workbaskets, or can send the assignments to worklists.
Intelligent routing
Intelligent routing compares characteristics of the new assignment and characteristics of the workforce to make a good-match or best-match assignment. Standard activities and functions support intelligent routing, which can significantly affect organizational throughput and productivity.
Standard library and functions
The standard Routing library includes several functions useful in router activities. For example, the getSubstitute() function identifies a substitute operator for an operator who is not available.
Definitions — R