What Is a Human Task?
Authorization
Approver
Order
canceled
Order
approved
Purchase order >
credit limit?
Purchase
order
Yes
No
Get
approval
Approved/ denied
Denied
Approved
1
2
3
4
4
What Is a Human Task?
A Human Task component implements a task done by a person. It represents the involvement of
a person in a business process.
Occasionally, people need to intervene in a business process. For example, a customer wants to
purchase an item that is above his credit limit. A Human Task lets you intervene and override a
business rule that prevents the customer from making the purchase. A Human Task can have
attributes, such as setting the owner of the task, and providing an escalation process in the case
that the specified person is not available. The Human Task component recognizes the reality that
many processes require human intervention for tasks like reviewing, researching, and approving.
Oracle SOA Suite 11
g
: Essential Concepts
9 - 5
Copyright © 2009, Oracle. All rights reserved.
Human Workflow Diagram
Receive
BPEL Process
Manager
Human
Task
Invoke
Invoke
Invoke
Service
Interface
Roles and
Assignments
Deadlines and
Escalations
Presentation
Human Task Service Component
Client
Interface
Oracle
BPM
Worklist
Portals
Email &
RSS
Clients
Phone and
Other
Notification
Channels
Create
Task
Task
Complete
Identity Directory
(LDAP, for example)
Task Definition
Client
Applications
Human Workflow Diagram
Many end-to-end business processes require human interactions with the process. For example,
humans may be needed for approvals, exception management, or performing activities required
to advance the business process. The Human Workflow component provides the following:
•
Human interactions with processes, including the assignment and routing of tasks to the
correct users or groups
•
Deadlines, escalations, notifications, and other features required for ensuring the timely
performance of a task (human activity)
•
The presentation of tasks to end users through a variety of mechanisms, including a
Worklist application (Oracle BPM Worklist)
•
Organization, filtering, prioritization, and other features required for end users to
productively perform their tasks
•
Reports, reassignments, load balancing, and other features required by supervisors and
business owners to manage the performance of tasks
The slide shows a Human Workflow diagram where a BPEL process invokes a special activity
of the Human Task type when it needs a human to perform a task. This creates a task in the
Human Task service component. The BPEL process waits for the task to get completed.
Oracle SOA Suite 11
g
: Essential Concepts
9 - 6
Human Workflow Diagram (continued)
The Human Task service component uses an identity directory, such as LDAP, to determine
people’s roles and privileges. The Human Task service component presents tasks to users
through a variety of channels, including the following:
•
Oracle BPM Worklist, a role-based application that supports the concept of supervisors
and process owners, and provides functionality for finding, organizing, managing, and
performing tasks
•
