Solutions Blog

http://www.zf-trading.com/

Mission
With 1300 employees worldwide, ZF Trading is a strong company in the automotive aftermarket. The main brands are Sachs, Boge and Lemfoerder.

Testimonial
"While re-organising our processes, we had the desire to implement an application, that supports us in integrating them into our IntraNet quickly and easily. The tool had to be web-based, lean and very easy to use. We found all of these attributes in one solution named "WorkflowGen". It's a very practical tool with a lot of possibilities. Thanks to the SDK, even our existing applications (e.g. ERP, Microsoft Exchange) could be connected without any problems."
Stephan Hubner, IT-Coordination and Web-Applications
 
Business Challenge
Already running an IntraNet, several core applications and an ERP, ZF Trading wanted to optimize procedures that were still processed manually as paper or unstructured e-mail workflows (launch of new products, work-leave applications, training reservation, user appliance, etc). The business challenge was to automate and optimize those procedures, integrate them into the existing IntraNet and create the required interfaces to existing applications and the ERP system.
 
WorkflowGen Solution
Functional Solution
The Implementation is very fast and uncomplicated. Identification of existing or new workflows is an ongoing process that runs along side the implementation. For highest effectiveness, there are process administrators in the IT as well as in every major department.

Technical Solution
We are using the SQL Server version of WorkflowGen together with the Microsoft Exchange Connector to synchronize user data. We will switch to the Active Directory Connector in the future. The Software Development Kit is a useful 'add-on' to build interfaces between workflows and existing applications.
 
Benefits 
WorkflowGen is completely web based, so the integration into existing IntraNets can be done rapidly with all the assets of the thin client approach.

• Two days of training enabled the process administrators to build up the first simple processes within a few hours.
• Now there is the possibility of integrating nearly any existing or new application thanks to the SDK.
• Excellent support of Advantys for installation and implementation of the first processes.

Process
The new employee integration process for companies of all sizes can be a complex task. Different departments need to interact, numerous accesses need to be granted, office supplies have to be ordered, etc.
By using WorkflowGen you can significantly improve the efficiency and reduce the complexity of this process.
 
When a new employee is hired, the Hiring Manager will initially fill out a form containing the new employees’ information as well as the various requirements from the different departments.
 
Each department for which requirements have been requested will automatically receive a checklist to complete.
 
They have the option to save the information entered in the form and come back to it at a later time. This is extremely useful in the case where not all information was available when initially completing the form.
 
For every action to be completed, WorkflowGen sends automatic email notifications to the corresponding users.
If a lead time was specified on a specific action, WorkflowGen can automatically send overdue email notification to the implicated users or to any other user in the system.
 
Once all requirements have been fulfilled and the checklists completed, they forward their completed form to the Hiring Manager for final review.
 
The Hiring Manager reviews and approves the various department checklists and completes the new employee integration process.
 
Once the process completed, the information in the various forms can automatically be exported to an external HR system using the automatic system action. This way the information remains readily available for referencing and for employee account modifications or termination. 

 

General Form
Here is an example of the initial form filled out by the Hiring Manager.
The look & feel can be fully customized. 

IT Form
Here is an example of the form being filled out by the IT department. The employee information entered in the initial form is automatically populated in all department forms.
The IT employee can save his partially completed form as a draft and complete it at a later time.

Process

The IT environment constantly grows in complexity with new hardware, software, network equipments and organizations of all sizes need to manage IT changes on a daily basis.

The WorkflowGen workflow software offers a way to quickly automate and optimize the IT Change process by reflecting the existing business rules and the way the organization really works.  

The IT Change process can be implemented as part of the ITIL or COBIT standards.

In the following example of IT Change process implemented in WorkflowGen:
- all the steps are tracked and monitored
- the process data is captured in a structured and formal electronic form 
- the actions are automatically assigned based on the nature (category, priority) of the Request For Change (RFC)
- roles are defined reflecting all the groups involved in the process: Change Initiator, Change Manager, Change Advisory Board (CAB), Change Advisory Board Emergency Committee (CAB/EC), IT Executive Committee (ITEC)
- the participants are automatically notified via email

 
Form
Here is an example of a .Net Web Form.
The layout can be fully customized by using Visual Studio or the free Visual Web Developer 2005 Express. The Web Form just needs to contain all the fields required for this process.
The sections of the form can be displayed based on the each workflow action and based on the profile of the user connected.

Workflow with WorkflowGen
1/ The Change Initiator opens his browser and logs on to the WorkflowGen workflow software.

2/ The Change Initiator clicks “New Request” and selects “I.T. Change Application”. The IT Change Web Form is displayed within WorkflowGen. The Change Initiator completes the form with the description, the reason, the change type, the priority, the category, the deadline and he also can attach documents. Then he submits the action.

3/ The next action can be manually or automatically assigned the a person or a group of persons. The next participants are automatically notified by email. In the email notification they click on a link that will launch the action to do.

4/ The Changer Manager launches his action and displays the form. In the form he can modify the category and the priority and also ask the Change Initiator for more information.
Then he submits the action.

5/ Depending on the nature of the change (category and priority) the next action will be automatically assigned to a specific participant: 
- A Standard change will be immediatly sent to the Change Manager for implementation.
- A Minor change will be sent to the Change Manager for approval.
- A Major change will be sent to the CAB for approval or escalation to the ITEC.
- An Emergency change will be sent to the CABEC for approval.

Each participant will be able to fill out specific sections of the form depending on the actions they have to do. The access to the form fields can be secured depending on each action.

6/ After the approval by the authorized participant the next action is assigned automatically to the Change Manager who will select the Change Developer for the implementation of the requested change.

7/ The Change Manager uses the form to select the Change Developer and define a deadline.
Then he submits the action.

8/ The Change Developer is automatically notified by email. He performs the change and then uses the form to enter the completion date and some comments. Then he submits the action.

9/ The Change Manager is automatically notified by email. He reviews the change implemented by the Change Developer. He can approve the change or ask for modifications.
When he approves he submits the action. That will end the workflow.

10/ The Change Initiator is automatically notified by email of the completion of the Change Request.