Process Director Product Architecture

Process Director is a BPM software solution with integrated reporting, workflow software, eForms, content management, dashboard, portal and application integration. The products provide rapid implementations of process automation projects across the enterprise or within a department, in areas such as IT, HR, Finance, AP, and Sales.

Architecture

Process Director is flexible, scalable, and easy to install and administer.

The product can be deployed in a 3-tier data access environment, providing a separation between client access, business logic and database access. This configuration offers the most flexible approach to providing reliability and scalability.

The client browser (tier 1) uses HTTP/HTML and AJAX to communicate with the server. The server business layer (tier 2) uses ADO.NET to access the database repository.

The database can be either Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle. The database server can be installed on any host that has network connectivity to the BP Logix server. Multiple BP Logix systems can use the same database, allowing for load-balanced web servers.

Read more about the minimum system requirements for Process Director.

Application Integration

Process Director provides built-in integration with many third-party and in-house applications and databases. An SDK is provided for integrating with web services and for advanced product customization.

• Scanners and imaging software
• Windows file systems
• Microsoft Active Directory (AD)
• ERP and CRM Applications
• SQL Compliant Databases
• Email Systems (e.g. MS Exchange Server, Outlook)
• Mobile Devices (e.g. iPad, Android, iPhone, Blackberry)
• Web Portals (e.g. MS SharePoint, IBM WebSphere)
• Single Sign-On (SSO) Products
• Integration with Web Services

Product Layers

SDK / Web Services

Process Director is designed for simplicity, combined with sophisticated features to address needs of business users. It also embraces developers’ needs through an SDK that can run in existing development environments. The SDK allows for advanced customization and integrations with applications that are not provided with the built-in integration modules. The SDK supports custom .NET code written in C# and a complete set of web service API’s, giving applications the ability to interface with and control the product externally.

• Create forms with the BP Logix eForm Builder or existing ASP.NET tools
• Built-in support for many third-party applications
• Easily integrates with existing databases to share information in real time
• Software Development Kit (SDK)
• Integrates with Web services
• Advanced product customization
• Enables OEM implementations
• Can leverage existing development tools (ASP.NET)
• Available for Mobile Devices

Security

Process Director supports authenticated and anonymous users. Authenticated users are those who perform a login to access the server. The login authentication can be accomplished with either the built-in security module or through an external authentication system. The product has integrated support for LDAP, Windows Domain Security, Windows Active Directory (AD), CA eTrust, SharePoint and various other portal products. Other authentication systems can also be supported through the Integration SDK provided with the product.

Anonymous users will only have access to certain resources in Process Director. Permissions can be established for an object in the database that allows anonymous users to access them. Anonymous users can view objects in the database (e.g. documents, forms) and submit eForms, but they cannot participate in a workflow process.

For enhanced security, you can configure Process Director to encrypt all communication between the browser and web server using SSL. The products are firewall friendly and work with most packet-filtering firewalls and proxy servers.

All objects in the Process Director database (e.g. documents, folders, eForms, Knowledge Views, taxonomy, workflows, etc.) have permission lists associated with them. Permissions can be established for users or groups of users. The groups can be built-in and/or from your AD, and allow users to be grouped according to role or any other type of organizational structure.