Workflow & Workflow Processes

The primary workflow in PlanetPress Connect consists of four major processes that each require a number of inputs, and once executed, produce a particular form of output. These processes are: data mapping, content creation, job creation and output creation.

There is an additional workflow process, named All-In-One, which embodies all four major workflow processes in a singular process.

The following diagram illustrates the primary workflow in PlanetPress Connect:

Typically an individual workflow process (shown above in blue) will take one or more input files as input (shown above in green), and will produce either intermediary output in the form of a data entity (shown above in red), or final output in the form of print, web, or email based content (depending on the context of the content produced) (shown above in yellow).

Input files to a workflow process include files such as data files, data mapping configurations and templates. In most cases an input file needs to be uploaded to the server file store before it can be used in a workflow process. A file that has been uploaded to the file store is known as a managed file, and managed files can be referenced via a unique identifier or name.

A data entity is simply a structured data artefact, produced as a result of an instance of a workflow process known as a workflow operation. Data entities are stored internally to the server and can also be referenced via a unique identifier.

Where a certain process depends on the output of the process before it, the data entity or entities produced by the earlier process are used as an input to that process.