Task developers can take advantage of Task Engine integration with webMethods Business Rules to define task assignments by using Task Engine rule entities such as business rule sets and decision tables. Instead of creating task assignments within the task type itself, you can reference a business rule set or decision table within webMethods Business Rules to determine the task assignment based on the values of task business data.

This approach enables you to place the task assignment logic outside of the task, in the decision table, and you can reference the same business rule entity from multiple task types. If you decide to change the assignment conditions, you apply a single change to the rule entity, which is then applied to all task types that reference it. Otherwise, if you were to maintain your assignment logic in the task types themselves, you would have to modify each task type individually when you change the assignment conditions.

Business process developers working in Software AG Designer can also use a business rule process action to start a task instance. For example, consider a business process for handling a new wholesale customer account application submitted by a distribution company.

Based on the various pieces of customer data submitted to the process (such as the company’s annual sales, credit rating, and past purchase history), the business process interacts with a decision table that calculates a net discount to be applied to all future purchases, using the business data provided by the process. The decision table determines the discount amount and returns it to the business process.

In some cases, however, the application being handled by the business process may be missing key information that prevents the decision table from determining the discount amount. To address this case, a Manual Decision process action can be included in the decision table.

When the decision table cannot determine a discount amount, the Manual Decision process action starts an instance of a task type that enables the task assignee to review the case and determine a discount amount manually. Upon completion of the task, the discount amount is returned to the process.

The task type instance started by the Manual Decision process action requires no special configuration, although it must be implemented to accept and present the business data provided by the business process and decision table, and provide the ability for the assignee to specify a discount amount. Assignment of the task can be based on business data provided by the process, by standard task assignment mechanisms, or through a decision table.