Question

Basically, I have a point in my workflow where after a document has been sent and a number of things will/might happen.

• The customer has 10 days to send a response
• When the customer’s response has been received anytime within the 10 days, the wait is over and the response should move to the next step of the workflow
• On day 8 or day 9, if there is no response, an email should be sent to the customer
• On the 11th day, an email should be sent to the customer stating the response is late
• Afterwards, an email should be sent every 3 or 5 days to the customer until the response is received

I’m not sure if I should or could use a While Activity in the workflow or use a Code Activity with a While loop in the Code-behind. I’ll be tracking the day the document is sent, its due date, and when the response is received. I’m just not sure on the best practices/approach to doing this.

Answer 1

So I’ll go through this with small explanations

• Transmittal Event: This is an event captured from the hosting app (ie. ASP.NET Web form) and sent to the workflow. With this event the workflow starts.
• TrackDates Code Activity: The workflow captures certain about the document here. Such as: Date and Time when it was sent, Date and Time when it will be due, and FileName
• ListenActivity1: This gives to two branches (it can be more) that are listening to events. Similar to an if/else statement, however only an event can determine which path will be taken. In this workflow, there are two paths. Left path is when a document returns and has been loaded by the Webform. The right path is if nothing has returned in 10 days.
• WaitForTenDays Delay Event: The timer in this event will be set to wait 10 days after the document has been sent.
• SendEmailToCustomer Code Activity: After the WaitForTenDays event is triggered, this activity will send an email to the customer informing them that they are late.
• WhileReturnIsLate loop: This checks the database to see if the document has been returned. If not is will continue on to the next Activity.
• ListenActivity2: please see ListenActivity1 for general description
• WaitForFiveDays Delay Event: Please WaitForTenDays for general description
• SendEmailEveryFiveDays Code Activity: Check the dates to see if another 5 days have passed, if so send an email to the customer reminding that they are late.
• LinkReturnToTransmitted Code Activity: Links the returned document to the transmitted document through the database
• SendEmailToPMNDoc Code Activity: Sends email to project manager and documentation department that the document has been returned by the customer.
• HandleExternalEventActivity1 Event: Receives an event from Webform that the document has been returned by the customer.
• HandleExternalEventActivity2 Event: Please see HandleExternalEventActivity1 Event

If anyone has any comments, criticisms, or improvements that could made to this. Please share. Thanks.