One of the aspects of Plone that sets it above most other Content Management Systems is the DC Workflow package. We've all seen it in use as we publish content, but have we thought about how it can help us to implement business practices and policies as online systems?

1. Yes It Can!
Learning to Leverage Plone’s Workflow
to Bring Business Practices Online
Cris Ewing
UW Radiology Web Services
PSE2010

2. Plone’s Greatest Strength

3. Often Overlooked

5. • Permissions & Roles

6. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights

7. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights
• Workflow: States & Transitions

8. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights
• Workflow: States & Transitions
• Advanced Techniques

9. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights
• Workflow: States & Transitions
• Advanced Techniques

10. Image Credit: femaletrumpet02
http://www.flickr.com/photos/femaletrumpet02/3862031267/

11. Image Credit: ul_Marga
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ul_marga/755378645/

12. Image Credit: gossamerpromise
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gossamerpromise/432902183/

14. what do they open?

15. what do they open?
how can I find the right one?

16. what do they open?
how can I find the right one?

17. lots of permissions

18. CMFEditions: Save new version
CMFEditions: Access previous versions
CMFEditions: Apply version control Content rules: Manage rules
View Management Screens Request review
List portal members
FTP Access
set own properties iterate: check out content Use external editor
Review portal content
Allow sendto
List undoable changes
lots of permissions
Delete Objects
Portlets: manage portlets
Modify view template List folder contentsManage properties
Undo changes
iterate: check in content
Add portal member
Set own password
CMFEditions: Checkout to location
CMFEditions: Revert to previous versions
Add portal folders
Add portal content
View Groups
Reply to item Portlets: manage own portlets

19. (and that’s a good thing)

20. (and that’s a good thing)
((take my word for it))

21. not so well documented
Image Credit: The empty Book (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hirok/4404405566),
a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from hirok's photostream

22. Use The Source

23. Use The Source
Products.CMFCore.permissions
AccessControl.permissions
Products.Five / permissions.zcml
zope.security / permissions.zcml

24. help the doc team
Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soldiersmediacenter/2570460662/,
a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from soldiersmediacenter's photostream

25. Permissions Manual

26. Permissions Manual
http://plone.293351.n2.nabble.com/plone-permissions-manual-td3666469.html

27. Permissions Manual
http://plone.293351.n2.nabble.com/plone-permissions-manual-td3666469.html
http://www.coactivate.org/projects/plone-documentation/permissions-manual

28. what do they open?
how can I find the right one?

29. Roles

30. Image Credit: ul_Marga
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ul_marga/755378645/

31. built-in roles from Plone

33. • Manager

34. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything

35. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything
• Owner

36. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything
• Owner
- All content management rights

37. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything
• Owner
- All content management rights
• Editor

38. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything
• Owner
- All content management rights
• Editor
- Can change existing, but not create new

39. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything
• Owner
- All content management rights
• Editor
- Can change existing, but not create new
• Reviewer

40. • Manager
- Like Superman, can do anything
• Owner
- All content management rights
• Editor
- Can change existing, but not create new
• Reviewer
- Can change workflow state

42. • Contributor

43. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing

44. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader

45. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader
- Can view an object, but not manage it in any way

46. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader
- Can view an object, but not manage it in any way
• Member

47. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader
- Can view an object, but not manage it in any way
• Member
- No significant special rights

48. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader
- Can view an object, but not manage it in any way
• Member
- No significant special rights
• Authenticated

49. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader
- Can view an object, but not manage it in any way
• Member
- No significant special rights
• Authenticated
• Anonymous

50. • Contributor
- Can add new content, but not edit existing
• Reader
- Can view an object, but not manage it in any way
• Member
- No significant special rights
• Authenticated distinguish folks who are logged in
from folks who are not
• Anonymous

51. you can create new ones

52. you can create new ones
but be cautious . . .

53. • Too many roles can be confusing

54. • Too many roles can be confusing
• Too many roles clutter the user interface

55. Image Credit: yin yang (http://www.flickr.com/photos/csb13/4577840509/),
a Creative Commons by-nc-nd (2.0) image from csb13's photostream

56. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights
• Workflow: States & Transitions
• Advanced Techniques

57. Roles can be ‘global’ or ‘local’

58. Global Roles

60. Local Roles

63. so what’s the difference?

64. Plone Site
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

65. Assign a Local Role on a Folder
Plone Site
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

66. Inheritance can be blocked
Plone Site
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

67. Plone Site
Grant A Global Role (say ‘Editor’)
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

68. Global Roles CANNOT Be Blocked!!!
Plone Site
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

69. so what do we do?

70. Assign a ‘Global’ Local Role (use sharing)
Plone Site
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

71. Inheritance Blocking is Respected
Plone Site
Folder 1 Folder 2
Folder 1.1 Folder 2.1
Folder 1.2 Folder 2.2
X X

72. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights
• Workflow: States & Transitions
• Advanced Techniques

73. states

74. Image Credit: Visits to Taiwan 2005 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/midpath/300465658/,
a Creative Commons by-nc-nd (2.0) image from midpath's photostream

75. states can:

76. states can:
• Assign permissions to roles

77. states can:
• Assign permissions to roles
• Control available transitions

78. states can:
• Assign permissions to roles
• Control available transitions
• and, less well known:

79. assign roles to groups!

80. transitions

81. Image Credit: A walk into the bamboo paths (http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotopakismo/2390882485/)
a Creative Commons by-nc-nd (2.0) image from fotopakismo's photostream

82. transitions control:

83. transitions control:
• Where you end up

84. transitions control:
• Where you end up
• How you start the journey

85. transitions control:
• Where you end up
• How you start the journey
• user-initiated or automatic

86. transitions control:
• Where you end up
• How you start the journey
• user-initiated or automatic
• Who can make the trip

87. transitions control:
• Where you end up
• How you start the journey
• user-initiated or automatic
• Who can make the trip
• permission(s), role(s) or membership in
group(s)

88. the rubber meets the road
Image Credit: Transformers (http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoffarth/4506050669/),
a Creative Commons by-nc-nd (2.0) image from hoffarth's photostream

89. A simple workflow app

90. A simple workflow app
• User submits a request for travel expenses

91. A simple workflow app
• User submits a request for travel expenses
• Approver approves or denies the request

92. A simple workflow app
• User submits a request for travel expenses
• Approver approves or denies the request
• If denied, the user can edit and re-submit

93. A simple workflow app
• User submits a request for travel expenses
• Approver approves or denies the request
• If denied, the user can edit and re-submit
• Accountant issues a reimbursement check

94. A simple workflow app
• User submits a request for travel expenses
• Approver approves or denies the request
• If denied, the user can edit and re-submit
• Accountant issues a reimbursement check
• Request is closed

95. What do we need?

96. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type

97. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type
• Title, Description, Amount and Receipt

98. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type
• Title, Description, Amount and Receipt
• A Workflow

99. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type
• Title, Description, Amount and Receipt
• A Workflow
• New Request, Awaiting Approval,
Approved, Denied, Closed

100. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type
• Title, Description, Amount and Receipt
• A Workflow
• New Request, Awaiting Approval,
Approved, Denied, Closed
• A Pair of Roles

101. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type
• Title, Description, Amount and Receipt
• A Workflow
• New Request, Awaiting Approval,
Approved, Denied, Closed
• A Pair of Roles
• Approver, Accountant

102. What do we need?
• A Simple Content Type
• Title, Description, Amount and Receipt
• A Workflow
• New Request, Awaiting Approval,
Approved, Denied, Closed
• A Pair of Roles
• Approver, Accountant
• or do we?

103. What Tools to Use?

104. What Tools to Use?
For the Content Type: ZopeSkel?? AGX??

105. What Tools to Use?
For the Content Type: ZopeSkel?? AGX??
For the Workflow: collective.wtf ?? ZMI & portal_setup???

106. or, perhaps . . .

107. dexterity & uwosh.northstar

108. start with a buildout

109. start with a buildout

110. start up instance

111. fresh plone site

112. fresh plone site

113. (it works in plone 3, too)

114. you’ll install two products

115. you’ll install two products

116. they’ll install dependencies

117. they’ll install dependencies

118. new control panels

119. new control panels

120. we need a simple
content type

121. make a content type

122. make a content type

123. set up type basics

124. add fields

125. add fields

126. add fields

127. add fields

128. amount field (float)

129. receipt field (file)

130. add behaviors
(basic capabilities)

131. we also need a workflow

132. create new workflow

133. create new workflow

134. create new workflow

135. edit existing states

136. edit existing states

137. edit existing states

138. edit existing states

139. add new state(s)

140. add transition(s)

141. add transition(s)

142. add transition(s)

143. add transition(s)

144. add transition(s)

145. add transition(s)

146. add transition(s)

147. add transition(s)

148. assign workflow to type

149. assign workflow to type

150. and that’s it!

151. a quick live demo

152. • Permissions & Roles
• Inheritance of Rights
• Workflow: States and Transitions
• Advanced Techniques

153. content rules

154. content rules
no programming needed

155. per-field permissions

156. • Show different aspects of a type to different
users

157. • Show different aspects of a type to different
users
• Show different aspects of a type to the same
user in different states

158. • Show different aspects of a type to different
users
• Show different aspects of a type to the same
user in different states
• Allow users to edit only certain fields

159. • Show different aspects of a type to different
users
• Show different aspects of a type to the same
user in different states
• Allow users to edit only certain fields
• Change which fields can be edited by state

160. • Show different aspects of a type to different
users
• Show different aspects of a type to the same
user in different states
• Allow users to edit only certain fields
• Change which fields can be edited by state
• and so on . . .

161. Image Credit: Mona Lisa (http://www.flickr.com/photos/caribb/2355878576/"),
a Creative Commons by-nc-nd (2.0) image from caribb's photostream

162. Image Credit: Les Demoiselles d'Avignon(http://www.flickr.com/photos/webtweakers/2511681891/),
a Creative Commons by-nc-nd (2.0) image from webtweakers's photostream

163. transition actions
script (before)
script (after)

164. filesystem python scripts

165. filesystem python scripts
cannot be overridden

166. workflow events
IBeforeTransitionEvent
IAfterTransitionEvent

167. • which workflow was used

168. • which workflow was used
• old and new workflow states

169. • which workflow was used
• old and new workflow states
• which transition is happening (has happened)

170. • which workflow was used
• old and new workflow states
• which transition is happening (has happened)
• status of the object

171. • which workflow was used
• old and new workflow states
• which transition is happening (has happened)
• status of the object
• the object itself

172. imagine the possibilities
Image Credit: I'm So Excited (http://www.flickr.com/photos/expo86/1907930897/),
a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No-Derivative-Works (2.0) image from expo86's photostream

173. Thanks to:

174. WebLion

175. the Penn State University

176. cewing@uw.edu