Inheritance example

This example uses a very simplified claims processing activity to illustrate inheritance in derived workflows.

This example business handles three different types of insurance claims—Auto, Aircraft, and Boat. Processing tasks for these claims have many similarities, but there are differences that make it desirable to use a separate workflow for each type of claim. Therefore, we have a base workflow that contains tasks shared by all processes, and we will create three specialized workflows—one for each type of claim—that contain the shared processes inherited from the base workflow.

ClaimsBase workflow

The ClaimsBase workflow contains submaps for two basic tasks used for all claims processing: Evaluate policy, and Print letter. It will be the base workflow for the three new workflows designed to process the specific types of claims. Note that the workflow (main) map is not important in this base workflow definition—it will be overwritten in each derived workflow definition.

  • Workflow Properties:
  • Data fields: baseClaimNumber, baseCustomerID, basePolicyID
  • Attachments: baseCustomerPolicy, baseLetterTemplate, baseClaimForm
  • Submap - EvaluatePolicy : Retrieve and confirm the actual policy coverage based on the basePolicyID.
    • Step ConfirmPolicy:
    • Data fields: baseCustomerID, basePolicyID, baseClaimNumber
    • Attachments: baseClaimForm, baseCustomerPolicy
  • Submap - PrintLetter : Print a letter (Approval or Denial) to the customer.
    • Step Print:
    • Data fields: baseCustomerID, baseClaimNumber
    • Attachments: baseLetterTemplate

 

BoatClaims workflow

The BoatClaims workflow is based on the ClaimsBase workflow, so it includes read-only submaps EvaluatePolicy and PrintLetter.

  • Workflow Properties:
  • Base workflow: ClaimBase
  • Note that although the data fields, attachments, and workflow groups defined in the base workflow do not display in the workflow properties, we can access them as parameters at any step in the workflow.
  • Main map
    • Step GetInfo:
    • Parameters (accessed via Modify on the Parameters tab):
      • Data fields: baseCustomerID, basePolicyID, baseClaimNumber
      • Attachments: baseClaimForm, baseCustomerPolicy
    • Step Submap Evaluate: (inherited)
    • Step Investigate:
    • Parameters:
      • Data fields: baseCustomerID, basePolicyID, baseClaimNumber
      • Attachments: baseClaimForm, baseCustomerPolicy
    • Step Submap PrintLetter: (inherited)
    • ...and so on as appropriate for the BoatClaims workflow.