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)
- Any additional steps as appropriate for the BoatClaims workflow