We present the X4 BPM in our X4 BPMS. With this product component, which supports the new DMN standard, business analysts, process owners, consultants, or employees from specialist departments can control business processes through technical rules and automatic decisions without programming, leaving nothing to chance. All of this works on a graphical interface using predefined process modules.
The central element of X4 BPM are decision tables that can be defined and edited directly by the process owner—without the support of a technician or software developer. These tables can be used to define rules and logic for decisions, check them automatically, and return the results to the business process for further processing. The X4 BPM product component can be used for individual and general business processes such as ordering or approval processes, such as digitized vacation approval. The basis for decisions is formed by the freely selectable characteristics and technical data entered in the table; in the case of electronic invoice verification, for example, this could be the invoice amount or the currency. Based on the rules defined in the condition editor, a decision is automatically made on how the invoice will be further processed in the business process.
Define decision rules with the Business Rules Engine, even if you are not a technician
The fully functional decision modules can be dragged and dropped from the palette of drawing elements onto the graphical interface and integrated into the business process at the desired location. The blocks are flexible, and comments such as further descriptions or explanations of terms can be added at any time. The user-friendliness of X4 BPM is significantly enhanced by the Simple Friendly Enough Expression Language (S-FEEL). This expression language allows decision logic to be described in natural language in a "business-friendly" way. In addition, X4 BPM complies with the official "Decision Model and Notation" (DMN) notation standard defined by the Object Management Group (OMG) for decision rules in business process management. This standard specifies how organizations should describe repetitive decisions and offers a simple way to model them efficiently.
Example: Automated control of approval processes – without programming
The benefits of X4 BPM become clear when looking at the example of an approval process in the context of electronic invoice verification. One helpful decision rule is that invoices are automatically approved depending on the invoice amount. With X4 BPM , it is easy to define that invoices below 100 euros are automatically approved, while invoices between 100 and 5,000 euros are forwarded to a clerk. If the invoice amount exceeds 5,000 euros, the invoice is forwarded to a department head, who is responsible for approval in this case. Another example is automated assignment to the department responsible for approval depending on the supplier.
The integratedTool youTool check the status of a task in real time—the person responsible for the process can see at any time which step in the process the invoice is at, who has processed, rejected, or forwarded it. The entire history is documented and stored in a transparent and traceable manner.
Companies are not tied to a specific infrastructure, and applications can also be run in parallel on different platforms.
