Business Process Models


Ostendo now offers the ability for sites to document Business Processes directly from within Ostendo. While Ostendo has its own proprietary Help, it has always been difficult for users to capture and make available their own internal business processes that are used in conjunction with Ostendo. Typically these processes are captured in Word documents that have always been stored and maintained outside of Ostendo. This new concept stores the Business Process within the database, which means they are always available to users within or associated with that organization (e.g., customers or suppliers).

Benefits

Benefits of capturing a Business Process and storing it within Ostendo include:

    • If users leave the organization, the knowledge is lost. Documented Business Processes allow you to fill that knowledge gap.
    • Organization documentation is not easily maintained (external files get lost or are never maintained).
    • New Ostendo users can follow documented Business Processes that are specific to the organization.
    • Ease of access to this documentation. Anyone with appropriate security can easily access this documentation.
    • Easily produce detailed documentation without the need for advanced technical skills or tools.



Important Note

This feature is currently functional; however, further development of its features will be extended in the near future after the Public Release. This Pre-Release version of Ostendo at least gives you the opportunity of setting up and capturing Business Processes so you can see the power of this new feature. The viewing capability will be included for the Public Release.


Future Development

Future development includes:

    • Development of outputs allowing users to view the documented Business Process via: 
      • A new tab on the main screen of Ostendo (similar to tabs for Workflows and Tiles) for viewing (to be available before Public Release)
      • PDF
      • HTML Web Page
    • Extending this capability to Items, Descriptors, BOMs and other areas of Ostendo
    • Enhanced user security around the Business Process Capture mode (Ctrl-F1)
    • User security around viewing mode of the Business Process
    • Version Status (Draft or Approved)
    • Approval Date


Overview


When capturing a business process you should consider breaking this into four parts:

1. Defining the Business Process Name

This is simply the record that holds all documentation relating to this process, including:

    • Categorising that Process
    • Determining the visibility/availability of that process to users

2. New Step Process (Ctrl-F1)

From within Ostendo allowing the initial capture of information, including:

    • Screen shots
    • Notes

3. Editing of the Recorded Business Process

Here we focus on "cleaning up" the captured content and the presentation, including:

    • Resequencing of steps
    • Editing of notes
    • Preparing notes to be presented in an HTML format

4. Making the Business Process Available

Making this Business Process available to users in either a PDF document or web page format, or directly from within Ostendo via a Business Processes tab (similar to tabs for Workflows and Tiles).