Learn Symantec Workflow
This page contains videos and articles covering specific features in Symantec Workflow, organized by functional category. We recommend you begin with the "Start Here - Introductory Videos" category if you are new to Symantec Workflow.
The videos in this section guide you through the fundamental concepts of Symantec Workflow. We recommend you watch the videos in order, from top to bottom. Introductory Videos
This video explains Symantec Workflow as a process maangement framework.
Last Updated: 8/26/09
This video explains and creates each project type, shows the differences, and exlains when each type is appropriate based on the desired process.
Last Updated: 1/19/10
This video addresses the six major categories for components found in the Designer, and common component settings.
Last Updated: 1/19/10
This video focuses on how Workflow handles data, from simple to complex data types, collections, data stream, and how data is stored in a process.
Last Updated: 1/19/10
Basic Data and Rule Examples
This video demonstrates adding new data (a variable) to a process. Initializing a piece of data and then populating that data in a process is a common function in Workflow.
Last updated: 5/20/09
The Initialize Data component allows you to introduce multiple variables for multiple pieces of new data in a process.
Last Updated: 5/20/09
The Text Matches Rule can be used to compare a variable value to a list of set values, or based on a form value entered, route a process on a path accordingly.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
The Number Range Rule in this video evaluates an entry made in a numeric text box in a form, then routes a process accordingly.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
This video shows how the Equals Rule evaluates both text and integer values to route a process.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
This video uses the Date Range Rule to compare a date selected in a form to a base date set in the component (the current date).
Last Updated: 5/21/09
Decision Components
The Decision Path component defines a business rule matrix that executes a specific path.
Last Updated: 5/6/09
The Decision Tree Path component uses a hierarchichal tree to execute a specific path.
Last Updated: 5/6/09
The Decision Table component uses a business rule matrix to set the value of a variable.
Last Updated: 5/6/09
The Decision Tree uses a hierarchichal tree to set the value of a variable.
Last Updated: 5/7/09
Collections This video demonstrates manual creation of a text collection, sorting the collection, then looping through the collection items and performing an action on each item. Last Updated: 5/22/09
Complex Data Types This video demonstrates creating a complex data type, how to use it, and display it on a form. Last Updated: 4/24/09
Embedded and Linked Model Components SQL Table Generator
This video demonstrates how to create an integration library to access a database, then display the records on a web form.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video demonstrates how to add a record to a database through a web form.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video demonstrates how to display records from a database in a web form, then make them available for editing via a web form. The database is updated with the changes.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
Web Service Generator
This video demonstrates the creation of a web service and the calling of that service using data passed in from a form.
Last Updated: 6/12/09
Altiris Report Generator
This video shows how to use an Altiris report generated component to pull CMDB data, then create a task in SharePoint for each record found.
Last Updated: 6/12/09
XML Schema Generator
This video demonstrates creating an XML schema library to read an XML schema, then use the pulled in XML data in a process.
Last Updated: 6/16/09
Workflow
This video demonstrates the automatic initiation of a workflow based off of receipt of an e-mail.
Last Updated: 8/26/09
This video goes through a basic example of an approval Workflow.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video demonstrates concurrent multiple subprocesses for onboarding a new employee.
Last Updated: 8/23/09
This video demonstrates how to use the Embedded Merge Component to wait for a majority decision (e.g. from a Change Advisory Board) before proceeding.
Last Updated: 5/10/2011
Process Development Walk-Throughs
This video builds a production-ready change management process.
Last Updated: 5/23/09
This video builds a production-ready change management process.
Last Updated: 5/30/09
This video builds a production-ready change management process.
Last Updated: 6/5/09
This video builds a production-ready change management process.
Last Updated: 6/5/09
This section provides videos about some of the most important components in Symantec Workflow. Also included are links to component documentation. Documents
Active Directory Components
This video demonstrates searching for a list of AD groups, selecting a group from the list, selecting a user, then adding the user to the group.
Last Updated: 1/31/10
This video demonstrates adding a user to AD through a web form.
Last Updated: 5/22/09
This video demonstrates the Get Current User component and its proper settings, and how it is often used with AD components.
Last Updated: 8/26/09
This video demonstrates how to retrieve the direct reports for a manager.
Last Updated: 2/14/2011
This video demonstrates how to retrieve the logged in user details and use them in a process.
Last Updated: 9/8/08
This video shows building an embedded AD search into a web form.
Last Updated: 9/8/09
Auto Start Components
This article explains how the New File Auto Start component watches a folder and kicks off a workflow process when it detects a file has been added.
Last updated: 11/10/08
This article provides examples and explains the function of the Configurable Auto Start component.
Last updated: 11/3/08
Collections
This video demonstrates manual creation of a text collection, sorting of the collection, then iterating the collection and performing an action on each item.
Last updated: 5/22/09
Date Components
This article provides examples and explains the function of the Date Greater Than component.
Last updated: 11/3/08
Data Components
This video demonstrates how to introduce new data (a text variable) in a process, a common function in Workflow.
Last updated: 5/20/09
This video demonstrates the creation of multiple pieces of data from just one component.
Last updated: 5/20/09
Decision Components
The Decision Path component defines a business rule matrix that executes a specific path.
Last Updated: 5/6/09
The Decision Tree Path component uses a hierarchichal tree to execute a specific path.
Last Updated: 5/6/09
The Decision Table component uses a business rule matrix to set the value of a variable.
Last Updated: 5/6/09
The Decision Tree uses a hierarchichal tree to set the value of a variable.
Last Updated: 5/7/09
E-mail Components
This article demonstrates the usage of the Send Email component.
Last Updated: 11/4/08
Execute Process Components
This video addresses how to run external processes on remote computers via Workflow.
Last Updated: 5/18/09
External Dialogs (Integrate with other Web pages)
This video demonstrates how to send a user into an external dialog (a web page), exchange data, then bring the user back to the original process.
Last Updated: 11/6/09
Embedded and Linked Model Components
Form Components
This article provides examples of using a web form grid to display data in a form.
Last Updated: 10/21/08
HTTP Components
This video shows how to send dynamic process data to a web server via HTTP POST, then process the return information.
Last Updated: 3/17/09
PDF Components
This video demonstrates the components that generate a PDF document.
Last Updated: 4/24/09
UNIX
This video demonstrates how to run commands on a remote LINUX or UNIX machine from a Workflow process.
Last Updated: 11/8/10
Rule Components
This article shows examples of the Number Range Rule component.
Last Updated: 11/4/08
This article shows examples of the Compare Numbers Rule component.
Last Updated: 10/28/08
The Text Matches Rule can be used to compare a variable value to a list of set values, or based on a form value entered, then route a process on a path accordingly.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
The Number Range Rule in this video evaluates an entry made in a numeric text box in a form, then routes a process accordingly.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
This video shows how the Equals Rule evaluates both text and integer values to route a process.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
This video uses the Date Range Rule to compare a date selected in a form to a base date set in the component (the current date).
Last Updated: 5/21/09
Use Case Examples
This video demonstrates using parent/child controls, a listbox where you select a parent value and display the associated child values in a data grid.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
This video demonstrates reading information from a database table and letting users select items, then writing the selected items to a different database table.
Last Updated: 5/21/09
This section provides information regarding the configuration and deployment of the Workflow server and Workflow processes. Articles
This section provides information regarding handling errors that can occur in your Workflow processes. Videos
This video demonstrates creating a global exception service that writes exceptions to a database, writes them to the log, and e-mails the admin. NOTE: this video applies to Workflow versions prior to 7.1 (7.1 introduces the Critical Errors model for helping handle exceptions).
Last Updated: 6/16/09
This video demonstrates the deployment of the service, and the generation of components against the service so other processes can use it. NOTE: this video applies to Workflow versions prior to 7.1 (7.1 introduces the Critical Errors model for helping handle exceptions).
Last Updated: 6/16/09
Articles
This section provides information regarding how Workflow can leverage files in processes. Videos
This video shows you how to upload a file, and route it to multiple people for review and approval.
Last Updated: 3/18/09
The purpose of this section is to provide information about the Workflow Generators, which create components or custom data types.
SQL Generators
This video demonstrates the how to create an integration library to access a database, then display the records on a web form.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video demonstrates how to add a record to a database through a web form.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video demonstrates how to display records from a database in a web form, then make them available for editing. The database is updated with the changes.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video walks through an example of calling a database stored procedure from a Workflow project.
Last Updated: 4/27/09
Web Service Generator
This video demonstrates the parts of the Designer, components, and basic workflow assembly.
Last Updated: 6/12/09
.NET Invoke Generator
This video demonstrates building a data type and component via the .NET invoke generator. This is a simple example to demonstrate the concept; this same pattern can be used for more complicated use cases.
Last Updated: 5/16/2001
C# Sample Class
Altiris Report Generator
This video demonstrates the creation of a web service and the calling of that service using data passed in from a form.
Last Updated: 6/12/09
XML Schema Generator
This video demonstrates creating an XML schema library to read an XML schema, then use the pulled in XML data in a process.
Last Updated: 6/16/09
User-Defined Data Types
This video demonstrates the parts of the Designer, components, and basic workflow assembly.
Last Updated:
Multiple Generator Container
This video demonstrates the multiple generator container integration project, which Symantec recommends using for consolidating all custom components into one .dll.
Last Updated: 12/8/09
This section contains lab exercises for important Workflow functions. Hands-On Labs
In this lab, you create a process that allows a user to open a web page, and if the user is "Manager" of an AD group, search AD and add users to the group.
In this lab, you create a process that monitors an Inbox for SEP notifications. Once an e-mail is received, a task is automatically created to resolve the issue. The user opens the task in Process Manager and inputs the resolution, and the information is logged to the database.
In this lab, you create integration points between disparate products via a web service and generate components against a web service.
In this lab, you work with Process Reporting components to capture process reporting data, and then look at the data in Process Manager.
In this lab, you create standard reports in Process Manager. Click here to download the lab package file.
The videos here provide information regarding Workflow Portal (also known as "Process Manager"). The portal is a consolidated place for Workflow users to log in to work tasks, get process status, create custom pages, store documents, and more.
Workflow Portal/Process Manager
This video demonstrates process reporting and tracking components.
Last Updated: 1/24/10
This video shows reports in process manager and basic features of the Report Designer.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video demonstrates the process reporting capabilities in the Process Manager portal.
Last Updated: 1/24/10
This video demonstrates how to create a custom data source, create a report with the custom data source, and create a web service from the report.
This video shows how to use the Dialog Workflow component to generate tasks in the Portal task list for a user.
Last Updated: 6/16/09
This video esplains profiles and application properties, and how processes use those values.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
Articles
This article shows where project properties for the Portal are configured.
Last Updated: 1/31/10
The information here demonstrates how Workflow complements Microsoft's SharePoint portal Videos
This video shows how to use an Altiris report generated component to pull CMDB data, then create a task in SharePoint for each record found.
Last Updated: 6/12/09
This video demonstrates using Workflow to integrate with SharePoint lists.
Last Updated: 3/24/10
This video shows how to use Workflow forms inside of SharePoint through the SharePoint page viewer web part.
Last Updated: 4/2/10
The information here is for the Web Form builder that is used in Workflow and Web Form types of projects. Videos
This video demonstrates the Workflow Theme Builder, what is included and how to create a new theme.
Last Updated: 12/7/09
This video demonstrates how to set up form validation to validate user input.
Last Updated: 8/26/09
This video demonstrates how to render a Worklfow project on a mobile device.
Last Updated: 4/28/10
This video demonstrates how to dynamically hide or show form controls
Articles
This section provides information regarding the Workflow components available. "Workflow" project types and components create the infrastructure for managing business processes and step-by-step workflow. Videos
This video demonstrates the automatic initiation of a workflow based off of reciept of an e-mail.
Last Updated: 8/26/09
This video goes through a basic example of an approval workflow.
Last Updated: 6/3/09
This video demonstrates concurrent multiple subprocesses for onboarding a new employee.
Last Updated: 8/23/09
Articles
The videos in this section guide you through the major new features found in Workflow 7.1. This version also inlcudes sample processes. See the Learn Workflow > Examples page for videos and documents showing these processes. Enterprise Management - Server Management
This video demonstrates the installation of Workflow Server and Designer on a remote machine from the SMP.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video demonstrates how to register a server in the SMP console, which enables that server as a deployment target.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
Enterprise Management - Publishing
This video demonstrates the parts of the Designer, components, and basic workflow assembly.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video demonstrates adding an environment to the SMP.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video demonstrates how a user without publish permission submits a publishing request for the admin to process.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video demonstrates the Enterprise Management Deployment plugin to publish a Workflow locally, to a stand-alone machine not registered in the SMP.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
Enterprise Management - Repository
This video demonstrates the Workflow 7.1 repository, which resides in SMP and manages project versions.
Last updated: 9/17/10
Enterprise Management - Security
This video explains the default security roles surrounding Workflow that are managed in the SMP.
Last updated: 9/17/10
Process Manager
This video demonstrates how to set up servers to function as backups for the Service Catalog.
Last updated: 9/17/10
Workflow Tools
This video shows the features of the Workflow Manager, a tool that lets you access and manage your projects and access a repository if used.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video shows how to compare two projects and pick certain changes to incorporate.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video shows the features of Workflow Explorer, an important client tool.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
Workflow Development
This video demonstrates how to update project properties for a published process from the SMP, without having to republish the project.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video explains a new model found in every new project for reporting errors.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
This video demonstrates how to create a process that is compatible with mobile devices.
Last Updated: 9/17/10
