Method and apparatus for utilizing a standard transaction format to provide application platform and a medium independent representation and transfer of data for the management of business process and their workflows

摘要

The present invention is a method and apparatus which is used to enable application developers to generate workflow enabled applications which request services from the workflow server component of the workflow system, remotely and indirectly using messaging, shared databases or inter-process communications. The present invention provides a standard transaction format (STF) for accessing such a workflow system through STF processors via messaging, updates to the shared databases or inter- process communications. Workflow enabled applications are used by users to act and participate in business processes and enable users and managers to observe and query the status of workflows and business processes.