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What is PaperWork

PaperWork is a configurable CEVA (Content Enabled Vertical Application) framework based on IBM FileNet P8 ECM and BPM platforms providing out of the box CEVA components for the following areas.

Content Enabled Vertical Applications(CEVAs) typically run on top of ECM environments and they automate complex processes that previously required workers to manually sort through paper documents and other forms of content. In addition to providing several OOTB CEVAs, PaperWork's CEVA framework enables companies to build their content based vertical applications using configurable application templates thus saving enormous amounts of time it takes to develop custom CEVAs. Just define your ECM object/process model, configure the XML application templates and PaperWork simply transforms that into a CEVA.

PaperWork 3.0 now supports an AJAX style Rich Case Management Framework and Web 2.0 collaborative tools like Wikis and Blogs using the standard ATOM Publishing Protocol. Below is a an overview of the feature set.

PaperWork offers a framework ( a set of FileNet P8 Application Services that enables rich client applications) and a configurable Rich Internet Application using Adobe Flex.

Content Management   top

Business Process Management    top

A Rich AJAX Style Case Management Framework   top

PaperWork's Rich Case Management Framework provides a way to manage cases in a content driven workflow environment. It provides a rich AJAX style user interface to interact with FileNet P8 CE and PE in a 'Case' framework i.e. the end user experience is going to be a pure, rich and productive case management and behind the scenes the case is passed thru a workflow.

The UI can be configured/scripted to meet specific industry needs, for example:

Users can manage the following aspects of a Case:

Below are some of the features of the PaperWork's Rich Case Management Framework:

Atomizer: Web 2.0 Collaboration using Wiki, Blog and Atom   top

Atomizer is a module of PaperWork that supports Web 2.0 collaborative features like Wikis and Blogs. Atomizer puts a Web 2.0 face to FileNet P8 ECM platform. Atomizer enables business users to use FileNet P8 as a collaboration platform for creating Team WIkis, Personal Blogs, Edit Wiki Pages, Post Comments and Subscribe to Atom feeds on FileNet P8 content. Atomizer takes these collaboration features a further ahead to implement a collaborative BPM.

The core technology behind Atomizer is the Atom Publishing Protocol (short AtomPub or APP) which is a simple HTTP-based protocol for creating and updating web resources. Atomizer implements AtomPub services on top of IBM FileNet P8 Content Engine.

Atomizer can generate Atom Feeds out of FileNet P8 Content and the interested parties can simply subscribe to these feeds. Tools like Websphere Web Content Management, Lotus QuickR and WebSphere sMash can leverage these feeds thus enabling a rich set of Web 2.0 solutions. Atomizer enables Wiki Clients that are based on AtomPub Services to publish,update and delete pages,comments. Similarly Blog Clients can post,update and delete entries,comments. Feeds can be generated on these objects and can be subscribed.

With Atomizer, the traditional workflow solutions can be implemented as unstructured and collaborative processes (BPM 2.0!). When it comes to solutions like Case Management for example: The ‘Case’ is treated just like a Wiki page with multiple posts where people collaborate. At a higher level, the life-cycle of the case it self represents the workflow. And whenever the life cycle of ‘Case’ gets updated to a new stage, a wiki entry is created for the case to which the corresponding process activity owners can subscribe to, so that they get notified using Atom feeds when they have something to work on.

Below are some of the scenarios where PaperWork's Atomizer can be used in an Enterprise:

Technology   top

Frequently Asked Questions   top

1. How do I use PaperWork in our company? Is it just one application?
Using Application templates, PaperWork can be configured/scripted to be many applications for each Business Unit or for each IT department depending on their content and process model.
2. Does PaperWork provide any out of the box templates? Or Do I need to configure everything from scratch?
Yes, PaperWork comes with several CEVA templates out of the box. Users can either modify those templates or create new ones.
3. How do I create a new Content Enabled Vertical Application (CEVA) using PaperWork? Do I need to code anything?.
Just the XML!. Copy an OOTB CEVA template and edit in any XML editor to align it with your content and process model. We have plans to create a graphical way of doing this in our future release.
4. Currently we are not using P8 BPM. Can I use PaperWork just for pure content management without any workflows?
Yes. Simply modify the PaperWork's template to exclude workflows and you can add them back anytime in future when you are ready to go with BPM.
5. Where are the PaperWork CEVA templates and configuration stored? Does it need a database outside of P8 ?
No external database is needed. The CEVA templates are stored as XML documents in FileNet P8 Content Engine, thus providing versionig and security on the application configuration!
6. How does the PaperWork deployment look like ?
Very Simple. Just deploy the PaperWork WAR file in your J2EE Application Server(WebSphere, WebLogic, JBOSS etc.). It can be deployed on the same server where the P8 AE/Workplace is deployed.
7. Do I need to learn Flex? Is there a Flex component on the back-end?
No unless you want to customize the product. PaperWork is a pure Java J2EE application. Flex is just used for a rich UI.
8. Can PaperWork run inside a Portal? Does PaperWork support custom front-ends?
Yes. Using PaperWork's CEVA service layer, you can create either an RIA(Rich Internet App) or a traditional JSF/JSP, AJAX, Portal or a .NET application.
9. How is PaperWork integrated into existing Enterprise Applications.
Using two different mechanisms.. Synchronous Integration: Using PaperWork's CEVA Services(XML over HTTP), Dynamic Java Interface and JDBC. Asynchronous Integration: Using JMS Publish/Subscribe mechanism
10. How scalable and secure is PaperWork application?
It leverages P8's LDAP based security model. It can be deployed in a clustered or load balanced J2EE environment to make it more scalable. The scalability of the application depends on the scalability of FileNet P8 AE.

PaperWork: Screenshots   top

Flex RIA

Case Management (AJAX RIA)

Web 2.0: Collaboration using Wiki, Blog and Atom