All your global workflow configuration can be done via the control panel. Everything you need to do in the portal can be done through simple GUI controls.
Figure 12.3: Adding a Workflow Definition
You can find the Workflow section under the Configuration heading in the control panel. There are three tabs under Workflow which are used to configure workflow in the portal: Definitions, Default Configuration and Submissions. These tabs let you upload definitions, enable workflow for your portal’s resources, and The default workflow behavior you specify here will apply throughout your Liferay Portal.
From the Definitions tab you can see the currently available workflow definitions and add newly created workflow definitions you’d like to use in the portal. Clicking Upload Definition allows you to enter a title for a new workflow definition, browse to your local XML file, and upload it to your Liferay instance. Once you add a file here, it’s added to the portal and is immediately available for use.
Under Default Configuration, you can set the workflow behavior for all workflow-enabled actions in the portal; available resources include Page Revision, User, Blogs Entries, Web Content Articles, Comments, Message Boards Messages, and Wiki Pages. You can also add a custom potlet to this list by using Liferay’s API. You can choose from two default workflow options in Default Configuration: No Workflow or Single Approver, which we looked at in detail earlier in the chapter.
When you set the default workflow configuration of a resource, any new action on that resource defaults to that configuration, throughout the portal. An administrator can edit the workflow behavior for each site’s resources individually through the Workflow Configuration section of a particular site’s Site Administration section. The interface for making changes at the site level is similar to that of the Control Panel interface; the only difference is that you are in the Site Administration section and the changes you specify are only applicable to the scope you have selected here.
In the Submissions tab you can see any currently pending assets or any assets which were previously approved.
Let’s learn more about configuring workflows for both the portal and individual sites next.
Configuring workflow
After you have uploaded workflow definitions and set the default workflow behavior you can go up to Default Configuration and enable workflow for specified actions in your portal.
Figure 12.4: The Workflow Configuration Page
By setting default workflow configuration behavior from the Control Panel, your specified settings are implemented at the global portal scope. If you need to set the workflow configuration for a specific site, you can do so from the Site Administration section. You can get there from the Control Panel by clicking Sites, clicking on a site from the list, and opening the Configuration menu. The Workflow Configuration option lets you modify workflow behavior for the sleected site’s resources that can be workflow enabled.
My Workflow Tasks
My Workflow Tasks is a personalized version of the Workflow Tasks and it’s found in the user’s My Account section. Here you’ll find specific tasks which were assigned to you or assigned to a role of which you are a member. You can also view your completed tasks by opening the Completed tab.
Figure 12.5: My Workflow Tasks Page
Workflow administrative users review and approve content from their My Worfklow Tasks section. By clicking the link to the asset, you can view it, and the Actions dropdown lets you approve, reject, or reassign assets assigned to you. For assets assigned to your roles, you can assign the listed assets to be reviewed by yourself or another user. Whether or not an asset is assigned to you or to your role, you can update the due date as well.
My Submissions
My Submissions is found in your user’s My Account section of the portal. From this screen you can view any assets you have submitted for review. Those currently under review are listed under the Pending tab and those that have been reviewed are listed under the Completed tab.
Figure 12.6: The My Submissions Page
Besides viewing your work, you can also withdraw a submission from the review process by clicking on Withdraw Submission from the Pending tab.
Using Kaleo Workflow Processes in Liferay Portal
Before workflow can be used, you must define which types of assets on the portal are workflow-enabled. If you have created additional definitions, you must also choose the workflow definition to use for each asset that is workflow-enabled.
Figure 12.7: You can select which site to work on by using the drop-down menu in the Site Administration section of the portal.
To demonstrate how this works, we’ll create a press release. Press releases should be posted in the Newsroom section of the web site, so before setting specific workflow configuration options or creating content, create the Newsroom site. When you click Save, you’ll be redirected to the Site Administration section of the portal where you can work on the Newsroom site further. Under Configration, in Workflow Configuration, set Web Content to use the Single Approver workflow.
Next, create two users, a Content Creator and a Content Reviewer. The Content Creator logs in and creates a new press release for the Lunar Resort and clicks Submit for Publication. This triggers the workflow process and notifies the Content Reviewer. When the Content Reviewer logs in, he or she can assign the workflow task to him- or herself and approve the content.
Figure 12.8: Before a Content Reviewer can approve content, he must assign it to himself or have an administrator assign it to him.
Once the content is approved, it can be posted on the Press Releases page in a Web Content Display portlet.
There’s more. EE customers get extra features that enable them to create workflows without having to deal with XML.