SAI Business Process Collaboration team works with the internal business owners to understand the existing manual and automatic process. The business flow is then documented and any improvements to the current model are discussed. Business Workflow SharePoint applications are deployed using SAI application framework, SAI Workspace Suite. Information Workers can build workflows and process-driven applications to automate common business processes without the need to know any programming. SAI Workflow methodology will allow companies to visualize and implement workflow on a SharePoint platform with few mouse clicks.

Out of box SharePoint Designer Workflow provides business automation but has limitations when dealing with real time scenarios. SAI BPM team has implemented workflows with multiple stages (compound activities) and various degrees of complexities. SAI Application framework is packed with BPM Web Parts and Features containing lists of Workflow components developed in Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF).

Every customer requirements are unique and when the SAI Workflow components cannot be used to support the required business process, custom Workflow can be developed and deployed either using SharePoint Designer or Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF). Workflow solutions are built on SAI component architecture, so the process (and activity) can be reused by Business Analyst in other business solutions.

The following are advantages of implementation of Workflow based on SAI Application framework.

Create and deploy custom workflow to multiple SharePoint servers or farm with simple point and click. When modifications were made to existing workflow, the changes can be deployed from staging to production server farms. Workflow Helper allows replicating workflows from a SharePoint List to number of destinations and can free up Administrator and Developer time. There is no need to create XML and WSP files to deploy Workflow. The following types of Workflow can be managed with the tool.

SAI helps clients achieve "paperless environment" by integrating InfoPath Forms Services, designated electronic forms, for easier data collection and efficient integration with Business Workflow. SAI can migrate the existing Microsoft Word forms to InfoPath Forms, so that the data can be stored in SharePoint Libraries for future reporting.

InfoPath forms can be used to interact with processes at a task-level, kick-off a new Workflow activity, or to interact with business entity data. Daily business activities like vacation request or expense approval are automated with the use of InfoPath to collect data. Workflow validates business rules on the data collected and routes the request for approval. Policies, or rules, are built into the processes and tagged with InfoPath, to ensure that work does not hit a bottleneck. Escalation (Substitution), for example, will reroute a work item (task) to another person, if originally assigned user's sick day or vacation is holding up the process.

SharePoint platform was used to build a secure intranet library storing confidential documents, on a DMZ-based extranet deployment with open authentication and membership providers. Library provides auditing, expiration, information management policies and reports.

Workflow was used to connect People, System and Technology allowing the client to implement the process as viewed by the business owners. The mentioned business rules were provided by custom SharePoint Workflow and SAI BPM Web Parts. Workflow were attached to Content Type and applied to existing and new Sites created by the business group.

Process owners can modify the workflow using SAI BPM Web Parts without the need to learn programming. SAI Workflow Report viewer Web Part allows end users to create and view business process data. Visual workflow interface components such as queues were provided through user's Dashboard. Document creation, routing and approval can be graphically modeled by business users and executed without IT intervention. Triggers were implemented for various user events like document creation and updating to start the Workflow with predefined actions.