Research On Dynamic Alliance Workflow Management System Based On BizTalk Server

With the era of information technology coming, the traditional business model is changing. In order to adapt to the competitive environment that changes rapidly, a new business model, the dynamic alliance (Virtual Enterprise, VE) emerges. It consists of manufacturing technology, modern information technology and management technology. And it is an ideal organizational form for enterprises in the future. The workflow technology that oriented from Office Automation (OA) could promote development of VE. How to support business process's reengineering (BPR) is a very important application field of Workflow Management System (WfMS). But the VE has features of distribution and dynamics, which makes it not appropriate to the new field. The WfMS needs to enhance its ability to support this field by new information technology and new ideas.In this thesis, VE WfMS was studied on the basis of the research of workflow technology and the dynamic alliance around the world. An example about business process running in VE was given by combining with the platform of enterprise application integration based on XML technology-BizTalk Server 2004. The author's main workings are given as follows:(1) Based on the research of workflow technology and workflow referenced model which is a general framework given by Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), the structure of VE workflow had been designed according to the characteristics of business processes in dynamic alliance and the research of project. In addition, the flow chart of business processes in dynamic alliance was given.(2) The key technology of realizing VE workflow management system— BizTalk Server 2004 was analyzed in this paper, and other correlative technology such as .NET, Web Services, XML were also discussed.(3) The definition and controlling of business processes in dynamic alliance was designed, which provides condition for cooperation and applications integration of the multi-enterprises.(4) The running mechanism of the VE WfMS based on BizTalk Server was described with an example of on-line order auditing running automatically in the virtual enterprise.The system put forward in the thesis can adapt to dynamic business process of the enterprise by utilizing Web Service technology and BizTalk Server technology which has formidable information conformity ability to realize the running of workflow management system and monitoring of business process. At the same time, it utilized the centralized platform to exchange information, which held loose coupling between the system, and also enhanced the extension of information, reduced the redundancy of information transmission, depressed the network expenses. In addition, it has wide application foreground in the application integration of distributional system.