Organizing Workflows Using Camunda Web Modeler: Best Practices for Templates, Reusable Components, and RBAC

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In today’s fast-paced business environment, organizations require workflow management systems that are efficient, scalable, and secure. Camunda 8.5 is a leading process orchestration platform that enables teams to design, execute, and optimize workflows. While the cloud-based Camunda 8 SaaS provides easy access to collaboration tools like workspaces, the on-premise setup focuses on customization and self-managed deployment to meet specific organizational needs.

This article provides a guide tailored for Camunda 8.5 on-premise setups. It explains how to organize workflows into templates, create reusable components, enable user groups to extend templates, and implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to manage access and visibility. It also highlights ways for business analysis teams to contribute to process optimization while adhering to the limitations of an on-premise setup.

Organizing Workflows into a Template Library

Unlike the cloud-based version, the on-premise Camunda 8 setup does not provide dedicated workspaces or centralized libraries through the Web Modeler. Instead, you can organize workflows and templates using file-based repositories, version control systems like Git, or shared directories.

Creating a Centralized Template Repository

To maintain consistency and enable reuse, establish a centralized template repository that stores standardized workflows. This can be set up using a version control system (e.g., Git) or a directory structure on a shared server.

Steps:

Set Up a Shared Repository:
- Use a shared file system, version control system (e.g., Git), or collaboration tool for hosting workflow templates.
- Organize the repository with directories for categories like Payment Processes, Approval Workflows, etc.
Design Standardized Templates:
- Use Camunda Modeler to design workflows in BPMN 2.0 format.
- Each template should represent a generic process for a specific product request category:
  - Payment Request Process
  - Loan Approval Process
  - Customer Onboarding Process
Implement Naming Conventions:
- Use clear and consistent naming conventions to indicate the purpose and version of each template.
- Example: Template_Payment_Request_v1_0.bpmn
Version Control:
- Use Git to track changes to templates, enabling rollback and collaboration between teams.
- Maintain a changelog that documents updates and their impact.
Add Metadata and Documentation:
- Include metadata (e.g., author, description, date) in the workflow files.
- Use the BPMN annotations feature to explain the purpose of tasks, events, and subprocesses.

Defining Reusable Components

Reusable components are essential for reducing redundancy and ensuring consistency across workflows. In an on-premise setup, these components need to be organized and stored in the same repository or directory structure.

Types of Reusable Components:

Global Tasks and Subprocesses:
- Define common actions or subprocesses, such as Customer Verification or Approval Process.
- Use Call Activities in BPMN to reference these subprocesses from other workflows.
Decision Tables (DMN):
- Create DMN 1.3 decision tables for business rules that can be reused across multiple workflows.
- Examples:
  - Risk Assessment Rules
  - Eligibility Criteria
Scripts and Connectors:
- Store reusable scripts (e.g., JavaScript or Groovy) for custom logic.
- Develop connectors for frequently used integrations (e.g., sending emails, making API calls).
Shared Directory for Components:
- Use a shared directory or repository (e.g., /shared/reusable_components) to store and organize reusable components.

Allowing User Groups to Extend Templates

In an on-premise setup, user groups can extend templates by creating copies of the base templates and modifying them to meet specific needs. This can be done using the Camunda Modeler and a shared repository for collaboration.

Cloning Templates for Customization

Steps:

Copy Templates:
- Allow user groups to copy base templates from the centralized repository to their local or team-specific directories.
- Example: The Payments Team copies Template_Payment_Request_v1_0.bpmn to their directory and renames it to Workflow_Payment_Request_TeamA_v1_0.bpmn.
Customize Workflows:
- Add tasks, subprocesses, or decision points specific to the team’s requirements.
- Modify DMN tables to include additional rules.
Maintain Links to Reusable Components:
- Ensure all workflows reference shared components (e.g., subprocesses, scripts) from the centralized directory.

Using Call Activities for Reuse

Call Activities are a powerful feature in BPMN that allows workflows to reference other processes or subprocesses, promoting modularity and reuse.

Implementation:

Define common subprocesses (e.g., Approval Process) in separate BPMN files.
Reference these subprocesses using Call Activities in the main workflows.
Store the subprocesses in a shared directory for easy access.

Benefits:

Reduces duplication.
Ensures consistency across workflows.
Simplifies maintenance and updates (changes to a subprocess are reflected in all workflows that reference it).

Implementing Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

In an on-premise setup, RBAC is implemented at the file system or application level to control access to workflows and components.

Defining Roles and Permissions

Common Roles:

Template Administrator:
- Manages the centralized repository and shared components.
- Has full access to create, modify, and delete templates.
Workflow Designer:
- Can create and edit workflows within their assigned domain or team directory.
Viewer:
- Has read-only access to workflows and templates.

Configuring RBAC in an On-Premise Environment

File System Permissions:
- Use operating system-level permissions to restrict access to directories.
- Example: Only the Payments Team has write access to /workflows/payments/.
Repository Permissions:
- If using Git, configure branch-level permissions to control who can push changes.
Application Permissions:
- For deployed workflows, use Camunda’s built-in user and group management to control who can start, view, or modify process instances.
Auditing Changes:
- Track changes to workflows and components using Git or activity logs.

Managing Projects Without Workspaces

Since workspaces are not available in the on-premise version, projects can be organized using directories within the repository or file system.

Organizing by Business Domain or Team

Example Directory Structure:

plaintext /workflows/ ├── templates/ │ ├── Template_Payment_Request_v1_0.bpmn │ ├── Template_Loan_Approval_v1_0.bpmn │ └── Template_Customer_Onboarding_v1_0.bpmn ├── payments/ │ ├── Workflow_Payment_Request_TeamA_v1_0.bpmn │ └── Workflow_Payment_Request_TeamB_v1_0.bpmn ├── onboarding/ │ ├── Workflow_Individual_Onboarding_v2_0.bpmn │ └── Workflow_Corporate_Onboarding_v1_1.bpmn └── shared/ ├── reusable_components/ │ ├── Approval_Process.bpmn │ ├── Risk_Assessment_Rules.dmn │ └── Email_Connector.js └── documentation/

Involving the Business Analysis Team

Roles of Business Analysts

Process Design and Optimization:
- Collaborate with stakeholders to design BPMN diagrams that reflect business requirements.
Decision Management:
- Create and maintain DMN tables for business rules.
Process Documentation:
- Document workflows and provide training materials for end-users.

Conclusion

Organizing workflows in an on-premise Camunda 8.5 setup requires adapting cloud-based best practices to a self-managed environment. By using shared repositories, reusable components, and robust RBAC, organizations can achieve: