Attaching Web Services to a Business Process Model

This topic describes the procedure to attach Web services to a business process model.

You can invoke Web service operations from more than one activity.

1. Select a starting point and click to open a business process model. The business process model appears.
2. Follow the appropriate procedure to attach the required Web service operation to the business process model.
   • Drag the <Web service operation> from the <Project> tree list in the Workspace tab onto the business process model.
   • Drag the <Web service operation> from the Web Service Operation group in the Insert tab onto the business process model.
   • Right-click the activity, select Insert > Web service operation and select the appropriate Web service operation from the Select a User Interface dialog box that appears.
     The Web service operation is added to the activity in the business process model, and the activity name changes to the name of the Web service operation. You can further add a Functional Role, Organization Unit, Work List, or a Business Calendar to the activity. You can also modify the user interface added to the activity.

     Note:
     If you drag and drop a <Web Service Operation> onto the activity, you will be asked for confirmation about description change of that activity with the description of the Web Service that is being associated. But if you choose to associate the same through the context menu 'Insert' -> <Web Service Operation>, then the confirmation dialog is not shown. The selection overwrites the activity description with the selected <Web Service Operation> description.
     Similar functionality is also applicable when a selection is made for the <case model activity>,<business process activity>,<Decision Table>,or a <User Interface>.

     Note:
     To enable the business process model engine to dynamically select a service group at run time, specify the XPath of the service group in the Read Service Group or Service Container from Message field of the Receiver tab in the properties pane.

3. Select the Web service activity in the business process model and click the Message Map tab. The Message Map for the Web service activity appears.
4. Create assignments for the Web service activity and also for other activities in the business process model as necessary.
5. Configure the remaining constructs used in the process model.
6. Right-click the business process modeling environment and select Business Process Execution > Validate and generate BPML. Alternatively, go to Workspace Documents > <Solution> > <Project> and right-click the <business process model> and select Business Process Execution > Validate and generate BPML. The Validate progress window appears and when the validation is over, if there are any warnings or errors, then the warnings appear. Resolve the errors and revalidate the process model.
7. Right-click the business process modeling environment and select Business Process Execution > Publish to Organization. Alternatively, go to Workspace Documents > <Solution> > <Project> and right-click the <business process model> and select Business Process Execution > Publish to Organization. The business process model is published to organization.
8. Right-click the process modeling environment and select Business Process Execution > Run. Alternatively, go to Workspace Documents > <Solution> > <Project> and right-click the <business process model> and select Business Process Execution > Run. The business process model is instantiated.

The required Web service is attached to the business process model.