Adding Document

There are 6 ways to add document

1. Entry Template (Requires P8 Workplace)
2. FileNet P8 Workplace (Requires P8 Workplace)
3. Application Integration (Requires P8 Workplace)
4. WebDAV (Web Enabled Document Authoring and Versioning ) (Doesn't Support Multi level Versioning / Entry template is not supported)
5. FEM (FileNet Enterprise Manager)
6. FileNet Capture

Above six methods accesses the object store via Content Engine.

Content

Content are treated as Objects in Filenet. Every Object belongs to a class.Objects inherits the properties and behavior (methods) of it class.

Object is made up of following: -

1. Meta-data: - Object Properties
2. Values: - Values assigned to Properties.
3. Methods: - function which could be applied on the objects.
4. Content: - Any attachment along with the object.

FileNet provides three root classes: -

1. Folders: -
2. Documents: -
3. Custom Objects: - We create custom classes as per requirement. Objects of such classes are called as custom Objects
4. Property templates: - We create a property template as per requirement.when this property template is associated with a class definition, it is called as Property definition. Property template can be reused by multiple classes but its not true for property definition.
5. Class Definition: - Class definition holds the properties and methods of that particular class.
6. Event Actions: - All event action belongs to this root class.

Every object class we create will be a sub class of one of the (1,2,3) root classes

Application Engine

Application Engine provides applications and tools using which users are connected to the Content and Process Engine.Following are its components: -

1. Process router: - PE Connectivity
2. Filenet P8 Workplace: - UI
3. APIs for connectivity with PE and CE
4. Developing tools for creating custom web portals (Web Application Toolkit, Solution Template, Case API)
5. Portal Integration
6. Filenet Integration
7. IS Servlet: - Provides communication between JAVA API and the ISRA API.
8. Image service resource adapter (ISRA): - Image Service Connectivity
9. Component Integrator: -
10. Java connector
11. Java Messaging Services (JMS) connector.

Intro to Workplace

Exactly as name suggests "WorkPlace" is a place were the user intent to work...like an desk or office room which are equipped with all the required tools and documents.

Process Engine Component

Process Engine supports the creation, management, execution and tracking of all workflows.
Following are the components of Processes Engine.

1. Pooled Process Manager: - It is managed(start / stop) by the tool (Process Task Manager).It forwards the request generated by the A.E and C.E (some event causes launch of Workflow) to respective Handlers
2. Process Engine Database: - The Process Engine Database consists of  Isolated Regions(logical subdivision of the database that contains the queues for the work items, event logs, rosters, and other configuration information..IS1 for finance and IS2 for sales...so on), Roster(Roster is a database structure that stores information about all workflows (or workitems) in an isolated region.), Queue(database structure which holds work items), Workflow ( Its an business process) and Work Item (steps in business process). PEDB is maintained via PCC(Process Configuration Console).It is used to create and initialize isolated regions and create queues and rosters.

1. Process Engine Service: - It has to be running for Workflow activity.It can be started or stopped via PTM
2. IBM CrossWorlds Connector: -Process engine has an connector to the integration engine.This enables P.E. to co-ordinate its business process with third party software.(e.g. Integration with SAP)

Content Engine COmponents and Services

Content engine components are COM objects and can be accessed directly using COM API  by programmers. Below lists the Content Engine Components: -

1. GCD
2. Object Store
3. SOAP Listener - Connector for Application Engine
4. Verity CBR Engine - Allows Content Based Retrieval and provides searching and indexing services.Workplace communicates with verity CBR via content engine object store service (for searching) and file store services (for creating and deleting indexes).
5. Rendition Engines - Publishes documents in HTML and PDF
6. XML Auto Classifier: -  Automatically adds objects to object store and assigns properties too.
7. Process Router - Connector for Process Engine

Content Engine Services.

1. Object Store Service : - Manages Object Stores(create folder,doc classes,content storage,storage policies,choice list and properties), events, lifecycles, classification.User wont be able to login into FEM if the service is down,also a single object store service manages multiple object store and vice verse..we can allocate multiple services to the same object store so that if one C.E. server is down than too object store will be available.
2. File Store Service: - Manages content stored in file system outside the database.If the server is down than user wont be able to add or retrieve content from file system.It is responsible for indexing the files which is used by CBR verity server.
3. Content Cache Service: - Manages Content Cache for remote access.It servers both file store services and object store services.
4. Publishing Service : - Manages publishing requests

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FileNet Components

FileNet works on three basic Engine

a. Content Engine - Based on Content Component
b. Process Engine - Based on Process Component
c. Application Engine - Based on Connectivity Component

FileNet P8 Suite

• Team Collaboration Manager
• Records Manager
• Business Process Manager
• Content Manager
• Forms Manager
• Image Manager
• Web Content Manager

Intro...........

FileNet P8 is an ECM (Enterprise Content Management) Technology which is used to maintain structure and Unstructured Content of an Enterprise.

Structured content comprises of any type of documents,web pages,..etc which could be filtered,searched or ordered as per their content.
Unstructured content comprises of audio / video, image files.

Above mentioned content is considered as an input for the business process.Any kind of Business has processes for every small task, for example process for loan in bank or process for leave application..etc

FileNet Maintains the content and allows user to automate his or her business process avoiding all the tedious paperwork and maintenance cost.

FileNet also provides flexibility to its user for customizing the environment as per the requirement.By default "Workplace"  application is used as User Interface, other available options are WorkplaceXT but its not customizable.

ECM technology is based on three basic component
a. Content
b. Process
c. Connectivity

where FileNet is an extensible framework with all of the above component embedded in it for building ECM solutions.