Help with workflow approach?
I'm trying to wrap my head around this problem and how to properly approach a solution using Sharepoint workflow. Any input would be greatly appreciated.
The current business process I'm trying to model is as follows. We have a paper form named Print Shop Work Request. When someone needs copies made they fill out this form and interoffice mail it down to our print shop. The originals are either emailed or included with the inter office mailing. The print shop fulfills the request and delivers the final product to the customer.
I would like to model this process using Sharepoint Designer and workflow. I've actually already attempted to implement the solution but I find it lacking a little bit. Here is what I have done.
1. I've created a workflow in Designer that is initiated by the user.
2. Upon initiation the workflow collects Association Data which is basically all the information in the paper form.
3. The workflow sends out an email to the print shop with the Association Data. It also creates a task for the Print Shop.
4. The workflow also collects new data via the task that basically holds the finishing details such as whether it was completed/cancelled how many black and white copies or color copies, etc.
Now the workflow was attached to a document library. The user would upload their original document to the document library and manually initiate the workflow on that item. The association form appears and they fill out all the proper information. The print shop receives the email with those details and works on the order. When complete or if they need to cancel the order they will pull up the task associated with the workflow, edit the task and fill out the data associated with #4 above.
In its simplicity this approach does work, however I'm wondering if it really is the proper way to implement this solution. My main concern is that the Print Shop would like to run reports on data collected in the Association Form as well as that completion data. I really cannot find any way to access this Association Data through the Sharepoint GUI. I can access it from within the Designer workflow of course because I can send an email from the workflow with those details. I would assume that this data is persisted with the workflow but how does one access it?
Is this a problem that should be tackled instead with VS2005 custom workflows and not Sharepoint Designer?
BTW, I'm only using WSS v3.0, not MOSS 2007. Oh and no Infopath either.
