2.3

The world of workflow automation just got better. This month Decisions has released version 2.3 of its Workflow Automation Platform. This release includes a number of updates that will make it easier for you to create, test, and deploy your applications.

Rule Table (or “Truth” Table)

Internally we call this the “truth” table because you can take a ton of data, run it through the rule table, and arrive at pure, undefiled, truth. Ok, so we are having a little fun with that one, but the Rule Table is a major highlight of this release. Why? Read on.

The rule table is a different view into the definition of business rules. Traditional rules were designed to be constructed in a structured manner but to resemble English (they can be read as a sentence). The truth table is a departure from this where it can define a set of conditions and multiple answers to them in a table format. It uses the same set of rules but allows multiple answers.

When evaluating a truth table the engine can return the first answer that evaluated true or all answers that evaluate true.

Ok, so you have an idea of what it does, now how does it help you create, build, or deploy? Let’s say you are building a recommendation engine into your application. Without the rule table you would have needed to create either a complex workflow, or a plethora of single rules. With the rule table you can simply create the matrix, and let the table do the work for you.

If you want to learn more about specific uses, drop us a line here: Contact Us

Windows Azure

Another key update is support for Windows Azure. Now you can easily deploy and run Decisions on the latest cloud offering from Microsoft.

We get questions and work frequently with people who are trying to automate the deployment process. With this release we wanted to make it easier to leverage another big cloud services platform. We already have some significant built in functionality with Amazon Web Services and EC2 deployment. Are you wondering how we can help you make your deployment workflows a little more scalable, and a little less of a headache? Let’s chat: Contact Us

PDF Form Handling

To round it off, the last featured significant update is the ability to handle PDF forms. PDF Form Handling within Decisions let’s you map data collected on your PDF Forms throughout a flow! Imagine being able to recieve forms and automatically process the data against a series of rules that trigger events, processes, and approvals.

This can be especially useful for handling any type of request. Software request, time-off request, you name it, we can automate it and let you approve, track, and take action on the process from a completely customizable dashboard.

PDF Form Handling isn’t just for requests though, as with the rest of the platform, it isn’t meant for one specific application, the feature is another powerful tool in your hands to create new, innovative, simple applications for your business. Have an idea? Comment below, or reach out to us here: Contact Us

Additional updates:

• PGP Encryption Support
• Additional PostgreSQL Functionality
• Improved User Experience

Wondering what to expect in future updates this year? Here is a sneak peek:

• HTML5 for better smartphone and tablet experiences.
• A true Repository for improved versioning functionality.

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