The Grails Activiti Plugin 5.7 Released

I would like to announce the Grails Activiti Plugin 5.7 Released.

Grails Activiti Plugin was created to integrate Activiti BPM Suite and workflow system to Grails Framework.
With the Grails Activiti Plugin, workflow application can be created at your fingertips!

What's New:

• Upgrade Activiti's jar files to 5.7.
• Fixed Issue 15 : UUIDs in domain objects prevent task deletion.
• Fixed Issue 18 : logging.properties causes large number of logs in the log file

Find Out More:

• Project Site and Documentation: http://code.google.com/p/grails-activiti-plugin/
• Support: http://code.google.com/p/grails-activiti-plugin/issues/list
• Discussion Forum: http://groups.google.com/group/grails-activiti-plugin

My First Experience of Outsourcing

On one of the Friday of last month, I am looking for part-timer or freelancer to assist me on a data entry work, so I start from my friend's circle, I posted the following message in my facebook's wall:

I am looking for part-time data entry operator to capture data from the web and record it to spreadsheet (MS Excel), may I know whether you or your friend interested to earn extra income? Requirements: English literature, Internet Access Connection, Acrobat PDF Reader, Internet Explorer. Technical knowledge is not required. Potential candidates: Account Clerk, Admin Clerk, Office Worker, Student

The job description is very similar to most job posts in the classified ad, do you think it is good example? It is definitely a bad one, the job description is too general, if you post similar job description, be specific about the job detail, so potential candidates know exactly the scope of the job and your expectation.

As not much feedback to my offer in facebook wall, I post the job description (it is more specific this time) to several freelancer and part-timer job sites. If you are looking for Malaysian freelancers or part-timer, I recommend AsiaPartTime.com, I received overwhelming responses within 3 days (approximately 100 responses via e-mail, SMS or phone call). A lesson learned: you must remember to include the following description after your job description and contact information:

If you are interested to the job, please tell me more about you, such as: 1) Your previous working experiences related to the job 2) Your current occupation (If student, please specify the course you studying) 3) Your understanding about the job

Otherwise, you will face the problem I faced -- asking these 3 questions to hundred applicants, I don't think you will have fun out of it. Based on the responses from these hundred applicants, I selected 7 applicants participate in a test (related to the job) to find the most suitable person for the job based on their test results.

Upon award the job to the shortlisted applicant, I include the following message:

Congratulations! The job is awarded to you! Please take note for the following items: Upon completion of the job: About deadline and payment detail:

Finally, I found a right person for the job with deliverable that satisfactory. I paid 50% extra for the job. In the last message you send to your contractor, I urge you to include the following message so that you can get some feedback from her:

I need further input from you for the following items below: 1) What make you interested to take this job, besides earning extra $$$? 2) As this is the first time I involved in outsourcing, is there anything I can improve (to make the working and communication experience better)? Did I do anything make you unhappy? 3) Would you be interested to take similar job in the future, if there is any? I hope to hear honest comments and feedback from you (even the negative one). :)

I'd love to hear your comments as usual.

The Grails Activiti Plugin 5.6 Released

I would like to announce the Grails Activiti Plugin 5.6 Released.

Grails Activiti Plugin was created to integrate Activiti BPM Suite and workflow system to Grails Framework.
With the Grails Activiti Plugin, workflow application can be created at your fingertips!

What's New:

• Upgrade Activiti's jar files and examples to 5.6.
• Fixed Issue 13: Unable to run grails war after installing grails-activiti-plugin 5.5.
• Fixed Issue 14: Nullpointer exception when the activiti engine is turned off, using activiti spring security plugin.
• Support turning off Activiti Engine by add activiti.disabled=true to Config.groovy.

Find Out More:

• Project Site and Documentation: http://code.google.com/p/grails-activiti-plugin/
• Support: http://code.google.com/p/grails-activiti-plugin/issues/list
• Discussion Forum: http://groups.google.com/group/grails-activiti-plugin

The Grails Activiti Plugin 5.5 Released

I would like to announce the Grails Activiti Plugin 5.5 Released.

Grails Activiti Plugin was created to integrate Activiti BPM Suite and workflow system to Grails Framework.
With the Grails Activiti Plugin, workflow application can be created at your fingertips!

What's New:

• Upgrade Activiti's jar files and examples to 5.5. Ported the Activiti's examples from JUnit3 to JUnit4.
• Fixed Issue 10: deleteTask with custom domain class.
• Add a new command activiti-quickstart to install plugin's index.gsp, logo, favicon and default H2 DataSource.grooy into the project. The index.gsp no longer install by default.
• Add businessKey support when start a process instance by assign a value to params.businessKey.
• Must use activiti-spring-security plugin 0.4.2 or above for Spring Security Integration.

Find Out More:

• Project Site and Documentation: http://code.google.com/p/grails-activiti-plugin/
• Support: http://code.google.com/p/grails-activiti-plugin/issues/list
• Discussion Forum: http://groups.google.com/group/grails-activiti-plugin

Is Grails Activiti Plugin production ready? Here is how people use it in production.

I posted this question "How do you use Grails Activiti Plugin?" last month to the plugin's discussion forum to find out how people use the plugin. I am glad and appreciated kindness of plugin users to share their experiences.

The following are some production usages of the Grails Activiti Plugin:

"We're re-writing a home-grown workflow management system to an order and production management system with Activiti as the BPM side. Its not in production yet but will be in use in 2012Q1." by Ned Wolpert

"I'm about to start a new business within an existing company. The new business is around BPM consulting and the supporting IT systems, with a strong focus on logistics processes. After checking several options I've chosen the combination of Grails/Activiti/ExtJs 4 to develop thew new system. I've developed a prototype for our new system and I must say that this combination works just wonderful!" by Markus Menner

"I'm using the grails activiti plugin in an application for call-center employees. The idea is support these employees with data from everywhere out of the organization. I use the activiti engine to support call-back appointments: if the call-center employee isn't able to give an answer to the customer, he creates an appointment for a colleague." by Richard Polderman

"I'm using it to control process performance in geoprocessing internal services. It's a process automation of services like topographic mapping. We are not creating automatic maps or anything like that. It's a simple tool we are using to measure business performance. We'll be using it to track performance and promote people based on results they give. In a near future we could use it in a six sigma project." by Alberto Barcelos

Lastly, I'd love to hear your sharing on how you use the plugin in the comments section below and you can find out more about how others use the plugin in this thread.