WebSphere Lombardi Edition 7.2 > Modeling processes > Advanced modeling tasks
Enable a process for critical path analysis
When you create a BPD in Lombardi Authoring Environment, you can configure the process so that designated users in Lombardi Process Portal can perform critical path analysis. Critical path analysis enables designated Lombardi Process Portal users to perform the following actions for running process instances:
- Determine whether a running process instance is on track for completion
- Change the due date for a process instance at any time during the life of the running instance
- Adjust the due dates of tasks in a process instance to get an instance back on track
To learn more about critical path analysis, see Lombardi Process Portal User Guide. You can also import a sample
To configure a BPD for critical path analysis, perform the following tasks in Lombardi Authoring Environment:
Task Description See... Enable the Critical Path Management option for a BPD Verify that this option in the Overview tab is enabled. Enable the Critical Path Management option Use milestones to categorize critical path data Because Lombardi Process Portal divides tasks by milestone in the Critical Path Management interface, you should use milestones in your BPD. Use milestones Establish activity due dates Establish due dates using the Implementation options in the properties for each activity. Establishing activity due dates Administrators designate the group of users who can access the critical path analysis tools in Lombardi Process Portal.
Enable the Critical Path Management option
All process definitions created in Lombardi Authoring Environment are enabled for Critical Path Management by default. If you import a BPD that was created using a previous version of WebSphere Lombardi Edition, the imported process definition should be enabled for Critical Path Management automatically. To verify that a process definition is enabled for Critical Path Management:
- Open the BPD in Lombardi Authoring Environment.
- Click the Overview tab.
- Ensure that the Allow Critical Path Management option is enabled in the Advanced section.
Use milestones
In the Critical Path Management interface in Lombardi Process Portal, critical activities in the running process instance are categorized per milestone. When you are developing a BPD in Lombardi Authoring Environment, the use of milestones in the process diagram can help Process Portal users track critical activities in the runtime process instance. To add a milestone to a process diagram:
- In the Designer in Lombardi Authoring Environment, drag a milestone from the palette onto the process diagram.
- Click on the milestone's label in the process diagram.
- Type a name for the milestone on the Properties tab. You can also add notes about the milestone in the Documentation text box.
Establishing activity due dates
When developing a BPD in Lombardi Authoring Environment that is configured for critical path analysis, keep in mind that variable-based due dates used in the implementation of activities are not detected in the critical path. In such cases, critical path analysis uses the default duration specified in the Lombardi configuration properties.
The default duration is 2 days. Lombard administrators can change the default duration. See Settings for Critical Path Management in Lombardi Administration Guide.
When you use a duration-based due date for each activity as described in the following steps, the critical path uses the specified activity durations:
- Click to select the activity that you want in the BPD diagram.
- Click the Implementation option in the properties.
- For the Due In field, you can enter a value in the text box and then choose Minutes, Hours, or Days from the drop-down list. (When you choose Days, you can use the text box after the drop-down list to include hours and minutes in your specification.)
For the Time Schedule field, click the drop-down list to select one of the options. For example, select 9AM-5PM M-F if you want a standard work week to be the time period in which the resulting tasks from the current activity can be due.
You can leave the Time Schedule, Timezone, and Holiday Schedule fields set to (use default). If you do, the work schedule specified for the BPD is used. See Set the work schedule for a BPD for more information.
- For the Timezone field, click the drop-down list to select the time zone that you want to apply to the tasks that result from the current activity. For example, you can select US/Pacific for Process Portal users who work in California.
For the Holiday Schedule field, you can leave the setting at (use default) or you can click the JS button if you prefer to use a JavaScript expression. Each Holiday Schedule is made up of a list of Dates.
If you choose JavaScript, you can enter either a String (or String-generated JavaScript) or JavaScript that returns a TWHolidaySchedule variable. If you use a String, then Lombardi looks up the Holiday Schedule by name according to those rules. If you use a TWHolidaySchedule variable, then Lombardi assumes that the holiday schedule is filled in appropriately. (Go to the System Data toolkit and open the TWHolidaySchedule variable to view its parameters.)
The critical path logic uses the Time Schedule, Timezone, and Holiday Schedule fields to calculate the activity's due date based on the specified duration.
Parent topic: Advanced modeling tasks