| |  | Workflow Process Definition Interface -- XML Process Definition Language.
(XPDL) (October 2005)
Document Number WFMC-TC-1025: Version 1.13
Document Status – Final
September 7, 2005
WFMC-TC-1025 FINAL (PDF 923kb)
TC-1025_schema_2.0_xpdl.xsd (23 kb)
BPMNxpdl_24.xsd
Audience:
The intended audience for this document is primarily vendor organizations who seek to implement the XML Process Definition Language (XPDL) of the Workflow Management Coalition (WfMC), or using it as a file format for the Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) of the Business Process Management Initiative (BPMI). It may also be of interest to those seeking to assess conformance claims made by vendors for their products. Comments should be addressed to the Workflow Management Coalition.
Purpose:
XPDL version 2.0 is back-compatible with XPDL version 1.0, and is intended to be used as a file format for BPMN. The original purpose of XPDL is maintained and enhanced by this second version of the specification. The XPDL and the BPMN specifications address the same modeling problem from different perspectives. XPDL provides an XML file format that can be used to interchange process models between tools. BPMN provides a graphical notation to facilitate human communication between business users and technical users, of complex business processes.
There are a number of elements that are present in BPMN version 1.0 but were not present in XPDL version 1.0. Those had been incorporated into this version of XPDL.
The WfMC has identified five functional interfaces to a process or workflow service as part of its standardization program. This specification forms part of the documentation relating to “Interface one” - supporting Process Definition Import and Export. This interface includes a common meta-model for describing the process definition (this specification) and also a companion XML schema for the interchange of process definitions.
Comments can be posted in the online WfMC Discussion Forum here |
The list below (September 2005) shows status of vendor support (Internet connection required to access web sites). To add your own product or statement of support, please email wfmc@wfmc.org or WG1 Chair, Robert Shapiro at robert@capevisions.com  | ADVANTYS WorkflowGen supports XPDL
http://www.pdmic.com/news/030123.shtml
http://www.workflowgen.com/home/liblocal/docs/pr/pr_en_xpdl.pdf
| | Amazonas Workflow is a Java based workflow engine which supports XPDL
http://www.objeng.ch
| | BOC ADONIS 3.7 (and higher) support XPDL export
http://www.boc-eu.com
| | CapeVisions supports XPDL including a free plugin to Visio that edits XPDL:
http://www.capevisions.com/
| | CARNOT Process Engine supports XPDL for model import/export and Wf-XML 2.0 model deployment http://www.carnot.ag/news/press/xpdl-22-02-2005-en.htm
http://www.carnot.ag/index-en.htm
| | Enhydra Shark: Open Source XPDL Workflow Engine in Java
http://shark.enhydra.org
| | Enhydra JaWE: Graphical XPDL Workflow Editor in Java
http://jawe.enhydra.org
| | Fuego offers XPDL in their process design tool
http://www.fuego.com/support/faqs.html#110
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,3959,822160,00.asp
| | Fujitsu Interstage BPM (i-Flow)
http://www.fsw.fujitsu.com/products/InterstageSuite/BPM/overview.html
http://nz.fujitsu.com/FAL/Files/iFlowBRO.pdf
| | Integic supports import and export of process definitions in XPDL format in their e.POWER WorkManager Builder tool
http://www.integic.com .
| | ITP-Commerce. Design your process with Process Modeler in BPMN as usual. Process Modeler Professional supports the user with a XPDL 1.0 validation module.
http://www.itp-commerce.com/index.php?pageid=B_001_12_1
| | IT Pearls supports XPDL.
http://www.itpearls.com
| | Jenz & Partner GmbH developed an open source Business Process Management Ontology (BPMO), which holds semantically rich business process definitions in a vendor-neutral format.
http://www.bpiresearch.com/Resources/RE_OSSOnt/re_ossont.htm
The BP Converter plugin may be accessed via the BPEdit homepage at
http://bpedit.sourceforge.net
| | Lynx Flow Designer, Eclaire Group, supports XPDL
http://www.cynthia-tech.com/web/pro_sol/pro_sol_flowdesign.html
| | Metoda S.p.A, OpenMet BPMF is compliant with XPDL
www.metoda.it (Italian language only).
| | Tell-Eureka’s technology is an innovative, standards-based platform for delivering comprehensive customer self-service solutions.
http://www.telleureka.com/technology/
| | Open Business Engine, Java based open source workflow, supports XPDL
http://www.openbusinessengine.org/
http://www.openbusinessengine.org/docs/guide.html
| | Oracle9i Warehouse Builder 9.2 saves process definitions in XPDL
http://otn.oracle.com/products/warehouse/htdocs/datasheet92.htm
| | Simprocess - XPDL support is now included for Simulation Models
http://www.simprocess.com
| | Vignette Process Workflow Modeler supports XPDL
http://www.vignette.com/Downloads/DS_ProcessWorkflowModel.pdf
| | WfMOpen is an OpenSource workflow engine that uses XPDL as its Interface 1 format
(http://wfmopen.sf.net)
| | ZAPLET 3, PROCESS BUILDER is a designer that supports XPDL
http://www.zaplet.com/Pages/articles/ProcessBuilder.pdf
|
To add your support statement to this list, please email wfmc@wfmc.org 
Resources and papers | You may test a lightweight workflow engine in PERL, based on XPDL 2.0. http://search.cpan.org/~kaili/.
Send feedback to Kai Li at :li3kai3@yahoo.it
| | A good resource is the OASIS Cover Page on the subject:
http://xml.coverpages.org/wf-xml.html
| | Get the Workflow Handbook 2003 to read the following chapters:  | XPDL and BPMN
Stephen A. White, SeeBeyond, United States | | XPDL in Action
Arnaud Bezancon, ADVANTYS, France
|
| | Get the Workflow Handbook 2004 to read the following chapter: | Workflow Service Provider with XPDL
Arnaud Bezancon, ADVANTYS, France
|
| | Get the Workflow Handbook 2005 to read the following chapter: | A Comparison of XML Interchange Formats for Business Process Modelling
Jan Mendling and Gustaf Neumann, Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration; and Markus Nüttgens, Hamburg University of Economics and Politics
|
| | BPMS Watch: Is Visio Your Next BPMS Design Tool?
By: Bruce Silver, Independent BPMS Industry Analyst
Article on XPDL, BPEL & BPMN... "While the industry analysts never talk about it, XPDL is actually the foundation of many more BPMS products than BPEL today." |
|
|
|
| Documents
|
