Workflow Design Dilemma - State Machine, yes or no

Question

I\'m a beginner with WF, but I\'ve read a book and done a lot of googling. I want to write an inventory management service. The inventory is made up of individual items whic

Answer 1

Not sure if a workflow is what you are looking for in the first place.

A workflow is some kind of business process that takes place. This implies a beginning and an end to the process. Your description sounds more like you are tracking an inventory of sorts with items that stay in the inventory.

A workflow sound more appropriate when an item changes state. For example when an item is installed and breaks down and needs to be fixed you would start a workflow to get the part replaced by a a working one, send the broken part to be fixed and in the end have it back at the warehouse as a fixed spare. The workflow would describe this process and start with the report of an item being broken and end with the item being either repaired or discarded and replaced.

This last workflow could very well be a state worklfow as the item goes through various stages like:

• Broken and installed
• Broken and replaced
• In the shop for repair
• Repaired
• etc