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This application is about a "car service facility". The requirement on the application is to automate the "procedure" of "service". This means that the successive "steps" of the procedure are automatically forwarded from one employee to another without any kind of "manager" intervention. At any time the manager has the ability to see on what tasks (steps) the employees are engaged. He can also see what tasks are "scheduled" for the next days. After a certain period of time the manager has a complete report on what tasks each employee has been assigned, when has started and when has finished the tasks.

 

The requirements, put on the application from the supposed "car service facility" owner, are the following:

 

"Every employee can take calls from customers in order to close a service appointment. The customer gives a name and the car number and model. A date and time are provided from our employee. The customer arrives at the facility's gate at the specified date and time. The gate personnel gives him the permission to enter. The customer goes to Chief Mechanic. Here the Chief Mechanic defines who is going to disassemble the car's engine, what are the required parts and  who is the Reassembling Mechanic. After that the Disassembling Mechanic work's on the car while at the same time the personnel on the warehouse collect's the required parts. After both of the tasks are finished the Reassembling Mechanic starts to put the parts and reassemble. While the technical personnel takes care of the customer's car he can have a coffee at the facility's cafeteria.  After the customer finishes his/her coffee and the car is serviced the customer goes to office in order to pay and have a goodbye. That's all."

 

All of the above requirements are put on a coordinator agent. The action_code of the agent's is the following:

 

start_action

 

   call bpm_setprocedureowner(__activation_user)                   {.....set the procedure owner}

 

  {(1)....any user can put a new service request}

 

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "new service request" , __activation_user , "" , 0)

 

   serv_id = bpm_getrecid(1,__au_step)                         {......get the record id of the service request}

   app_date = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"ADATE","")

   customer = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"CUSTOMER","")

   car_no = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"CAR_NO","")

 

   comm = strcat(customer," with car ",car_no)

   call bpm_setprocedurecomment(comm)                             {.....set the procedures comment}

 

  {(2)....at date (app_date) the GATE SECURITY waits the customer to come for the appoinment}

 

   app_date_num = DateToNum(app_date)

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "service appointment" , "" , "GATE SECURITY" , app_date_num , serv_id )

 

  {(3)....the CHIEF MECHANIC makes the first estimation of labor and materials, assigns a mechanic}

 

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "service estimation" , "" , "CHIEF MECHANIC" , 0 , serv_id )

   disas_mechanic = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"MECHANIC1","")     {....disassemble mechanic}

   reass_mechanic = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"MECHANIC2","")     {....reassemble mechanic}

 

  {split activities....at the same time, the warehouse prepares the materials,}

   {       the mechanic starts working, the cafeteria hosts the cutomer}

 

   split_in_branch                                 {parallel split....the technical department does the job while in...}

 

      split_in_branch         {parallel split...(4) the warehouse prepares the required parts while ...}

 

          callwait bpm_assign_job ( "collect parts" , "" , "WAREHOUSE" , 0 , serv_id )

 

      and_branch               {(5).... the assigned mechanic disassebles the engine}

 

          callwait bpm_assign_job ( "disassemble" , disas_mechanic , "" , 0 , serv_id )

 

      join_branches

 

    {(6).... the assigned mechanic puts the parts and reassebles the engine}

 

      callwait bpm_assign_job ( "reassemble" , reass_mechanic , "" , 0 , serv_id )

 

   and_branch                                     {(7).... the cafeteria the customer takes a cofee}

 

      callwait bpm_assign_job ( "host customer" , "" , "HOSTESS" , 0 , serv_id )

 

   join_branches               {...the customer finished his/her coffee and the job has been done}

 

   {(8)....the customer goes to the office in order to pay}

 

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "payment and goodbye" , "" , "OFFICE" , 0 , serv_id )

 

end_action

 

 

We can see the callwait or split_in_branch keywords. Those keywords give the opportunity to the agent to wait (until a job has been finished) or to have parallel code execution. Those are capabilities that are not presented every day in a programming language (ok script!). Notice that the callwait "calls" the user's activity as it would be a "program's subroutine". Notice also that we have flow of procedure that is defined by conditions into the code (who mechanic to assign). This is a case of ad hoc control flow (not known in advance to the programmer!)

 

The flow of procedure automatically is created and presented bellow.

 

clip0010

 

We have to admit that the effect (coordination and historic data collection of the service procedure) is far too big for the  lines of code that are written by the application programmer. To be precise the code is a little bigger (the agent contains the code that "describes" the task (activities) assigned to employees). The complete agent (code and declarations) is given bellow:

 

{-----------------------------------------------------------------------

'

' procedure for the service manager

'

'----------------------------------------------------------------------------------}

 

    {....................................AGENT INFO..............................................}

 

    start_agent_info

       AgentName = "SERVICE_MANAGER"

       AgentDescr = ""

       AgentLanguage = ""

       __timer_interval = 0

       __is_registered = 1

       __delete_on_termination = 0

    end_agent_info

 

{....................................PRODUCTION CODE..................................................}

 

    {..............................................................................new appointment}

    start_bpm_activity   "new service request"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Appointment elements"

 

              rec = bpm_getrecid()

              if (rec = 0) then

                 call OpenForm("ptAppend","SERV_E01.FM","WORK.SERV",1,"?=SERV")

              else

                 expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

                 call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E01.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

              endif

 

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................service appointment}

    start_bpm_activity    "service appointment"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Appointment"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................service estimation}

    start_bpm_activity    "service estimation"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Define parts and labor"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

         start_bpm_validation

              result = 1

              rec = bpm_getrecid(1)  {...get the record id of the first activity}

              if (rec = 0) then

                 call message("You havent define parts and labor!")

                 result = 0

              endif

              if (rec > 0) then

                 disas_mechanic = LookUp("SERV","SERV",rec,"MECHANIC1","")      {....disassemble mechanic}

                 reass_mechanic = LookUp("SERV","SERV",rec,"MECHANIC2","")      {....reassemble mechanic}

                 if (disas_mechanic = "") then

                    call message("You must define a disassemble mechanic!")

                    result = 1

                 endif

                 if (reass_mechanic = "") then

                    call message("You must define a reassemble mechanic!")

                    result = 1

                 endif

              endif

         end_bpm_validation

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................collect parts}

    start_bpm_activity    "collect parts"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Parts to be collected"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................disassemble}

    start_bpm_activity    "disassemble"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Car to disassemble"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................reassemble}

    start_bpm_activity    "reassemble"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Car to reassemble"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................host customer}

    start_bpm_activity    "host customer"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Customer to host"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

    {..................................................................................payment and good bye}

    start_bpm_activity    "payment and goodbye"

 

         start_bpm_subactivity  "Payment"

              rec   = __params[1]

              expr = strcat(rec,"=SERV")

              call OpenForm("ptEdit","SERV_E02.FM","WORK.SERV",1,expr)

         end_bpm_subactivity

 

    end_bpm_activity

 

{.....................................CONTROL CODE......................................................}

                       

{.................................ACTION CODE................................................

 

 This agent has as job to coordinate (that' why we call it a coordinator agent) the activities of

 a "luxury cars service facility".

 

 The customer calls to the facility to make an appointment

 The personnel in the gate wait the specified date the customer on his car

 The chief mechanic checks the car and decides for the parts, the disassembly and reassembly mechanic

 The customer is hosted to the cafeteria while waiting the service to finish

     The warehouse personnel prepares the parts list while the disassemble mechanic works

         When both of the above activities are finished the reassembly mechanic does his job

 When the customer finishes his/her coffee and the service steps are finished

  the customer goes to office in order to pay

 

 The agent follows the events in real time (at the time that they are happen!)

 

}

 

start_action

 

   { press F8 for next step }

 

   call bpm_setprocedureowner(__activation_user)                     {.....set the procedure owner}

 

   {(1)....any user can put a new service request}

 

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "new service request" , __activation_user , "" , 0)

 

   serv_id = bpm_getrecid(1,__au_step)                           {......get the record id of the service request}

   app_date = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"ADATE","")

   customer = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"CUSTOMER","")

   car_no = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"CAR_NO","")

 

   comm = strcat(customer," with car ",car_no)

   call bpm_setprocedurecomment(comm)                             {.....set the procedures comment}

 

   {(2)....at date (app_date) the GATE SECURITY waits the customer to come for the appoinment}

 

   app_date_num = DateToNum(app_date)

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "service appointment" , "" , "GATE SECURITY" , app_date_num , serv_id )

 

   {(3)....the CHIEF MECHANIC makes the first estimation of labor and materials, assigns a mechanic}

 

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "service estimation" , "" , "CHIEF MECHANIC" , 0 , serv_id )

   disas_mechanic = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"MECHANIC1","")      {....disassemble mechanic}

   reass_mechanic = LookUp("SERV","SERV",serv_id,"MECHANIC2","")      {....reassemble mechanic}

 

   {split activities....at the same time, the warehouse prepares the materials,}

   {       the mechanic starts working, the cafeteria hosts the cutomer}

 

   split_in_branch                                  {parallel split....the technical department does the job while in...}

 

      split_in_branch          {parallel split...(4) the warehouse prepares the required parts while ...}

 

          callwait bpm_assign_job ( "collect parts" , "" , "WAREHOUSE" , 0 , serv_id )

 

      and_branch               {(5).... the assigned mechanic disassebles the engine}

 

          callwait bpm_assign_job ( "disassemble" , disas_mechanic , "" , 0 , serv_id )

 

      join_branches

 

      {(6).... the assigned mechanic puts the parts and reassebles the engine}

 

      callwait bpm_assign_job ( "reassemble" , reass_mechanic , "" , 0 , serv_id )

 

   and_branch                                      {(7).... the cafeteria the customer takes a cofee}

 

      callwait bpm_assign_job ( "host customer" , "" , "HOSTESS" , 0 , serv_id )

 

   join_branches                {...the customer finished his/her coffee and the job has been done}

 

   {(8)....the customer goes to the office in order to pay}

 

   callwait bpm_assign_job ( "payment and goodbye" , "" , "OFFICE" , 0 , serv_id )

 

   {------------------------------------  end of procedure ---------------------------------------------}

 

end_action

 

 

The agent (agent prototype precisely) can be viewd form Right Mouse Click on Application's Background->Popup Menu->Developer->Resources->Agent Prototypes. The system creates, for every "service" requested, a new "alive" agent that starts to execute his action_code.

 

Where we define users and roles?

 

Another issue is that the jobs are assigned to users (employees) not only by name but also (and mainly) by their roles into the company. The users and roles as they are defined into the application can be found at Menu->System->Users/Positions.

 

How we activate the agent?

 

A "new service appointment" can be activated on the application from Menu->Files->NEW SERVICE. In order the users see the activities (jobs) that are assigned to them exit the demo application and logon as the user in question. The same can be run in debug mode from Menu->Files->NEW SERVICE (DEBUG). The programmer has to press (F8) in order the agent continues the execution. In debug mode also the activities are not forwarded to the employees (users) but are presented to the programmer in order to complete the forms with data and forward them to the next step.

 

How can the user see the incoming jobs?

 

Every user has the "incoming activities" window. This window refreshes itself every 30 seconds (it can be changed) and contains all the activities that the agent has assigned to the user either directly (by user name) or (frequently) indirectly (by role that the user has). Notice that the same activity is send to all users that happen to have the same role into the company or organization. When the user "completes" the data that the activity required, he/she "forwards" the completed activity to the next step. Then the activity disappears from the window.

 

In order a user to see activities that assigned to him for today or are uncompleted from yesterday he/she has to activate Menu->Personal Secr->Activities for today.  For activities that are assigned to user for future time (for example pending appointments) the user has to activate Menu->Personal Secr->Activities that Pending.

 

How the manager can see the current jobs?

 

By activating Menu->Personal Secr->Activities In Progress we see every activity (job) that is assigned at the time and is in phase of completion, i.e. presented to users "incoming activities" and are worked by them.

 

How we get the procedure's progress?

 

Every window that presents "user activities" has a button captioned as "History". By activating it we see the steps that have completed (with date and time data) by user and role. The steps that are "finished" are flagged by (1) while those that are unfinished by (0). Near the button "History" there is the button "Flowchart". By activating it we have automatically a picture as below. By "red" are colored the finished activities, by "green" the activities that are assigned and worked now and by "blue" the activities that are going to follow as next steps.

 

clip0012

 

How we can evaluate our employees?

 

When we activate Menu->System->Users we can see a button captioned "Have Done". By activating it we get all the activities that the user (employee) has finished and by witch role. The time of staring and completing for each activity is also available. This way the real effort that the user has given to the company can be estimated.

 

How we can improve the demo application?

 

The demo application comes with "Developer" capabilities. That means we have the opportunity to change the database schema (Right Click->Developer->Resources->Database Manager->Edit Schema). We can also change the forms (Right Click over a form->Designing).

 

How we run the demo application in multi user configuration?

 

We described above that to "emulate" multi user behavior we have to exit and login the application with a different user name. In order to run the application in real multi user configuration (over TCP/IP breaking thus the barriers of the local area network) we have to replace the "kosmos.exe" with a real multi user server (starting from 3 users). For this reason see the "Products" page in our site. We have also to install clients (any number). For this reason see the "Downloads" page in our site.

 

 

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