Intelligent flow designer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017315789-A1
Application number	US-201615274935-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 23, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 2, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods, systems, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for developing workflows. An input control may be rendered in association with the rendered representation of a workflow step corresponding to an input parameter. A developer is enabled to interact with the input control to select a parameter value for the input parameter. A workflow is enabled to be developed that includes a push notification workflow step configured to issue a push notification when encountered in the work flow and to wait for a response before enabling the workflow to continue. A workflow saved in a user folder is enabled to be selected for insertion into further workflows. A subscription workflow step may be selected for inclusion in a second workflow that is configured to wait for output information from a subscribed-to workflow before enabling the second workflow to continue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method in a computing device for visualizing API (application programming interface) metadata in a workflow designer, comprising:
enabling a workflow step to be selected by a developer for inclusion in a workflow; rendering a representation of the selected workflow step in a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed by a display screen of the computing device; accessing interface definition information for metadata defining an API associated with the workflow step; analyzing the metadata for a first input parameter of the API; rendering in association with the rendered representation of the workflow step a first input control corresponding to the first input parameter; and enabling the developer to interact with the first input control to select a first parameter value for the first input parameter, wherein the first selected parameter value is provided to and affects operation of at least one of an application or service associated with the workflow step during operation of the workflow.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said enabling the developer to interact with the first input control to select a first parameter value for the first input parameter comprises:
retrieving a dynamic list of selectable values for the first input parameter value; and enabling the first input parameter value to be selected from the dynamic list by interacting with the first input control.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said retrieving a dynamic list of selectable values for the first parameter value comprises:
analyzing the metadata to determine an address to direct an API call to retrieve the dynamic list; performing the API call; and receiving the dynamic list.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
receiving a selection of the first parameter value from the dynamic list from interaction with the first input control; selecting a second input parameter of the API based on the selection of the first parameter value; rendering in association with the rendered representation of the workflow step a second input control corresponding to the second input parameter; and enabling the developer to interact with the second input control to select a second parameter value for the second input parameter.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling the developer to interact with the second input control to select a second parameter value for the first input parameter such that multiple parameter values are selected for the first input parameter.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said enabling the developer to interact with the first input control to select a first parameter value for the first input parameter comprises:
enabling the developer to select the first parameter value from an output of a prior workflow step.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
rendering in association with the rendered representation of the workflow step a second input control corresponding to a second input parameter; and automatically populating the second input control with a second input parameter value that is an output parameter value of a prior workflow step of the workflow.

8 . A system, comprising:
at least one processor circuit; and at least one memory that stores program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor circuit, the program code comprising:
a step selector configured to enable a workflow step to be selected by a developer for inclusion in a workflow, and to render a representation of the selected workflow step in a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed by a display screen;
a metadata analyzer configured to access interface definition information for metadata defining an API associated with the workflow step, and to analyze the metadata for a first input parameter of the API; and
a step configuration UI generator configured to render in association with the rendered representation of the workflow step a first input control corresponding to the first input parameter, and to enable the developer to interact with the first input control to select a first parameter value for the first input parameter.

9 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a list retriever configured to retrieve a dynamic list of selectable values for the first input parameter value; and the step configuration UI generator is configured to enable the first input parameter value to be selected from the dynamic list by interaction with the first input control.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the list retriever comprises:
an API caller configured to analyze the metadata to determine an address to direct an API call to retrieve the dynamic list, perform the API call, and receive the dynamic list.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the control interface is configured to receive a selection of the first parameter value from the dynamic list from interaction with the first input control;
the system further including:
an input parameter selector configured to select a second input parameter of the API based on the selection of the first parameter value; and
the step configuration UI generator is configured to render in association with the rendered representation of the workflow step a second input control corresponding to the second input parameter and enable the developer to interact with the second input control to select a second parameter value for the second input parameter.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the step configuration UI generator is configured to enable the developer to interact with the second input control to select a second parameter value for the first input parameter such that multiple parameter values are selected for the first input parameter.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the step configuration UI generator is configured to enable the developer to select the first parameter value from an output of a prior workflow step.

14 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising:
a control populator configured to automatically populate the second input control with a second input parameter value that is an output parameter value of a prior workflow step of the workflow.

15 . A method in a computing device for developing a workflow to include push notification functionality, comprising:
enabling a push notification workflow step to be selected by a developer for inclusion in a workflow that includes at least one other workflow step, the push notification workflow step configured to issue a push notification when encountered in the work flow and to wait for a response before enabling the workflow to continue; and rendering a representation of the selected push notification workflow step in a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed by a display screen of the computing device.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
enabling a developer to define at least one recipient and at least one response option for the at least one recipient for the selected push notification workflow step; and saving the configured push notification to workflow logic that defines the workflow.

17 . A system for developing a workflow to include push notification functionality, comprising:
at least one processor circuit; and at least one memory that stores program code configured to be executed by the at least one processor circuit, the program code comprising:
a step selector configured to enable a push notification workflow step to be selected by a developer for inclusion in a workflow that includes at least one other workflow step, the push notification

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Lam Kevin
• Shyamsundar Balasubramanian
• Chung Joon Y
• Siciliano Stephen
• Lamanna Charles
• Grebnov Ilya V
• Sambandam Priti
• Agrawal Himanshu
• Shrestha Prabir K

Classifications

• G06Q10/0633

  Workflow analysis · CPC title

• G06Q10/067

  Enterprise or organisation modelling · CPC title

• G06F8/34 Primary

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title

• G06F8/38 Primary

  for implementing user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title