Intelligent flow designer

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . 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.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , 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.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling a conditional workflow step to be selected by the developer for inclusion in the workflow following the push notification workflow step, the conditional workflow step configured to perform an action that depends on the response to the push notification; and   rendering a representation of the selected conditional workflow step in the GUI displayed by the display screen of the computing device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the push notification is configured to be issued to an application that executes in a mobile device, the application configured to display the push notification on a display screen of the mobile device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling a developer to define a link to an item for the selected push notification workflow step, the push notification including the link for interaction by a user that receives the push notification.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the push notification includes a control for interaction by a user that receives the push notification to approve or reject. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the push notification includes a control for interaction by a user to input a signature of the user. 
     
     
         8 . 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 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 
 render a representation of the selected push notification workflow step in a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed by a display screen of the computing device. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a step configuration UI generator configured to
 enable 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 
 save the configured push notification to workflow logic that defines the workflow. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step selector is further configured to:
 enable a conditional workflow step to be selected by the developer for inclusion in the workflow following the push notification workflow step, the conditional workflow step configured to perform an action that depends on the response to the push notification; and   render a representation of the selected conditional workflow step in the GUI displayed by the display screen of the computing device.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the push notification is configured to be issued to an application that executes in a mobile device, the application configured to display the push notification on a display screen of the mobile device. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a step configuration UI generator configured to enable a developer to define a link to an item for the selected push notification workflow step, the push notification including the link for interaction by a user that receives the push notification.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the push notification includes a control for interaction by a user that receives the push notification to approve or reject. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the push notification includes a control for interaction by a user to input a signature of the user. 
     
     
         15 . A computing device for developing a workflow to include push notification functionality, comprising:
 a processor circuit; and   a memory that stores program code configured to be executed by the processor circuit to perform functions, the functions including:
 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 computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 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 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 enabling a conditional workflow step to be selected by the developer for inclusion in the workflow following the push notification workflow step, the conditional workflow step configured to perform an action that depends on the response to the push notification; and   rendering a representation of the selected conditional workflow step in the GUI displayed by the display screen of the computing device.   
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the push notification is configured to be issued to an application that executes in a mobile device, the application configured to display the push notification on a display screen of the mobile device. 
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the functions further comprise:
 enabling a developer to define a link to an item for the selected push notification workflow step, the push notification including the link for interaction by a user that receives the push notification.   
     
     
         20 . The computing device of  claim 15 , wherein the push notification includes a control for interaction by a user that receives the push notification to approve or reject.