Workflow Application

A workflow application is where various applications, components, and people must be involved in the processing of data to complete an instance of a process. For example, consider a purchase order that moves through various departments for authorization and eventual purchase. The orders may be treated as messages, which are put into various queues for processing. It is critical that the state of the queues are captured.

A workflow process involves constant change and update. You can introduce new components into the operation without changing any code.
There are two ways of developing workflow applications. The first one is to design workflow models in a dedicated language and then to link the tasks in these models to worklist handlers (for human tasks) or software applications (for automated tasks).

Workflow languages usually come with an associated graphical notation, but some are textual or XML-based. Languages that can be used for workflow definition in this way include:
Dedicated workflow specification languages:
1. XPDL
2. YAWL
3. SCUFL
Executable process definition languages based on Web Services:
1. BPEL
2. BPML
3. WSFL
4. XLANG
5. Wf-XML
6. SWSL

Ref: wikipedia

Workflow Operation

A workflow is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, work of a simple or complex mechanism, work of a group of persons, work of an organization of staff, or machines. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work, segregated in work share, work split or whatever types of ordering. For control purposes, workflow may be a view on real work under a chosen aspect, thus serving as a virtual representation of actual work. The flow being described often refers to a document that is being transferred from one step to another.

A workflow is a model to represent real work for further assessment, e.g., for describing a reliably repeatable sequence of operations. Another example of workflow operation is online business of roller shades, woven wood shades, blinds store; they also need to have proper workflow than and than they can do business online. More abstractly, a workflow is a pattern of activity enabled by a systematic organization of resources, defined roles and mass, energy and information flows, into a work process that can be documented and learned. Workflows are designed to achieve processing intents of some sort, such as physical transformation, service provision, or information processing.

Workflow concepts are closely related to other concepts used to describe organizational structure, such as silos, functions, teams, projects, policies and hierarchies. Workflows may be viewed as one primitive building block of organizations. The relationships among these concepts are described later in this entry.

The term workflow is used in computer programming to capture and develop human to machine interaction. Workflow software aims to provide end users with an easier way to orchestrate or describe complex processing of data in a visual form, much like flow charts but without the need to understand computers or programming.

Workflow Features

1. Modeling: Workflow problems can be modeled and analyzed using graph-based formalisms like Petri nets.
2. Measurement: Many of the concepts used to measure scheduling systems in operations research are useful for measuring general workflows. These include throughput, processing time, and other regular metrics.
3. Specialized connotations: The term workflow has specialized connotations in information technology, document management and imaging. Since 1993, one trade consortium specifically focused on workflow management and the interoperability of workflow management systems has been the Workflow Management Coalition.
4. Scientific workflows: Found wide acceptance in the fields of bioinformatics and cheminformatics in the early 2000s, where they successfully met the need for multiple interconnected tools, handling of multiple data formats and large data quantities. Also, the paradigm of scientific workflows was close to the well-established tradition of Perl scripting in life-science research organizations, so this adoption represented a natural step forward towards a more structured infrastructure setup.
5. Human-machine interaction: Several conceptualizations of mixed-initiative workflows have been studied, particularly in the military, where automated agents play roles just as humans do. For innovative, adaptive, collaborative human work the techniques of human interaction management are required.

Workflow Improvement Theories

A workflow is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, work of a simple or complex mechanism, work of a group of persons, work of an organization of staff, or machines. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work, segregated in work share, work split or whatever types of ordering. For control purposes, workflow may be a view on real work under a chosen aspect, thus serving as a virtual representation of actual work. The flow being described often refers to a document that is being transferred from one step to another. A blinds company with roller shades and woven wood shades product require giving steps by steps instruction document to the end user.

The key driver to gain benefit from the understanding of the workflow process in a business context is that the throughput of the work stream path is modeled in such a way as to evaluate the efficiency of the flow route through internal silos with a view to increasing discrete control of uniquely identified business attributes and rules and reducing potential low efficiency drivers. Evaluation of resources, both physical and human is essential to evaluate hand-off points and potential to create smoother transitions between tasks. Several workflow improvement theories have been proposed and implemented in the modern workplace. These include:
1. Six Sigma
2. Total Quality Management
3. Business process reengineering
4. Lean systems

As a way of bridging the gap between the two, significant effort is being put into defining workflow patterns that can be used to compare and contrast different workflow engines across both of these domains. For example, motels-hotels have different workflow than term life insurance Company. Workflow improvement helps in generating more profits for any business.

Workflow Features and Phenomenology

1. Modeling: Workflow problems can be modeled and analyzed using graph-based formalisms like Petri nets.
2. Measurement: Many of the concepts used to measure scheduling systems in operations research are useful for measuring general workflows. These include throughput, processing time, and other regular metrics.
3. Specialized connotations: The term workflow has specialized connotations in information technology, document management and imaging. Since 1993, one trade consortium specifically focused on workflow management and the interoperability of workflow management systems has been the Workflow Management Coalition.
4. Scientific workflows: Found wide acceptance in the fields of bioinformatics and cheminformatics in the early 2000s, where they successfully met the need for multiple interconnected tools, handling of multiple data formats and large data quantities. Also, the paradigm of scientific workflows was close to the well-established tradition of Perl scripting in life-science research organizations, so this adoption represented a natural step forward towards a more structured infrastructure setup.
5. Human-machine interaction: Several conceptualizations of mixed-initiative workflows have been studied, particularly in the military, where automated agents play roles just as humans do. For innovative, adaptive, collaborative human work the techniques of human interaction management are required.

Workflow Components

A workflow can usually be described using formal or informal flow diagramming techniques, showing directed flows between processing steps. While talking with owner of Roller shade blinds and woven wood shades blinds company, he says Single processing steps or components of a workflow can basically be defined by three parameters:
1. Input description: the information, material and energy required to complete the step
2. Transformation rules, algorithms, which may be carried out by associated human roles or machines, or a combination
3. Output description: the information, material and energy produced by the step and provided as input to downstream steps.

Components can only be plugged together if the output of one previous (set of) component(s) is equal to the mandatory input requirements of the following component. Thus, the essential description of a component actually comprises only in- and output that are described fully in terms of data types and their meaning (semantics). The algorithms' or rules' description need only be included when there are several alternative ways to transform one type of input into one type of output – possibly with different accuracy, speed, etc.

When the components are non-local services that are invoked remotely via a computer network, such as Web services, additional descriptors (such as QoS and availability) also must be considered.

Contemporary employment -1

1. A more skilled executive assistant may be required to type at high speeds using technical or foreign languages, organize diaries, itineraries and meetings and carry out administrative duties which may include accountancy. An executive secretary / assistant may also control access to a manager, thus becoming an influential and trusted aide. Executive assistants are available for contact during off hours by new electronic communication methods for consultations.
   
   
2. The largest difference between a generalized secretary and skilled executive assistants is that the executive assistant is required to be able to interact extensively with the general public, vendors, customers, and any other person or group that the executive is responsible to interact with. As the level that the executive interacts with increases so does the level of skill required in the executive assistant that works with the executive. Those executive assistants that work with corporate officers must be capable of emulating the style, corporate philosophy, and corporate persona of the executive for which they work. In the modern workplace the advancement of the executive assistants is codependant on the success of the executive and the ability of both to make the job performance of the team seamless whereas the job place evaluation is reflective of each others performance.
   
   
3. Executive assistants are normally required to maintain job skills at the current state of the art. It is a normal requirement of the executive assistant to be required to complete continuing job education on their own time, with reimbursement for tuition and class supplies.

Contemporary Employment

In a business many job descriptions overlap. However, while administrative assistant is a generic term, not necessarily implying directly working for a superior, a secretary is usually a personal assistant to a manager or executive. Other titles describing jobs similar to or overlapping those of the traditional secretary are office coordinator, executive assistant, office manager and administrative professional.

1. At the most basic level a secretary may need only a good command of the prevailing office language and the ability to type, and may spend a large part of his or her time filing and fetching papers (or the equivalent regarding electronic files and database information) or answering telephones.
   
2. A more skilled executive assistant may be required to type at high speeds using technical or foreign languages, organize diaries, itineraries and meetings and carry out administrative duties which may include accountancy. An executive secretary / assistant may also control access to a manager, thus becoming an influential and trusted aide. Executive assistants are available for contact during off hours by new electronic communication methods for consultations.

Secretary in General Terms

We are talking about secretariat in couple of previous post. If we compile our all talks and present it in simple language than we can have following talks on secretary. If we consider directory definition of secretary than it says A secretary means one employed to handle correspondence and manage routine and detail work for a superior or an officer of a business concern who may keep records of directors' and stockholders' meetings and of stock ownership and transfer and help supervise the company's legal interests or an officer of an organization or society responsible for its records and correspondence.

As the role of technology continues to increase in offices and businesses, the role of the office secretary has greatly evolved. Use of Document organizer software and other office automation increase the responsibility of secretary. New a days office secretary are suppose to play a role of traditional manager. More administrative and more communication is routine part of secretary. Secretary are suppose to plan and schedule meetings and appointments; organize and maintain paper and electronic files; manage projects; conduct research; and disseminate information by using the telephone, mail services, Web sites, and e-mail. We can count many more work as part of responsibility of secretary.

Secretaries and administrative assistants use a variety of office equipment, such as fax machines, photocopiers, scanners, and videoconferencing and telephone systems. Many organizations give in house training to their secretary to use new technology and tools. Arizona off duty police officer is the best to use technology and tools. With the used of modern technology secretary keeps them self with the new trends in the business and industry.

Contemporary employment

A secretary is either an administrative assistant in business office administration, or a certain type of mid- or high-level governmental position, such as a Secretary of State. The executive secretary (sometimes called administrative assistant or associate) has a myriad of administrative duties. Traditionally, these duties were mostly related to correspondence, such as the typing out of letters. The advent of word processing has significantly reduced the time that such duties require, with the result that many new tasks have come under the oversee of the secretary. These might include managing budgets and doing bookkeeping, maintaining websites, and making travel arrangements

In a business many job descriptions overlap. However, while administrative assistant is a generic term, not necessarily implying directly working for a superior, a secretary is usually a personal assistant to a manager or executive. Other titles describing jobs similar to or overlapping those of the traditional secretary are office coordinator, executive assistant, office manager and administrative professional.

At the most basic level a secretary may need only a good command of the prevailing office language and the ability to type, and may spend a large part of his or her time filing and fetching papers (or the equivalent regarding electronic files and database information) or answering telephones.

ref: wikipedia

Office Secretary

With time, like many titles, the term was applied to more and varied functions, leading to compound titles to specify various secretarial work better, like general secretary, financial secretary or Secretary of state. Just "secretary" remained in use either as an abbreviation when clear in the context or for relatively modest positions such as administrative assistant of the officer(s) in charge, either individually or as member of a secretariat. As such less influential posts became more feminine and common with the multiplication of bureaucracies in the public and private sectors, new words were also coined to describe them, such as personal assistant.

In a business many job descriptions overlap. However, while administrative assistant is a generic term, not necessarily implying directly working for a superior, a secretary is usually a personal assistant to a manager or executive. Other titles describing jobs similar to or overlapping those of the traditional secretary are office coordinator, executive assistant, office manager and administrative professional. At the most basic level a secretary may need only a good command of the prevailing office language and the ability to type, and may spend a large part of his or her time filing and fetching papers (or the equivalent regarding electronic files and database information) or answering telephones. For example, A doctor's Secretary not need to wear Medical Scrubs.

A more skilled executive assistant may be required to type at high speeds using technical or foreign languages, organize diaries, itineraries and meetings and carry out administrative duties which may include accountancy. An executive secretary / assistant may also control access to a manager, thus becoming an influential and trusted aide. Executive assistants are available for contact during off hours by new electronic communication methods for consultations.

Secretary

A secretary is either an administrative assistant in business office administration, or a certain type of mid- or high-level governmental position, such as a Secretary of State.

The executive secretary (sometimes called administrative assistant or associate) has a myriad of administrative duties. Traditionally, these duties were mostly related to correspondence, such as the typing out of letters. The advent of word processing has significantly reduced the time that such duties require, with the result that many new tasks have come under the oversee of the secretary. These might include managing budgets and doing bookkeeping, maintaining websites, and making travel arrangements. Secretaries are supposed to get good salary. Kentucky Real Estate gives good example of it.

Secretaries might manage all the administrative details of running a high level conference or arrange the catering for a typical lunch meeting. Often executives will ask their assistant to write original documents for review and also to collaborate with others. They may also do personnel paperwork which used to be thought of as a Human Relations function; this might also include understanding the complex rules regarding Visa and Immigration.

To be successful today the executive assistant must have a broad level of skills and be creative in managing new situations. As such a 4 year degree (Bachelors of Arts) is often preferred and a 2 year degree is usually a requirement.
We continue our talk in next post.

Role of Personal Assistance

We are talking Personal Assistance and need of personal assistance for rich and non rich people. Today we are going to talk about Role of Personal Assistance.

The Personal Assistant job is associated with two contradictory images. The first is that it is an easy, fun, and glamourous position, granting access to the friendship and luxurious lifestyle of celebrities and high-powered or wealthy people. The other is that personal assistants are merely unskilled "gofers" who perform menial and degrading tasks.

In fact, to do their jobs well, Personal Assistants must apply excellent organizational skills, tact, diplomacy, effective communication skills, maintain confidentiality in sensitive matters, and display excellent judgement. These are the same "soft" skills required for many other professional roles, such as middle management, public relations, and high-level administrative assistance. Like DC Ranch Homes for Sale is not work of personal assistants. The best Personal Assistants have the ability to anticipate their employer's needs and take care of them before they are asked to do so. There is always the possibility for advancement and some Personal Assistant jobs may "morph" into other positions within the organization.

Some Personal Assistants are asked to consider full time positions elsewhere in the company depending on the level of ambition and education required/desired. It is true that many employers will not see the potential for a Personal Assistant immediately and thus the Personal Assistant will remain in that position until other positions become available.

Personal assistance for non-rich people - 1

Personal assistance we are talking here is part of workflow management software. In last post we talked about personal assistance for non reach people. Today we continue our talk on the same.

Most companies offer secretarial personal assistance as well as basic assistant services like research, scheduling, travel arrangements, and more. Businessman in insurance industry can use insurance software like insurance crm and insurance sfa or insurance lead management software to help them in business. Costs of a part-time employee can end up exceeding how much it would have cost to hire a full time employee. Other companies charge a flat monthly fee for personal assistant services, based upon the number of requests you think you will place each month. In addition to the personal assistant services that are provided with the membership, other incentives such as local discounts, concierge services, dining recommendations and overall knowledge and expertise may even outperform the skills of a regular personal assistant staff member.

Smaller companies, especially start-up and real estate development companies, may desire the services of a Personal Assistant to "manage" an individual executive or to assist in the office as the new company goes about setting up their new business. These Personal Assistants may develop great skills at the "birth" of a new company and have opportunities for advancement. Other Personal Assistants will have garnered incredible knowledge and experience if they choose to move into other positions.

ref: Insurance software, wikipedia, Insurance CRM Software

Personal assistance for non-rich people

Workflow management is important aspect of sales force automation software or sales force management software. Insurance Software like Insurance CRM software with Insurance SFA software helps to manage workflow management . Agency Management System include Personal Assistance which is part of work flow management . We talked personal Assistance and Need for personal Assistance. Today we are going to talk about Personal Assistance for non-rich people.

Personal assistants are no longer only available the extremely wealthy or celebrities. Assistants who help with the management of schedules and errands for families in which both parents work are often called household managers and are in short supply. Occasionally wealthy people hire foreign "au pairs" to look after their children and Personal Assistants must work within the tenuous network of a household and the company. People who cannot afford to hire their own personal assistant to run errands or answer phone calls full time can hire a concierge company or part-time assistant to help manage their lifestyle.

we will talked more about personal assistance for non-rich people in our next post.

ref: wikipedia, agency management software, Insurance Software

Need for Personal Assistance

Insurance software includes agency management system, insurance crm, insurance sfa and workflow management. We are talking workflow management here. As a part of that we talked about Personal Assistance in our last post. Today we are going to talk about Need for personal assistance.

The more high-profile a person is, whether a celebrity, professional athlete, minister, politician, attorney or entertainment executive, the more necessary it is for him or her to be able to concentrate on performing the most important tasks of their career. The proper management of their lifestyle can favorably or adversely affect his or her success and career prosperity.

The more efficiently and effectively the celebrity performs the important tasks involved in their work, the greater the benefit to career endeavors and any business enterprises he or she might own. He or she should be able to concentrate on those important tasks if relieved of some other duties involved in the job which, while still needing to be performed, can be done by somebody else on his or her behalf or under her or his supervision. In other words, the business person or celebrity needs assistance, and that can be provided by at least one Personal Assistant.


ref: wikipedia, agency management system, Insurance Software

Personal Aide - Workflow Management

Workflow management we ar talking here as part of leadorganizer and lead management software. Agency Management System (AMS) includes workflow management and lead management. we are talking about Personal Assistant in our last post. Today, we continue our talk on Personal Assistant or Perosnal Aide.

Today, a Personal Assistant may be responsible for screening incoming calls, checking emails, reviewing documentation, sending mail, doing research, scheduling reservations, booking meetings, etc. The term is often used to describe roles which would previously have been referred to as secretary. The title of Personal Assistant is not the same as a "PA". A "PA" is a Production Assistant, which is a completely different job. Personal Assistant job duties can range from menial tasks such as picking up the dry cleaning to more important tasks such as attending contract negotiations, briefing journalists on which questions can and can not be asked during interviews, travelling etc.

A Personal Assistant is their employer's "go to" person. The position normally covers a variety of positions. They are Receptionists, Administrative Assistants, Runners, Managers, Publicists, Agents etc. The job has a wide range of requirements and can often be extremely demanding as employers normally expect their assistants to be there whenever they need them. In older business parlance, the current Personal Assistant" was called at various times a "Girl Friday" or a "Man Friday."


ref: agency management system, insurance crm & sfa software, wikipedia

Personal Assistant

Agency Management System consist of workflow management. we are talking here different component of workflow managemet like office automation, task management, Time Management, Scheduling etc.

Today we are going to talk Personal Assistant as part of workflow management.

A personal assistant, or personal aide, is someone who assists in daily personal tasks for a busy or successful person. For example, a businessman or businesswoman may have a personal assistant to help with his correspondence and run errands. The role of a personal assistant has expanded as the business environment has required more responsibilities. Today, a Personal Assistant may be responsible for screening incoming calls, checking emails, reviewing documentation, sending mail, doing research, scheduling reservations, booking meetings, etc.

We continue talk on Personal Assistan in our post.

ref: Agency Management Software, wikipedia