Microsoft SharePoint® is an important platform for the collaboration of virtual project teams which is increasingly used by organizations. SharePoint® offers innovative combinations of workflow, forms and content management functionalities.
SharePoint® structures information in document libraries with versioned documents. Documents can be any type of files like Word documents, Excel® sheets or Visio® diagrams.
The documents can be associated with workflows to build a Process Governance Process like e.g. a request-to-change procedure. SharePoint® has built-in functions such as versioning control and authorization management for documents. This simplifies the governance of policy compliance e.g. like SOX (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) for BPM solutions in the discipline of GRC. BPM-X delivers added value to SharePoint®.
- BPM-X Converter middleware uses SharePoint® webservices to integrate other BPM tools like ARIS® with the BPM collaboration platform
- BPM-X Designer supports method-compliant modeling of Visio® diagrams in SharePoint®
Microsoft SharePoint® is offered in two product variants, which are both supported by BPM-X:
- Microsoft Office SharePoint® Services (MOSS)
- Windows SharePoint® Services (WSS)
The MOSS product has extended capabilities regarding collaboration services.
Benefits using SharePoint® in combination with BPM-X are
- Extension of the scope of SharePoint® to other BPM tools for an integration BPM platform
- Refinement of functionality already supported by SharePoint®, like method compliant modeling with Visio®
- Easy online office collaboration increases the productivity of BPM
- Introduction of versioning into BPM modeling and conversion in favor of policy compliance and revision management
The SharePoint® based BPM solution can be used
- As a pure Microsoft BPM platform in combination with products like Visio®, SQL Server, Reporting Services and BizTalk®
- In combination with expert BPM tools such as the ARIS® platform
The combination of expert BPM tools using SharePoint® as a BPM integration platform allows scenarios such as:
- The ARIS® platform facilitates premium BPM services like process simulation or process cost calculations
- The BPM-X Designer with Visio® coexists with ARIS® for typical BPM tasks like process capturing and process modeling