Roles control the document release

Workflow functions are role oriented. This means that a user who has a certain role (e.g. the editor) is allowed to realise specific actions in the workflow (e.g. to modify documents).
Workflows and the underlying role concepts often assume a very complex form which makes the publishing process for most of the working actions difficult. Therefore ZMS offers two basic versions for the release mechanism, which are well proven in practice:

• "Auto-Release": the workflow is basically stopped; each modification is presented in the website immediately ("live")
• Staging process for gradual editing: each modification first is saved in a preview version, keeping the last live version as long as the modified version is released. Only then the live version is being "overwritten".

A role oriented workflow will be introduced for the staging process. ZMS allows the definition or assignment of the editor and manager (chief editor) role to specific users. The usual workflow scenario is as follows: the editor produces a document and can see the preview. The manager receives an automatic mail concerning the new (or modified) document and can release it, that means set the version "live“ by button click.

From ZMS 2.1 on the workflow can be freely defined through a graphic interface: the states of an objekt, transitions including their programme logic and related roles can be determined and combined to flexible flowcharts.