User stories for initiating reviews using a custom implementation

Narrative

When the functionality provided in the solution template or Workspace does not satisfy your requirements, you can create a custom implementation. The following are common reasons for you to create a custom implementation to initiate reviews:

  • You have custom LiveCycle processes that you use to initiate static reviews automatically. For example, in your organization, users drop review documents into watched folders and reviews are automatically initiated for them.

  • You have backend processes that simplify the user experience and start reviews for them. For example, when users submit new versions in a Document Management system, reviews are automatically created for the new content.

  • You have requirements to create your own user interface to initiate reviews.

When you initiate reviews, you are responsible for retrieving the review templates to initiate the review. For some implementation-specific situations, you are required to upload the review documents and supporting documents to the review zone.

Because multiple reviews can be started using the same review template, consider adding additional metadata to the review to improve searchability. For example, you can add metadata based on the user profile of the review initiator, the name of the document, or keywords.

Estimated time to implement

To implement this story, expect to spend one to three days. The implementation includes:

  • Adding the XML elements to start the review.

  • Understanding the review template schema.

  • Developing processes in Workbench that prepare the review document for review.

Additional time is required to create a user interface and to implement file formats that are not converted to PDF documents by the PDF Generator service.

Note: The time to implement the story depends on the skill sets of your staff and how well you know your requirements. The estimates are broad guidelines and differ for each organization.

Implementation overview

You can create a custom implementation to initiate reviews by completing the following tasks:

  1. Initiate the review providing the review content.

    Retrieve a review template and in Workbench, use the invoke operations from the Review Commenting & Approval Core service to initiate the review. Alternatively, you can use methods from the Review, Commenting, and Approval building block Java API or Flex API. After you initiate the review, a review context identifier (ID) (sometimes called review instance) that uniquely identifies the review is returned. The review context ID is required to access the review and to perform subsequent tasks to the review. (See Starting the review in Review, Commenting, and Approval Building Block 9.5 Technical Guide .)

  2. Add additional review participants.

    In Workbench, use the review context ID and invoke operations from the Review Commenting & Approval Core service to add review participants. Alternatively, you can use methods from the building block Java API or Flex API in your custom applications. (See Adding reviewers and participants in Review, Commenting, and Approval Building Block 9.5 Technical Guide .)

  3. Add additional metadata to the review.

    Optionally, you can create key value pairs to add metadata to reviews. The metadata can be used for searching or creating dashboards. In Workbench, use the review context ID to invoke operations from the Review Commenting & Approval Core service to add custom attributes. Alternatively, use the building block Java API or Flex API. (See Adding custom attributes in Review, Commenting, and Approval Technical Guide .)

Tools used

  • Workbench to create processes that invoke the Review Commenting & Approval service.

  • Integrated development tools, such as Adobe Flash Builder to write user interfaces using Flex. You can also use other development environments, such as Eclipse to create your applications in Java or Microsoft Visual Studio to implement .NET applications.

Team members and skill sets

  • XML, W3C XML schemas. (IT staff, or Business Analyst)

  • Building processes using Workbench and Designer. (LiveCycle Developer)

  • Flex, Java, web services to build user applications to initiate reviews. (LiveCycle Developer, LiveCycle Programmer)

// Ethnio survey code removed