WebSphere Portal Server - Questionable WCM workflow behavior

Author

Questionable WCM workflow behavior

2006-10-23, 7:22 pm

Let us say that a content is in "Final Approval" stage and in DRAFT state. The next stage is "Go Live" which publishes the content.

Let us say that two approvers pull up the same content at the same time for review.

Approver A rejects the content. The content goes into the first stage of the workflow ("Initial Draft" stage).

Approver B misses the problems seen by A and wishes to approve it. She clicks on Next stage. System moves the conent to "Go Live" stage and PUBLISHED state without any warning. Not only that. System re-writes history for the content and wipes out all reco
rd of user A having rejected the content.

This behavior seems dangerous. System should at least ask approver B to confirm.

Joint approval will solve this particular problem but not a good solution.

WartookMan

2006-10-23, 7:22 pm

What version are you using? You should get a warning to say that the Content item has been modified since it was opened - at least this seems to happen when you save it. What you are experiencing should not occur and there may be an iFix for it.

In WCM 6.0, the Content will be "locked" by the first Author and will not allow modifications by the second Author - a visual lock icon appears next to the Content item. Might be time to upgrade.

Pete.
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