Episode 526: "Certificate Issuance Date" of Auto-generated PDF in Japanese Calendar! (Improvement ed.)

Japanese calendar text

There are many cases in Japan that use "Japanese calendar" instead of "Western (Gregorian) calendar".

This year is "2017" as well as "Heisei 29".

In other words, there are many cases where Date type data such as "2017-03-13" should be displayed as "March 13, Heisei 29" in prints and email texts. In the article (*) about one year ago, I introduced you the Japanese calendar conversion using the [Script Task], the automatic step. (Automatic conversion of Issue data flowing in the Cloud-based Workflow "Questetra BPM Suite")

Episode 467: Certificate Issue Date on Auto-generated PDF in Japanese Era Name (2016-01-25)

Script step and Service step

However, as of version 11.1 or later (2016-09-05) of the Cloud-based Workflow "Questetra BPM Suite", it is possible to add arbitrary [Service step] by "Service definition file" (add-on XML).

That is, if you use [Service step] which performs Japanese calendar conversion, you do not need to use [Script step] (which requires programming knowledge).

[Certificate Issuance-Japanese Calendar]

Episode 517: Method of Starting up a Large Number of Workflows

Start workflow by external trigger

In the previous article "Episode 516: Method of Starting Workflow by "Email", I wrote about Workflow triggered by" Incoming mail ". Surely, I will be asked the question that "Is there any other way to start Workflow besides email?" (I have not been asked it yet, though...)

Yes, there are!

In the case of the Cloud based Workflow "Questetra BPM Suite", the APIs are provided as follows. "B1. Start Process" among them corresponds to all of HTTP / WebForm / Email. That is, it is possible to design a Workflow triggered not only by "Incoming mail" but also by "Web form input" or "Reception of HTTP request".

• A. "Developer APIs" which Workflow system always provides (OAuth 2 / Basic)
• A1. Operation by User (Workflow APIs)
• A2. Operation by System administrator (System Setting APIs)
• B. "Process Model connection API" which each business application provides
• B1. Process start (Message Start Event) (HTTP / WebForm / Email)
• B2. Standby in the middle of Process (Catching Message Intermediate Event) (HTTP)
• B3. External transmission (Throwing Message Intermediate Event / Auto-step) (HTTP / Email)

Workflow to start Workflow

Even though it becomes a little "beyond the basics"... Since it has a function of "B3. External calling in the middle of Process", If you set it as follows

1. X-Process as to "transmit HTTP request", and
2. Y-Process as to be started by "Receiving of HTTP request",

so that connection between XY Workflows is also possible.


That is, you can realize the followings.

• Auto-starting "Billing Process" Triggered by "Shipping Process" (M411)
• Setting: In order not to forget the Next Billing, Auto-Start a Subsequent Process (M412)
• Setting: Calling Sub-process in the Middle of the Flow, Standing by the Result of It (M413)
• Special Business Process for Aggregation on Business Data through Multiple Business Process (M414)

Well, now, In this article, I would like to think further about a method of"start multiple Issues at once" using CSV data.

[Batch starting of Telephone survey Process (Parent Process)]

[Telephone survey Process (Child Process)]

Episode 513: Business Process to Ensure Quality of Posted Articles

"Cannot see the Business Process in the Field"？

In autumn 2016, "Plagiaristic act" by "curated media" is reported sensationally in Japan.

Originally, "content curation" is worthwhile, so as "curation tools / platforms" which enables anyone to post their curated contents. However, a site management company (listed company) mass-produces contents curation articles through cloud-sourcing, and the fact that plagiarism has been instructed during the outsourcing of article writing is brought to the light.

Process of Curated Article Production

There indeed was a Disclaimer note, i.e.

We are completely not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, benefits, conformity to specific purposes, or anything else regarding the information in this article and the user's judgment for using this information.

However, since the particular site was curation concerning "wellness", "Moral" was questioned rather than "copyright infringement". And, as a result, the CEO apologized as "there was a problem in the process of article creation".

DeNA press releass: Statement by CEO

some parts of our manual and directions to writers could be interpreted as suggesting plagiarizing other websites. I cannot view this as being morally correct ... I promise to fundamentally change our operations of these media and create a process which I can completely place my faith in.

I do not know whether it is truth or not, but probably "he did not really see the business process". (I want to believe so.) Then, what kind of business process should he have build if the operating company needs to write articles responsible for?

[Article Creation process]

Episode 468: Issuance of Service Credit on SLA

SLA, Service Level Agreement...

It is a system that Cloud service providers and telecommunications service providers to declare their own "Service Quality" and to make refund, etc. when the actual service falls below the standard. In this "Cloud-first" era, you might have seen or heard it even if you are not in the IT industry.


The following Workflow is a Business Process for a service provider to make "refund,etc."

Although this may be unfamiliar to general people, the SLA system actually is mostly starts the flow of refunding, etc. when receiving "Claims from Users". Well, it sounds like "System to refund after receiving the complaint", but it is so in reality...

However, any softwares contains bugs. Also in the specifications that are believed secure in the world, there is always weakness. And yet, use styles of the user side are infinite variety. Some people would be stuck, some people wouldn't. It might be an unavoidable method, because to "carry out the refund, etc." under such circumstances.

[SLA Claim]

Episode 467: Certificate Issue Date on Auto-generated PDF in Japanese Era Name

'Date in Japanese calendar!'

"Representation of years" is complicated in Japan. That is, We do not say "year 2016" at the governmental procedure or at schools. This year is absolutely "Heisei 27". The date is represented in "Japanese calendar" in documents which have a little bit of importance, such as "Residence certificate", "Family registration", or "Graduation diploma"...

However, in reality,,, only a few Japanese can immediately answer that "this year is Heisei 28!"

Even so, this "mechanism of resetting to the first year (year 1), once in several decades" is continued already 1400 years or more. It is too much significant for the government of the time to abolish... (And, on the day the current emperor died, another new "era name" will be published.)


The following is a flow of "Employment certification" issuance.

It has devised that at an upstream Step, the employee's 'name' and "birth date' are entered, and the a certificate PDF is automatically generated at [Auto-step] in the middle of the flow. Notably, date data such as "date of birth" and "certificate issue date" is automatically converted to the Japanese calendar. It could be diverted also to issuance flow for, for example, "Graduation certificate" or "PTA News", etc.

[Certificate Issuance]

Visualization and Labor Saving on Appraisal of Competitive Quotes

"Competitive quotes" are important.

"RFQ" should be created properly not only in listed companies, but also in every company. These will be notified to the suppliers, and then should be saved as important business records together with the subsequent business data ("quote from the suppliers" and "evaluation to each estimate", etc.).
(RFQ: Request for Quotation / Request for Price Quotation)

The following Business Processes is a Competitive Quotes flow for general purpose. (Procurement)

From "purchasing of raw materials" to "Planning of Company outing", it can be utilized for various RFQ. All the progress of procurement will be automatically recorded / visualized when you import this flow into your Workflow platform and run it as a business system.

• 1). RFQ will be sent automatically,
• 2). Received quotes will be attached,
• 3). Quote will be evaluated by two people,
• 4a). Notification to the winner will be transmitted automatically,
• 4b). Notification for the loser will be transmitted automatically.

Needless to say, there will be benefits in various aspects, such as business records, knowledge sharing and internal control.

• Destinations of past RFQ will be be referable
• Track records of answers from requestee (suppliers) will be referable
• Track records of evaluation of requestee (suppliers) will be referable
• Frauds and unsavory ties will be prevented

[Competitive Quotes flow]

Teleworking System, You can Achieve This Far with Free Cloud!

Everyone would actively do the jobs that are accumulated in the [Waiting to be Underwritten].

Although it sounds very justifiable, sometimes there could be a "Sense of Unfairness".

• Same wage even if has underwritten a lot of work?
• Don't monopolize the jobs just because of percentage pay!

Indeed, there could be dissatisfaction either fixed wage or percentage pay. "Get the job done quickly for the customer" is not always justice in the world. That is, there are jobs that "should be shared evenly.

The following Business Process diagram represents so-called "Data Entry". The notable point is that the jobs are allocated in "taking turns".

It is applicable for

• Making received slips into text file
• Aggregation of questionnaire in paper
• Aggregation of application postcard
• Voice to Text transcription
• Making the past Document into text file

Incidentally, if you operate this business processes in a Workflow system on the Internet, it will become a good "telework support system". Surprising enough, it is also equipped with automatic counting function of the "number of input characters" so that it can be compensated if it exceeds the assumed input quantity. The first place, because the flow itself is simple, it is also easy to extend the idea according to each industry business category. It seems likely to be able to play a role in policy promotion of the Japanese government, such as 'Teleworking" and "Regional revitalization".

[Data Entry flow]

Outsourcer - Outsourcee, Cooperate Workflow Platform

There are plenty of internet service that referred to as 'Fashion Mail order site'. Not only those websites that sell 'apparel goods' such as 'Casual wear', 'wear to work' and 'underwear', some will provide total outfits coordinating from shoes, accessories to sundries. Or, some websites are specialized in such as "Maternity Goods" or "Disney characters". And yet, they sell cheaper than real stores. (Price competition, cheers! <- consumer perspective)

However, on the other hand, their 'Delivery times' could be the weakness.

There would be cases that 'own packing system' in 'own warehouse' is required for maintaining their attentive services. Their merchandise which they are particular about, like imported goods, would be in small lots inevitably. But for Japanese people who got used to Amazon jp or Askul (an office goods supplier specialized on one day delivery), they cannot wait for 3, 4 days. (Nerve-racking consumers! <- online store perspective)

The following Workflow is a Business Process example of so called 'Mail order fulfillment service'.

When a BPO outsourcee proposes logistic outsourcing (Back office outsourcing), the "Merchandise to be outsourced" (some or all) which are based on the consumer perspective as above, will be presented. As a matter of course, operating of Workflow system should be proposed together to appeal the capability of understanding all the progress of outsourced work anytime. It makes easier to explain about optional services like 'X-ray inspection'.

[Outsourcers Shipment Request]

[Outsourcees Pick Pack Ship]

Visualization of Progress inside BPO! (An example of fulfillment BPO)

What is BPO? (Business Process Outsourcing)

Speaking of BPO in Japan, many people would imagine 'Customer-facing' and 'Orders management'. Words of

• 'Customer-facing'->"Call center"
• 'Orders management'=>"Fulfillment"

might be familiar for a business person who works in the BPO industry. Alone, each of these segments are growing up market size in about 3-5 billion US dollar.

However, I think these numbers a still small in comparison with the Economy-size of Japan. Plainly speaking, I think the numbers representing the reality that 'Japanese companies are reluctant to outsource'. In other words, outsourcer is always anxious against outsourcee, worrying about

• Are they sure to treat gift-wrapping options?
• How far did they process the order of 100, now?, etc..

The following is a Workflow of 'Pick, Pack and Ship' which would be outsourced from a mail-order company to logistic company. The mail-order company will put the shipping address data and Goods information data into the flow. In accordance with these shipping instructions, Pic, Pack and Ship will be performed in the logistic company. By the way, the operations of 'Order reception from consumer' and 'Billing to customer' are not outsourced in this example.

[Pick, Pack and Ship flow]

Although it's obvious if you look at the process diagram, the jobs that have been entrusted to the logistics company are "(4) Packing" and "(5) X-ray inspection". That is a split that, when packing apparel products, shoes and bags, etc., packing-boxes will be the subjects for X-ray examination after packing, and then put a sticker of "X-ray inspected' on them.

The job for the personnel in charge in the logistic company only checks the Packing task (Inspection task) one by one, and clicking on the 'Finish' button at its completion. The authorized workers in mail-order company and logistic company will be able to understand

• who when performed "(4) Packing"
• who when performed "(5) X-ray inspection", in real time.

In addition, there are some more ideas besides this such as "Automatic sending of payment completion mail", "Automatic generation of invoice", "Automatic sending of shipping completion mail", etc.. I guess there are possibilities of improvement from on-site point of view, such as who to be sent or the order of sending... Moreover, there may be more different room for improvement such as Intentional retention on the timer when 'the Specified delivery date' was optioned at the order reception or, automate until printing out of the invoices. In any case, we should actively discuss about "the optimal Business Processes" to every outsourcing contract, even after running it.


P.s.: Well, thinking in the standpoint of a logistic company which is an outsourcee, I want to put the requests from more than one mail-order companies into this workflow, naturally. However, there are likely to come out "Problem" on the data viewing authority... <a href="#">To be continued</a>

[Pick, Pack and Ship flow:'1. Enter Shipping instruction' screen]

[Data Items List]

[Free Download]

• Business Template: Pick, Pack and Ship flow

<Similar Models>

• Business Processes which should be Considered before Building a BPO System (2015-02-16)
• Example; BPO Service Company Proposes Flow Improvement (2011-07-25)
• Workflow for Workflow Designing Business (2011-11-28)

<<Related Articles>>

• M224 AUTO EVENT: Auto Sending of Email with Business data Inserted
• M228 AUTOMATED STEP: Auto Generating PDF File with Business data Inserted
• M223 AUTO EVENT: Sleeping in the Middle

[Japanese Entry (和文記事)]

"Contrivance to Save In-house Ideas" on Workflow

An [Idea] is a seed of a businesses.

1. Without an [idea], no flower of New Product blooms.
2. Without an [idea], no flower of New Process blooms.
3. Without an [idea], no flower of New Market blooms.
4. Without an [idea], no flower of New Source blooms.
5. Without an [idea], no flower of New Organization blooms.5

However, many [Ideas] will be gone dead in immature. That is, even if it pops up in the brain of someone, the 90% of them would evaporate without getting out from the brain, and the rest of 10%, which has luckily escaped from the brain, would extinct without being able to parasitize other brain successfully. The survival rate of [idea] is unbelievably low. (The one who came across to the idea him/herself, would totally forget about it in overnight.)

Imagine if the [Idea] could be cultivated to cherish,,,
Imagine if the [Idea] could be emanated to in-house,,,
a flower garden of innovation would spread...

The following Workflow is for collecting [Ideas] of in-house. It assumes to be used at field of product development. Unlike the "Voice of the Customer", fresh "Voice of inside company" (proposal) come gathering. Of course, "production technique that depends largely on the talent of someone" as film production and literary works, is not to be denied. However, in many organizations, a system in which superior [idea] in the organization to be used effectively should be established.

[Product Idea Development flow]

Revision Control of Internal Documents on Workflow

There are a lot of 'documents to be referred by many people' in a company.
It would be a wide variety of types of documents such as, 'User's Manual' of products, 'Work Manual' of work site, 'Template of Agreement', or 'Company Regulations'. And it would be a big affliction to continue maintenance upon them. Moreover, it would be extremely difficult to control if the documents were required 'to be translated into other languages' at time of revision.

The following Process Diagram shows the work procedure of revising 'Product Manual'. By bringing this Business Process Definition into the system, the locations of revisions and person who finally checked will be recorded automatically.

[Manual Revising]

Auto-Splitting Using Random Number

Among Business Processes, occasions to use random numbers are only few.
If I'm forced to say, they could be cases of changing Reviewers randomly for internal control reason or, cases of 'Choosing winners' in a giveaway campaign or so on.

The following Workflow sample is a Business Process definition to play 'Word chain game' in the company. I have written about it in a blog post on the Questetra Blog, and it is totally practically useless, but a few readers want to see the 'archive', so I decided to present it as a content on this particular website again. (Of course, you can download the archive for free.)

In this example, the contestant of the Word Chain game is chosen by a random number for answering. It generates a random number just before the Splitting Gateway, and the path of the Gateway is chosen according to the random number. (Auto-Splitting)

[Word Chain Game flow]

Queries from Facebook, Queries from Abroad, Let them Flow All Together Neatly

Since around the year 2000, 'Workflows' have been a major stepping forward in the area of;

• Decision making and Approval
• Expense Report
• Travel Expenses Reimbursement

and have been contributing to a significant reduction in office work labors. Some folks call these 'Three major applications of workflow'.

It has been digitized (onlined), records have been remain automatically, and the aggregate has become extremely faster.

Later, office work has been digitized one after another along with improving the environment, such as an internal LAN.

• Working hours, attendance reporting
• Procurement and Asset Management
• Application of Internal Affairs and Communications
• Recruiting

These have come to be into the workflow as well. Especially, cross-department Workflow, and business between remote locations they are very significant to be digitized.

Now, the cloud computing era of today.
Workflow is not limited to internal operations.
That is, operations of responding to an inquiry from the outside became able to be operated in the Workflow system as well. Specifically, "Product inquiry" or "Complaint", "Request for Quote" or "Personal Information Protection Counter", can now be processed electronically in accordance with operating procedures (business processes) as well.

In the following workflow definition, it is possible to be incorporated in the same flow by the connective setting, such as (external trigger) inquiries on the Web site or by e-mail, as well as queries on Facebook and Twitter, etc.. It can be branched to 'Translation' or 'advisory' in the middle of the Workflow.
By the way, it is the uniqueness of "Questetra BPM Suite", the Cloud based Workflow, that providing flexible improvement on 'operations that cooperating with external system'. (Free accounts are ready to go!)

[Corresponding Query flow]

How Many Product Defects are Unsolved Now?

There is no ending at completing production of packaged software or Website creation. Rather, better to say starting working on updating to "Change requests". Sometimes "Bug" will be reported

Following Workflow chart is designed focusing on efficiently status management in "Bug reports" and "Request" (A case all employees are with accounts of Workflow)

<Tasks>
1. Registration Request/failure, 2. Nomination respondents/Prioritization, 3. The primary answer, 3a. Support questions, 4. Final answer, 5. the primary response confirmation, 6. the final answer confirmation

[Bugs & Requests [2. Nomination respondents/Prioritization] screen]

Recording Improvment Of Company From Complaint

"Cooperation of other divisions" is essential to handle complaints.

Even how sincere contact person heard and understood what Claimant thought and felt, it does not make sense if end up there.
It must be connected to,

• Improve product quality (defective, missing, delayed delivery)
• Improve services (denial of service, lower service levels)
• Improve employee support (telephone calls, e-mail text)

in practice. There will be some complaint almost false accusation, of course. But before judging "to ignore them", there should be "appropriate steps". To establish procedures for their products first, and then to review its operating procedures, we want to apply the concept of BPM to handle complaint.

In the following Workflow model, employee who takes a complaint inputs the claim as it is at Task [1. Input Complaint]. And then designate who (all employees including the president, etc.) is responsible to it, but if no one can be designated, it goes to Customer Service Dep.
Should time and circumstances permit, we want to consider "complaints flow on Twitter or Facebook" found by chance as the target to handle.

<Tasks>
1. Input Complaint, 2. Designation, 3. Answer, 3b. Review

A Simple Flow Against Complaint

* Publish weekly since 6th of June for better quality!
* As the first of weekly issue, introducing <How to integrate Google Spreadsheets with QBPMS>Today

---

We offer Workflow Template for a variety of Business Category in "Workflow-Sample.net". Analyzing on the number of repeaters and duration of visits for each article, we see which category of business or business task draws attention. (Speaking of the recent developments in the Japanese version is "Telecommuting")

Among those categories, "Handling Complaints" gathers attention all the time. I guess all sorts of companies seek how they should build handling flow as well as how to contact with customers.
In particular,

• When to share information with Supervisors and executives ?
•  By whom and how the handling be checked ?

would be difficult.

The following is a Workflow model assumed that handling complaint is the most important mission of the Director of Customer Service. All the answering sentence to the complaint will be sent after review (or modified) by the Director of Customer Service.

<Tasks>
1. Input Complaint, 2. Creating a primary answer, 3. The primary answer sentence review, 4. Creating a secondary answer, 5. Secondary answer sentence review

[Handle Complaints: "3. The primary answer sentence review" screen]

Make Complaint Treatment Efficient With Sharring "Best Practice"

The key to smooth complaints treating is to share the know-how. In other words, how we manage "Best Practice".

It's alright to select the Best out of whole thing weekly or monthly. But we often apt to leave to chance putting it later for what you have right in front of you. You'd better put "Best Practice Point" sequentially through treating complaint.

Similar:

• "Shift Your Tension By "Type Of Complaint""
• "Distinction On Complaints by Priority With Automated Filter"

<Tasks>
1. Register Complaint, 2. Primary Respondent, 3. Correspondence, 4. Report, 5. Best Practice Point
2b. [Urgent] Primary Respondent, 3b. [Urgent] Correspondence

[Complaint Treatment-Best Practice: "5. Best Practice Point" screen]

Distinction On Complaints by Priority With Autmated Filter

The way how to treat complaints are different between companies for their scales or what the sell.
Even distributes on a distributes worth stationary, Listed company must treat it carefully. In other hand, for a company which distributes Free-software to the world wide, they must ignore some complaints. But in any case, accumulation of complaint and analysis on them are very important activity for maintaining their competitiveness.

In the Workflow model below, each complaint is filtered automatically and with higher priority can be acknowledged easier in sight.

Similar: "Shift Your Tension By "Type Of Complaint""


<Tasks>
1. Register Complaint, 2. Primary Respondent, 3. Correspondence, 4. Report
2b. [Urgent] Primary Respondent, 3b. [Urgent] Correspondence

[Complaint Treatment-Sort by Priority: "2b. [Urgent] Primary Respondent" screen]

Shift Your Tension By "Type OF Complaint"

"Complaints" should be treated in different ways up to such a case as the quality of merchandise or service was not good than company would provide, or as even the quality was good but the customer wasn't satisfied.

• A. Deficient (merchandise or service was less than expected quality.)
• B. Disappointment (Quality was enough but the customer expected more.)
• C. Other (Complaint on others except merchandise or service)
• D. Harassment

And about "a person who complains", we can classify into, for example,

• 1. Low risk of losing Regular
• 2. High risk of losing Regular
• 3. High chance of getting Regular
• 4. Low chance of getting Regular

Well now...A-1, B-3, C-2, which Complaint should be treated right away...?

<Tasks>
1.Register Complaint, 2. Primary Respondent, 3.Correspondence, 4. Report

[Complaint Treatment-Individual : "2. Primary Respondent" screen]