Bamboo's SharePoint Workflow Conductor Automates Business Processes

By Barb Mosher | Published Mar 3, 2010

Bamboo Solutions (news, site) is offering a way to simplify the automation and management your business processes from within SharePoint. Like to do things the easy way? So do we. Let's have a look.

Managing Business Processes Easier

We all have to create and manage business processes to help run our operations somewhat smoothly. So we look for tools to help do that easy. Graphical tools are always a welcome edition to the tool belt, as is anything that makes SharePoint that much more robust.

Bamboo Solutions Workflow Conductor joins a long list of add-ons and tools for SharePoint that may do just that.

Accessing Bamboo Workflow Conductor in SharePoint

Going after the SMB market, the Workflow Conductor has the following features:

A GUI — meaning code-free — Workflow Studio where you can drag and drop widgets to create a workflow process.
Widgets include anything from basic workflow logic to simple and complex actions (i.e. send an email or request approval).
The ability to create workflow templates.
Access and update information within SharePoint or from external sources (this leverages Bamboo's REST API).
Supporting web Parts include My Workflow WebPart (showing workflows you initiated), My Workflow Tasks (things you need to do) and Reports (view status, time span for a site or for an entire site collection).

In addition there is a Workflow Administration console that fits into SharePoint's Central Admin Site. With you you define global setting such as widgets available.

Bamboo Solutions Workflow Conductor

The Workflow Conductor is built on Microsoft's Windows Workflow Foundation WF), which means you should be assured it will continue to leverage existing features and functionality in WF and not create custom code. Obviously this is designed as a non-developer alternative to Visual Studio, which means there is a definite market. How does it compare to creating workflows in SharePoint designer though?

Priced at US$ 4,500 per server, including annual support, the Workflow Conductor may be a lower cost alternative to other solutions, while offering much of the same functionality.

If you are interested in learning more, head over and download a 30 day trial version.