At the recent Software 2007 conference, an International event showcasing the latest proven software solutions for the enterprise, the Aras online Workflow (view demo recording) was a major attraction as we performed demonstrations of the Microsoft enterprise open source solutions.

The conference had nearly 2,000 attendees and featured keynote speakers including Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft; Hasso Plattner, Chairman of SAP; Mark Benioff, CEO of Salesforce.com; and Ed Zander, CEO of Motorola. Aras was part of the Microsoft pavilion and conducted live demos of the system generating quite a buzz. Groups of people were coming over saying, “I hear your solution has really great advanced online workflow functionality for business process management.”

I suppose we take easy-to-use, flexible workflow for granted because its part of our system. It was refreshing to receive so much positive feedback and interest. Here’s a summary of the things in the Aras online workflow that got people energized at the conference:

·         Robust Functionality – Both simple and complicated workflow capability for branching, looping, parallel flows, sub-flows, relationships, and integration with other systems

·         Intuitive Screens – Simple for end users with email notifications and hyperlinks to relevant information

·         Attachments – Ability to route forms, files, and business items through business processes online such as review & approval, customer / supplier input, and regulatory compliance

·         Graphical Workflow – Process diagram maps for overall visibility and status

·         Audit Trail – Actions conducted during the process are recorded and easily accessible

·         Security – Need-to-know style permissions that can be set to restrict access enabling customer, supplier, and partner participation with visibility limited to only relevant information

·         Flexibility – Real-time, drag & drop graphical customization of the actual workflow without complex programming

The Aras Innovator open source download includes out-of-the-box workflows, as well as, the ability to easily edit existing workflows, extending processes, or create entirely new workflows without programming.

Of course aside from the extensive functionality, people at the conference really got exciting about the Aras solution’s online workflows when they heard that Aras is delivered as Microsoft enterprise open source making the software freely available with complete access for unlimited users all at no charge.

We hope you get excited as well and of course you can download now for your company!

Also, as a promotion at the conference Aras held a drawing for a premium bottle of wine from Rubicon Estates. The 2002 Rubicon Rutherford is an excellent vintage and is considered a landmark release for the winery. It received a Wine Enthusiast rating of 98! The lucky winner was Clive Boulton from Exact Software.