Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

WorkflowNet2BPEL4WS: A Tool for Translating Unstructured Workflow Processes to Readable BPEL

  • Conference paper
On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems 2006: CoopIS, DOA, GADA, and ODBASE (OTM 2006)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 4275))

  • 937 Accesses

Abstract

This paper presents WorkflowNet2BPEL4WS a tool to automatically map a graphical workflow model expressed in terms of Workflow Nets (WF-nets) onto BPEL. The Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL) has emerged as the de-facto standard for implementing processes and is supported by an increasing number of systems (cf. the IBM WebSphere Choreographer and the Oracle BPEL Process Manager). While being a powerful language, BPEL is difficult to use. Its XML representation is very verbose and only readable for the trained eye. It offers many constructs and typically things can be implemented in many ways, e.g., using links and the flow construct or using sequences and switches. As a result only experienced users are able to select the right construct. Some vendors offer a graphical interface that generates BPEL code. However, the graphical representations are a direct reflection of the BPEL code and not easy to use by end-users. Therefore, we provide a mapping from WF-nets to BPEL. This mapping builds on the rich theory of Petri nets and can also be used to map other languages (e.g., UML, EPC, BPMN, etc.) onto BPEL. To evaluate WorkflowNet2BPEL4WS we used more than 100 processes modeled using Protos (the most widely used business process modeling tool in the Netherlands), automatically converted these into CPN Tools, and applied our mapping. The results of these evaluation are very encouraging and show the applicability of our approach.

An erratum to this chapter can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/11914853_71.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. van der Aalst, W.M.P.: Verification of Workflow Nets. In: Azéma, P., Balbo, G. (eds.) ICATPN 1997. LNCS, vol. 1248, pp. 407–426. Springer, Heidelberg (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  2. van der Aalst, W.M.P.: The Application of Petri Nets to Workflow Management. The Journal of Circuits, Systems and Computers 8(1), 21–66 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. van der Aalst, W.M.P.: Workflow Verification: Finding Control-Flow Errors using Petri-net-based Techniques. In: van der Aalst, W.M.P., Desel, J., Oberweis, A. (eds.) Business Process Management. LNCS, vol. 1806, pp. 161–183. Springer, Heidelberg (2000)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  4. van der Aalst, W.M.P.: Business Process Management Demystified: A Tutorial on Models, Systems and Standards for Workflow Management. In: Desel, J., Reisig, W., Rozenberg, G. (eds.) ACPN 2003. LNCS, vol. 3098, pp. 1–65. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  5. van der Aalst, W.M.P., Dumas, M., ter Hofstede, A.H.M.: Web Service Composition Languages: Old Wine in New Bottles? In: Chroust, G., Hofer, C. (eds.) Proceeding of the 29th EUROMICRO Conference: New Waves in System Architecture, pp. 298–305. IEEE Computer Society, Los Alamitos (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  6. van der Aalst, W.M.P., van Hee, K.M.: Workflow Management: Models, Methods, and Systems. MIT Press, Cambridge (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  7. van der Aalst, W.M.P., ter Hofstede, A.H.M., Kiepuszewski, B., Barros, A.P.: Workflow Patterns. Distributed and Parallel Databases 14(1), 5–51 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. van der Aalst, W.M.P., Jørgensen, J.B., Lassen, K.B.: Let’s Go All the Way: From Requirements Via Colored Workflow Nets to a BPEL Implementation of a New Bank System. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2005. LNCS, vol. 3760, pp. 22–39. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  9. van der Aalst, W.M.P., Lassen, K.B.: Translating Workflow Nets to BPEL4WS. BETA Working Paper Series, WP 145, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Andrews, T., Curbera, F., Dholakia, H., Goland, Y., Klein, J., Leymann, F., Liu, K., Roller, D., Smith, D., Thatte, S., Trickovic, I., Weerawarana, S.: Business Process Execution Language for Web Services, Version 1.1. Standards proposal by BEA Systems, International Business Machines Corporation, and Microsoft Corporation (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  11. CPN Group, University of Aarhus, Denmark. CPN Tools Home Page, http://wiki.daimi.au.dk/cpntools/

  12. van Dongen, B., de Medeiros, A.K.A., Verbeek, H.M.W., Weijters, A.J.M.M., van der Aalst, W.M.P.: The ProM Framework: A New Era in Process Mining Tool Support. In: Ciardo, G., Darondeau, P. (eds.) ICATPN 2005. LNCS, vol. 3536, pp. 444–454. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  13. Dumas, M., van der Aalst, W.M.P., ter Hofstede, A.H.M.: Process-Aware Information Systems: Bridging People and Software through Process Technology. Wiley & Sons, Chichester (2005)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  14. Fahland, D., Reisig, W.: ASM-based semantics for BPEL: The negative control flow. In: Beauquier, D., Börger, E., Slissenko, A. (eds.) Proc. 12th International Workshop on Abstract State Machines, Paris, France, March 2005, pp. 131–151 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Farahbod, R., Glässer, U., Vajihollahi, M.: Specification and validation of the business process execution language for web services. In: Zimmermann, W., Thalheim, B. (eds.) ASM 2004. LNCS, vol. 3052, pp. 78–94. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  16. Ferrara, A.: Web services: A process algebra approach. In: Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Service oriented computing, pp. 242–251. ACM Press, New York (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  17. Fischer, L. (ed.): Workflow Handbook 2003, Workflow Management Coalition. Future Strategies, Lighthouse Point, Florida (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Fisteus, J.A., Fernández, L.S., Kloos, C.D.: Formal verification of BPEL4WS business collaborations. In: Bauknecht, K., Bichler, M., Pröll, B. (eds.) EC-Web 2004. LNCS, vol. 3182, pp. 76–85. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  19. Fu, X., Bultan, T., Su, J.: Analysis of Interacting BPEL Web Services. In: International World Wide Web Conference: Proceedings of the 13th international conference on World Wide Web, pp. 621–630. ACM Press, New York (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Georgakopoulos, D., Hornick, M., Sheth, A.: An Overview of Workflow Management: From Process Modeling to Workflow Automation Infrastructure. Distributed and Parallel Databases 3, 119–153 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Object Management Group. OMG Unified Modeling Language 2.0. OMG (2005), http://www.omg.com/uml/

  22. IBM WebSphere, www-306.ibm.com/software/websphere

  23. Jablonski, S., Bussler, C.: Workflow Management: Modeling Concepts, Architecture, and Implementation. International Thomson Computer Press, London (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  24. Keller, G., Nüttgens, M., Scheer, A.W.: Semantische Processmodellierung auf der Grundlage Ereignisgesteuerter Processketten (EPK). Veröffentlichungen des Instituts für Wirtschaftsinformatik, Heft 89 (in German), University of Saarland, Saarbrücken (1992)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Koehler, J., Hauser, R.: Untangling Unstructured Cyclic Flows – A Solution Based on Continuations. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds.) OTM 2004. LNCS, vol. 3290, pp. 121–138. Springer, Heidelberg (2004)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  26. Koshkina, M., van Breugel, F.: Verification of Business Processes for Web Services. Technical report CS-2003-11, York University (October 2003), available from, http://www.cs.yorku.ca/techreports/2003/

  27. Kristensen, L.M., Christensen, S., Jensen, K.: The Practitioner’s Guide to Coloured Petri Nets. International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer 2(2), 98–132 (1998)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  28. Leymann, F.: Web Services Flow Language, Version 1.0 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Leymann, F., Roller, D.: Production Workflow: Concepts and Techniques. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Martens, A.: Analyzing Web Service Based Business Processes. In: Cerioli, M. (ed.) FASE 2005. LNCS, vol. 3442, pp. 19–33. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  31. zur Muehlen, M. (ed.): Workflow-based Process Controlling: Foundation, Design and Application of workflow-driven Process Information Systems. Logos, Berlin (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Oracle BPEL Process Manager, http://www.oracle.com/technology/products/ias/bpel

  33. Ouyang, C., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Breutel, S., Dumas, M., Verbeek, H.M.W.: Formal Semantics and Analysis of Control Flow in WS-BPEL. BPM Center Report BPM-05-15, BPMcenter.org (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Ouyang, C., Dumas, M., Breutel, S., ter Hofstede, A.H.M.: Translating Standard Process Models to BPEL. BPM Center Report BPM-05-27, BPMcenter.org (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Ouyang, C., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Dumas, M., ter Hofstede, A.H.M.: Translating BPMN to BPEL. BPM Center Report BPM-06-02, BPMcenter.org (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Athena, P.: Protos User Manual. Pallas Athena BV, Plasmolen, The Netherlands (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Scheer, A.W.: ARIS: Business Process Modelling. Springer, Berlin (2000)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  38. Stahl, C.: Transformation von BPEL4WS in Petrinetze (German). Master’s thesis, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Thatte, S.: XLANG Web Services for Business Process Design (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Verbeek, H.M.W., van der Aalst, W.M.P.: Analyzing BPEL Processes using Petri Nets. In: Marinescu, D. (ed.) Proceedings of the Second International Workshop on Applications of Petri Nets to Coordination, Workflow and Business Process Management, pp. 59–78. Florida International University, Miami (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Verbeek, H.M.W., Basten, T., van der Aalst, W.M.P.: Diagnosing Workflow Processes using Woflan. The Computer Journal 44(4), 246–279 (2001)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  42. WFMC. Workflow Management Coalition Workflow Standard: Workflow Process Definition Interface – XML Process Definition Language (XPDL) (WFMC-TC-1025). Technical report, Workflow Management Coalition, Lighthouse Point, Florida, USA (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  43. White, S.: Using BPMN to Model a BPEL Process. BPTrends 3(3), 1–18 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  44. White, S.A., et al.: Business Process Modeling Notation (BPML), Version 1.0 (2004)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Wohed, P., van der Aalst, W.M.P., Dumas, M., ter Hofstede, A.H.M.: Analysis of Web Services Composition Languages: The Case of BPEL4WS. In: Song, I.-Y., Liddle, S.W., Ling, T.-W., Scheuermann, P. (eds.) ER 2003. LNCS, vol. 2813, pp. 200–215. Springer, Heidelberg (2003)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, University of Aarhus, IT-parken, Aabogade 34, DK-8200, Aarhus N, Denmark

    Kristian Bisgaard Lassen & Wil M. P. van der Aalst

  2. Department of Information Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, NL-5600, MB, Eindhoven, The Netherlands

    Wil M. P. van der Aalst

Authors
  1. Kristian Bisgaard Lassen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Wil M. P. van der Aalst
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. STARLab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Bldg G/10, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Robert Meersman

  2. School of Computer Science and Information Technology, RMIT University, Bld 10.10, 376-392 Swanston Street, 3001, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

    Zahir Tari

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2006 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Lassen, K.B., van der Aalst, W.M.P. (2006). WorkflowNet2BPEL4WS: A Tool for Translating Unstructured Workflow Processes to Readable BPEL. In: Meersman, R., Tari, Z. (eds) On the Move to Meaningful Internet Systems 2006: CoopIS, DOA, GADA, and ODBASE. OTM 2006. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 4275. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/11914853_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/11914853_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-48287-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-48289-5

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics