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Chapter 11. Business Calendar

Read this chapter to learn about the Business Process Manager's calendar functionality, which is used to calculate due dates for tasks and timers.
It does so by adding or subtracting a duration with a base date. (If the base date is omitted, the current date is used by default.)

11.1.  Due Date

The due date is comprised of a duration and a base date. The formula used is: duedate ::= [<basedate> +/-] <duration>

11.1.1.  Duration

A duration is specified in either absolute or business hours by use of this formula: duration ::= <quantity> [business] <unit>
In the calculation above, <quantity> must be a piece of text that is parsable with Double.parseDouble(quantity). <unit> will be one of: second, seconds, minute, minutes, hour, hours, day, days, week, weeks, month, months, year or years. Adding the optional business flag will mean that only business hours will be taken into account for this duration. (Without it, the duration will be interpreted as an absolute time period.)

11.1.2.  Base Date

The base date is calculated in this way: basedate ::= <EL>.
In the formula above, <EL> can be any Java Expression Language expression that resolves to a Java Date or Calendar object.

Warning

Do not reference variables of any other object types, as this will result in a JbpmException error.
The base date is supported in a number of places, these being a plain timer's duedate attributes, on a task reminder and the timer within a task. However, it is not supported on the repeat attributes of these elements.

11.1.3.  Due Date Examples

The following uses are all valid:
<timer name="daysBeforeHoliday" duedate="5 business days">...</timer>
<timer name="pensionDate" duedate="#{dateOfBirth} + 65 years" >...</timer>
<timer name="pensionReminder" duedate="#{dateOfPension} - 1 year" >...</timer>
<timer name="fireWorks" duedate="#{chineseNewYear} repeat="1 year" >...</timer>
<reminder name="hitBoss" duedate="#{payRaiseDay} + 3 days" repeat="1 week" />

11.2.  Calendar Configuration

Define the business hours in the org/jbpm/calendar/jbpm.business.calendar.properties file. (To customize this configuration file, place a modified copy in the root of the classpath.)
This is the default business hour specification found in jbpm.business.calendar.properties:
hour.format=HH:mm
#weekday ::= [<daypart> [&amp; <daypart>]*]
#daypart ::= <start-hour>-<to-hour>
#start-hour and to-hour must be in the hour.format
#dayparts have to be ordered
weekday.monday=    9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.tuesday=   9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.wednesday= 9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.thursday=  9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.friday=    9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.saturday=
weekday.sunday=

day.format=dd/MM/yyyy
# holiday syntax: <holiday>
# holiday period syntax: <start-day>-<end-day>
# below are the belgian official holidays
holiday.1=  01/01/2005 # nieuwjaar
holiday.2=  27/3/2005  # pasen 
holiday.3=  28/3/2005  # paasmaandag 
holiday.4=  1/5/2005   # feest van de arbeid
holiday.5=  5/5/2005   # hemelvaart 
holiday.6=  15/5/2005  # pinksteren 
holiday.7=  16/5/2005  # pinkstermaandag 
holiday.8=  21/7/2005  # my birthday 
holiday.9=  15/8/2005  # moederkesdag 
holiday.10= 1/11/2005  # allerheiligen 
holiday.11= 11/11/2005 # wapenstilstand 
holiday.12= 25/12/2005 # kerstmis 

business.day.expressed.in.hours=             8
business.week.expressed.in.hours=           40
business.month.expressed.in.business.days=  21
business.year.expressed.in.business.days=  220

11.3.  Examples

The following examples demonstrate different ways in which it can be used:
<timer name="daysBeforeHoliday" duedate="5 business days">...</timer>

<timer name="pensionDate" duedate="#{dateOfBirth} + 65 years" >...</timer>

<timer name="pensionReminder" duedate="#{dateOfPension} - 1 year" >...</timer>

<timer name="fireWorks" duedate="#{chineseNewYear} repeat="1 year" >...</timer>

<reminder name="hitBoss" duedate="#{payRaiseDay} + 3 days" repeat="1 week" />
hour.format=HH:mm
#weekday ::= [<daypart> [&amp; <daypart>]*]
#daypart ::= <start-hour>-<to-hour>
#start-hour and to-hour must be in the hour.format
#dayparts have to be ordered
weekday.monday=    9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.tuesday=   9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.wednesday= 9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.thursday=  9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.friday=    9:00-12:00 &amp; 12:30-17:00
weekday.saturday=
weekday.sunday=

day.format=dd/MM/yyyy
# holiday syntax: <holiday>
# holiday period syntax: <start-day>-<end-day>
# below are the belgian official holidays
holiday.1=  01/01/2005 # nieuwjaar
holiday.2=  27/3/2005  # pasen 
holiday.3=  28/3/2005  # paasmaandag 
holiday.4=  1/5/2005   # feest van de arbeid
holiday.5=  5/5/2005   # hemelvaart 
holiday.6=  15/5/2005  # pinksteren 
holiday.7=  16/5/2005  # pinkstermaandag 
holiday.8=  21/7/2005  # my birthday 
holiday.9=  15/8/2005  # moederkesdag 
holiday.10= 1/11/2005  # allerheiligen 
holiday.11= 11/11/2005 # wapenstilstand 
holiday.12= 25/12/2005 # kerstmis 

business.day.expressed.in.hours=             8
business.week.expressed.in.hours=           40
business.month.expressed.in.business.days=  21
business.year.expressed.in.business.days=  220
Having studied this chapter, you now understand how the Business Calendar works.