¶ Solution
Decos JOIN Case & Document is a market leader solution in case and document management systems (ZMS & DMS) in the Netherlands. It includes capabilities for case management including the ability to manages case templates; management of meeting agenda’s, formal decision making processes, and digital signatures. This is accomplished through many flexible integration setups and solution configuration.
In addition, the system can be connected to other systems through web services from JOIN Connect or via web services that communicate with StUF (a Dutch government standard know as ‘Standard Exchange Format’). All components require secure HTTPS connections to JOIN Case & Document. Some connection also required mutual TLS.
JOIN Case & Document is a N-Tier Web application. This is visualized in the diagram below. This solution is also accessible from (or can be integrated in) Microsoft Office apps, GroupWise and/or file explorer from workstations.
Network scanners can submit either multipage TIFF or PDF files using one of the following options:
- Email: Each customer and user can send their scans to a separate e-mail address. Attachments of these mails are retrieved and put on the right storage locations.
- FTPS: Scanners can connect using Explicit FTPS and store scans directly to the storage location being monitored. The FTP endpoint can optionally be exposed using a VPN connection. Ports 21 and 30000-30009 are used.
- SFTP: scanning, port 22 for required
- SMB: Scanners connect using a SMB share and store scans directly to the storage location being monitored. A VPN connection is required to get access using a SMB share. The default SMB port 445 is used.
¶ Connectivity and integrations
The JOIN Case & Document solution becomes more powerful when integrated with other applications or JOIN components.
¶ JOIN Connect
The web services of JOIN Case & Document are housed in the integration platform JOIN Connect, this lets you transfer data and files in and out of JOIN. This integration platform from JOIN is aimed at giving external systems access to the information stored in JOIN Case & Document, in a simple, secure way. It also offers possibilities to add information to JOIN Case & Document. This way JOIN Case & Document can be used as the central place to manage and access information, connecting all applications placing documents and data in a generic way in JOIN. To activate JOIN Connect web services, you must have the correct license.
JOIN Connect uses either WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) or REST API. The Rest API Swagger documentation can be reached by calling the API endpoint on JOIN Case & Document.
¶ JOIN StUF Suite
JOIN Case & Document also has web services based on the Standard Exchange Format (StUF), used by the government. With this web service the exchange of data is predetermined by this standard, linking systems in a very easy and secure way.
Traffic from the JOIN Enterprise Cloud to local components is only possible if the JOIN Private Cloud is connected to the local network with a VPN.
The following chapters describe the supported integrations and protocols.
¶ StUF-ZKN (Case- en Documentservices)
StUF-ZKN (Business and Document Services)
The StUF-ZKN interface offers front office suppliers the opportunity to request case information from JOIN Case and Document by means of questions. In addition, the interface offers the possibility of receiving case information from, and offering it to back office suppliers through notification messages.
StUF-ZKN also acts as transport for the ZSDMS operations, as well as “MijnOverheid LopendeZaken” (MOLZ).
JOIN supports StUF-ZKN 3.10 and ZsDMS versions 1.0 and 1.2.
¶ StUF-DCR (Document creation services)
StUF-DCR (document creation services) is based on StUF-ZKN and StUF-BG. It is a message standard for the exchange of data for the benefit of the document creation process.
The document creation process means merging templates with registration data. This registration data is retrieved from JOIN Case & Document; another application is responsible for the actual creation of the document. StUF DCR ensures that data from JOIN Case & Document, and the Document Creation Requester (DCV), are merged with the Document Creation Application (DCA) template.
JOIN supports StUF-DCR version 3.10
¶ StUF-EF
The StUF-EF interface offers the possibility for e-form suppliers to send completed e-forms 1:1 to JOIN Case & Document. The values from completed forms are then used to create new case registration, combined with accompanying documents.
The StUF-EF interface runs in a multi-tenant Cloud environment. The JOIN Connect Relay service is used to register a case in JOIN Case & Document from an offered e-form.
JOIN supports StUF-EF version 3.11 and 3.15
¶ StUF-LVO
The StUF-LVO interface ensures automatic registration in JOIN Case & Document of environmental permit applications that are made through the Environmental Counter Online. The link automatically registers a new case based on the application from the Environment Counter Online. Associated documents are automatically retrieved from the secure OLO ftp server and added to the case.
JOIN supports StUF-LVO 3.11 and 3.12
¶ StUF-BG
The StUF-BG integration ensures that data from the Municipal Basic Administration (GBA), the national provision for persons (GBA-V) or from the trade register (organizations) can be used in JOIN Case & Document. This data can be used and linked in JOIN Case & Document to create cases, relate to registrations, create mailings, and so on. The link offers the possibility to include both natural persons as well as organizations (social objects, companies, etc.) in the address collection. Including subscriptions to change-events.
JOIN supports StUF-BG 2.04 and StUF-BG 3.10
¶ CMIS
Decos offers a CMIS integration, which is an OASIS specification from May 2010. It provides an interface for exchanging documents based on web services, similar to the WebDAV protocol.
¶ Mijn Overheid Berichtenbox (MOBB)
The BerichtenBox integrations that Decos offers allows for JOIN case-synchronization to MijnOverheid BerichtenBox.
¶ JOIN Samen
JOIN Samen is an integration solution for JOIN Case & Document to provide case-synchronization based on StUF-ZKN between two JOIN Case & Document clients. It allows for exchanging workflow state and associated case documents across the connection to the other organization and vice versa. All based on the shared workflow.
¶ ZGW API
The ZGW APIs provide a new way to integrate applications with a case management system. The APIs are successor to the Zaaken Documentservices (ZDS). The APIs are developed in accordance with the Common Ground vision.
From version 2021.3 onwards, JOIN Case & Document offers the ZGW APIs. Refer article to get more insights.
¶ JOIN Zaaktypen.nl (ZTC)
JOIN Zaaktypen is an independent solution for the management of a case type catalog (ZTC). By integrating this with case system JOIN Case & Document, every case type in the ZTC can be used directly in the case system. The connection is based on web services from JOIN Case & Document to JOIN Zaaktypen. JOIN Zaaktypen is based on the ZTC 2.0 data model.
¶ JOIN Agenderen
JOIN Agenderen is a solution for publishing agendas including related documents to various online meeting tools. JOIN Agenderen is connected to JOIN Case & Document with web services of JOIN Connect and makes information available for other applications, mostly apps, among which the JOIN Meeting App.
¶ JOIN Burgerberichten
JOIN Burgerberichten is the solution for offering online status information about current cases to citizens or organizations, which can be viewed with DigiD or eHerkenning. In addition, JOIN Burgerberichten offers a versatile web forms toolkit that is connected to JOIN Zaaktypen. The forms are automatically generated based on the data in JOIN Zaaktypen and can therefore be automatically translated into (parts of) cases in JOIN Case & Document.
JOIN Burgerberichten is connected to JOIN Case & Document through web services of JOIN Connect.
¶ JOIN Search
JOIN Search uses an external search engine: ElasticSearch. ElasticSearch offers fast data retrieval throughout the application, in a way traditional database systems are not designed for. Full text search operations, additional filter mechanisms, drill down and aggregations are available in the search interface.
We ensure that JOIN Search always uses a version supported by Elastic. Currently highest supported version of Elastic is 7.13.2 (JOIN Case & Document version 2021.3 and higher)
¶ ADFS
Microsoft Active Directory Federation Services makes it possible to apply central user authentication of the organization for users who work with JOIN Case & Document, also known as providing Single Sign On capabilities (SSO).
Users are automatically created upon first login within JOIN Case & Document and can automatically obtain authorizations based on their memberships from the Active Directory, and can be delegated for the central workload.
Password management, termination of employment, multi-factor authentication policies are automatically applied in JOIN Case & Document using ADFS.
In order for JOIN Case & Document to connect with the organization’s ADFS solution, it is necessary that a Relying Party Trust is created for JOIN Case & Document on the ADFS Server. It is also necessary that the ADFS server is accessible via HTTPS from the JOIN Enterprise Cloud. To access on-premise ADFS, JOIN Case & Document always uses the WS-Federation protocol.
¶ Azure AD
Microsoft Azure AD is also supported from JOIN Case & Document. Support is provided based on the WS-Federation, OpenID Connect or SAML protocol.
¶ Background synchronization
When using the WS-Federation protocol to interface with Azure AD, JOIN can synchronize users’ information in a background task, so that their data is kept up-to-date even if they do not log in. This option is not yet offered when using OpenID Connect or SAML.
¶ Other authentication providers
In addition to Microsoft ADFS and Azure AD, JOIN Case & Document can be linked to these authentication providers:
HelloID: Link via the WS-Federation or OpenID Connect protocol.
SURFconext: Link via the OpenID Connect or SAML protocol.
Other identity providers using OpenID Connect or SAML can be linked on request.
¶ BAG interface
JOIN Case & Document can be linked to the National facility BAG (Dutch national registration of addresses and buildings). When using the postcode module, address details are looked up and entered on the basis of an entered postcode and house number.
When you purchase the BAG module, BAG objects can be linked to registrations in JOIN. You can identify an object by clicking on the map or by looking up address details. We use a database that is updated daily from the national facility.
¶ Decos Signing Service
JOIN Case & Document can be connected to the Decos Signing Service. The Signing Service is our Cloud solution for digitally signing files by connecting a provider to this service.
From JOIN Case & Document you can request one or more people to digitally sign document files linked to cases, files or document registrations. As soon as all invited persons have signed a file, the signed PDF is automatically saved in JOIN. If a workflow step was linked to the signing action, it can be handled automatically at that time.
External Providers
The Decos Signing Service uses external providers for the actual signing of the digital signatures. You can choose one of the supported providers per JOIN license to provide the functionality.
Provider
- Zynyo
- ValidSign
- Ondertekenen.nl
schema
¶ Office Online Server
JOIN Case & Document can collaborate with Office Online Server (OOS). Office Online Server is a web-based solution that largely offers the functionality of Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint in a web browser.
Office documents that are opened from JOIN Case & Document are opened for editing within the browser and saved to JOIN Case & Document without additional actions.
The JOIN Cloud offers standard OOS for JOIN Case & Document as part of the Office 365 module and can also connect to an existing Office Online Server of the organization. The JOIN Cloud must be able to reach this OOS server via HTTPS. In both cases, the organization itself is responsible for obtaining the required Office licenses (Office 365 Volume / ProPlus / Enterprise license).
Files opened via OOS can also be edited locally in Microsoft Office. Files are then sent to JOIN Case & Document with the WebDAV protocol.
JOIN Case & Documents will send e-mail, either from a service account address or on behalf of the end user. E-mails are sent using SMTP using:
- The outgoing SMTP server of the customer. This can be used only in case of VPN IPSEC connection, or in case of On Premises installations.
- A common SMTP server from SendGrid can be used for sending all e-mails from the JOIN Enterprise cloud. Additional configuration is required before sending on behalf of the customer domain is allowed (SPF/DKIM). See https://sendgrid.com/docs/ui/account-and-settings/how-to-set-up-domain-authentication/ how this is established using SendGrid.
¶ Maps and Geo data
JOIN Case & Document is compatible with WFS/WMS map layer data and acts as both producer and consumer. Maps are rendered using PDOK and can show any external WFS layers as well.
At the same time, JOIN Case & Document can expose its data in WFS format so the data can be consumed by other Geo applications.
JOIN Case & Document only supports WFS 2.0