Guide · updated
Asset microservices for teams with custom DAM workflows
In AEM 6.5, many teams customised the DAM Update Asset workflow: extra renditions, metadata from an ERP, watermarks, notifications. On AEM as a Cloud Service that workflow no longer exists. Uploaded assets are processed by asset microservices, outside the AEM instance, and your custom steps need a new home.
What replaces what
| In AEM 6.5 | On Cloud Service |
|---|---|
| DAM Update Asset workflow steps for renditions and metadata | Asset microservices, which Adobe says replace most standard rendition and metadata steps. |
| Custom renditions per folder | Processing profiles applied to folders; a profile covers the folder tree and can be overridden on a subfolder. A built-in standard profile always runs as well. |
| Custom steps after upload (ERP lookups, tagging, notifications) | Post-processing workflows: regular workflow models that run automatically after asset processing completes. |
| Custom image or document processing code | Custom Asset Compute workers, which run in Adobe's serverless environment and are called from a processing profile. |
Things that catch teams out
- Several process steps from the old DAM Update Asset workflow are not supported; Adobe lists them by class name. Check every custom launcher and model against that list.
- Changes to a processing profile apply only to new uploads. Existing assets must be reprocessed to get new renditions, so plan the reprocessing time.
- Workflow launchers on dam:Asset nodes that started your own models need to become post-processing workflow configuration instead.
A migration sequence
- List every customised model, launcher and process step from the 6.5 instance; Best Practices Analyzer reports them under the WRK pattern.
- Map each rendition to a processing profile and each business step to a post-processing workflow; mark anything that needs code as an Asset Compute worker.
- Use Adobe's Asset Workflow Migration Tool where it fits to convert existing models.
- Test with a sample of real assets per type (images, PDFs, videos, InDesign), compare renditions and metadata with 6.5.
- Plan reprocessing of the migrated library after content transfer, and its effect on downstream systems.