A method of ordering multiple resources in a transaction includes receiving a transaction for a plurality of resources and determining, for each resource, the work embodied by the transaction. The work includes at least one identified parameter relating to an operation for the resource. The method further may include specifying an order of the resources according to the determination of the work, committing the transaction, and invoking the resources in the selected order. Specifying the order of the resources may include specifying the resource to be invoked last. Alternatively, or additionally, specifying the order of the resources also may include specifying that each resource carrying out read-only work be invoked first.