Workflow-Management-System

A workflow management system ( WfMS) is a software for workflow management and execution of workflows modeled ( engl. workflow ).

Building on models of such workflow workflow management applications are implemented solutions for controlling just such workflows based on a workflow management system.

The component for the execution of the modeled workflow is called workflow engine.

Workflow management systems for the design phase included a component for graphical modeling of workflows. These can also be imported from other environments ( frameworks).

Operation

The Workflow Engine interprets at run time events, such as the receipt of a document by e -mail, or expiry of a time limit, and responds with the action defined in the modeled workflow. This action may be for example the storage of the document in a document management system or escalation of overdue work to management.

Workflow management systems can usually detect and classify a series of events and then perform actions independently. Both the events and the actions to be executed are, however, usually supplemented by specially deployed applications for each of the specific events and actions.

In addition, most workflow management systems provide support for

  • The verification of workflows - for example, whether an event is planned at a certain point in the workflow at all
  • Different workflows depending on the user rights and roles

Basically, you can assign components or subsystems of workflow management systems more classes:

Modeling

A workflow is usually understood as a model for a variety of repetitive workflows. A reference model exists, for example WfMC Reference Model ( English) ( PDF, 215 kB).

Demarcation and integration

Workflow management systems are often mistakenly associated with the groupware and the field Computer Supported Cooperative Work, as they control the work of different people within an organization. However, workflow management systems support structured tasks and processes that groupware provides support for a more unstructured processes. In contrast to Computer Supported Cooperative Work systems such as multi- user editors, workflow management systems have only limited support for collaborative interaction.

At the technical level, an increasing integration of the functionalities of workflow management systems, Computer Supported Cooperative Work systems, document management systems (DMS), Enterprise Content Management Systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) with the help of Enterprise Application Integration ( EAI ) can be observed.

International standardization

Basis of many concepts of workflow management are illustrations for example, as Petri nets. Several international bodies concerned with the standardization and standardization of workflow management concepts and adjacent or related topics.

  • Workflow Management Coalition
  • World Wide Web Consortium
  • Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards

List of workflow management systems

Common international standards are taken up by vendors for workflow management systems.

  • Activiti
  • Apache ODE
  • APIM BPM / Workflow
  • Bonita BPM
  • Bynder Workflow Management
  • CEITON workflow system
  • Comindware Tracker
  • CSRBusiness
  • Flowmind
  • Imixs workflow
  • JBPM
  • Continuum
  • Microsoft Windows Workflow Foundation
  • OS workflow
  • Perceptive Software
  • SAP Business Workflow
  • Ultimus
  • WebSPOC
  • Xerox
Software framework Run time (program lifecycle phase) Automaton Enterprise-Resource-Planning Concept (disambiguation)
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