Workflow Guides Business Processes

The term workflow typically refers to the sequence of activities, interactions, events, and flow of information that make up end-to-end business processes, typically processes that involve both humans and computer systems or applications. The illustration shows a simple workflow for an equipment-ordering or requisition process. In the example, an employee submits a request for a piece of equipment (a laptop, for instance) by filling out a form in an application (labeled Equipment Requisition Application), which could be a Web-based application on the company’s intranet site.

(1) The workflow starts when the application receives the form.

(2) Business logic examines the dollar amount of the request and compares it against the spending limit of the employee submitting the request.

(3) If the request is not within the employee’s spending authorization, the workflow terminates and the employee is notified that the request has been denied. Otherwise, the application sends an e-mail to the employee’s manager notifying him that an equipment request is awaiting approval.