Synonyms
Business process management; Process aware information systems
Definition
Business Process: A set of one or more linked procedures or activities which collectively realize a business objective or policy goal, normally within the context of an organizational structure defining functional roles and relationships [12].
Workflow: The automation of a business process, in whole or part, during which documents, information, or tasks are passed from one participant to another for action, according to a set of procedural rules [12].
Workflow Management System (WFMS): A system that defines, creates, and manages the execution of workflows through the use of software, running on one or more workflow engines, which is able to interpret the process definition, interact with workflow participants, and, where required, invoke the use of IT tools and applications [12].
Historical Background
In the 1980s office automation was a major research focus with several topics, among them the support of...
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Recommended Reading
Aalst W, et al. Workflow management: models, methods, and systems. Cambridge: MIT Press; 2002.
Dumas M, van der Aalst WM, ter Hofstede AH. Process-aware information systems: bridging people and software through process technology. Hobroken: Wiley; 2005.
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Eder, J., Köpke, J. (2018). Workflow Management and Workflow Management System. In: Liu, L., Özsu, M.T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Database Systems. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_471
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