What is a workflow?Discover how to use it in your business

What is a workflow?

The word Workflow means “work stream” and is used to identify the digital model of a process through its rationalisation and division into different activities (tasks), with the aim of optimising performance and making efficient use of resources. Tasks may be automatic when they do not require decision-making intervention: it is possible to create a number of conditions (activation rules) that will automatically initiate a specific workflow, notifying the user or group involved that they have been assigned a new task to perform. Once the task has been completed, if the process so requires, the workflow will send a new task to the next user to take charge of the next step in the workflow.

Document workflow

A document workflow is a standardised procedure by which a document can be acquired, created, signed, logged, modified and finally archived. The use of document workflows therefore allows each organisation to follow the life cycle of a document efficiently.

Document workflows

Workflow for process
management

As complexity increases due to regulatory requirements, procedures and market evolution, the use of Workflow to optimise business processes has become an established practice in companies of all sizes: it is an essential organisational model for monitoring and optimising performance and making efficient use of resources.

Workflow by processes

Elements of Workflow Diagrams

A workflow is the description of a process by splitting it into several micro-tasks. Basically, a workflow consists of 3 main elements.

Task

Tasks are the related micro-activities that make up a workflow. They can be performed manually or be automated by an IT system.

Regole

Each task is defined by rules, conditions, timeframes and actions according to procedure.

Esito

Depending on the permissions and tasks assigned, users determine the outcome of an activity according to predefined rules, also by acquiring additional information from other systems.

Workflow examples

ARXivar Workflow Web Modeller

ARXivar’s graphical workflow modeller is tfully web-based and allows you to design and quickly get your company’s workflow management up in a drag-and-drop mode using a very simple interface that requires no programming skills. This extremely versatile and user-friendly tool adapts to the needs of any company and its business processes.

How to create a document workflow in 3 simple steps with ARXivar:

Mapping Workflows
Drawing Workflows
Monitoring Processes

Workflow Web Modeller