BPM Vs Workflow
It is not very uncommon to see people uttering BPM and workflow interchangeably. For them BPM is nothing but synonym of workflow. But there are world of differences between these two terms and let us see few among them.
- No one can deny that workflow is at the core of BPMS but BPMS is a superset of workflow and comprises of enabling technologies which helps in Integration of different systems and technologies
- BPMS is more about automation and integration of systems across departments and entities across geographies where as workflow allows simply to route documents/web-forms/tasks from one user to other.
- Workflow won’t give real-time insight into the process whereas BPMS allows compete process governance by providing capabilities to model, simulate, analyze and control the processes with added features like Business Rules, Business Intelligence, Management Dashboards for decision making, groupware and SOA.
- BPMS provides a platform to manage complex business processes which covers every scenario in an enterprise where as Workflow is just to automate human-intensive processes
- Workflow tools can just help orchestration of messages after integration into ESB where as complex Orchestration of business services (ex. SOA)is possible with BPMS
Unlike workflow tools, BPM acts as a key enabler for introducing Process governance and it introduces technologies which allows design and execution of composite application which runs around the business processes. To facilitate SOA, most BPMS players provide tools either to consume services in the process flow or to expose services to other enterprise systems.
Listed out are very few differences but not exhaustive. Add your inputs which will help others to assimilate the real factors differentiating BPM from workflow.
Business Process Management and Work flow both are mutually related to each others like we can manage the business for process but ultimate it will practically show by doing work flow else you can’t finish it.