Workflow management systems, as tools to enact
business processes, perform four principle functions:
1. Control the order of activities that make up a business process
2. Control the allocation of activities to the eventual
performers f the activity
3. Control the flow of data between the performers
4. Integrate the various tools that are used to perform
the activities.
Being so central to the business process they are prime
candidates as a starting point for new work but there are
drawbacks.
Building a WfMS is a serious undertaking. WfMSs
require a buildtime environment to generate process
models and a runtime environment to enact them. The
underlying data model is complex. Additionally if the
system is to be used to support real workflow then