In the following, we briefly outline and clarify some current topics, which have contributed to the rise of Workflow systems.


Function vs. Process - While conventional software so far only covers individual functions, for instance production, planning and scheduling (PPS) or financial accounting, the focus has now shifted to the interaction of these functions within a process.
This holistic view has enormous advantages if individual functions (e.g. development, procurement, production, sales, dispatch, and accounting) no longer work asynchronously, but whole processes that essentially belong together are seamlessly integrated. While drafting the workflows, the goals of the individual functions are no longer considered separately, but only with respect to their impact on achieving the overall business goals.


Service - In the last hundred years or so, physical labor has changed tremendously in most industries e.g. manufacturing and agriculture. Through massive deployment of technology, in particular machine automation, human labor was substantially rationalized.
In the service industries and knowledge-based production (e.g. the media or software industry), however, there was no corresponding boost in productivity. The potential for productivity gains in these industries and departments lies not in automation per se, but largely in the efficient organization of the work itself.
The goal of CEITON Web Workflow PPS is to make the most of the expensive and creative human potential by freeing it from trivial work like information acquisition and distribution, data punching, archiving and writing reports etc.


Real-time collaboration - Today the Internet facilitates the automated exchange of information between, and thus the consolidation of, departmental and enterprise-wide production chains. While previously even a single customer order resulted in numerous labor-intensive inquiries, suborders, confirmation faxes and delivery notes, the response nowadays can be coordinated automatically in real time - to the advantage of all involved.


Information and flexibility - In the recent past, the demands on enterprises have increased fiercely. Today's changing consumer behavior demands almost instant reaction and response. It is no longer adequate to rely on quarterly results to make informed decisions. Real time information and effective control mechanisms based on these figures are crucial to survive in today's business environment.


Personalization - More and more enterprises offer much differentiated product mixes. You can configure your car in millions of different variations. This holds true for other sectors as well, because products and services will become ever more individual and personalized (Mass Customization). Yet this increasing complexity in production and administration must remain manageable and clear.


Quality - Many enterprises must adapt to ever-changing norms and quality management requirements (legislation, ISO 9000, EPM, Six Sigma etc.). In order for these methods and standards not to thwart productivity growth, but rather to generate genuine value, an integrating instance is required, which does not permit differences between everyday business and quality requirements. A Workflow management system can connect these two worlds smoothly.


So there is a whole range of insights which have led to the proliferation of terms like Customer relationship management (CRM), Supply chain management (SCM) and Enterprise content management (ECM), Service oriented architecture (SOA) etc.
One word however is common to all these concepts and lies at the heart of the matter: workflow. Workflow management systems (WfMS) describe, integrate and generally optimize processes and systems; completely independent of whether those involve supplier or customer relationships or other forms of the data processing.