In the broadest sense, a workflow can be interpreted as a business process. The term 'workflow' describes processes that are based on the division of labor and initiated to carry out business transactions. This can include both very simple business processes and complex, cross-organizational processes. The focus of the analysis is on the dynamic process flow from start to completion. Workflow management is the sum of methods, measures, and systems used in order to develop, control, and optimize workflows.

A workflow management system is actively operating, flexibly designable software that works according to an organizational framework of rules and controls a process spanning several workstations and integrating existing basic technical components. Process control systems can be used to support complex tasks involving a large number of employees and positions.

A special focus of ARIS is to support the transfer of general business process models into workflow models that can be used to configure various workflow management systems (semi-)automatically.

ARIS support: As with process modeling, the activity flow is depicted in an EPC. Modeling has to be done in strict adherence to the method! A function allocation diagram has to be created for each function, where a user as well as input and output data are allocated to the function - unless this has already been represented in the EPC.

In order for data-related applications to be launched automatically at runtime, files must be assigned to applications in an application system diagram or an application system type diagram.