Business Process Management Software
Process design, automation, and optimization.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|
| Process Design | Visual workflow builder | Auto-design |
| Form Builder | Data capture, validation | Smart forms |
| Workflow Automation | Triggers, actions, routing | Intelligent routing |
| Approval Workflows | Multi-step, conditional | Auto-approval |
| Task Management | Assignment, tracking, SLAs | Optimization |
| Document Generation | Templates, merge fields | Auto-generation |
| Integration | Connect systems, APIs | — |
| Analytics | Process metrics, bottlenecks | Predictive insights |
| Compliance | Audit trails, controls | Auto-compliance |
| Low-Code/No-Code | Citizen development | AI-assisted building |
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|
| Processes | definition, steps, rules | Medium | Low |
| Instances | data, status, history | Very High | Variable |
| Tasks | assignee, status, due date | Very High | Low |
| Forms | fields, submissions | High | Variable |
| Documents | generated outputs | High | Variable |
| Users | roles, permissions | Low | Medium |
| Audit Logs | all actions, timestamps | Very High | Medium |
| SLAs | targets, breaches | Medium | Low |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|
| ERP | Master data, transactions | Bi-directional |
| CRM | Customer processes | Bi-directional |
| HR | Employee workflows | Bi-directional |
| Finance | Approvals, payments | Bi-directional |
| Document Storage | Files, versions | Bi-directional |
| Email | Notifications, triggers | Bi-directional |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|
| Process instances | 7+ years | Audit/compliance |
| Audit trails | 7+ years | Legal requirement |
| Documents | 7+ years | Compliance |
| Analytics | 2-3 years | Optimization |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|
| Ease of design | High | Builder accessibility |
| Integration depth | High | Your systems |
| Scalability | High | Instance volume |
| Compliance features | Medium | Audit requirements |
| Mobile | Medium | Field workers |
| Reporting | Medium | Process visibility |
| Pricing | Medium | User/instance based |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|
| Kissflow | Ease of use | Business users |
| Pipefy | Visual, templates | Operations teams |
| ProcessMaker | Open source, enterprise | Technical teams |
| Appian | Low-code, enterprise | Large organizations |
| Monday.com | Flexibility | Work management |
| Camunda | Developer-focused | Engineering teams |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|
| Process design | Manual | AI-suggested |
| Routing | Rules-based | Intelligent |
| Bottleneck detection | Historical | Predictive |
| Exception handling | Manual | Auto-resolution |
| Document processing | OCR + rules | Full AI extraction |
| Process mining | Separate tools | Integrated AI |
Build vs Buy: Buy for most. BPM infrastructure is complex. Build only if processes are unique competitive advantage.