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BPM Workflows vs. Simple Workflows: What’s the Difference?

14 min read
Alex Zhezherau
Alex Zhezherau Product Director, Wrike

When I first started working on cross-functional projects, the biggest blocker wasn’t a lack of tools — it was a lack of structure. Teams had good intentions, but deadlines slipped, ownership blurred, and we spent more time figuring out how to work than actually doing the work. That’s where business process management (BPM) workflows make a real difference.

Instead of leaving coordination by the wayside, BPM workflows give teams a shared system for getting things done — one that scales, adapts, and helps you focus on outcomes instead of chasing updates. It’s not just theory: by 2024, two-thirds of companies had already streamlined at least one business process to improve speed and accountability.

In this article, I’ll break down what BPM workflows are, how they differ from simple process paths, and how to use them for impactful coordination, scalability, and long-term business impact.

 

Key takeaways

  • BPM workflows bring structure to complex operations, helping organizations scale, align, and focus on business outcomes.

  • Workflow tools handle task-level automation, while BPM automation connects and optimizes full end-to-end processes across departments.

  • Use BPM for strategic, cross-functional coordination and workflows for simpler, repeatable tasks.

  • BPM workflows drive business value through efficiency, compliance, visibility, and faster execution.

  • BPM and workflow automation in one platform offer more flexible templates, automation, and real-time visibility.

Table of contents

What is a business process management (BPM) workflow?

A business process management workflow, or BPM workflow, is a systematic sequence of tasks and activities designed to achieve a specific organizational goal. It encompasses business process modeling, execution, monitoring, and optimization of business processes, keeping each step aligned with the organization’s objectives.

Unlike ad-hoc or informal processes, BPM workflows are structured and repeatable, and automation is often used to enhance efficiency and consistency.

BPM vs. workflows

But hold on — what’s the difference between a workflow and full-scale business process management, and when should you use each?

Workflow management focuses on completing individual tasks in the correct sequence. It’s well-suited for automating repeatable, task-level processes like approvals, submissions, or internal requests.

Business process management (BPM), on the other hand, takes a broader view. It connects multiple workflows across departments, aligns them with strategic goals, and provides the structure needed to monitor, analyze, and optimize complex processes over time.

Is a BPM workflow the same as BPM?

Not quite. A BPM workflow is just one piece of the larger business process management puzzle. BPM focuses on the overarching strategy, methods, and tools used to analyze, design, implement, and continuously improve business processes.

A BPM workflow, by contrast, is the specific sequence of tasks within an isolated process, or the day-to-day execution layer. Think of BPM as the framework that guides your operations, while workflows are the moving parts that bring it to life.

When to choose a business process management workflow

The choice between implementing BPM or a standalone flow depends on the complexity and scope of the business processes:

  • Use BPM: When dealing with complex, cross-functional processes that require coordination across the whole organization, compliance tracking, and continuous optimization

  • Use workflows: For simpler, department-specific tasks that are repetitive and do not require extensive oversight or integration with other processes

Organizations typically start with workflow automation for specific tasks and gradually adopt BPM as their process management needs become more complex.

A closer look at some BPM examples

Time to put all that theory into practice. Let’s take a look at some real-world use cases showing how BPM tools and workflow automation support key departments and improve process management.

Supply chain management

BPM tools support procurement, inventory, and logistics by linking daily tasks across supply chain operations. With built-in workflow automation, teams can track vendor communications, approve orders, and keep tabs on timelines in one environment. This level of coordination helps reduce delays, ensure compliance, and simplify complex processes like international sourcing without adding extra layers of work.

Customer service

In customer support, many teams rely on workflow management tools to create a clear path for each request that needs to move across departments.

By organizing the entire process — from the first message to resolution — customer support can move fast, across varied departments and stakeholders, without losing sight of quality. Focusing on a single process makes it easier to adapt quickly and streamline operations when priorities shift or volume spikes.

Human resources (HR)

In HR, workflow management plays a key role in keeping things running smoothly. When HR teams set up a process for onboarding new hires, for example, they may create a single path that includes forms, equipment requests, training sessions, and manager check-ins.

Once that’s built, repeating it for every new employee helps boost productivity and reduce confusion. Automating tasks can save hours each week and keep the overall experience consistent across teams.

Finance

BPM focuses on optimizing finance operations by digitizing invoice processing, expense approvals, and reporting. Instead of relying on legacy systems, finance teams use BPM platforms to trigger multi-step processes, reduce errors, and track progress. This structured approach strengthens compliance and risk management while improving accuracy.

Simple workflow management use cases

Workflow management focuses on automating and optimizing specific tasks within a process. Examples include:

  • Document approval: Routing documents through the necessary approval channels, ensuring timely reviews and sign-offs

  • Leave requests: Allowing employees to submit leave applications, which are then automatically routed to supervisors for approval

  • IT service requests: Managing the submission, tracking, and resolution of IT-related issues or service requests

  • Purchase orders: Automating the creation, approval, and tracking of purchase orders to streamline procurement

The importance of BPM workflows

BPM workflows help organizations create efficient, scalable systems that support real-time decision making and continuous growth. They’re central to any strategy focused on digital transformation, operational clarity, and long-term agility.

Optimize processes with less friction

Business process management processes reduce delays by automating routine tasks and clarifying ownership. This lets teams focus on high-impact work while keeping business workflows moving. BPM creates a clear path for smoother project management, whether managing an individual workflow or coordinating across multiple departments.

Continuous improvement, built in

With BPM, you can monitor performance, gather insights, and refine processes as you go. A smart BPM strategy allows key stakeholders to adjust specific processes based on real-time needs, without disrupting the entire system. It’s a direct way to support long-term process management goals.

Process management that supports compliance

BPM workflows standardize tasks and approvals to reduce risk. When built with compliance in mind, they help track documentation, assign responsibilities, and align with governance requirements, all without slowing down execution. This approach works well for both single tasks and more complex operations.

Digital transformation that responds to change

BPM makes it easier to adapt. Instead of overhauling entire systems, teams can optimize one sequence or task at a time to reflect market changes. A modern BPM platform helps align digital transformation with organizational goals while simplifying updates across legacy systems.

The benefits of using BPM workflows

The real value of business process management emerges when teams step back and look at the entire process. BPM helps improve efficiency by giving every step a place and a purpose. While there may be individual tasks and flows, BPM’s role is to bring all these process paths together into a synergistic system that supports broader business goals.

Here are some of the ways businesses can benefit from BMP processes:

  • Streamlined operations: By integrating various processes, organizations can save time, streamline business operations, and ensure quality control

  • Improved visibility: Real-time monitoring of processes helps business users make decisions in line with an organization’s goals and resolve proactive issues

  • Better customer experience: Efficient processes lead to faster service delivery and higher customer satisfaction

  • Cost savings: Automation reduces labor costs and minimizes errors, leading to financial savings

BPM workflow challenges

Despite many benefits, implementing business process management workflows isn’t always straightforward. Organizations struggle with process management not because the system was flawed, but because changing how people work is hard. It takes patience, leadership, and clear communication to understand why workflow management changes improve efficiency in the long run.

Here are some common challenges:

  • Resistance to change: Employees may be hesitant to adopt new business processes or technologies.

  • Complexity of integration: Integrating BPM with existing systems and workflow automation can be technically challenging.

  • Maintaining flexibility: Ensuring that business processes remain adaptable to changing business needs requires continuous improvement.

  • Ensuring data accuracy: Automated processes rely on accurate data inputs. Errors in data can quickly snowball.

Choosing between BPM software and workflow software

Not every process needs a full overhaul, and not every team needs a complex solution. The choice between workflow and business process management software comes down to how many moving parts you’re dealing with and how much control you need.

Business process management software

Business process management software is a strong fit when you’re handling complex business processes that involve multiple teams and shifting priorities. If your focus is on standardizing how work gets done, improving coordination across departments, and making consistent improvements without disruption, this is the right approach.

The best platforms help you:

  • Map the full process — not just isolated tasks

  • Align everything with your organization’s goals

  • Clarify roles, deadlines, and responsibilities

  • Scale alongside your business

If your day-to-day involves coordination between finance, legal, ops, and more, business process management software gives you the structure to keep it all connected.

Workflow software

Workflow management software is best when you’re looking to automate a single process or a repeatable task, such as time-off approvals or content reviews.

Look for workflow automation software that:

  • Offers sufficient flexibility to support branching or conditional logic

  • Integrates with your current tools

  • Lets non-technical users create and update processes

  • Makes it easy to monitor progress at the task level

If the focus is on improving a specific function without the complexity of full-scale process management, process tools are often the better fit. Workflow software makes the most sense when the goal is to simplify a one process or handle repetitive tasks, like time-off approvals, document reviews, or internal requests.

When evaluating software, look for tools that:

  • Use low-code interfaces so anyone can build and adjust flows

  • Handle conditional logic without extra development work

  • Integrate with the tools I already rely on

  • Make task-level visibility clear and intuitive

One platform for workflow management and BPM

What I love about Wrike is that it doesn’t force you to choose between the power to manage multiple workflows or sophisticated business processes management (BPM); it’s built for both. Its robust workflow features combine automation with powerful BPM capabilities, so you can streamline tasks, coordinate cross-functional work, and drive continuous improvement across your entire organization from a single platform.

Get real-time visibility, customizable workflows, and ready-to-use templates that speed up execution without being locked into a rigid system. No matter your task, Wrike gives you the flexibility to scale as your needs evolve and focus on the bigger picture.