workflowenabled

Workflowenabled is a designation used in software architecture to describe an object, record, or component that has been configured to participate in a formal workflow process. When an item is workflowenabled, its lifecycle can be driven by a workflow engine, allowing for routing, state transitions, task assignment, and audit logging within an organization’s business processes.

It relies on a workflow engine or business process management (BPM) system that tracks state, transitions, and tasks. An event or change to a workflowenabled item can trigger tasks, approvals, escalations, or next-step routing, with the engine enforcing rules, permissions, and deadlines.

Workflowenabled items appear in a range of contexts, including content management, order processing, case management, product development, and IT service management. They enable governance by providing visibility into who is responsible for each step, what approvals are required, and when activities are due.

Implementation considerations include data models that typically include state, owner or assignee, history, and references to the workflow definition. Systems must ensure consistency, handle concurrency, and secure access to workflow actions. Potential challenges include added complexity, performance overhead, and the need to manage versioned workflow definitions.

See also: workflow, business process management, BPMN, workflow engine, state machine.