Abstract: Implementing a business process management system across an entire enterprise. An exemplary computer-based system for implementing business processes can access data existing on one or more of the computer platforms of an enterprise to implement workflows by a workflow engine. A business process can be broken into business rules that define the process. These business rules can then be categorized into work element categories and translated into workflow elements. Data for supporting the workflow can be identified, including sources of that data within the enterprise. Delegates can be designed to implement each individual workflow element. For example, a delegate can be designed to support the retrieval of data from a computer platform other than the platform hosting a workflow engine. These delegates, which typically comprise XML documents, can be assembled and operated as workflow elements to form the workflow processed by the workflow engine.

Abstract: Implementing a business process management system across an entire enterprise. An exemplary computer-based system for implementing business processes can access data existing on one or more of the computer platforms of an enterprise to implement workflows by a workflow engine. A business process can be broken into business rules that define the process. These business rules can then be categorized into work element categories and translated into workflow elements. Data for supporting the workflow can be identified, including sources of that data within the enterprise. Delegates can be designed to implement each individual workflow element. For example, a delegate can be designed to support the retrieval of data from a computer platform other than the platform hosting a workflow engine. These delegates, which typically comprise XML documents, can be assembled and operated as workflow elements to form the workflow processed by the workflow engine.