Abstract: A process control system that automatically monitors processes and performs activities based on conditions detected during monitoring. The information needed to do the monitoring and perform activities is contained in tables in a database system. Among the features of the process control system is a parallel state machine that permits activities to be performed for the process in parallel. The parallel state machine employs a task that is represented in the database tables. The task defines a set of activities that must all be performed in order for a state transition to occur and the parallel state machine causes a process's state to change only when the activities defined in the task have all been performed. A set of reject activities may also be defined for a task. The definition of a reject activity includes a specification of an activity to be performed and a state to which a transition is to be made after the activity is performed.