Workflows and processes often get mixed up — but they’re not the same. A process is the big picture of how work gets done, while a workflow is the step-by-step path that brings that process to life. Knowing the difference helps teams work faster, find bottlenecks, and automate smarter. In this guide, we’ll break down workflows vs processes, show where they overlap, and share practical examples to help you decide which one your team needs.
What Is a Process
A process is the overall system or series of steps used to achieve a goal. It’s the big picture — showing how different teams and activities connect to deliver a result. For example, your hiring process might include posting a job, interviewing candidates, and onboarding a new employee.
Characteristics of a process
Goal-oriented: Every process has a clear purpose or desired outcome, such as delivering a product or completing a service.
Structured sequence: Processes follow a defined order of steps or stages to ensure consistency and quality.
Repeatable: A process can be performed multiple times under similar conditions, producing predictable results.
Cross-functional: Often spans multiple departments or teams, requiring coordination and collaboration.
Measurable: Includes performance metrics (like time, cost, or quality) to evaluate efficiency and success.
Improvement-focused: Processes are designed to evolve through regular review and optimization.
What Is a Workflow
A workflow is the detailed sequence of tasks that make a process run smoothly. It focuses on how the work moves from one step to the next. For instance, the workflow for onboarding could include collecting documents, setting up accounts, and assigning training sessions.
Characteristics of a workflow
Task-oriented: Breaks down a process into individual actions or tasks.
Sequential: Follows a specific order, where one task triggers or depends on another.
Role-based: Clearly defines responsibilities, approvals, and handoffs between people or teams.
Action-driven: Focuses on execution rather than planning or structure.
Automatable: Can be easily digitized or automated using workflow management tools.
Dynamic: Workflows can adapt quickly to changes in team structure, priorities, or technology.
What Is the Difference Between Workflow and Process
| Aspect | Process | Workflow |
| Scope | Broad — covers the end-to-end journey to achieve an organizational goal. | Narrow — focuses on the sequence of tasks within a process. |
| Purpose | Defines what needs to happen and why, aligning teams to an objective. | Shows how tasks are executed to complete part of a process efficiently. |
| Focus | Strategic and big-picture — often cross-functional. | Operational and task-focused — usually team-level. |
| Ownership | Managed by process owners or managers responsible for outcomes. | Owned by the team or individual performing the tasks. |
| Structure | Can contain multiple workflows, sub-processes, or activities. | Exists within a process as a series of steps with clear order. |
| Flexibility | Adaptable to changing goals or business conditions. | Usually standardized to ensure consistency and reduce errors. |
| Measurement | Focuses on outcome metrics (e.g., success rate, cycle time, ROI). | Focuses on task metrics (e.g., completion time, errors, bottlenecks). |
| Tools | BPM software, RPA orchestration, dashboards for process KPIs. | Workflow design tool, task boards, or automation software. |
| Automation | Often involves cross-system orchestration or process automation. | Often involves task-level automation for repetitive steps. |
| Example | Employee onboarding from recruitment to training completion. | Approving and processing new hire documents step by step. |
Process vs Workflow: Key Similarities
Although workflows and processes have distinct purposes, they share several important traits:
Repeatable: Both are designed to be performed consistently, ensuring work is predictable and reliable.
Documented: Clear documentation helps teams understand roles, responsibilities, and steps, reducing confusion.
Improvement-focused: Both can be analyzed and refined over time to remove bottlenecks and boost efficiency.
Data-driven: Metrics and KPIs help track performance, whether for tasks in a workflow or outcomes of a process.
Enable automation: Workflows can be automated at the task level, while processes can leverage broader automation strategies across systems.
Overlap in practice: A single process often contains multiple workflows. For example, the employee onboarding process (process) includes workflows for document submission, account setup, and training scheduling. Essentially, workflows are the building blocks that make processes run smoothly.
When to Model a Workflow vs When to Design a Process
Knowing whether to focus on a workflow or a process can save time, reduce errors, and improve efficiency. Here’s a simple way to decide:
Model a workflow when;
The goal is narrow and specific — it focuses on a particular task or set of tasks.
The steps are repeatable and predictable, often performed by a team or individual.
You want to optimize task efficiency or automate repetitive steps.
Example: Approving a new hire’s documents or processing an invoice.
Design a process when;
The objective is broad and strategic, spanning multiple teams or departments.
You need to coordinate several workflows to achieve an outcome.
You want to track overall performance and optimize the bigger picture.
Example: Employee onboarding from recruitment to full integration, or the end-to-end purchase-to-pay process.
Quick tip: Think of a process as the roadmap and workflows as the routes you take to reach your destination. Mapping both ensures nothing falls through the cracks and teams stay aligned.
Real-World Examples of Workflows and Processes
Seeing a process vs workflow in action makes the difference clear. Here are some examples across different business functions:
1. HR
- Process: The full hiring journey, from job posting to making an offer.
- Workflow: Tasks like reviewing resumes, scheduling and conducting interviews, evaluating candidates, and sending offer letters.
2. Product development
- Process: Product release from concept to market launch.
- Workflow: Testing code, reviewing QA feedback, and deploying updates.
3. Customer support
- Process: Managing a customer complaint from report to resolution.
- Workflow: Logging the ticket, assigning it to a support agent, and following up with the customer.
5. Marketing
- Process: Campaign management from planning to reporting results.
- Workflow: Designing assets, scheduling posts, and monitoring engagement metrics.
Visual Tools for Mapping Workflows and Processes
Using visual tools makes workflows and processes easier to understand, communicate, and improve. The right tool helps teams spot bottlenecks, assign responsibilities, and optimize performance. Here are some commonly used options:
- Flowcharts: Ideal for simple task sequences or process overviews. They’re easy to create and understand, making them perfect for small teams or straightforward processes.
- Swimlane diagrams: Show who is responsible for each step across departments or teams, clarifying handoffs and reducing confusion.
- BPMN (Business Process Model and Notation): Standardized diagrams for complex, cross-functional processes. Great for planning automation and ensuring consistency.
- Kanban boards & task boards: Visualize work in progress, track status, and prioritize tasks within a workflow.
- Creately’s AI workflow template: Instantly generate workflows by describing your process in plain language, then refine and collaborate on them in real time for faster documentation and optimization.
FAQs About Workflow vs Process
What is the difference between a workflow diagram and a process map?
What are the metrics and KPIs to track for workflows and processes?
For workflows:
- Cycle time per task: How long each task takes to complete.
- Throughput: Number of tasks completed in a given period.
- Error rate: Frequency of mistakes or rework in tasks.
- Bottlenecks: Steps where work tends to pile up or slow down.
- Compliance: Whether tasks follow standard procedures consistently.
For processes:
- Lead time: Total time to complete the end-to-end process.
- Process cost: Resources spent, including time, labor, and tools.
- Outcome quality: Success rate or customer satisfaction for the process.
- Process efficiency: Ratio of value-added to non-value-added activities.
- Cross-team coordination: How smoothly different teams hand off work within the process.
What are the challenges of using workflows and processes in your business?
Some challenges of using processes and workflows in your business are:
- Resistance to change: by facing inertia, fear, or skepticism from stakeholders.
- Complexity: by dealing with multiple variables, dependencies, or exceptions.
- Adaptability: by coping with changing customer needs, market conditions, or technology trends.
What are some benefits of using processes and workflows in your business?
- Increased customer satisfaction: by delivering faster, better, and more consistent products or services.
- Reduced costs: by saving time, money, and resources.
- Enhanced innovation: by enabling creativity, experimentation, and improvement.
- Higher employee engagement: by providing clarity, direction, and motivation.
