Business Process Modeling (BPM) in systems engineering is the activity of representing processes of an enterprise, so that the current process

may be analyzed and improved. BPM is typically performed by business analysts and managers who are seeking to improve process efficiency and quality. The process improvements identified by BPM may or may not require Information Technology involvement, although that is a common driver for the need to model a business process, by creating a process master.

A Business Process Model diagram is a tool - a means to an end, not a performance outcome in its own right. The final output is improvement in the way that the business process works. The focus of the improvements is on 'value added' actions that make the customer service and experience better, and on reducing wasted time and effort. There are two main different types of Business Process Models: the 'as is' or baseline model (the current situation) and the 'to be' model (the intended new situation) which are used to analyse, test, implement and improve the process. The aim of modelling is to illustrate a complete process, enabling managers, consultants and staff to improve the flow and streamline the process. The outcomes of a business process modelling project are essentially: value for the customer, and reduced costs for the company, leading to increased profits.

Other secondary consequences arising from successful Business Process Modeling can be increased competitive advantage, market growth, and better staff morale and retention. There are no absolute rules for the scope or extent of a Business Process Model in terms of departments and activities covered. Before committing lots of resources to Business Process Modeling proper consideration should be given to the usefulness and focus of the exercise ask the questions: Does the modeling have the potential to produce gains that will justify the time and effort? Will the modeling be structured so that people will understand the outputs (not too big and complex as to be self-defeating)? Do people understand why we are doing it, and "what's in it for them?

As with other management tools, there is no point producing a fantastically complex model that no-one can understand or use, just as it is a bit daft to spend hundreds of hours analysing anything which is of relatively minor significance. Business Process Modelling is a powerful methodology when directed towards operations which can benefit from improvement, and when people involved are on-board and supportive.

Supply chain management (SCM) is the management of a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service packages required by end customers (Harland, 1996). Supply chain management spans all movement and storage of raw materials, work-in-process inventory, and finished goods from point of origin to point of consumption (supply chain).

Another definition is provided by the APICS Dictionary when it defines SCM as the "design, planning, execution, control, and monitoring of supply chain activities with the objective of creating net value, building a competitive infrastructure, leveraging worldwide logistics, synchronizing supply with demand and measuring performance globally."

- A supply chain consists of

Manufacturer Distributor Retailer Customer

Supplier

Upstream

Downstream

- aims to Match Supply and Demand, profitably for products and services achieves SUPPLY SIDE DEMAND SIDE

The right

Product

+ + + + +
The right The right The right The right

The right

Price

Store

Quantity

Customer

Time

Higher

Profits

 Detergent

supply Chain
Albertsons Supermarket

P&G or other manufacturer

Third party DC

Customer wants detergent

Plastic cup Producer

Tenneco Packaging

Chemical manufacturer (e.g. Oil Company)

Chemical manufacturer (e.g. Oil Company)

Paper Manufacturer

Timber Industry

Material Supplier Information Funds

Customer

The flows resemble a chain reaction.

Importance of Supply Chain Management Supply chain management is essential to company success and customer satisfaction. Did you know that SCM also plays a critical role in society? It's absolutely true. SCM knowledge and capabilities can be used to support medical missions, conduct disaster relief operations, and handle other types of emergencies. SCM also plays a role in cultural evolution and helps improve our quality of life. Whether dealing with day-to-day product flows or dealing with an unexpected natural disaster, supply chain experts roll up their sleeves and get busy. They diagnose problems, creatively work around disruptions, and figure out how to move essential products to people in need as efficiently as possible.

SCM Helps Sustains Human Life Humans depend on supply chains to deliver basic necessities such as food and water. Any breakdown of these delivery pipelines quickly threatens human life. For example, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina flooded New Orleans, LA leaving the residents without a way to get food or clean water. As a result, a massive rescue of the inhabitants had to be made. During the first weekend of the rescue effort, 1.9 million meals and 6.7 million liters of water were delivered.

Supply chain has been viewed as an inflexible series of events that somehow managed to get products out the door. It often involved questionable inventory forecasts, rigid manufacturing plans and hypothetical shipping schedules. The Internet has changed all that. It has transformed this old-fashioned process into something closer to an exact science. An Internet-enabled supply chain helps companies Avoids costly disasters Reduce administrative overhead Reduce unnecessary inventory (thereby increasing working capital) Decrease the number of hands that touch goods on their way to the end customer

Eliminate obsolete business processes

Reap cost-cutting and revenue-producing benefits

Speed up production and responsiveness to consumers

Effective integration of an Organizations supply chain can save millions, improve customer service and reduce inventories. The key to getting optimum value out of automating your supply chain is to make sure you have your internal systems working well before you start extending them out over the Internet.

A workflow consists of a sequence of concatenated (connected) steps. Emphasis is on the flow paradigm, where each step follows the precedent without delay or gap and ends just before the subsequent step may begin. This concept is related to non overlapping tasks of single resources. It is a depiction of a sequence of operations, declared as work of a person, a group of persons, an organization of staff, or one or more simple or complex mechanisms. Workflow may be seen as any abstraction of real work. For control purposes, workflow may be a view on real work under a chosen aspect, thus serving as a virtual representation of actual work. The flow being described may refer to a document or product that is being transferred from one step to another.

A workflow management system is a computer system that manages and defines a series of tasks within an organization to produce a final outcome or outcomes. Workflow management systems allow the user to define different workflows for different types of jobs or processes. For example, in a manufacturing setting, a design document might be automatically routed from designer to a technical director to the production engineer. At each stage in the workflow, one individual or group is responsible for a specific task. Once the task is complete, the workflow software ensures that the individuals responsible for the next task are notified and receive the data they need to execute their stage of the process. Workflow management systems also automate redundant tasks and ensure that uncompleted tasks are followed up. Workflow management systems may control automated processes in addition to replacing paper work order transfers.

The following examples illustrate the variety of workflows seen in various contexts: In machine shops, particularly job shops and flow shops, the flow of a part through the various processing stations is a work flow. Insurance claims processing is an example of an informationintensive, document-driven workflow. The Getting Things Done system is a model of personal workflow management for information workers. In global software development, the concept of follow-the-sun describes a process of passing unfinished work across time zones. In Traditional Offset and Digital Printing workflow is the process, people and usually software technology (RIPs raster image processors or DFE digital front end) controllers that play a part in pre/post processing of print related files. e.g. PDF pre-flight checking to make sure fonts are embedded or that the imaging output to plate or digital press will be able to render the document intent properly for the image output capabilities of the press that will print the final image.

In Scientific experiments, the overall process (tasks and data flow) can be described as a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG). This DAG is referred to as a workflow, e.g. Brain Imaging workflows. In healthcare data analysis, a workflow can be used to represent a sequence of steps which compose a complex data analysis (data search and data manipulation steps).[8] In Service-oriented architectures an application can be represented through an executable workflow, where different, possibly geographically distributed, service components interact to provide the corresponding functionality, under the control of a Workflow Management System. .

You can use this function to carry out the activities necessary for executing the workflow, and to check the current status of workflow customizing.

Features Automatic workflow Customizing is made up of several areas: In the Runtime area, all activities are executed that are necessary for the execution of workflows. In the Definition time area, activities are executed that are necessary for a smooth modeling of workflows. In the Maintain additional settings and services area you find activities that are needed to use specific special functions of the workflow. The area Classify tasks as general has various sub-areas in which tasks of a

The activities checked automatically upon calling are displayed. The result of the check is shown with a graphical symbol. The overall result of the check of an area is also assessed. If an activity is shown as having errors, execute automatic Customizing. To go directly to maintenance of the relevant activity, select