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OKMFlow: The New Native Workflow Engine from OpenKM That Transforms Document Automation

Written by Ana Canteli on April 03, 2025

In an environment where process management and document automation are increasingly critical for competitiveness, OpenKM takes a strategic step forward with the launch of its native workflow engine: OKMFlow. This new feature, developed by OpenKM’s technical team, enables organizations to design, manage, and monitor customized workflows fully integrated into the system.

Why are workflows so relevant in document management?

Automated workflows are the backbone of business processes in many organizations. Automating tasks such as contract approvals, document digitization, case management, or invoice processing allows companies to:

• Reduce process execution time
• Minimize human errors
• Ensure regulatory compliance through traceability
• Optimize interdepartmental collaboration
• Increase operational transparency

With OKMFlow, these processes are defined, executed, and monitored entirely within the OpenKM environment—no additional tools required.

From external engine to native solution: a quality leap

Until now, OpenKM offered integration with a third-party engine for implementing workflows. Although functional, this approach posed several challenges:

• Partial integration with the document management system
• Greater configuration complexity
• Dependence on external technologies
• Difficulty in automating custom processes

OKMFlow, in contrast, has been designed from the ground up to operate as an organic part of the system. It not only improves integration but also reduces the learning curve and enhances customization capabilities.

What OKMFlow brings

Built on Java 17 and running on a Tomcat server (with plans to merge into the main server in future versions), the new engine introduces substantial enhancements:

• Graphical interface for designing workflows: start, tasks, conditions, transitions, forms, terminations...
• Dynamic task assignment: by role, manual selection, initiating user, or shared across multiple users
• Ability to modify task assignments even during workflow execution
• Process variable management via context, acting as a shared data map across nodes
• Variable updates and persistence throughout the entire document process
• Integration with electronic signatures, email notifications, metadata modification, and automatic log generation
• Data storage in an optimized database

All of this allows workflows to automate routine operations without manual intervention—from form reviews to conditional decisions based on document or user data.

Practical use cases

Thanks to its versatility, OKMFlow is applicable across multiple business contexts:

• Document quality management and version control
• Validation of legally binding documents through electronic signatures
• Approval flows for budgets, contracts, or HR processes
• Adaptation to sectors such as ERP distribution, ERP food industry, or e-commerce
• Task optimization in document administration, especially for well-defined or regulated document types

All of this enables process automation aligned with best practices, without compromising flexibility.

A scalable ecosystem

OpenKM ensures compatibility between the current engine and the new one during a transitional period. However, new features and future enhancements will focus exclusively on OKMFlow, which is already ready to integrate with any other business management ecosystem.

Why upgrade now?

The advantages of implementing OKMFlow are clear:

• Autonomy: Users can define their own workflows via the interface
• Scalability: Grows in complexity and volume without sacrificing performance
• Simplicity: Drastically reduces the time and resources needed to deploy workflows
• Time and cost savings
• Improved information security
• Efficient management of the document lifecycle: creation, validation, archiving

OKMFlow represents a strategic evolution for any organization looking to automate document processes effectively, securely, and in alignment with today’s challenges.

It’s not just a workflow tool. It’s a transformation lever for companies aiming to reduce manual tasks, automate processes, and turn their document management system into a true engine of value.

Don't wait—contact us today to experience the future of automated document management.