Previous Next JavaScript must be enabled to correctly display this content

## 20.1 About Workflows

Oracle APEX Workflow provides basic workflow capabilities for APEX developers.

A workflow is the automation of a business process where documents, information, or tasks move from one participant to another, following a set of procedural rules.

APEX workflows provide the following capabilities:

- Workflow Versions for managing both a development and an active version of a workflow
- Workflow Definitions for managing parameters, variables, activities, connections, and participants
- a visual Workflow Designer for creating and authoring sequential workflows
- a Workflow Console for monitoring and administering workflows
- a Workflow Runtime Engine for running workflow instances

You can manage workflows by creating workflow definitions in the Workflow Designer, activate the workflows and monitor them in the Workflow Console, and use page processes to initiate the Workflow Runtime Engine.

You can copy workflows from other applications. When you copy a workflow, the workflow versions, parameters, activities, participants, variables, and any associated shared components are copied from the selected application to the current application. If the copied workflow invokes one or more workflows, the invoked workflows are also copied to the current application if they are not already present.

- About Workflow Versions
  A workflow version can be in three different states: In Development, Active, or Inactive.
- About Workflow Definitions
  Workflow Definitions contain information about workflows including parameters, variables, activities, connections, and participants. Workflow definitions exist on the application level in the Shared Components section.
- About Workflow Designer
  Use Workflow Designer to create or edit workflow definitions.
- About the Workflow Console, Workflow Details, and Workflow Dashboard
  The Workflow Console displays all workflows for a given report context. The Workflow Details shows details for a specific workflow instance. The Workflow Dashboard shows analytics for all workflows in a given report context.
- About the Workflow Runtime Engine
  The Workflow Runtime Engine executes workflow instances according to the execution sequence.
- States and Transitions
  Learn about states and transitions for workflows and for workflow activities.
- Example: Workflows
  View the workflows functionality in the Sample Workflows, Approvals, and Tasks app.

Parent topic: Managing Workflows and Tasks