Mapping Workflows

This guide covers creating business workflows in Archflow and linking them to your technical architecture.

Why Map Workflows?

Workflows bridge the gap between business requirements and technical implementation. They help you:

• Understand which systems support which business processes
• Identify critical systems that many processes depend on
• Find gaps where business processes lack system support
• Communicate architecture value in business terms

Creating a Workflow

1. Identify the Business Process

Start with a clear business process. Good workflow candidates:

• Order Processing --- From cart to delivery
• User Onboarding --- From signup to first action
• Payment Processing --- From checkout to confirmation
• Content Publishing --- From draft to live

2. Define the Steps

Break the process into discrete steps. Each step should:

• Represent a single action or decision
• Map to one system in your architecture
• Have a clear input and output

Example: Order Processing

3. Create in Archflow

1. Go to Workflows in your project sidebar
2. Click New Workflow
3. Name it "Order Processing" with a description
4. Open the workflow to access its canvas
5. Add each step on the canvas, linking it to the relevant system
6. Draw connections between steps to show the process flow

4. Link to Architecture Connections

For each step transition, you can link to the architecture connection that implements it. For example, the transition from "Submit order" to "Process payment" maps to the connection between API Server and Payment Service.

Workflow Canvas

The workflow canvas lets you visually arrange your process:

• Add steps using the toolbar or by clicking on the canvas
• Drag steps to arrange the flow layout
• Draw connections between steps showing the process sequence
• Steps are color-coded by the system they belong to
• Canvas state is saved --- layout, zoom, and node positions persist across sessions

Selecting Workflows for Documentation

From a diagram view, open the Workflows tab to select which workflows appear in generated documentation:

1. Browse all project workflows with checkboxes
2. Select the workflows relevant to this view
3. Selections are auto-saved per diagram view
4. Selected workflows are included in generated and published documentation

Analyzing Workflow Coverage

After creating workflows, Archflow can analyze:

• System Importance --- Systems involved in many workflows are more critical
• Process Gaps --- Systems without any workflow coverage may need documentation
• Coverage Metrics --- Percentage of systems covered by at least one workflow

Archie's workflow analysis tools can provide these insights when you ask about system importance or process coverage.

Best Practices

• One workflow per business process --- Don't combine multiple processes
• Name after outcomes --- "Process Payment" not "Call PaymentService API"
• Include error paths --- What happens when a step fails?
• Link to connections --- This creates traceability from business to technical
• Review with stakeholders --- Workflows should make sense to non-technical people