The 25 Most Relevant Business Processes

In short: A business process is a repeatable sequence of activities, performed by different roles, that leads to a defined result. This article describes 25 common business processes with their main steps and key roles, and shows how to run each of them in Jira with Flower. Flower creates a Jira work item for every activity, assigns it through swimlanes, and tracks the status in the process diagram.

Last updated: October 2026

Processes are the connecting arteries of an organization. A well-oiled process keeps a company alive, and a stagnant one affects the quality of its products. Employees and managers both appreciate structured and transparent processes. In times of a shortage of skilled labor, a well-organized company stands out, and automated processes are almost indispensable.

The list contains 25 common processes, grouped by department. For each one you find the main steps, the key roles, and an idea how to run it with Flower. Choose the processes that are relevant for you and start from a ready-made template.

Overview

1. Development Process

Creating new products, services, or strategies in response to the changing needs of a market or an organization. It is a continuous process in software development, consulting, automotive, construction, and engineering.

Main steps:

1. Idea generation
2. Concept development
3. Design
4. Testing
5. Launch

Key roles:

• Project manager
• Development team members
• Quality assurance manager
• Marketing manager

Run it with Flower: Model the stages as activities and let a gateway decide whether a concept moves on or goes back. Test activities can run in parallel, and each role is a swimlane.

Relevant for: Electronics, Automotive, Information technology, Process management

2. Scrum

An agile framework in which teams deliver work in sprints, which usually last between one and four weeks. Scrum emphasizes collaboration, flexibility, and continuous improvement.

Main steps:

1. Product backlog creation
2. Sprint planning
3. Daily stand-up
4. Sprint review
5. Sprint retrospective

Key roles:

• Product owner
• Scrum master
• Development team

Run it with Flower: Jira Software already provides Scrum boards. Use Flower for the process around them, such as release approvals, or model the sprint cycle as a loop.

Relevant for: Software development

3. Kanban

A lean method that visualizes work, limits work in progress, and focuses on continuous flow and improvement.

Main steps:

1. Visualize the workflow
2. Define work items
3. Establish work-in-progress limits
4. Implement a pull-based workflow
5. Manage flow
6. Implement feedback loops

Key roles:

• Kanban defines no mandatory roles. Teams typically involve a product owner or service request manager, the team, and stakeholders.

Run it with Flower: Jira boards cover Kanban itself. Flower adds processes that feed the board, such as approvals and hand-offs between teams.

Relevant for: Software development, Service management

4. Change Management Process (ITIL)

The process that controls the lifecycle of changes to IT services, so that beneficial changes can be made with minimal disruption. ITIL 4 calls the practice change enablement.

Main steps:

1. Log and review the request for change
2. Assess the change
3. Assessment by the change advisory board (CAB) for significant changes
4. Authorize scheduling and build
5. Authorize deployment
6. Deploy the change
7. Post-implementation review and closure
8. Emergency change path for urgent cases

Key roles:

• Change manager
• Change advisory board
• Change requester
• Implementers
• Stakeholders

Run it with Flower: A gateway chooses the path by risk: standard changes go straight to deployment, significant changes need CAB approval, and emergency changes use a fast path. See What Are ITSM and ITIL?.

Relevant for: Consulting, Process management, Software development, Automotive

5. Change Request

The process for managing requests to change a project, product, or service, for example its scope, budget, schedule, or quality.

Main steps:

1. Initiation
2. Evaluation
3. Approval
4. Implementation
5. Closure

Key roles:

• Change requester
• Change manager
• Project manager
• Stakeholders

Run it with Flower: The requester submits a form that starts the process. Evaluation and approval run as activities in separate swimlanes, and a gateway sends rejected requests back to the requester.

Relevant for: Consulting, Process management, Software development, Automotive

6. Onboarding

Welcoming and integrating new employees into the organization. A good onboarding sets the tone for the employee’s experience.

Main steps:

1. Pre-boarding
2. Orientation
3. Training
4. Support

Key roles:

• HR
• Manager or supervisor
• Mentor or buddy
• IT
• Facilities or operations
• Legal or compliance
• Other employees

Run it with Flower: HR, IT, and facilities work in parallel branches. See Business Process Automation for Human Resources.

Relevant for: HR

7. Offboarding

Handling the exit of an employee with appreciation and without loose ends. How a company treats leavers also affects its reputation.

Main steps:

1. Exit interview
2. Collect company property
3. Remove access
4. Notify third parties
5. Notify colleagues

Key roles:

• Human resources
• IT department
• Managers
• Legal department

Run it with Flower: Run the steps in parallel branches. A terminate end event stops all open steps if the exit is canceled.

Relevant for: HR

8. Sales Process (B2B)

The structured approach through which a company wins customers and generates revenue. It involves much more than convincing a customer to buy.

Main steps:

1. Prospecting
2. Qualifying
3. Presenting
4. Addressing objections
5. Closing
6. Follow-up

Key roles:

• Sales representatives
• Sales managers
• Marketing team
• Customer service

Run it with Flower: Model the stages as activities, add approval steps for discounts above a limit, and use timers for follow-ups.

Relevant for: Work management, Consulting, Service management, Sales

9. Manufacturing Process

Converting raw materials or components into finished products that can be sold.

Main steps:

1. Design
2. Production
3. Quality control
4. Distribution

Key roles:

• Production manager
• Production team members
• Quality control manager
• Distribution manager

Run it with Flower: Quality deviations start a sub-process, and a gateway decides between rework and release. See Business Process Automation for Manufacturing Companies.

Relevant for: Automotive, Process management

10. RFP Process

The request for proposal (RFP) process solicits bids from suppliers for significant purchases or when a new supplier is needed.

Main steps:

1. Identify the need
2. Develop the RFP document
3. Distribute the RFP
4. Conduct pre-proposal meetings
5. Receive and evaluate proposals
6. Select a supplier
7. Notify unsuccessful suppliers
8. Manage the contract

Key roles:

• Project manager
• Procurement specialist
• Subject matter experts
• Legal counsel
• Finance department
• Evaluation committee
• Selected supplier

Run it with Flower: Timers set the proposal deadline. The evaluation committee works in its own swimlane, and the selection ends with an approval.

Relevant for: Purchasing, Consulting, Work management

11. Procurement

Acquiring goods, services, and works from external sources. It involves several roles and responsibilities.

Main steps:

1. Identify the need
2. Conduct market research
3. Prepare a procurement plan
4. Develop solicitation documents
5. Evaluate bids
6. Contract
7. Monitor and manage contracts

Key roles:

• Procurement manager
• Procurement officer
• Contract manager
• Project manager
• Supplier relationship manager

Run it with Flower: A gateway on the order value decides how many approvals are needed.

Relevant for: Purchasing, Consulting, Work management

12. Risk Management, Risk Assessment, and Risk Analysis

Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that could affect operations, reputation, or financial stability. It is not a one-time exercise.

Main steps:

1. Risk identification
2. Risk assessment
3. Risk mitigation
4. Risk monitoring and adjustment

Key roles:

• Senior leadership
• Risk management team
• Department managers
• Legal and compliance
• IT
• Human resources
• External consultants

Run it with Flower: Because risk management repeats, model it as a recurring process with a timer for the next review.

Relevant for: Governance, risk and compliance (GRC), Logistics, Quality management

13. Project Management

Planning, organizing, and executing projects so that they finish on time, within budget, and to the satisfaction of the stakeholders.

Main steps:

1. Initiation
2. Planning
3. Execution
4. Monitoring and control
5. Closure

Key roles:

• Project manager
• Project team members
• Stakeholders
• Project sponsor

Run it with Flower: A project that repeats is a process. See Jira Project Management vs. Business Process Management.

Relevant for: IT, Automotive, Mechanical engineering, Service management, Consulting, Marketing, Work management

14. Invoice Workflow

Creating, reviewing, approving, and paying invoices so that they are processed accurately and on time.

Main steps:

1. Invoice creation
2. Invoice receipt and review
3. Invoice approval
4. Payment processing
5. Invoice tracking and reconciliation

Key roles:

• Supplier
• Customer
• Accounts payable clerk
• Manager or approver
• Accounts receivable clerk
• Controller or CFO
• IT staff

Run it with Flower: A gateway on the amount routes invoices to the right approver, and a timer reminds the approver before the payment deadline.

Relevant for: Finance and controlling

15. Marketing

Identifying, anticipating, and satisfying customer needs through the creation, promotion, and distribution of products and services.

Main steps:

1. Market research
2. Product development
3. Pricing strategy
4. Promotion
5. Distribution

Key roles:

• Marketing manager
• Market researcher
• Product manager
• Advertising manager
• Sales manager

Run it with Flower: Campaigns repeat, so you can start a new process instance for each campaign.

Relevant for: Sales, Marketing

16. Content Marketing

Creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and engage a defined audience.

Main steps:

1. Strategy
2. Creation
3. Distribution
4. Measurement

Key roles:

• Content strategist
• Content creator
• Content distributor
• Analytics expert

Run it with Flower: Review and approval before publication fit a four-eyes approval step.

Relevant for: Sales, Marketing

17. Application Process in IT

Introducing an application into an organization so that it is integrated seamlessly. This is the implementation of an application, not a job application.

Main steps:

1. Needs assessment
2. Planning
3. Development
4. Deployment
5. Training
6. Maintenance

Key roles:

• Project manager
• Application developers
• IT support team
• End users

Run it with Flower: Deployment needs approvals, and training for different user groups can run in parallel.

Relevant for: Software development, Process management

18. Demand Management Process

Forecasting and managing customer demand so that an organization can meet it while using resources well.

Main steps:

1. Forecast demand
2. Plan production
3. Sales and marketing
4. Supply chain management
5. Monitoring and reporting

Key roles:

• Demand planners
• Production planners
• Sales and marketing teams
• Supply chain managers
• Customer service representatives

Run it with Flower: Run the forecast as a periodic process that a timer starts, and route deviations to the planners.

Relevant for: Consulting

19. Cost Management

Planning, controlling, and monitoring the expenses of a business or a project to maintain financial stability and profitability.

Main steps:

1. Planning
2. Estimating
3. Budgeting
4. Monitoring
5. Controlling

Key roles:

• Cost accountant
• Financial analyst
• Project manager
• Procurement manager
• Executive management

Run it with Flower: A gateway sends budget overruns to an approval step.

Relevant for: Logistics, Finance and controlling

20. Approval

Reviewing and authorizing requests, documents, and decisions. The approval process involves several stages and roles.

Main steps:

1. Request
2. Review
3. Authorization
4. Implementation

Key roles:

• Requester
• Reviewer
• Approver
• Implementer

Run it with Flower: Model the approval in its own swimlane followed by a gateway: approved requests continue, rejected requests return to the requester.

Relevant for: Quality management, Process management

21. DevOps

A methodology that combines development and operations to speed up software delivery and improve quality. It emphasizes collaboration, automation, and continuous delivery.

Main steps:

1. Plan
2. Develop
3. Test
4. Deploy
5. Operate

Key roles:

• Developer
• Tester
• Operations engineer
• Security engineer
• Product owner

Run it with Flower: Jira links work items with commits and deployments. Use Flower for approval gates in the release process.

Relevant for: Software development

22. Performance Review

Evaluating the job performance of an employee over a period, giving feedback, and planning development.

Main steps:

1. Set goals and expectations
2. Measure performance
3. Feedback and discussion
4. Development planning

Key roles:

• Employee
• Manager
• Human resources
• Executive leadership

Run it with Flower: Start one process instance per employee and review cycle. Timers remind managers of due reviews.

Relevant for: Work management, HR

23. Customer Onboarding

Guiding new customers through the purchase, familiarizing them with the products and services, and setting them up for success.

Main steps:

1. Pre-onboarding
2. Welcome and orientation
3. Education and training
4. Ongoing support

Key roles:

• Customer success manager
• Sales representative
• Support team
• Product specialist

Run it with Flower: Customers can start the process through a Jira Service Management portal.

Relevant for: Service management

24. Customer Complaint Management

Receiving, investigating, and answering customer complaints in a defined way.

Main steps:

1. Receive the complaint
2. Record the complaint
3. Investigate the complaint
4. Respond to the complaint
5. Monitor the complaint

Key roles:

• Customer service representatives
• Investigation team
• Customer relationship manager
• Quality control team

Run it with Flower: Timers escalate complaints that are not answered in time.

Relevant for: Service management

25. Incident Reporting

Documenting unexpected or unplanned events, such as workplace accidents, equipment failure, software errors, or security breaches.

Main steps:

1. Incident identification
2. Incident categorization
3. Incident analysis
4. Incident response
5. Incident closure

Key roles:

• Incident reporter
• Incident manager
• IT team
• Legal team

Run it with Flower: A gateway on the category and severity routes the incident to the IT team or to legal, and a timer escalates open incidents.

Relevant for: IT, Service management

How to Start

Pick a process from this list, open a template in Flower, and adjust it to your organization. Follow the Get Started guide to model your first process and the automation guide to run it. Well-structured and automated processes make the work easier for your employees and more attractive for your customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which business processes can I automate in Jira?

Any repeatable process with several roles and hand-offs, for example onboarding, approvals, procurement, change management, and incident handling.

How do I turn one of these processes into a Jira workflow?

Model it in BPMN in Flower. Flower creates a Jira work item for each activity and assigns it by swimlane.

Where do I find templates?

Flower includes sample processes that you can open in the template library and adjust.

About Flower

Flower – Business Process & Workflow Automation (BPMN) for Jira is an app on the Atlassian Marketplace for Jira Cloud and Jira Data Center. It lets you model business processes in BPMN 2.0 and run them in Jira: for every activity of a process, Flower creates a Jira work item, assigns it through swimlanes, shows its status in the process diagram, and continues the process when the work item is resolved. Flower stores all process data in Jira, so your permissions, boards, and reports keep working. Flower is Cloud Fortified and has been on the Atlassian Marketplace for more than ten years.

Start a free 30-day trial on the Atlassian Marketplace  or follow the Get Started guide.