Apps and Flow: The Foundation of Processes
Elementum processes are built on two core concepts that work together:Apps
The Container: Apps organize your data, configuration, automations, and user permissions into unified spaces tailored to specific business processes.
Flow
The Process: A visual process builder that lets you design your workflow with stages, decision points, automations, and user inputs.
Think of Apps as the workspace and Flow as the roadmap. Apps provide the structure and resources, while Flow defines how work moves through your process.
Why Apps Matter
Apps replace the chaos of scattered spreadsheets, emails, trackers, and manual tasks with organized, automated workflows:Unified Workspace
Everything related to your process lives in one place—data, forms, automations, permissions, and collaboration tools.
Consistent Process
Every instance of your workflow follows the same steps, ensuring quality and predictability.
Real-Time Collaboration
Human and AI teams work together with forms, comments, approvals, and configurable views that update instantly.
Scalable Operations
Handle growing volume without proportional increases in manual effort through automation.
Real-World Examples
See how different teams use Apps to streamline their workflows:Sales Pipeline
Track deals from initial contact through closing, with automated lead scoring, approval workflows, and CRM flows.
Support Tickets
Manage customer issues with intelligent routing, SLA tracking, and automated escalation based on priority and response time.
Vendor Management
Handle supplier onboarding, contract management, and performance tracking with automated compliance checks.
Expense Approval
Streamline expense processing with automated policy checks, multi-level approvals, and accounting system integration.
What Makes Up an App
Every App is composed of several key components that work together:Data Structure
CloudLinks connect to existing data sources, Elements define your business entities, and relationships link everything together.
Process Design
Flow maps your workflow stages, approval processes handle reviews, and assignment rules route work automatically.
User Experience
Layouts control how users interact with data, forms capture input, and views display information clearly.
Automation Engine
Event-driven rules trigger actions, agents handle complex decisions, and integrations connect external systems.
How Workflows Start
Apps provide multiple ways to initiate workflows, depending on your needs:User-Initiated
Service portals, manual creation, and forms let people start workflows when needed.
System-Triggered
API endpoints, scheduled processes, and data mining automatically start workflows based on conditions.
Smart Automation
AI agents and email ingestion intelligently create and route workflows based on content and context.
Design Principles for Effective Apps
Start with your business process, then build the App around it—not the other way around.
- Process-First: Map your business workflow before configuring the App
- User-Centered: Design for the people who will use it daily
- Data-Driven: Connect to authoritative data sources rather than creating duplicates
- Iterative: Start simple and add complexity as users adopt the workflow
- Integrated: Plan how the App will connect to your existing systems
Next Steps
Build Your First App
Follow our Quick Start Guide to create your first App and see these concepts in action.
Understand Elements
Learn how to structure your data with Elements—the foundation of every App.
Design Your Flow
Use the visual Flow builder to map out your business process stages and decision points.
Explore Features
Discover advanced capabilities like Agents, CloudLinks, and automation systems.