BPM Tool Selection: Lessons from a 2015 Study – What Still Holds True?

In the second episode of the BPM Chronicles, Prakhar Kapoor, Jochen, and Russell take a step back in time to revisit a 2015 BPM tool study and reflect on how much has changed—and how much remains the same. The discussion was sparked by a blog post that triggered an unexpectedly fierce debate back in the day, highlighting the passionate opinions that BPM tool selections can generate.

🚀 Key Takeaways from the Episode

The Eternal Dilemma: Choosing the Right BPM Tool

A major theme of the discussion was how organizations often jump to tool selection before defining their needs. The key takeaway? Focus on your goals and use cases first, then select a tool—not the other way around.

Gartner Quadrants & The Reality of BPM Tools

The team reflected on a former Gartner analyst’s advice: “Stop blindly following analyst reports—read them in full!”Too often, companies look at a Magic Quadrant chart without considering whether the listed tools truly fit their unique business needs.

Revisiting the 2015 Tool Landscape

Looking back at the 2015 BPM tool assessment, some notable observations emerged:

• Still Going Strong: ARIS, Signavio (now part of SAP), Symbio (acquired by Celonis) remain key players in the BPM space.

• Shifting Trends: Tools like Visio with SharePoint-based BPM repositories were once popular but have now faded into niche use cases.

• Market Evolution: Governance, risk, and compliance-focused tools like Aeneis have found their specialized space, while Adonis has maintained a strong presence as a versatile, cost-effective solution.

BPM Tool Selection is Still Not an Exact Science

Even with detailed assessment matrices and in-depth evaluations, tool selection is subjective. Each tool excels in specific scenarios—there’s no universal best BPM tool, only the best fit for your use case.

AI, Compliance, and Future Trends in BPM

The conversation also touched upon how BPM tools continue to evolve, with AI-powered process insights, regulatory compliance challenges, and shifting ERP landscapes shaping the next wave of BPM innovation.

🎬 Watch the Full Episode on YouTube

This was just a glimpse into our deep dive into BPM tool selection, past and present. If you’re involved in BPM, ERP integration, or process automation, you won’t want to miss this episode!

📺 Watch it here: 
📢 Join the conversation: What’s your experience with BPM tools? Do you agree with our take on how the market has evolved? Let us know in the comments!

BPM Chronicles: The Evolution of ARIS: Reflections on ARIS 9 and the Future of BPM

BPM Chronicles - E1: Insights from the Experts

In this series, we revisit our blogs and have a discussion between Prakhar and senior members of bpExperts explain the context of the blog and it’s relevance from today’s perspective. In this episode we discuss a blog from 2015: ‘ARIS 9 - expectations met?’

Exploring ARIS 9 and Its Journey in Business Process Management

In our recent discussion with Russell and Jochen, we dove deep into the archives to revisit ARIS 9, a pivotal release in the history of business process management (BPM). First launched in 2015, ARIS 9 marked a major shift for Software AG’s BPM tool, introducing significant changes in architecture, usability, and its approach to integration within the enterprise landscape.

ARIS 9 came at a time when BPM tools faced mounting competition from emerging cloud-based solutions and evolving standards like BPMN. As Russell and Jochen recalled, ARIS 9 was more than just a software upgrade—it was a bold move that skipped the traditional “minor release” numbering to signal a transformative shift. The new release enabled powerful querying and self-service reporting features, empowering users with non-technical backgrounds to extract meaningful insights without complex scripting.

However, this innovation also came with challenges. While ARIS remained a robust and feature-rich tool, it faced criticism for its complexity and the limitations of its on-premises publishing capabilities. ARIS Connect, introduced with ARIS 9, was an early step toward cloud integration and a more user-friendly portal, but the adoption journey has taken years to mature. Even now, companies are navigating the balance between leveraging ARIS’s advanced capabilities and adapting to simpler, cloud-native BPM tools.

Looking ahead, Jochen and Russell discuss the impact of emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, and cloud computing on BPM platforms. They highlight how AI could further simplify user experiences, democratize access to process data, and drive broader adoption within organizations. While ARIS has made great strides in integrating features like process mining and governance into a unified platform, the challenge lies in helping organizations keep pace with rapid technological advancements.

As we reflect on ARIS’s journey from RS9 to the current ARIS 10 iterations, it’s clear that innovation in BPM is a marathon, not a sprint. The lessons from ARIS’s evolution underscore the importance of balancing technological capabilities with real-world user needs—a challenge that continues to shape the BPM landscape today.

Stay tuned for our next discussion, where we’ll explore another topic from our archives and uncover new insights into the world of BPM.

Supercharge Your SAP Signavio Reporting with Neo4j & KNIME: A Practical Guide

In this video, we explore an innovative approach to enhancing the reporting and analysis capabilities of SAP Signavio using open-source tools Neo4j and KNIME. While SAP Signavio provides robust BPM modeling and transformation features, its built-in reporting options can be limited, particularly when managing large repositories with complex cross-references and custom attributes.

This guide showcases:

• Overcoming challenges of out-of-the-box reporting in SAP Signavio, including reliance on cumbersome Excel exports.

• Mining data out of SAP Signavio into a Neo4j graph database for efficient analysis of dictionary items, diagrams, and relationships.

• Using CypherQL in Neo4j to perform advanced consistency checks and governance tasks.

• Integrating Neo4j with KNIME for automated data pipelines and seamless export to tools like Power BI for dynamic visualizations.

By combining SAP Signavio with Neo4j and KNIME, you unlock unparalleled flexibility and sophistication in reporting, without additional licensing costs.

This video is ideal for:

• SAP Signavio users managing large repositories or extended metamodels.

• BPM professionals seeking advanced reporting and governance solutions.

• IT and business analysts looking for cost-effective tools to integrate and analyze process data.

• Data enthusiasts exploring open-source tools for data visualization and process optimization.

An ESG Data Jungle: Navigating the Challenges of Sustainability Compliance

European Union’s 2023 Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requires companies to report according to the new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) already in 2025. The Directive was designed to provide tools to combat the root causes of climate change, including industrial emissions or the disappearance of the world’s rainforests. However, businesses gearing up to meet its requirements might discover a different kind of jungle right within their own recording systems – the jungle of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) data. 

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While many businesses have already been producing ESG reports, the mandatory nature and specific structure of ESRS reporting present unique challenges. To tackle these, most companies opt to invest in an analytics and reporting tool that will help them put the jungle in their backyard into order and emerge ESRS compliant. There is a diverse offering of sustainability reporting tools on the market, each with its own set of ‘superpowers’ and weaknesses. 

However, speaking from my experience from several sustainability reporting projects, organizations should not lull themselves to sleep thinking that simply investing in a digital tool will magically solve their data management issues from day one. What does it take to find your way out of the jungle? An honest look into how data is sourced and managed within your organization and a willingness to transform. 

To help you in this process, we highlight three common challenges companies face in the process of transforming their ESG reporting to fit ESRS: 

1. If your organization consists of multiple units and is geographically spread, be prepared for diverse data sources and data formats 

One of the foremost challenges in meeting ESRS requirements is the need to integrate diverse data sources and formats. Sustainability data is regularly spread across multiple systems within an organization, including ERP systems, environmental management systems, HR databases, and supply chain management tools. Additionally, this data is ‘owned’ by different stakeholders and can be housed in different formats, from structured databases to unstructured documents and spreadsheets. 

Integrating this disparate data into a single reporting tool is a complex task. It requires not only technical capabilities to handle various formats but also a strategic approach to ensure consistency and accuracy across departments and geographical locations. I have seen organizations tackle this in multiple ways, including APIs, cloud-based data hubs or even tailored middleware developed in-house to help consolidate data from different sources, standardize it, and make it available for reporting tools. 

Each choice has its pros and cons and the best choice depends on your organization’s specifics and priorities. 

2. You will most likely need to customize your chosen tools 

No single tool is likely to meet all the specific requirements out of the box. Customization, such as configuring dashboards, setting up specific metrics, or creating custom data connectors, is often necessary and most tools on the market count with this. Customization requires expertise, making it essential to have a clear plan and sufficient resources dedicated to this task. 

3. Do not leave your sustainability reporting tool isolated 

Implementing a new analytics and reporting tool involves more than just technical integration; it requires embedding the tool into the company’s broader IT ecosystem. This integration must ensure seamless data flow between various systems, from data entry points to final reporting outputs. It also involves addressing data security, compliance, and governance issues to ensure that the sustainability data is reliable and protected. 

This again requires dedicated personal resources with the necessary expertise and willingness to ‘own’ the reporting process (including any new tools) and the transformation towards ESRS compliance. For the stakeholders managing the various data sources, proper training and change management are critical to ensure buy-in and ease of use of the new tool in daily work. 

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As the clock is ticking towards the 2025 ESRS reporting deadline, organizations are realizing they need to tidy up their ESG data flows. Sustainability reporting tools help, but only to the extent that an organization does not try to use them as a band aid for their messy data. An honest transformation will not only make you ESRS compliant but will provide you with clean and reliable data to track your progress towards your organization’s strategic goals. 

Kickstart Your BPM Initiative with bpExperts 's New Starter Package for SAP Signavio

Are you ready to transform your business processes and drive efficiency within your organization? bpExperts is excited to introduce our new starter package, specifically designed for companies embarking on their Business Process Management (BPM) journey. Utilizing the powerful SAP Signavio BPM tool, our comprehensive package equips your team with everything needed to streamline operations, enhance governance, and unlock data for insights and continuous improvement.

What's Included in the Starter Package?

Our starter package comprises five essential components that provide a robust foundation for your BPM initiative:

1. Business Flows

Our process repository with industry best practice E2E and functional business processes documented in a lean process architecture and methodology framework ready for publication in Signavio Collaboration Hub. We are talking about over 200 E2E scenarios with over 800 processes. The scenarios and processes are imported as Dictionary items and are all linked to the respective diagrams.

Main Benefits:

• Accelerated BPM, Business Transformation or ERP implementation based on standardized models with clear End-to-End Process Architecture

• Comprehensive coverage of relevant business scenarios for all domains of industrial enterprises provides an ideal starting point to bridge business operations and processes and IT

• Functional process library organized according to SCOR model supports standardization and excellence initiatives

Read more about Business Flows here. You can also register for a free trial access to the content here.

Target groups: Executive Leadership, Governance Board, Process Managers, Business Analysts, Signavio Administrators

2. Modelling Convention Handbook

We import Business Flows as a set of dictionary items and diagrams following Signavio standard practices. Nevertheless, the process architecture and conventions are specific to Business Flows and are streamlined to suit a business transformation. The convention handbook documents all in a form which you use as a baseline for your initiative.

Main Benefits:

• Standardized procedures and guidelines for process design

• Improved consistency and compliance across all processes

• Optimized quality of process reports

Target groups: Compliance Officers, Quality Assurance teams, and Process Managers

3. BPM Implementation Blueprint

Now that you have a BPM Tool and a framework full of content, the real work starts. How do you go about implementing BPM as a management discipline in your organization? Our comprehensive BPM Implementation Blueprint is a collection of work packages organized along 5 streams:

• Strategy & Objectives

• Roles & Responsibilities

• Governance & Procedure

• BPM Architecture

• BPM Tools

Main Benefits:

• Proven step-by-step guide for implementing a BPM initiative

• Integrated approach to BPM including strategy, roles & responsibilities for BPM and process architecture

• Reduced risk of project delays, ensuring all critical components are addressed

Target groups: Project Managers, IT Teams, and Senior Leadership

4. Governance Process

BPM governance refers to the framework, policies, and procedures put in place to ensure that business processes are effectively managed, optimized, and aligned with organizational goals and objectives.

Main Benefits:

• Improved accountability and oversight

• Accelerated process improvements with adherence to organizational policies

Target groups: Executive Leadership, Governance Committees, and Risk Management Teams

5. Repository Housekeeping Scripts

We provide script-based reports to automate the identification and resolution of issues such as redundant or miscategorized diagrams, ensuring consistency and improving overall process quality.

Main Benefits:

• Fast identification of inconsistencies and modeling errors, e.g. missing diagram links, missing attributes or dictionary items, etc.

• Ensured uniformity across processes, enhancing quality and coherence

• Speed up housekeeping tasks to keep the usability and overall value of the process repository on a high level

Target groups: Process Managers, Signavio Administrators, Business Analysts, Executive Leadership, Governance Board

Read more about the usage of scripts in the context of maintaining your Signavio repository here.

Why Choose bpExperts?

At bpExperts, we understand that starting a BPM initiative can be daunting. Our starter package simplifies the process by providing all the essential tools and guidance you need to succeed. Leveraging the power of SAP Signavio, our package ensures that your organization can quickly and effectively implement BPM, driving operational excellence and achieving your strategic goals.

Get Started Today

Don't let complexity hold you back from transforming your business processes. Contact us today to learn more about our new starter package and how we can help your company embark on a successful BPM journey with SAP Signavio.