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OKMFlow vs. BonitaSoft: the native engine that puts documents at the center

Written by Ana Canteli on October 20, 2025

In the race to automate processes, many organizations weigh two paths: betting on a workflow engine integrated into their document management system or adopting a more general-purpose business process management (BPM) suite. At that crossroads, OKMFlow—the native engine of OpenKM—and Bonita (BonitaSoft) are common alternatives. This article compares both, focusing on scenarios where documents, traceability, and the management of document-centric processes are priorities.

Two approaches: document-centric vs. cross-process

OKMFlow was born within OpenKM, a document management software that structures, safeguards, and distributes relevant information stored in the system. As a native engine, the workflow engine operates directly on cases/files, versions, metadata, permissions, and auditing. If your day-to-day revolves around information management, automating review, approval, or publication processes happens seamlessly within the same environment. This integration reduces dependencies and simplifies workflow management.

Bonita, in turn, is a general-purpose BPM platform. Its strength lies in orchestrating business processes that connect multiple applications (ERP, CRM, portals, databases), modelled with BPMN and deployed as user applications. If your business processes do not rely as heavily on document-format information, Bonita offers flexibility and a variety of workflow systems and connectors.

OKMFlow’s competitive edge for document automation

When the document is the main actor, OKMFlow stands out for three reasons:

Proximity to the content

The workflow engine lives where the files live. Rules, tasks, and states are supported by the document management repository (permissions, histories, versions). Thus, automating version control, publication, or e-signature processes fits naturally with document management and auditing.

Operational simplicity

Fewer moving parts, less integration. Business teams work in the same document management platform without switching tools. For the technical area, maintaining a single stack reduces incidents and accelerates evolution. The result: higher productivity and lower operating costs.

End-to-end document automation

From capture to dissemination, document automation is orchestrated together with metadata, taxonomy, and notifications (for example, emails associated with a case file or approval milestones). With OKMFlow, it’s more straightforward to automate a review and publication workflow without leaving the document management system.

In short: if document management is your priority, a DMS with a native workflow engine like OKMFlow makes it easier to automate processes and manage document-centric workflows with less friction.

Bonita adds value in cross-business processes and large-scale enterprise processes that do not revolve around the organization’s document repository. If you need to connect a distribution ERP or a food-industry ERP, legacy applications, and external services in a single BPM flow, its generalist approach and connector ecosystem provide breadth. It is especially useful when the goal is to build process applications beyond document management.

Comparison table

Criterion	OKMFlow (OpenKM)	Bonita / BonitaSoft
Primary focus	Native workflow engine within OpenKM; designed for document automation and document-centric processes.	General-purpose BPM platform to model and run business processes (BPMN) and build process applications.
Product type	Integrated component of the OpenKM document management system (DMS).	BPM suite with Studio/Runtime/UI; standalone engine that integrates with other systems.
Integration with DMS	Native: acts directly on documents, metadata, versions, permissions, and repository auditing.	Requires integrating an external DMS if the process needs deep document management.
Modeling & standards	Visual flows with human tasks, conditions, timers, and content actions; designed for the document lifecycle.	BPMN 2.0 modeling, subprocesses, events, rules; high expressiveness for cross-functional processes.
Forms / Task UI	Forms and steps embedded in OpenKM; unified experience for document users.	Configurable UI and low-code process apps for different user profiles.
Connectivity / Integrations	OpenKM exposes a REST API and does not impose integration limits.	Broad ecosystem of connectors and APIs for ERPs/CRMs/DBs/services; designed for heterogeneous integrations.
Traceability & auditing	Inherits the DMS’s exhaustive auditing over documents and workflow actions in a single log.	Process/case tracking at the BPM layer; document traceability depends on the integrated DMS.
Deployment & TCO	Simplified architecture (single stack: DMS + native workflow), reducing complexity and TCO in document-centric scenarios.	Standalone BPM engine with scaling options and editions (Community/Enterprise); more components to coordinate.
Ideal scenarios	Approvals, reviews, publication, document and case automation with a strong dependency on metadata.	Orchestration of cross-functional processes combining many systems (ERP/CRM/portals), beyond the document.
Notable advantages	Unified experience, minimal friction, event-driven rules from the DMS + workflow, fast time-to-value in document processes.	BPMN flexibility, connector ecosystem, building process apps, and enterprise capabilities.
Possible limits	Less oriented to very broad, non-document corporate processes. (Inference based on native document-management focus)	Requires integrating a DMS to match OpenKM’s document depth; higher operational complexity in purely document-centric environments.

Integration: full openness (hybrid if needed)

OpenKM imposes no barriers: the OpenKM IT team previously created a connector for BonitaSoft and, today, OpenKM can integrate with any application via REST API. This enables hybrid scenarios: OKMFlow for document matters and Bonita, sharing data or documents when appropriate. This way, the document management software remains the reference DMS, while Bonita covers parts of the process where a generalist BPM brings value.

User experience and adoption

In organizations with a strong culture of enterprise management centered on organizational knowledge, users prefer working in a single environment. With OKMFlow, designing, executing, and monitoring document processes happens in the DMS they already use—no context switching. This improves adoption, simplifies training, and speeds delivery. It also facilitates quality management compliance when unified evidence and traceability are required.

Typical cases where OKMFlow prevails

• Approvals and publication of contracts, policies, manuals, or e-invoicing where the document lifecycle drives the process.
• Administrative workflows with multiple reviews and mandatory metadata, triggered by repository events.
• Flows with e-signatures integrated into the case file, ensuring evidence remains stored in the system without duplicating platforms.
• Situations where the aim is to automate document processes and provide audit evidence.

In all of these, automating processes around the document is more straightforward when the workflow engine and the document management system share the same DNA.

Decision signals

Choose OKMFlow when:

• The document management system is strategic, and document handling demands fine-grained control, traceability, and auditing.
• You want process automation and document-process management without setting up a separate BPM.
• You seek productivity gains by shortening time-to-value and reducing technical load (required skills and maintenance).

Consider Bonita when:

• You must orchestrate business processes that combine many systems (including distribution or food-industry ERPs) and need to build complex process applications.
• Your priority is a general-purpose BPM with a large connector library and deployment options.

Conclusion

If your organization lives by the document, OKMFlow is a workflow engine that plays on home turf: deep document management, fewer integrations, a gentler learning curve, and a stronger focus on document automation. It enables you to automate critical processes—from an administrative workflow to e-invoicing—within the DMS, safeguarding stored evidence and traceability. And if tomorrow you need to go further, the door to Bonita is always open via REST API. This way, you can automate the processes that matter most today without giving up the ability to expand to broader business processes when your enterprise management requires it.