workflow

n. order of activities associated with a particular task between start and completion; scheduling of tasks within a computer system (Computers)

A workflow is a reliably repeatable pattern of activity enabled by a systematic organization of resources, defined roles and mass, energy and information flows, into a work process that can be documented and learned. Workflows are always designed to achieve processing intents of some sort, such as physical transformation, service provision, or information processing.
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1. <operating system> The scheduling of independent jobs on a computer.
See also time-sharing, WFL.
2. The set of relationships between all the activities in a project, from start to finish. Activities are related by different types of trigger relation. Activities may be triggered by external events or by other activities.
3. The movement of documents around an organisation for purposes including sign-off, evaluation, performing activities in a process and co-writing.
[Stef Joosten et.al. "An empirical study about the practice of workflow management", WA-12 report, 1994].
(1995-03-27)

the "flow of work"

Workflow diagrams are a formal way to identify procedural steps and the logic employed in a process used to complete a task or job. Workflow diagrams include each interim step and product(s); the direction of movement through the process (indicated by arrows); decision points, alternative processes and repeated steps, and dependencies (steps or processes that must be completed before, during or after completion of a particular step); and can include the estimated time required for each step, who performs or reviews each step, and resource requirements. Depending on the type of workflow diagramming method used, the start and end points of each interim step may be listed separately or the entire process step can be indicated by a single notation.

Context: General 

Noun
1. progress (or rate of progress) in work being done
(synonym) work flow
(hypernym) advancement, progress