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When to Use Laserfiche Forms vs. Laserfiche Workflow to Automate Processes



Dr Evil Ponders His Product Choice
Dr Evil Ponders His Product Choice

Laserfiche offers powerful tools for process automation, with Laserfiche Forms and Laserfiche Workflow being two of the most commonly used components.


While both can streamline operations, reduce manual effort, and improve service delivery, they serve different purposes and are best applied in various scenarios. Interestingly, we did a webinar the other day on Laserfiche Forms, and the business cases proposed by the attendees would be better served using Laserfiche Workflow, not Forms. Understanding when to use Forms versus Workflow can help you design more efficient, intuitive, and maintainable solutions. 


Laserfiche Forms: Best for Initiating and Managing Human-Driven Processes

Laserfiche Forms is the go-to solution for collecting information from people, whether internally from staff or externally from constituents, vendors, or other stakeholders. Forms provides a user-friendly interface for building web forms, routing them based on input, and incorporating approvals, reviews, and other human interactions.


Use Laserfiche Forms when:

  • You must collect structured data from users (e.g., applications, requests, registrations).

  • A process is initiated by a person rather than an automated system trigger.

  • The process includes decision points, approvals, or tasks assigned to individuals or roles.

  • You want to provide status updates or confirmations to users during the process.

  • A visual process modeler helps you communicate and maintain the process more easily.


For example, onboarding a new employee, submitting a public records request, or processing a purchase requisition are classic Forms scenarios. These involve multiple steps, interactions between departments, and the need to capture user input cleanly and consistently.


Laserfiche Forms offers features like process reporting, task dashboards, and mobile access, making it especially useful for tracking and managing real-time processes.


Laserfiche Workflow: Best for Behind-the-Scenes Automation

While Forms is all about people interacting with the process, Laserfiche Workflow is about what happens behind the scenes—automated tasks that move documents, update metadata, send notifications, or integrate with other systems.


Use Laserfiche Workflow when:


Examples include automatically routing invoices to the correct department based on metadata, archiving documents after a set period, or syncing Laserfiche data with an external ERP system. Workflow can run 24/7 without human intervention and excels at reducing the administrative burden on staff.


How Forms and Workflow Work Together

In many cases, the best automation solutions combine Forms and Workflow. A form might initiate the process and collect data from the user, while Workflow handles the background tasks. For instance, after someone submits a form to request a service, Workflow might take that submission, create folders, file documents, update fields, and notify staff automatically.


Think of Forms as the front end of the process—the visible, interactive piece—and Workflow as the back end—the engine that drives the process forward without needing direct human input.


Choosing the Right Tool

To decide whether to use Forms, Workflow, or both, consider:

  • Who or what initiates the process?

  • Is human interaction required, or is it entirely automated?

  • Do you need a visual, trackable process map?

  • Is the process document or data-driven?

  • How complex is the logic involved?


Answering these questions can help you ensure you’re choosing the right Laserfiche tool for the job, creating solutions that are efficient and sustainable over time.


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