I am interested in learning some BPM software. One of such software is ProcessMaker. But the problem with this is that it is lacking of documentation.
My question here is that what about Workflow foundation? Does it allow one to configure a workflow process without writing code? And overall, is it easier to learn that ProcessMaker?
Windows Workflow is a cool technology but it isn't BPM. It's a framework for building applications that require long running processes but doesn't provide things you'll get in a BPM product like roles management and forms design. It could feasibly be used to construct processes without writing code, but the chances are you'd need somebody to write code to build custom activities for the specific problem you're trying to solve.
Having said that, I think most real BPM implementations require some amount of code to be written to handle things like integration with other systems etc. It can't all be done with point and click.
ProcessMaker may require some learning, but it's made up for by the fact that it's completely open source and free to use and download. It's hard to complain if it's entirely free (ProcessMaker Site)
BPM is also a special type of software that allows you to basically create your own applications. It goes beyond workflow automation software, and allows you to integrate with other systems like ERP, DMS, and CRM, manage permissions and supervisors, and design custom forms, as well as create web entry forms and create reports. So while it may take more time to get the hang of it, I think a true BPM system like ProcessMaker is well worth the effort given the additional advanced features it offers.
Be very weary of anyone claiming to sell a workflow / BPM product that allows you to create applications without coding. The thing about business logic is that it can be so complex that writing code is the only option. I heard a story once about a vendor claiming that you could do it without writing any kind of code. The vendor also said the product had a programming interface, which begged the question why would you need a programming interface if you don't need to code.
To find other BPM products you could visit: www.webandflo.com or www.workflowpatterns.com
I've starting looking at ProcessMaker and have to say it is very well done for the price of FREE. I really like the web services integration. You can consume an external web service using "Triggers" in your process model, or connect to ProcessMaker from an external application by using their exposed webservices (See Admin->WebServices for info on exposed ProcessMaker WebServices)