Workflow automation has a history going back to 1990. For nearly 15 years however most projects failed.
This started to change after BPEL was invented.
The final breakthrough came with BPMN — a graphical notation for specifying workflows which can then be implemented automatically on top of BPEL (or now also any other mechanism — the need to insist on BPEL is gone as long as you use products that are able to import BPMN compatible process specifications created with the help of a wide range of competing products).
But be warned: This is not to say that it has become easy to successfully implement process automation. If you are about to start a corresponding project, it might help first to read The Promise of Workflow Automation: Points of Failure, and how to Realize the Promise (2012).
Quite a good yardstick for what typical tools in 2012 can do for you is certainly BizAgi’s BPM Suite.
ggreiter 