State machine
A model of a process as a finite set of states with defined transitions between them, so the process can only move along explicitly allowed paths.
In more detail
A state machine describes a process as a set of named states, such as submitted, approved, in progress, complete, with explicit rules for which transitions are allowed. At any moment the process is in exactly one state, and it can only move to a state the rules permit. This makes even a complex process predictable and easy to reason about.
The discipline pays off in workflows with meaningful lifecycles: approvals, orders, tickets, onboarding. Modeling the process as states and transitions prevents impossible situations, an order both cancelled and shipped, and gives every stakeholder a clear picture of where any given item is and what can happen next.
Where this shows up at Ceven
Ceven workflows carry a clear notion of where a run is in its lifecycle, which is what lets a process pause at an approval gate, wait, and resume in the right place. That state, and every transition it makes, is captured in the audit trail, so the position and history of any run are always inspectable.