The procedure describes what should happen. Mining shows what does.
Process mining reconstructs the real process from the event logs your systems already generate, exception paths, rework, and delays included, rather than from a self-reported description.
The gap between the documented process and the real one is usually measured in money.
A recent proof-of-value session for a client uncovered three things nobody had a number for until the logs were mined.
of invoices were paid too early, leaving €4.6 million of monthly working capital unoptimised.
changes were made to orders every month, extending delivery times by two weeks.
in unpaid orders resulted in penalties and fines that nobody had traced back to a process cause.
Most of the reasons teams give for not mining their processes are misconceptions, not blockers.
The event logs your systems already generate, the record of every timestamp, device, user, and outcome, are the backbone of process mining. The barrier is rarely the technology. It is what teams assume about their own logs before checking.
“We'd need fully integrated systems first.”
Process mining works from the logs individual systems already produce. Integration is not a precondition.
“Our logs are confidential.”
Logs record events, not the content of what was processed. Confidentiality concerns are usually a misunderstanding of what a log contains, not a reason to stop.
“We'd need complete, end-to-end history.”
A representative slice is enough to start. Waiting for a complete historical record delays a finding that could be available now.
Four components, recorded automatically, whether anyone reads them or not.
Every IT log, on-premises or in the cloud, records the same four things: what happened, when, who or what triggered it, and where it came from. That's the raw material process mining reconstructs the real process from.
Pay for the transaction log volume you mine, not a standing contract.
Discovery, design, and mining can each run standalone. Mining typically runs first: a scoping call, the data or files, then a feedback session that names what the logs actually show.
Frequently asked questions
Do our systems need to be integrated first?
No. Process mining works from the logs individual systems already produce. Integration between systems is not a precondition.
Is this a one-off analysis or an ongoing capability?
It is commissioned by the transaction log volume you mine, not a standing contract, so it can run as a one-off proof of value or repeat as an ongoing capability.
How much historical data do we need?
A representative slice is enough to start. Waiting for a complete, end-to-end historical record delays a finding that could already be available.