Frends launches Long Running Processes and solves one of the biggest problems in business automation

Friends Long Running Processes is the new feature in Frends version 6.2 which enables organizations to automate business processes that span multiple days or weeks. The solution addresses a well-known problem in business automation where workflows are interrupted by manual approvals, wait times, or asynchronous system events.

Traditional integration platforms are often built for fast transactions and short-lived processes. When reality instead requires human decisions, time-based waits, or external responses that take time, many organizations lose both overview and control. The result is manual shortcuts, parallel tools, and increasing technical complexity in the IT environment.

Continuous processes even over several days

With Frends Long Running Processes allows entire business flows to be modeled and executed as a single process, whether they run for hours, days, or longer. The platform automatically saves the state of the process, waits for necessary actions, and resumes the flow exactly where it was paused.

This means that every business case can be tracked from start to finish without having to be broken down into separate parts or requiring custom-built logic for permission management. For IT teams, this means both faster development and lower management costs.

Business processes do not follow milliseconds but workdays. With Long Running Processes, we remove the technical limitations that previously forced IT teams to build their own solutions for long-running flows. By bringing integration and process automation together in the same platform, organizations gain both control and transparency without additional tools or licenses,”, says Asmo Urpilainen, CTO at Frends.

Less fragmentation and stronger governance

A common problem in today's IT landscape is fragmented automation, where different parts of the same process are handled in separate systems. When a flow is broken, the risk of human error, lack of traceability, and responsibility falling between the chairs increases.

Friends Long Running Processes reduces these risks by automatically logging every step, every hold, and every approval. All events are continuously documented, giving the business full transparency and clear accountability.

This is particularly valuable for organizations with high requirements for regulatory compliance, internal control and documentation, such as in the public sector, finance and complex supply chains.

Why long-running processes are a growing problem

More and more business processes today span multiple systems, external parties, and human decisions. Employee onboarding, invoice management, and supply chains often require both automated flows and manual steps. When these processes are handled in separate tools, the risk of delays and information loss increases.

By collecting the entire flow in Friends Long Running Processes organizations can reduce reliance on manual solutions and ensure that every case is handled consistently from start to finish.

Clear business benefit in multiple areas of use

Frends Long Running Processes is particularly relevant for processes such as onboarding new employees, invoice approvals, subscription management, and supply chains where multiple systems and roles interact over time.

By bringing these flows together into a coherent and auditable workflow, the need for parallel tools and manual tasks is reduced, while the total cost of ownership is lowered and operational transparency is increased.

Since December 2025, select customers have been testing the feature in production environments, which according to Frends confirms both stability and practical usability in real-world operations.

About Frends

Frends is a European iPaaS company offering low code and AI enhanced solutions for business-critical automation. The platform connects cloud-based, hybrid and on-premises systems with full visibility and transparency. The company was founded in Finland in 1988 and today has over 6,000 customers., including companies, municipalities and public organizations such as Fazer, Mehiläinen, Haypp Group, Onemed, City of Helsinki and Eltel. Frends has been recognized by both G2 and Gartner for its solutions in integration and API management.