Business Process Execution Language for Web Services (BPEL) is an XML notation for defining process orchestrations based on Web services protocols. The BPEL specification is an important standard in the Web service architecture. It describes process-specific language constructs and defines how multiple Web services can be composed into coherent information systems. BPEL builds upon other standards in the Web services architecture, most notably Web Services Description Language (WSDL).

The BPEL for People plugin installs extension elements described in the Web Services Human Task (WS-HT) Version 1.0 Specification and an extension activity, called the People activity, described in the WS-BPEL Extension for People Version 1.0 Specification. The tasks, notifications, Logical People Groups, and People activity introduce human workflow into a BPEL process when a process activity requires human decision-making.

For details, see Human Tasks, which is also within this help.