# Translating Workflow Nets to Process Trees: An Algorithmic Approach

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.08213 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.08213/

## Key facts

- Cited by 4 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 23 Mar 2020.

## Built on by (most cited first, 4 of 4)

- [DABL: Detecting Semantic Anomalies in Business Processes Using Large Language Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.15781/) (2024)
- [Preventing Object-centric Discovery of Unsound Process Models for Object Interactions with Loops in Collaborative Systems: Extended Version](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2303.16680/) (2023)
- [INEXA: Interactive and Explainable Process Model Abstraction Through Object-Centric Process Mining](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2403.18659/) (2024)
- [An Invertible State Space for Process Trees](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.21468/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Since their recent introduction, process trees have been frequently used as a process modeling formalism in many process mining algorithms. A process tree is a tree-based model of a process, in which internal vertices represent behavioral control-flow relations and leaves represent process activities. A process tree is easily translated into a sound Workflow net (WF-net), however, the reverse is not the case. Yet, an algorithm that translates a WF-net into a process tree is of great interest, e.g., the explicit knowledge of the control-flow hierarchy in a WF-net allows one to more easily reason on its behavior. Hence, in this paper, we present such an algorithm, i.e., it detects whether a WF-net corresponds to a process tree, and, if so, constructs it. We prove that, if a process tree is discovered, the language of the process tree equals the language of the original WF-net. Conducted experiments show, that the algorithm's corresponding implementation has a quadratic time-complexity in the size of the WF-net. Furthermore, the experiments show strong evidence of process tree rediscoverability.