A computer-implemented method is used to determine a document flow of documents, data on the documents being stored in a documents database. The method involves assigning a hierarchical tree-like structure to the documents. The hierarchical tree-like structure includes one or more hierarchy levels beginning with a document assigned to a root node of the tree-like structure. Each hierarchy level is defined by the direct relations between the documents assigned to tree nodes in the hierarchy level. The method further includes assembling, for a pre-determined number of hierarchy levels, a tabular representation of the hierarchical tree-like structure assigned to the documents, and providing the tabular representation as the document flow.