An approach to workflow-based data processing is described, wherein as part of the workflow a multiplicity of display pages is executed interactively by means of workflow control commands. A suitable computer system comprises at least one user terminal with a user interface for page display (802) and for input of user data and workflow control commands, one or more basic systems with associated basic databases, containing basic data, at least one cache database in which the user data and a selected extract from the basic data are cached (806), one or more service systems with services (810) for performing data processing steps on the basis of data sourced from the cache database and a mechanism (804) for generating a request directed at the invocation of at least one service (810) as a response to a workflow control command. The service (810) is invoked asynchronously in respect of the display of a new display page if the setup of the new display page is independent of the result of the service (810) invoked by means of the request.