The workflow automation system is a secure, online web-based system that automates any office workflow in a minimal amount of time by providing appropriate customizations and ASP.net forms, the customizations including name of the system, task-names, role names, names of actions on each task, order of tasks, etc. After the customizations, the workflow automation system is executable to provide each role a secure login with a central HR repository; an application that the role is responsible for; active task(s) in the application, etc. The desired web forms can be made in ASP.net using provided templates for forms, and controls to define what to do when by whom. The workflow automation system includes automatic sending of e-mail reminders to complete tasks after certain administrator-defined intervals, application tracking, parallel and sequential task processing, easy concealment of certain role names from others, and an easy method to provide Instructions on each web page.