Process automation: Transforming workflows for maximum efficiency

You can use process automation software, software robots (or bots), as well as software scripts, to automate aspects of your business in various ways. Starting from simple functions like data entry and expense approvals to more complex, cross-functional tasks, process automation encompasses a wide range of applications. Examples range from automating customer service responses to employing artificial intelligence for candidate screening in recruitment.

Process Automation vs. Business Process Management (BPM)

Business Process Management (BPM) focuses on the holistic management of business operations, including the behavior of people, information, and systems. Process automation, however, is a component of BPM, concentrating specifically on automating individual elements within these processes. While BPM forms a strategic framework for automation, process automation operates within this framework to enhance specific tasks or processes.

Process Automation vs. Robotic Process Automation

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a subset of process automation that uses bots to perform rule-based tasks. RPA is different from AI as it relies on structured inputs and predefined logic, whereas AI processes unstructured inputs and develops its logic. Robotic Process Automation is efficient in automating tasks but doesn't change the underlying business process.

Process automation benefits

Process automation can be applied in pieces or holistically, and following best practices can bring numerous benefits:

1. Improved productivity: Process automation takes manual, time-consuming tasks away from people, increasing efficiency. It also integrates multiple processes into a single workflow. This removes bottlenecks and can vastly increase business productivity.
2. Greater agility: Automating data collection, aggregation, and synthesis, particularly for large information sets, can facilitate better-informed and faster decision-making.
3. Improved customer experience: With streamlined processes, queries can be organized and answered quickly and at a greater scale. Modern approaches to managing the customer experience introduce features such as chatbots at key stages of the process. These allow the customer to get to the next stage faster, without human assistance.
4. Increased compliance: With automation, all processes are carried out with precision and regularity, with no corners being cut. Whether it relates to internal policy and standards or external regulation, process automation can help to increase compliance.
5. Reduced costs: Companies can use process automation for digitizing and standardizing processes. This particularly applies to repetitive, human-intensive tasks. According to Forrester, this has the potential to reduce operating costs by up to 90%.
6. Better utilization of staff: Eliminating tedious, repetitive tasks allows employees to redirect their time to activities that add more value to the business. They will have higher rates of satisfaction while improving business outcomes.
7. Fewer errors: Getting an order wrong or having an incorrect address are problems that can be resolved but take up valuable time and can negatively impact the entire business. Process automation can minimize the chance of human errors and cut the amount of unnecessary re-work.

Process automation examples

Process automation performs best at scale. In other words, the larger, more time-consuming, and more manually intensive a task is, the greater the opportunity to benefit from its automation. It’s, therefore, unlikely that an enterprise will automate an individual activity or small-scale process.

Discover how KeyBank used the OutSystems to optimize and automate processes enterprise-wide

An example of process automation is the use of software to manage and process customer service requests. In this scenario, when a customer submits a request or inquiry through a company’s website or email, an automated system categorizes and routes the request to the appropriate department or service agent. This system might also generate automated responses to common inquiries, schedule callbacks, or update customer information in a CRM system, thus streamlining customer service operations and reducing manual workload.

Other process automation use cases include:

• Document management
• HR enrollment and new employee onboarding
• Order processing
• Contracts and consent forms
• Data gathering, analysis, and risk assessment

See how a leading Portuguese law firm accelerated critical legal processes

Technologies in process automation

There are various types of process automation available, which include:

Business Process Automation

Business process automation involves the use of technology to execute recurring tasks or processes in a business where manual effort can be replaced. This is done to minimize costs, increase efficiency, and streamline processes. BPA can encompass a wide range of whole workflows within an organization, from basic tasks like data entry to more complex operations like customer onboarding.

Role in organizations:

• Comprehensive efficiency: Enhances overall operational efficiency by automating end-to-end business processes.
• Cost reduction: Reduces operational costs by minimizing manual intervention and speeding up process execution.
• Error reduction and consistency: Improves accuracy and consistency across business processes, reducing the risk of human error.
• Strategic resource allocation: Frees up employee time from routine tasks, allowing staff to focus on more strategic and value-added activities.
• Scalability and flexibility: Facilitates scaling of business operations and offers the flexibility to adapt processes as business needs evolve.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation involves the use of rule-based logic to manage and execute the flow of tasks and data between different tools and systems in an organization. This focuses on the automation of individual tasks and sequences within broader business processes, often involving document management, approvals, and notifications.

Role in organizations:

• Streamlined operations: Simplifies complex workflows, ensuring tasks are completed in the correct order and timeframe.
• Enhanced collaboration: Facilitates better collaboration and communication within teams by clearly defining roles and responsibilities in workflows.
• Visibility and tracking: Provides transparency into the workflow processes, enabling better tracking and management of tasks and responsibilities.
• Reduced delays and bottlenecks: Automates the hand-off between different stages and team members, reducing delays and bottlenecks.
• Customization and control: Allows for the customization of workflows to fit specific business needs and provides greater control over task execution.

Intelligent Process Automation (IPA)

Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) combines traditional process automation with artificial intelligence and machine learning. It extends the capabilities of automation to processes that involve unstructured data and require some degree of human judgment or decision-making, such as natural language processing, predictive analytics, and decision management.

Role in organizations:

• Advanced decision-making: Enhances decision-making capabilities by incorporating AI and machine learning for more complex, data-driven processes.
• Handling of unstructured data: Efficiently processes and analyzes unstructured data, such as text, images, and voice, which traditional automation tools cannot handle.
• Continuous improvement: Learns and improves over time, offering increased accuracy and efficiency as it processes more data.
• Enhanced customer interactions: Improves customer service and engagement through advanced technologies like chatbots and virtual assistants that understand and respond in natural language.
• Predictive analytics: Employs predictive analytics for forward-looking insights, aiding in risk management, demand forecasting, and strategic planning.

Automated Data Processing

Automated data processing involves the use of computer systems and software to perform data-centric tasks such as collection, processing, analysis, and management of data without human intervention. This can include tasks like data entry, data mining, data cleansing, and generating reports or analytics.

Role in organizations:

• Efficiency and speed: It greatly speeds up data processing tasks, allowing organizations to handle large volumes of data swiftly and accurately.
• Error reduction: Reduces the likelihood of errors associated with manual data handling, ensuring data integrity and reliability.
• Informed decision-making: Facilitates advanced data analysis and reporting, providing organizations with actionable insights for strategic decision-making.
• Resource optimization: Frees up human resources from repetitive data processing tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic, creative, or complex activities.

Process Automation Software

Process automation software refers to tools and platforms used to automate routine business processes. These can range from simple workflow automation tools to complex systems integrating multiple business functions.

Role in organizations:

• Operational efficiency: Streamlines various business processes, reducing time and effort required to complete them.
• Consistency and compliance: Ensures consistent execution of processes according to predefined standards, aiding in compliance and quality control.
• Scalability: Supports scaling of business operations by managing increased workload or complexity without a proportional increase in resources.
• Integration capabilities: Often integrates various business functions and systems, facilitating seamless data flow and communication across departments.

Robotics Process Automation

RPA involves the use of software 'robots' or bots to automate routine, rule-based tasks that are typically performed by humans. These tasks include data entry, invoice processing, and basic customer service inquiries.

Role in organizations:

• Cost reduction: Reduces labor costs by automating routine tasks, thus allowing cost savings and resource reallocation.
• Enhanced accuracy: Minimizes human errors in repetitive tasks, leading to increased accuracy and quality of work.
• 24/7 productivity: Bots can operate continuously, providing round-the-clock productivity enhancements.
• Quick implementation: RPA can be implemented relatively quickly and provides immediate benefits in terms of efficiency and error reduction.

Marketing Automation Process

Marketing automation uses software tools to automate marketing activities such as email marketing, social media posting, lead generation, and customer segmentation.

Role in organizations:

• Enhanced customer engagement: Allows for personalized and timely engagement with customers, improving customer experience and relationship management.
• Efficient lead management: Automates lead nurturing processes, enabling efficient tracking and conversion of prospects into customers.
• Data-driven insights: Provides valuable insights into customer behavior and marketing campaign performance, aiding in data-driven decision-making.
• Resource utilization: Streamlines marketing efforts and reduces the time and resources required for manual marketing tasks, allowing the marketing team to focus on strategy and content creation.

In summary, each of these automation components plays a crucial role in enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and strategic capacity within organizations, driving both operational excellence and competitive advantage in the market.

How does process automation work

Automated processing uses computer systems, software applications, and technologies to perform tasks without human intervention, including operations like data entry, calculations, data analysis, and decision-making processes. It’s designed to increase efficiency, reduce errors, and speed up operations, and often involves the integration of various technologies like RPA, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing.

The ultimate goal of adopting an automated process is to streamline workflows, optimize resource utilization, and improve overall productivity and accuracy in business operations.

There are three common approaches to automating a process: scripting, dedicated automation software, and AI and ML integration.

• Scripting: Writing custom scripts or code to automate specific tasks or sequences of tasks. This method is highly flexible but requires programming skills.
• Using dedicated automation software: Utilizing specialized software platforms designed for process automation, like RPA tools or workflow management systems. These tools often provide a user-friendly interface and can be used without extensive technical knowledge.
• Integration of AI and machine learning: Implementing artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to automate complex processes that require data analysis, decision-making, or pattern recognition. This approach is particularly useful for tasks that involve large volumes of data or require adaptability.

With IT demands continuously increasing, automation is becoming a key part of achieving maximum agility. In a recent report, Gartner predicts that by 2027, 80% of automation platforms will offer AI-assisted development.

The future of process automation is becoming more intelligent, with AI set to power smarter, more adaptive systems. This empowers organizations to build processes that not only meet today's demands but also drive the innovation required for tomorrow's business growth.

Implementing process automation effectively

There are numerous approaches for successfully implementing process automation. However, they broadly fall under five main best practices:

• Set clear goals: Any successful process automation endeavor has to start with clear goals and the answer to “What are you looking to achieve for your process automation implementation?”.
• Identify opportunities: Explore which areas of the business are most likely to benefit from automated processes.
• Select the right tools: Different process automation tools offer different capabilities. To select the right tool, it’s important to research which is best suited for your business needs.
• Manage change effectively: Any change in your business process is a change in the ways of work. Ensure your teams understand what is happening and why.
• Continuously monitor performance: Regular assessments of the automation initiatives should begin long before implementation. Identify what metrics need to be in place to know that everything is working as planned.

Leveraging OutSystems for low-code process automation

Low-code automation combines the power of low-code development with automation capabilities.

OutSystems provides a low-code platform that facilitates the development of web and mobile apps, employee portals, and operational dashboards, enhancing productivity and operational efficiency. It is, therefore, a great low-code tool to build custom applications for automating workflows and offers AI-powered analysis for iterative process improvement.

To explore more about process automation and OutSystems, visit the Process Automation page for further insights and trial opportunities.

Process automation frequently asked questions