Workflow automation for businesses: Benefits, examples and getting started

Nov 10

Every business has tasks that need to be done over and over again. Quotes need to be written and approved, invoices need to be sent and customer enquiries need to be answered. When employees handle every step manually, things can get overlooked, mistakes happen and simple tasks take longer than they should. That is the kind of repetition workflow automation is built to handle.

Workflow automation can take some of that work off your team's plate. It uses software to handle repetitive tasks, move information between systems and keep processes moving without someone having to manage every step. This can save time, reduce errors and help your business run more efficiently.

What is workflow automation?

Workflow automation is when software automatically handles routine tasks using rules you set up ahead of time. Instead of employees manually sending information, assigning tasks or following up on approvals, the software takes care of those steps. Employees only need to step in when a decision needs to be made.

For example, say your business uses an online form for holiday requests. Simply switching from a paper form to an online one is called digitisation. A manager still needs to review the request, send it to HR and make sure the employee's holiday balance gets updated.

With workflow automation, much of that process can happen automatically. When an employee submits the form, the software checks their remaining holiday allowance, sends the request to their manager for approval, notifies HR and updates the payroll calendar.

You may also hear the term business process automation. This covers different ways businesses use technology to automate work, including workflow automation and robotic process automation (RPA). RPA uses software bots to complete tasks that would normally involve someone clicking through screens or entering information.

Workflow automation focuses on keeping work moving from one step to the next, including assigning tasks, applying rules and requesting approvals. You can learn more about the differences in Triggre's guide to automation, digitalisation and digitisation.

How automated workflows work: triggers, actions, rules and approvals

Most automated workflows use four basic elements: triggers, actions, rules and approvals. Here's how each one works.

Triggers: These are the events that start a workflow. For example, someone submits a form, a customer sends an email, an invoice arrives or a task's status changes.
Actions: These are the tasks the software completes automatically. It might create a customer record, send an email, update a spreadsheet, assign a task or notify an employee.
Rules: Rules tell the software what to do in different situations. For example, invoices over £5,000 might need approval from the finance director, while smaller invoices go to the accounts manager.
Approvals: Some decisions still need a person. An automated workflow can send a request to the right manager, then continue once that person approves or rejects it.

Here's an example of how these elements work together. An employee submits an expense claim, which triggers the workflow. The software checks that receipts are attached and sends claims over a certain amount to a manager. Once the manager approves the claim, the software schedules the payment and saves the record.

The employee doesn't need to chase down the manager, and the manager doesn't need to remember to forward the approved claim to accounting. The software handles those steps.

Workflow automation examples across your business

Many everyday business tasks can be automated. The best candidates are tasks that happen frequently, follow the same basic steps and don't require much human judgement.

Here are five ways businesses can use workflow automation.

Administration: When HR marks a new employee as hired, an automated workflow can order their laptop, create their accounts, schedule induction sessions and notify their manager. This helps make sure everything is ready for their first day.
Sales: When someone fills out an enquiry form on your website, the software can create a lead record, assess the lead, assign it to a salesperson and send an acknowledgement email. It can also schedule reminders so the salesperson remembers to follow up.
Customer service: When a customer submits a support ticket, the software can categorise it, assign it to the right employee and send the customer a reference number. Urgent requests can be flagged immediately, while overdue tickets trigger reminders.
Finance: Automated workflows can collect invoices, match them to purchase orders, send them to the right person for approval and schedule payments. They can also keep records of who approved each payment.
Operations: If stock drops below a certain level, an automated workflow can alert your purchasing team. Service businesses can also use automation to update project dashboards and notify clients when a project reaches a new stage.

Benefits of workflow automation

One of the biggest benefits of workflow automation is saving time. Employees don't have to spend as much of their day forwarding emails, entering the same information into different systems or checking whether someone has completed a task.

Automation can also help your business in several other ways.

Faster turnaround times: Tasks move to the next step automatically, so work doesn't sit in someone's inbox waiting to be forwarded. This can help speed up everything from invoice approvals to customer service requests.
Fewer mistakes: Software follows the same rules every time. It won't forget to attach a document, skip a required approval or overlook a step because it's having a busy day.
More consistent processes: Everyone follows the same workflow, making it easier to maintain standards across teams and departments.
Better visibility: Many automation tools let you see exactly where a task is in the process. You can check which invoices are waiting for approval, which customer requests are overdue and where delays keep happening.
More time for important work: Employees can spend less time on administrative tasks and more time helping customers, solving problems and making decisions.

Research from McKinsey has highlighted how much working time can be spent on activities that could potentially be automated. Reducing those routine tasks can give employees more time to focus on work that needs their experience and judgement.

Limitations to be honest about

Workflow automation can make running a business easier, but there are a few things to consider before getting started.

Automation won't fix a poorly organised process. If your current process has unnecessary steps, confusing instructions or too many approvals, automating it won't solve those problems. You'll just end up with the same complicated process running through software. Review how the work gets done and simplify it first.

Some tasks still need people. Software can't account for every possible situation. A customer complaint, unusual expense or complicated approval may need someone to review the details. Set up your workflows so these situations go to the right employee instead of getting stuck or being processed incorrectly. You can read more about the role of human oversight in TechBrains' AI automation statistics.

Incorrect data can cause problems. If your customer database has duplicate records, missing information or incorrect details, automation can spread those errors across other systems. Clean up your data before connecting everything.

Employees need to be involved. People are less likely to use a new system if they don't understand how it works or why it's being introduced. Ask employees which repetitive tasks cause the most frustration and involve them when designing the workflows. They're often the ones who know where the problems are. Uma Technology's review of common automation mistakes covers several issues businesses can run into.

Workflows need maintenance. Business processes change. You might introduce a new approval policy, switch accounting software or reorganise a department. When that happens, your automated workflows may need updating, too. Plan for ongoing maintenance as part of the cost.

Getting started: steps for your first automated workflow

You don't need to automate your entire business at once. Start with one process that's taking up too much time or causing frequent problems. Once you've got that working, you can move on to other tasks.

Find repetitive tasks. Talk to the employees who handle everyday administrative work. Ask which tasks they repeat most often, where delays happen and what takes longer than they should. Look for processes that follow a predictable set of steps.
Map out the process. Write down everything that happens from start to finish. Include who handles each step, what information they need, where approvals happen and what should happen if something goes wrong.
Get rid of unnecessary steps. Before automating anything, look for tasks that can be combined or removed. You may find that some approvals, emails or data entry steps aren't needed at all.
Set up triggers, actions, rules and approvals. Decide what starts the workflow, what the software should do automatically and when a person needs to step in. Make sure there's a plan for unusual situations.
Choose the right automation software. Look for a tool that works with the software your business already uses and can handle the process you've chosen. You don't necessarily need the most expensive option or the one with the longest list of features.
Test the workflow before expanding. Try it with a small number of tasks and make sure everything works as expected. Check how long the process takes, whether errors have decreased and what employees think. Fix any problems before using automation more widely.

A good place to start is with paperwork-heavy processes, such as invoices, expense claims or applications. These often involve the same information and steps every time, making them easier to automate.

What to look for when evaluating automation software

There are plenty of workflow automation tools available, but they don't all work the same way. Some are designed for small businesses with simple processes, while others can handle complicated workflows across multiple departments.

When comparing your options, look at these features.

Ease of use: You shouldn't need to be a software developer to create a basic workflow. Look for tools with visual builders that let you drag and drop steps, set rules and make changes without writing code.
Integrations and triggers: Check that the tool connects with the systems you already use, such as your email platform, customer relationship management (CRM) software, accounting system and file storage. Integration lets those systems share information, while automation uses that information to complete tasks. Our companion article on software integration explains how this works in more detail.
Flexible rules and approvals: Make sure you can set different rules based on the situation. For example, you may need multiple approval levels, different routes for certain requests or a way to send unusual cases to an employee.
Tracking and error handling: Look for a dashboard that shows where tasks are in the workflow and alerts you when something goes wrong. It's also helpful to have a record of changes, approval history and controls over who can edit workflows.
Room to grow: Think about whether the software can handle more workflows, users and tasks as your business grows. You don't want to have to rebuild everything because your needs have changed.
Total cost: Compare more than the monthly subscription price. Consider setup, training, maintenance and any extra charges for users, integrations or automated tasks. Then compare those costs with the time and money you expect to save.

Before committing to a platform, try building a simple workflow using a free trial or demo. This can help you spot problems with the software before you've invested too much time or money.

Conclusion

Workflow automation can help your business save time, reduce mistakes and keep everyday tasks moving without constant follow-ups. It can also make it easier to track what's happening across your business and give employees more time to focus on customers and other important work.

Start with one repetitive process, figure out how to simplify it and choose software that can handle the steps you want to automate. Test it, make adjustments and see how much time you're actually saving. Once you've worked out what works best for your team, you can start automating more of your business.

Sources

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Alina Bradford

I have been a freelance writer for more than 20 years and have worked with many large publications and companies such as Reader’s Digest, MTV, CBS, and more.

https://Alinabradford.com