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Businesses require increasing output with limited resources while at the same time improving the efficiency of processes and workflow.
BPA software enables this, helping solve workflow issues while scaling processes more effectively and efficiently. Our guide can teach you everything there is to know about Business Process Automation.
What Is A Business Process?
Business processes are defined as a set of activities and tasks which lead to an outcome. A detailed business process description, such as its model or map, must include not only tasks but also any systems or people required for its completion.
Business processes can be divided into core, long-tail, or support processes. With appropriate strategies and software solutions, each business process can be optimized and automated to achieve business excellence.
Please see more details below for additional insight.
Business Process Automation (BPA)
Automation technology enables employees to focus their energies on more critical work tasks. Automation also lowers costs while improving efficiencies - further streamlining complicated business processes.
Business Process Automation should not be confused with Business Process Management; instead, it is an umbrella discipline that encompasses managing complex processes across an organization using different methodologies.
Business process automation (BPA) refers to software that reduces and enhances human efforts within an individual business process.
BPA's primary aim is to automate as many steps as possible of each process involving tasks and workflows; one study found that around 30% of the work completed by U.S. employees could be automated using BPA (also known as low-code automation).
Business Process Automation Software
Business Process Automation software, commonly referred to as BPA, provides technology used for planning, implementing, and monitoring process automations.
BPA platforms or solutions also include automation frameworks. When combined, they're known as low-code automation platforms or tools.
Low-code software automates workflows and business processes while giving teams without programming knowledge the power to model them.
The Low-code Platform integrates into existing stacks to orchestrate business processes while eliminating data silos for improved consistency and orchestrating workflows across an enterprise.
Business Process Automation Types
BPA stands for Business Process Automation; however, it also refers to specific forms of automation like robotic process automation (RPA).
Examples:
Task Automation
Task automation aims to minimize or remove manual work within specific processes - for instance, emailing, creating documents, collecting signatures, or updating statuses.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation aims to automate multiple tasks within an organization's workflows. Some workflows allow all steps of automation, while others, usually those requiring critical thinking or decision-making, may still require employee participation.
Process Automation
Process automation differs from task automation by looking at every part of a process in its entirety and finding opportunities for automating as much of it as possible, including both tasks and workflows of activity or workflow.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Automating specific tasks using custom-coded bots is an excellent idea. RPA works perfectly well at automating repetitive, structured repetitive tasks which occur every day in precisely the same manner; an employee spending part of his day entering data into one system before adding it into another is one example of such work that does not involve decision-making processes.
Intelligent Automation
Intelligent automation is an advanced solution that integrates task, RPA, and process automation with artificial intelligence and data analytics for greater productivity.
Examples Of Business Process Automation (BPA)
Business Process Automation, commonly called BPA, utilizes technology to automate manual or repetitive processes within business processes for increased efficiency, accuracy, and reduced costs.
BPA includes employee onboarding and purchase order processing. At the same time, it also encompasses Customer service operations such as Sales/marketing strategies/lead generation/accounting as well as data entry processes.
Here are a few examples of where business process automation may be applied in businesses:
Employee Onboarding
An employee search may appear straightforward at first, yet involves many complex processes and steps. Tasks associated with hiring include filling in employee information forms and organizing training as well as setting up bank accounts, gathering documents, and assigning mentors; without automation, this entire process would become chaotic:
- No End to Paperwork
- You may be missing out on certain tasks
- Employee dissatisfaction
- Low Productivity
Business process automation will enable smoother transitions from task to task, keep relevant employees informed, and provide visibility over the progress of processes.
Purchase Orders
Organizations often follow an established protocol when it comes to ordering purchases: forms are filled out and submitted from one group or individuals to their buying team for review; after reviewing this request, an approving authority may reject or modify it based on sufficient or budget restrictions and it will return to them with copies being distributed to both inventories team and supplier as necessary.
Without automation, this process would likely become cumbersome:
- Delay in PO approval
- Productivity impacts
- Complete records are not available
- The PO is incorrect
- Take delivery with errors
An automated business process platform will improve accountability and transparency by recording accurate data that stakeholders can easily access when needed.
Furthermore, such platforms facilitate efficient workflow by keeping any communication related to processes within the workflow in mind for user use - making processes faster and simpler overall for them:
- Customer support: Think about all of the support tickets your business gets whenever there's an issue with its application or website; instead of your employee responding manually each time someone makes a complaint, BPA can automatically reply with customized responses whenever any messages contain one or more keywords that match an automated search criteria - saving staff time while meeting customer satisfaction more rapidly than before.
- Approval management: Numerous large companies utilize processes requiring multiple signatories for approval before proceeding with another stage, often creating bottlenecks that delay approvals and further slow progress. BPA could automate such approval processes to "start" them off more smoothly.
- Accounts payable: Processing invoices and making payments is a continuous task that needs to be monitored carefully to be done successfully. BPA provides assistance by helping scan, recognize, gather, sort, email, and pay on time all required financial documents - keeping everything centralized and secure storage makes closing accounts much simpler too.
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Use Cases For Business Processes With Workflow Automation
BPA can be utilized across any department within an enterprise, making its flexibility ideal for orchestrating processes and making use of BPA possible across different divisions and functions.
Finance And Procurement
BPA is used by Finance and Procurement teams to streamline incoming items like purchase approvals and reimbursements, as well as speed the credit approval process, enforce compliance standards, and meet security standards.
Finance teams utilize BPA in purchasing, receivables management, and expense reimbursement.
Sales & Marketing
BPA increases revenue through more efficient marketing and sales processes, including reduced time taken to complete marketing requests, as well as faster onboarding of new customers.
BPA integrates seamlessly into existing CRMs for sales automation and filling process gaps; alternatively, it may even be used for creating sales pipeline stages and managing them more quickly than enterprise CRMs alone.
People Ops
One of the critical focuses of HR departments should be providing a smooth candidate/employee experience from application through hiring to onboarding of employees; BPA enables this by speeding up hiring times and increasing onboarding rates of recruits.
Furthermore, integrations exist between BPA and various HR systems/apps for seamless processes related to recruitment, onboarding, and request management.
How Can Automating Business Processes Benefit You?
Automation makes processes more efficient; however, this does not adequately convey how Business Process Automation (BPA) impacts processes or benefits companies.
BPA does reduce spreadsheet usage and repetitive tasks performed manually - both of which free up precious time for work that matters; however, standardizing business processes through automation may have significant performance-improving impacts for a business in many ways - by:
- They are making security and compliance easier.
- Consistency of employee/customer experiences.
- Reporting and monitoring process KPIs can be simplified.
- Reduce errors and delays.
- Increasing predictability.
- They enable the orchestration of processes across teams or departments.
- Stack extensibility is a way to extend the functionality of apps already in use.
Standardized processes facilitate scaling. Scaling can be made simpler if each process uses identical data and workflows every time; standardizing makes them more efficient, too; business process automation provides control, consistency, and coordination across an entire process fabric.
What Processes In Business Can Be Automated?
Automating any business process is possible; all it requires is to determine how much can be automated and find an optimal automation solution based on what process it's for.
We will explore some types of processes within businesses which could benefit from being automated further below.
Core Processes
Core business processes of an organization are those which generate revenue and have direct relevance to its main activities, with significant tech components like ERP, CRM, or point solutions often responsible for automating these core processes.
Core processes may include but aren't limited to:
- Sales processes
- Market processes
- Customer service processes
- Production Processes
- Distributing processes
Support Processes
Support processes provide essential services that enable core processes to run effectively. As integral to business as they may seem, support processes are crucial even though they do not directly generate revenues; many support processes are precious to employees within an organization compared with those outside.
Support processes may even be automated using specific software solutions like accounting programs; overall, they may fall under three broad headings:
- Human Resources processes
- Financial processes
- It processes
Long-Tail Processes
Long-tail processes address needs not met by existing components, like CRM. At the same time, CRM might automate sales pipeline stages but not data entry processes between unconnected apps or onboarding processes.
Examples include financial applications that don't offer automated solutions for vendor approval or HRIS systems that do not automate new hire requests; request management processes can often require customization and changes frequently - these processes have come to be known as long tail processes; with low-code business process automation software, this can all be taken care of automatically.
Why Automate Your Business Processes?
Automating business processes is beneficial in numerous ways.
Digital Transformation: A Stepstone To Digital Transformation
Organizations just beginning the digital transformation journey may find the transition daunting. Adopting a culture that supports continuous transformation may start with business process automation - start small by targeting processes needing immediate course correction, then work your way upward.
Your business may be going through a digital transition due to technological developments. While the change can initially feel intimidating, BPA offers another means of transitioning more gradually into an environment centered on technology - something which could significantly boost productivity levels in your workplace.
Improved Employee Satisfaction And Output
Automation of repetitive tasks can take the burden off staff members. They'll have more time for challenging, intellectually stimulating work that makes an impactful statement about who they are as employees, leading to higher employee satisfaction, productivity, and reduced turnover rates.
Software automation serves to complement human resources rather than displace them - it helps manage repetitive tasks with sophisticated robotic process automatons (RPAs), so your employees can concentrate on high-value activities they were hired for rather than mundane, repetitive ones that take away valuable resources and time from working towards high-value tasks they were hired for.
Clearer Clarity
Automating business processes requires clear design. Automation cannot happen if one lacks knowledge about processes and tasks; process mapping provides training and clarity to staff as a training device and a way to provide training programs.
At the same time, analysis will reveal where your current processes lack efficacy.
Streamline Processes
Simplification of processes is one of the many advantages offered by process automation systems. You're freer to focus on tasks that matter while eliminating unnecessary activities with clear accountability measures, customized notifications, valuable insights, and quicker turnaround times.
Get Compliance Records
Business process automation provides a way of documenting all elements of an organization's operations in detail.
It can serve to demonstrate compliance during audits.
Standardize Operations
Automating business processes gives your organization more predictable outcomes that enhance customer relations and build customer trust.
Standardizing procedures makes your organization appear more reliable to potential clients while expanding your clientele base.
Increase Customer Satisfaction
Every successful business is built on a foundation of satisfied customers. Achieve customer delight quickly by emphasizing operational and process excellence - customers will more readily choose your services if your standards remain consistently met.
Transparency & Management
Staying focused can be tough with all of our daily obligations; with BPA, you can outline, define and analyze existing workflows to improve them and train new employees or gain insight into areas in which operations could benefit from improvements.
Read More: Enhancing Technology Services with Process Automation
Smooth Operation
BPA streamlines operations and allows you to monitor their development. It can prevent vital tasks from being overlooked.
Saving Time And Money
Automatic and orderly processes save time and money; when operations run more efficiently, money savings are also realized.
Reduced Compliance Risk
Regulation is an integral component of all industries, but particularly evident within finance. Digital software which records audit trails and stores the history of operations performed can reduce risk.
In contrast, BPA software produces reports and updates dashboards automatically for consistency and regulatory compliance - something data tools excel at doing through real-time dashboard monitoring processes as well as sending automated reports directly to selected parties as well as producing quick audit trails for regulatory bodies.
Minimize Human Error
Data management and entry can become chaotic when handled manually by people. Human errors become more likely as data volumes increase.
In contrast, automation tools have been designed with greater precision that reduces human mistakes significantly.
Business Process Automation Tools: Benefits
Automating your business processes tools can bring many advantages:
- Access to data can be improved, increasing productivity. Cloud-based tools for business process automation store all your data in a centralized repository that you can access anytime and anywhere - providing increased convenience when accessing it from multiple locations simultaneously.
- Transparency will increase throughout your business processes by tracking and monitoring them as they run, improving accountability and transparency.
- Tracking processes on-the-fly allows you to address errors as soon as they arise, using performance reports as tools for insight and taking swift action against errors. With time comes reduced intervention requirements resulting in quicker turnaround and lower costs overall.
- The application can help improve worker allocation by taking over repetitive and mundane tasks for you - freeing them up so they can focus on tasks requiring human judgment and effort.
An automated business process system can significantly boost productivity. Conceived on the principle of constant process improvement, its efficiency will only continue to increase over time.
Best Practices For Business Process Automation
Assigning automation tools won't guarantee success; instead, to achieve automation effectively, you must be pragmatic and methodical in your approach.
Here are a few tips on making automation successful:
- Start by outlining all of the tasks involved and assigning responsibility and an anticipated completion time frame for each of them.
- Before automating any business procedure, ensure your goals are clearly articulated to save time on course corrections.
- Phased approaches provide you with a way to measure results more precisely; organizations often become disappointed if results do not manifest overnight, leading to disappointment for some organizations.
- It is wise to allow sufficient adjustment time and training time when investing in employees; to maximize returns over the long haul by adopting this long-term perspective.
- Where possible, opt for readymade solutions.
Easy Steps To Implement BPA
BPA answers these challenges; with its five easy implementation steps, you can bring automation to business process management and enhance operations management.
Select Tasks For Automation
- Your organization could benefit from using a process map to identify tasks that could be automated, thus streamlining work operations.
- Prioritize your business goals
- What's your goal right now?
- What can automation offer me?
- What will your measure of success be?
Choose The Right Tool
Selecting an effective tool requires careful thought: be sure of what tool best serves your purpose:
- Simple to operate.
- Integration with Existing Tool-stack
- For optimal flexibility and scalability, ensure the tool can gather information from existing applications to use all available data in your company. Doing this allows secure storage in one central place so all those authorized can benefit from its workings.
Change Management
- Training should be provided for all staff, especially those working directly with technology daily.
- An open culture to change should include your team in training sessions that provide ongoing education.
- Regular sessions offer continued development for employees working directly on it daily.
Monitoring And Measurement
- Your tools of use should adapt to your business, helping to monitor KPIs and make adjustments as necessary.
- Keeping an eye on them for changes is also helpful for tracking KPIs more accurately and making necessary modifications as they arise.
What Is The Difference Between BPA And RPA?
Robotic Process Automation and Business Process Automation can often be confused; however, each has distinct differences.
RPA refers to using bots or programming codes to complete specific tasks at keystroke levels that mimic human actions - for instance, copy-pasting data into apps or spreadsheets from computer systems into another computer system is one example of RPA; BPA differs significantly in several key areas, including cost:
- BPA was explicitly created to focus on an entire process rather than RPA, which addresses only specific tasks.
- BPA software utilizes low-code development to reduce the amount of code necessary for automating or optimizing processes, providing visually appealing user interfaces without necessitating end users to learn to code themselves.
- BPA offers additional features not found in RPA, such as support for process modeling and collaboration enhancement, data tracking insights into process performance as well as more.
Assuming you understand automation well enough to recognize its different forms, RPA may be applied if its automation can be quickly isolated.
At the same time, BPA may include automation across several process steps.
Does BPA Mean The Same Thing As BPM?
Business Process Management, commonly called BPM, is another term often used interchangeably with Business Process Analysis (BPA).
BPM refers to an area or strategy which specializes in modeling, overseeing, improving, and orchestrating various forms of business processes in an efficient manner that makes sense for people, systems, or data involved with these processes.
Think about the differences between BPA and BPM in terms of their respective goals; BPA seeks to optimize and create an efficient process layer by integrating and automating it, while BPM ensures the process layer helps your business meet its targets.
BPA (Business Process Automation) is one component of Business Process Management (BPM). BPA tools often offer sophisticated features explicitly designed to assist BPM methodologies; for instance, these could include customizable reporting or process modeling features essential in taking an integrated BPM approach.
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The Bottom Line
Data speaks volumes; RPA tools and business automation software continue to surpass expectations regarding efficiency.
According to one report, RPA helped boost productivity by 86% while decreasing costs by 59% while increasing compliance by 92%. Businesses of all kinds are adopting automation technology more and more frequently for managing processes across different industries.
We can assist your business to take its operations to a higher level with no-code cloud applications that don't require extensive IT assistance to install, with intuitive drag-and-drop form creators and visual designers that make designing workflows a snap.
Plus, role-based access ensures data security by giving you control over who has access to specific files or folders.
