Automation of the workflow: from a person to a program

Blog

06 Martie 2023

The transfer of solutions to some problems in automatic mode without human intervention is one of the most popular and highly effective ideas of our time.

Repetitive tasks and actions that are performed automatically speed up and simplify routine work, while employees and employees are engaged in other projects that require thoughtfulness and creativity. The simplest process automation algorithm significantly increases productivity by reducing the need for manual work and transferring the flow of information and documents into automated processing mode.

Repetitive tasks that do not require significant intellectual work, but are necessary for the company's production cycle, can be easily transferred to an automated mode if the tasks of this process, its rules and execution logic are clearly defined

Where a workflow automation system can be used

personnel management (any personnel changes);
accounting (data entry, changes in wages);
marketing operations;
sales and purchases;
healthcare (electronic medical records, staff work schedule);
jurisprudence (systematization of clients and terms of consideration of their cases).

Specialists of VESTA UNION GROUP S.R.L. advise on how to implement process automation in a particular company, minimizing costs and enhancing the prospect of income.

You have already seen how it works

The simplest example of work automation is electronic document management. From the process of signing various documents, for example, secretaries and couriers, accountants (invoices are automatically issued) and sales managers (requests, invoices, etc. are also generated by the program) can be excluded. No one carries documents from office to office - as soon as the necessary signature is put, the next stage of approval automatically starts. The electronic document management program sets tasks for employees and notifies them of the beginning or completion of any action with the document.

In publishing, for example, when creating a newspaper, human participation begins and ends only at the creative level: write material, take a photo, check texts for errors. Subsequent actions, namely the placement of texts in newspaper columns, the selection of fonts for headings, the choice of styles for captions of illustrations or templates for layout of newspaper pages, occur automatically in accordance with the tasks. In this process, the task of a person (journalist, editor or layout designer) is to see the final result before publication and make final edits.

You can also add well-known CRM systems, ERP systems, accounting software, project management systems, etc. to the list of similar process automation systems.

What can be automated first:

The document, which is drawn up by the owner of a small business, has mandatory points that cover issues of working relations with people in the organization:

mailing of e-mails;
filling in various forms and templates;
distribution of tasks or workload volumes among employees, departments, branches, etc.;
reports and information panels, databases;

statuses of review, progression of processes or documentation, triggering appropriate alerts in case of delays or backtracking to a previous step in the process;
calendar events, start and end dates of the assigned task;

Benefits of process automation:

The main advantage is, of course, savings. Time, human resources, finance, equipment. It's easy to check: using a timer, you can find out how many minutes, or even hours, one person will spend sending 100 emails, and how many seconds a bot created specifically for this purpose needs. The work will of course be completed faster as it does not require human input.	Increasing the efficiency of labor and gradual exclusion of the human factor, which can lead to shortcomings in the processes of activity. Automation reduces the probability of errors to zero, removes unnecessary data and updates them in case of new information. Responsibility of participants in the process, who are automatically appointed by the task executors with appropriate notifications and confirmations directly by the participants.
Involvement and cooperation of all team members who at different stages of the process can track their area of responsibility, as well as make the necessary comments in the process of solving the task.	Transparency: all participants in the process see the progress of the task, can adjust their time and effort, be aware of who else is involved in this workflow. Access to common company resources, databases.
Tight communication associated with the absence of gaps in communication between all participants in the process, since all letters, notifications and feedback are automated.

What is the best workflow automation program to choose?

Of course, the one that will best meet the goals and objectives of the company. It will not work to automate 100 percent of the work, however, according to statistics, at least a third of the processes can be switched to automatic mode, namely those that take a lot of time and only indirectly affect the result of the work. After determining the list of these processes, it is necessary to contact specialized specialists who will select an automation system for the specified actions and templates, taking into account the requirements and costs for installing such a system. Since impersonal process automation template programs may not always fit the needs of specific companies, before automating, it is better to contact a specialist first.

At VESTA UNION GROUP S.R.L. you will be advised on the line of software products for automating workflows, draw up a plan for the effective implementation of automation, draw up an algorithm for training staff to work in new conditions.