Workflow automation has become a trending term in recent years thanks to the significant change it has created in operations management. Organisational structures and business processes that were once unwieldy and labour-intensive can now be streamlined with advanced tools, such as workflow management software.
If you’re looking to introduce more efficiency and productivity to your operations this year then workflow automation could make all the difference — whether it’s financial management, accounting, HR, procurement, or just about any operation.
What is Workflow Automation?
For every business process, there is usually a workflow that is required to complete it. These workflows are not always particularly intuitive and could be expensive and time-consuming to manage when they rely on purely manual tasks for completion.
Many also experience a high proportion of errors for the same reason.
Workflow automation is the evolution of these processes, swapping the manual component for web-based intuitive workflow solutions that are swift, accurate, and relatively inexpensive.
This hands-off approach makes it seamless and easier to manage complex business processes and streamlines repetitive and time-consuming work.
What Kind of Workflows Benefit from Automation?
There are many different processes that can be made more efficient and effective with workflow automation. Here’s a look at some very common ones especially as related to financial accounting workflows:
- Purchase invoice approvals
- Expense reimbursements
- Intercompany invoicing
- Credit card statement processing
- Accounts payable
- Sales invoicing
- Fixed asset onboarding
Of course more than these, there are other functions that benefit from switching to a more intuitive, automated solution.
The Benefits of Automated Workflows for Your Organisation’s Processes
Cloud hosting: If you’re keen to keep costs down, the cloud hosting element of automated workflows ensures a lower cost of ownership, as well as easy and secure access from anywhere with an internet connection. This kind of flexibility provides a lot of operational support to businesses looking to be increasingly lean and agile.
Intuitive and easy to use: Automated workflows, such as Kissflow for SunSystem, are very easy to use with a mobile app for iOS and Android that enables flexible access on the move and requires very little training.
Simple integration with existing systems: Automated workflows are designed to be easy to integrate – FinanSys Flow, for example, has seamless integration with SunSystems to create more efficient performance.
Enhancing existing processes and policies: The sophisticated nature of the automated workflow provides an upgrade to existing organisational processes and policies and offers the opportunity to better tailor these to the needs of the business.
Driving productivity: Automation is an efficiency tool and one that is designed to enable resources to be better directed to the right areas of the business and correctly used. Automating workflows removes the potential for the errors and issues that can bring productivity to a grinding halt, and enables overall better management to produce much more impressive results.
Reliability: When the benefits of automation are discussed, it’s often advantages such as productivity and cost effectiveness that are mentioned first. However, the reliability of automation is another way in which automated workflows can better support your business’ organisational processes.
Reducing human error: Errors are almost inevitable in a process operated mainly by humans. Automation helps in eliminating every form of human error and improving accuracy in the process.
We no longer live in a world of long, boring manual processes. Workflow automation is changing the way business operations are managed, and chances are that your competitors are already implementing it.
If you’d like to find out more about how automated workflows could benefit your business, get in touch with us.
