What is Business Process Automation
A detailed note on BPA, the types, usage, how to setup and how to evaluate. Everything you need to understand to improve your business.
Business process automation is quickly becoming essential for companies looking to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. By automating repetitive, manual processes, businesses can achieve dramatic gains in productivity, accuracy, and cost savings. This allows them to focus their efforts on more value-adding work.
In this post, we’ll explore what exactly business process automation is, its key benefits, methods for automating processes, how to implement automation successfully, and how it compares to related process optimization approaches. Read on to learn how to leverage automation to streamline operations and take your business to the next level!
Business process automation refers to the use of technology to automate routine, repetitive processes that were previously performed manually. This could include tasks like transferring data between systems, filling out forms, or sending standardized emails and notifications.
Essentially, the goal is to take processes that involve repetitive, routine work and handle them digitally instead of manually. This saves a ton of time and effort while also improving accuracy.
Some common examples of processes that are prime for automation include:
The key difference between business process automation and business process management (BPM) is that BPM looks at processes holistically to optimize and improve them. Automation focuses specifically on taking the repetitive, manual parts of processes and handling them digitally. So automation is often part of a broader BPM strategy.
There are a number of excellent reasons to implement business process automation. The leading benefits include:
Automating manual tasks frees up human workers to focus their time and energy on tasks that create more value for the business. This drives big productivity gains. Employees can handle more transactions and workflow with automation support.
Manual data entry and workflows inevitably lead to human error. But automated systems perform repetitive tasks precisely the same way every time without mistakes. This boosts accuracy and prevents costly errors.
Automated systems can process information and execute workflow steps much faster than humans performing manual work. This accelerates processes and allows the business to handle higher volumes.
By reducing manual labor and overhead required for routine tasks, automation provides hard dollar cost reductions through higher productivity and efficiency.
It’s easy to scale automated processes by adding more bots or API calls as transaction volumes grow. This supports business growth without proportionally growing headcount and labor costs.
Automated systems apply business rules consistently every time. This improves compliance with standards and regulations when processes involve risk factors.
There are a variety of technical approaches used to automate different types of business processes, including:
RPA uses software “robots” that mimic human actions like copying and pasting data or moving files. It automates repetitive, rules-based digital tasks performed on a user interface.
Connecting and integrating business systems through modern platforms and APIs enables moving data seamlessly between applications. This automation mechanism is ideal for integration-centric processes.
Specialist workflow automation tools allow configuring rules-based workflows that route tasks, data, and documents between human users and systems.
AI can be trained to handle unstructured data and automate more cognitive tasks like analyzing documents, images, or conversational interfaces.
Low-code platforms allow non-technical users to automate workflows with simple drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built templates.
The steps for successfully implementing automation in your business include:
First, analyze your operations to pinpoint processes involving repetitive, rules-based manual work that are suitable for automation. Prioritize based on impact.
Next, fully document the processes slated for automation. Analyze how work flows through the process to identify the steps to digitize.
Optimize the processes for automation. For example, standardize workflows and consolidate fragmented legacy processes.
Determine the right automation approaches, tools, and platforms based on the types of processes and use cases. Robotic process automation, workflow software, and integration platforms each have their strengths.
Configure the automation technologies to handle the manual activities identified within the processes. Develop robots, workflows, integrations, and other automation mechanisms.
Rigorously test automations before deployment to ensure they execute processes correctly and handle edge cases. Fix any issues.
Roll out automations while monitoring performance. Manage changes and updates smoothly. Track automation usage and impact on KPIs.
Use data and metrics to spot opportunities for additional automation and optimization. Maintain a cycle of continuous improvement.
While hugely beneficial, adopting automation isn’t always straightforward. Some key challenges to address include:
With proactive change management and a well-architected technology stack, these hurdles can be overcome to successfully implement automation.
It’s important to measure the performance of automated processes to validate ROI and identify areas for additional improvement. Key metrics include:
Dashboards, analytics, and reporting capabilities are hugely beneficial for tracking automation metrics comprehensively across the organization. They provide visibility that helps ensure your automation investments are paying dividends.
While process automation is crucial for digitizing manual work, other optimization approaches also bring value:
Project management focuses on executing one-time initiatives with a defined start and end date. Automation optimizes ongoing, repetitive business processes.
Program management coordinates interconnected projects and aligns them to business objectives. Automation targets the routine transactional processes that support projects.
Workflow management organizes end-to-end processes involving human and system tasks. Automation specifically focuses on the human manual activities within workflows.
Business process automation delivers game-changing performance improvements, cost reductions, and competitive advantages to modern businesses. We’re still just scratching the surface of the benefits automation can provide as new technologies emerge.
AI and machine learning in particular will unlock the automation of more sophisticated processes beyond just routine tasks. Advancements in natural language processing, computer vision, and conversational interfaces will enable the automation of more unstructured work.
It’s an exciting time to leverage automation, as the capabilities grow exponentially each year. Companies that embrace automation position themselves for long-term success as leaders in their industries.
