Every time we talk about business process automation we talk about simplification, transparency, precision and optimization, i.e. the advantages it brings. With our article, however, we want to explain to you what the concrete steps are to make this important transition.
Before starting, it is necessary to clarify the concept of business process. A process is a set of activities aimed at achieving a specific goal. These activities also include common and repetitive operations such as "copy and paste", data entry, filling in or generating invoices, etc. Businesses are, all in all, a large set of interrelated activities, and business automation has a particular focus on tasks considered repetitive.
Automation of business processes
First step: the study
The first step taken by digitization professionals is the analysis and supervision of all company activities and their performance with the aim of dividing them into various types. The activities are, in fact, divided into those in which the human touch is essential from those that could be carried out automatically, the more complex ones from the simple and more or less repetitive ones. In this phase, if necessary, it is possible to resort to interviews with employees and managers of the various areas examined.
Second step: choose the most suitable solution
There are two ways to go:
Choosing a solution designed to automate precise processes by integrating a technological platform to support process management and automation with a strong involvement of the department.
Choosing RPA (Robotic Process Automation) software, i.e. creating robots that work on existing applications by imitating the actions of human beings. Robots are able to learn and therefore improve over time.
Third step: implementation
Once the most suitable automation solution has been selected and designed for the company in question, we move on to the implementation phase and therefore the putting into practice of the technological tools. In parallel, employees will be educated on new procedures and to make the most of the new technology; resistance to change is likely to be encountered, which is why gradual accompaniment is necessary.
Fourth step: monitoring
The step in which the monitoring takes place is crucial to understand if the chosen technological solution is the right one and if everything is proceeding as planned.
Business automation is often considered an essential goal without taking into account the objectives and characteristics of business processes. Successful automated workflows need to be designed with clear goals in mind, as you implement the workflow you need to test it along the way to ensure that progress is actually being made towards that goal.