Business processes always benefit from being made more efficient. Saving time and money on the core elements of any organization’s operations will improve its competitiveness and profitability.
The rise of process automation technology has made this possible for companies of all sizes and across every industry. Here is a look at what this involves and the benefits it brings to the table.
What is process automation technology?
In essence, the tech that allows for process automation is typically software-based, thus providing you with the flexibility and adaptability to handle a whole host of potential use cases.
With the right workflow automation platform, you can eliminate the manual elements from all sorts of areas, including device management and security, to API integration and project management.
This sounds all-encompassing, but in reality it can be implemented on whatever scale makes sense for your business and your budget.
Why does this matter so much?
One of the main issues that process automation seeks to address is that of the fragmentation that can come about as a side effect of digital transformation.
When businesses embrace new solutions, this tends to increase the complexity of the infrastructure and software ecosystem elements for which they are responsible. With more and more endpoints added to the mix, staying on top of all this is a time sink as well as a technical challenge.
Such concerns might make you skeptical about the appeal of migrating away from legacy systems in the first place, which could hold your company back.
Process automation platforms seek to pull together the disparate strands of your digital transformation strategy and make them work in harmony. Thus your business can be lean and innovative without suffering from IT sprawl or spiraling expenses.
How does it work?
The exact workings of process automation tech depend on the platform in question, but there are some commonplace features that tie this market together.
As you might imagine, one of the most popular applications of this technology is to allow software processes to be fulfilled automatically, meaning that a human employee does not have to commit any time to a potentially tedious and repetitive task.
You could automate the process of extracting data from a spreadsheet, or even of navigating a more complex program with whatever inputs are required.
In a sense this automation tech allows for a level of interoperability which would otherwise be impossible without a flesh and blood user in the mix. And of course because the software can run around the clock, without the need for a rest, it will be quicker as well as more accurate than any human team member.
This interoperability is especially relevant in a digital transformation context, as hinted at earlier. While legacy systems might be labor-intensive to migrate away from, process automation can ease the burden.
Is this a problem for workers?
As with all types of automation, there is the temptation to worry that automated processes will take work away from humans and thus render roles redundant, leading to issues of unemployment. In reality the opposite is true; by freeing people of the responsibility to take care of often mind-numbing processes manually, businesses can realign their priorities and make better use of their human resources.
The productivity benefits also work both ways. Process automation is a naturally productive approach, and also means that team members can get more done in less time.
All of this means that businesses can take advantage of process automation tech, while workers will be more productive and more satisfied with their jobs, all in one fell swoop.
