We leverage software to simplify our lives and enhance productivity
We leverage software to simplify our lives and enhance productivity. These tools, however, come with their peculiarities. Furthermore, inefficiencies don’t evaporate simply because you’re using a specific application. Often, people attempt to adapt software to their business needs with some human intervention—usually in the form of manual data entry. Workflow automation can eliminate the need for this.
Delving into Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is the process of streamlining and automating a series of tasks within the apps you use. It allows you to design processes with your business in mind, rather than fitting your processes to the tools you use. The best part is that it’s all automated.
In this article, we’ll delve into the following topics:
- The definition of workflow automation
- The reasons to invest in workflow automation
- Who benefits from workflow automation
- Ideas for workflow automation
- How to automate workflows and processes with tools like Zapier
Understanding Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is a method of automating a series of repeatable tasks within the software you use. It transcends one-off tasks like saving emails to your to-do list. To better understand workflow automation, we need to dissect what automation is and what a workflow entails.
Automation is simply setting something up to run automatically. The essence of any automation boils down to a straightforward command: WHEN and DO. ‘When this happens, do that.’ Even the most intricate automation can be distilled to this basic command.
On the other hand, a workflow is a repeatable set of steps within an app or apps to complete a process. While a process outlines the ‘what’ you need to do, a workflow details the ‘how’. For instance, you may have a process for billing clients once a deal or proposal is won. This process involves creating an invoice, sending it to the customer, and getting it signed and paid before work can commence. The workflow outlines the specific steps you need to take to make the process run.
Benefits of Workflow Automation
Workflow automation allows you to create self-operating workflows for the processes that keep your business running. These could include managing invoices, collecting leads, sending marketing emails, and much more. With workflow automation, you can save time, reduce data mistakes, and scale your business. Workflow automation is beneficial for anyone in any industry using apps or software for work.
Automating Workflows with Zapier
Finally, automating workflows and processes with tools like Zapier is simple. These workflow automation tools allow you to create automated workflows that send information from one app to another. You can automate simple tasks or entire processes, allowing you to focus on more critical matters.
To learn more about workflow automation and other technology trends, follow our latest posts on martechtrend.com.