How to Choose the Right Workflow Management Software for Your Business Needs

Choosing workflow management software for your business can be a daunting task. There are so many different workflow tools available, and each one has its own unique features and capabilities. However, the truth is that you don't need all of these to have an effective workflow process in place. In this blog post, we will discuss choosing the right workflow management software for your company's needs by determining what workflow automation and management tools you need based on your business's size, industry type, and other factors such as cost-effectiveness.

What is Workflow Automation?

Workflow automation is the design, execution, and automation of processes based on workflow rules where human tasks or data are routed between people or systems based on predefined business process rules.

What are Workflow Automation and Management Tools?

Workflow automation and management tools are the workflow companion to business process management (BPM) software. Rather than replacing employees with computers, they work alongside humans in a collaborative way, making workflow processes faster and more effective for both people and businesses. Workflow management solutions can be thought of as what business users need to answer the question, “How do I make my workflow process more efficient?” A workflow automation tool, also known as a workflow engine, is software that enables business users to automate workflow processes. These can range from automating a specific task to composing custom workflows for a complex set of tasks in order to accomplish an entire workflow process. This type of tool is great for businesses with repetitive manual processes or who want to create workflow document management. Workflow management tools, also known as workflow orchestration or workflow execution systems, allow people to manage and execute their everyday processes in an efficient way by coordinating workflows across organizations. This type of tool is great for supervisors of distributed teams that need streamlined communication on workflow tasks to meet business goals.

Why Workflow Automation Is Used

Workflow automation is an important workflow management tool because it reduces the need for human intervention. One way workflow tools are used to automate business processes is by controlling how tasks are assigned and handled according to predefined rules, without any interaction from a person or team member. This type of workflow automation helps organizations handle multiple projects at once more efficiently and reduces the chance of project workflow errors occurring. Another way workflow automation software can automate business processes is by integrating with existing applications and systems to create a seamless workflow process that requires less human involvement or manual tasks. For example, if you have an application used for customer order tracking, workflow automation can automatically assign orders when they are received into your system based on workflow rules.

What You Should Consider When Choosing Workflow Management Software for Your Business Needs

All workflow automation and management tools have a different set of features that are designed to meet your company's workflow needs. Here is how you can choose the right workflow tool for your business. Determine what workflow automation and management tools you need based on:

• The size of your company: large enterprises will need workflow management software with greater capabilities than small businesses, while startups may require something simpler.
• The industry type: workflow automation is used more often in industries that are customer-oriented such as healthcare, financial services, and retail than in other industries like manufacturing. This is due to the use of workflow software for human resources, customer service, and marketing automation.
• Cost-effectiveness: depending on your business needs. It may be worth purchasing project workflow management software with limited features or a free alternative if you have a limited budget.
• The number of tasks: the number of internal processes you are handling will also be a factor when it comes to choosing workflow management software. For example, if your company is handling hundreds or thousands of internal processes at once, then an enterprise solution may be needed.
• Customizable workflow options: Do you require software with multi-step workflows, or are you looking to streamline redundant tasks? Choose software that fulfills all your needs.
• Costs for implementation and maintenance: different types of workflow tools have varying costs associated with implementation and maintenance. For instance, workflow automation software costs more than workflow management tools.

Key Features of Workflow Management Tools to Note:

Does your company collaborate through Google Drive for document sharing? Do you schedule via Google Calendar? Choosing software that will allow workflow management for the entire approval workflow is important. 

What Types of Businesses Benefit from a Workflow Solution?

Every business could benefit from workflow automation and project management tools because they are a human-centric approach to managing advanced workflows. That being said, there are certain types of businesses that will see the most benefits:

• Small businesses with one or two departments want workflow management software that is quick and easy to use.
• Organizations with distributed teams that want a workflow tool to help them communicate complex workflows across organizations.
• Companies in the service industry with repetitive tasks, such as customer support or data entry jobs.
• Businesses in the manufacturing industry that do not have a standard workflow process and need workflow management software with high scalability for repetitive tasks.
• Companies working to ensure project managers, sales teams, and marketing teams are on the same page.

Workflow Automation Examples

As businesses continue to grow, so do the manual tasks involved in their workflows. To help keep up with the demand of business growth and what it requires from your workflow management software, some examples include:

• Sales Pipeline Management – Sales managers can use a workflow automation tool to automate lead-to-close processes that are typically paper or spreadsheet-based by routing tasks and data to the right sales team member(s) based on pre-defined rules.
• Hiring Managers – Using workflow automation software, hiring managers can eliminate manual tasks and automate their recruitment process by routing potential new hires through a multi-step interview process and employee onboarding. For example, after candidates pass an initial screening step, the hiring manager is notified and has to approve before candidates are sent on their first round of interviews.
• Time Off Requests – Using a workflow management tool, companies can automate time-off requests for employees that include routing data or files about the request through a multi-step approval process such as approvals from managers and human resources professionals until it’s approved by the appropriate team member.

Workflow management software is not a replacement for business process management, rather, it brings a human-centric focus to workflows.  Workflows can use people more effectively without sacrificing quality manually because, when used correctly, everything from employee onboarding to daily time management will improve. The right workflow management software will do the work that benefits both the company and the people working with workflow management software.