What is business process automation?

Business process automation (BPA) maybe something you have heard of but want to understand more, how it could benefit your business. 

Business process automation refers to the use of technology to automatically perform tasks that were previously done by humans. This can include anything from simple tasks like data entry, to more complex processes like invoicing and order fulfillment. The goal of business process automation is to improve efficiency and accuracy, while reducing the need for manual labor.

In small businesses, business process automation can be especially useful for streamlining repetitive tasks and freeing up time for more important work. For example, a small business owner might use automation to handle tasks like generating invoices, sending out payment reminders, and tracking inventory. Automation can also help small businesses to improve customer service, by providing faster and more accurate responses to customer inquiries.

In the workplace, business process automation can be used to improve a wide range of business functions, including HR, finance, and marketing. By automating tasks like employee onboarding, expense reporting, and lead generation, companies can save time and resources, and improve the overall efficiency of their operations.

Short Read: Business process automation is the use of technology to perform a process or task automatically, without the need for human intervention. In an office setting, this could include tasks such as data entry, scheduling, or invoicing. By automating these processes, businesses can improve efficiency, reduce errors, and save time and resources. Automation can be achieved through the use of software programs, such as workflow or task management tools, or through the use of robots or other automated systems.

What is a business process?

Before we talk about business process automation, we need to clarify what is meant by a business process.

Businesses run on processes and you may not even realise how many processes businesses use on a daily basis.

A business process is a series of activities or tasks that are carried out in order to achieve a specific business objective. Business processes can be simple or complex, and can involve a single person or a team of people. They can also involve a variety of tools, technologies, and systems.

Business processes include invoicing customers, customer service and customer success, data entry, onboarding a new customers or employees, human resources, and business operations to name but a few.

Examples of business processes include:

• Hiring new employees
• Fulfilling customer orders
• Generating financial reports
• Marketing a product or service

Business processes are designed to achieve specific outcomes, such as completing a task, making a sale, or providing a service. They can be documented in process maps or flowcharts, word document, checklist or process management software but it is about outlining the steps involved and the order in which they should be completed.

Effective business processes are essential for the smooth operation of any business. By streamlining and optimizing processes, businesses can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase productivity.

What is Automation?

In the context of automation, Automation is the process of automating these business processes into repeatable steps.

In an office environment, automation refers to the use of technology to perform tasks that were previously done by humans. This can include a wide range of activities, such as data entry, scheduling, invoicing, and customer service. Automation can be implemented using a variety of tools, such as software programs, APIs, and robotic process automation (RPA) bots.

The goal of automation in an office environment is to improve efficiency and accuracy, while reducing the need for manual labor. By automating tasks, businesses can save time and resources, and focus on more important work. Automation can also help to improve customer service, by providing faster and more accurate responses to inquiries.

Overall, automation can play a significant role in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of office work, and is becoming increasingly important as businesses look for ways to streamline their operations and stay competitive.

What is meant by business process automation?

Business process automation  also referred to as BPA is using the power of software technology to automate repeatable, day-to-day business processes and  tasks.

Business process automation refers to the use of technology to automatically perform tasks or processes that were previously done manually. This can include a wide range of activities, such as data entry, invoicing, scheduling, and more. The goal of business process automation is to improve efficiency, reduce errors, and save time and resources by eliminating the need for human intervention in certain tasks. Automation can be achieved through the use of software programs, robotics, or other technologies.

What are the benefits of business process automation?

Managing business processes ad hoc basis, important steps can be missed, human error causes inefficiency, bottlenecks, and communication breakdowns, which leads to missed deadlines and failure. These impact business in many ways, how efficiently it runs but also how your customers 

Automation software empowers growth and aims to prevent these problems, save money and streamline business operations.

 Accelerating the process of how work gets done, enabiling information to be readily available, a single source of truth, a manual or how to guide so the right person has access to the right information and the right time with defined rules, steps and documented actions. 

What are the types of business process automation?

Almost any buisness process can be enhanced by automation. Business process automation (BPA) is about streamling processes and going beyond basic automations to help businesses improve value and efficiency.

Clients – Onboarding, customer services, customer success, customer relationship, 
Accounting – Payroll, invoicing, purchasing
HR –  Recruitment, employee onboarding, training, 
Sales– Lead generation, email
Marketing – Website, social media, content marketing, SEO
Compliance – Compliance is about a set rules to avoid legal issues. ISO
Health & Safety – Keeping employees, customers safe from danger.

Why is business process automation important?

Why is it so important to consider using business process automation? Process automation is about documenting business knowledge and not documenting on a piece a paper popped into a filing cupboard, on someone PCs or in a cloud storage and forgotten.

Business Process automation is about having easy access streamlined processes. These will be constantly improved to add and change information to make them error proof thus reducing costs and being transparent and accessible to everyone to follow.

Business process automation is important for businesses because it can help to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and increase productivity. By automating tasks and processes, businesses can eliminate the need for manual labor, which can save time and resources. Automation can also help to reduce the risk of errors and improve the accuracy of work, which can lead to better outcomes and customer satisfaction.

Additionally, business process automation can help businesses to stay competitive in their industry by enabling them to operate more efficiently and respond to customer needs more quickly. Automation can also provide businesses with valuable data and insights that can be used to inform decision making and strategy.

Having business processes documented and then automated ensures everyone follows best practices, save incredible amounts of time and the business runs at optimal efficency.

Overall, business process automation can offer a wide range of benefits to businesses, making it an important tool for improving operations and driving success.

Business Process Automation Benefits

There are many potential benefits to implementing business process automation in an organization. Some of the most significant benefits include:

1. Improved efficiency: Automating processes can help businesses complete work and tasks more quickly and more quickly and accurately, increasing overall efficiency as there are fewer opportunities for human error.
2. Reduced errors: Automation can help reduce the likelihood of errors occurring, as the technology is not prone to mistakes that humans might make.
3. Reduced labor costs: Automation can help businesses to reduce the number of employees needed to complete certain tasks, which can lead to lower labor costs.
4. Cost savings: Automating tasks can save organizations money by reducing the need for human labor and reducing the time and resources required to complete tasks.
5. Increased productivity: By freeing up time and resources, automation can allow businesses to focus on more important tasks and projects. By automating tasks, employees can focus on more value-added activities, increasing overall productivity. 
6. Improved customer experience:  Automation can help businesses to respond to customer inquiries and requests more quickly and higher accurately, leading to improved customer satisfaction and better customer experience.
7. Enhanced data accuracy: Automation can help businesses to eliminate errors in data entry and other tasks, leading to more accurate and reliable data.
8. Increased competitiveness: By using automation to improve efficiency, productivity and reduce costs, businesses can become more competitive and help businesses stay at the competitive edge of their industry.
9. Better decision making: Automation can provide businesses with more accurate and up-to-date data, which can be used to inform better decision making.

Overall, the benefits of business process automation can help businesses to operate more efficiently, save time and money, and improve their overall performance.

What is the difference between BPA and RPA?

Business process automation (BPA) and robotic process automation (RPA) are closely related technologies, but they have some important differences.

BPA refers to the use of technology to automate tasks and processes in a business. This can include a wide range of technologies, such as software programs, APIs, and other tools. The goal of BPA is to improve efficiency and accuracy, while reducing the need for manual labor.

RPA, on the other hand, refers specifically to the use of software robots, or “bots,” to automate tasks. These bots are designed to mimic the actions of a human worker, such as logging into a system, completing a form, or extracting data. RPA bots are typically used to automate tasks that are highly repetitive and require minimal decision-making.

One key benefit of RPA is that it can be implemented quickly and with minimal disruption to existing systems. RPA bots can be trained to perform tasks by observing a human worker, and they can be easily scaled up or down as needed. Additionally, RPA can be used to automate tasks that are performed across multiple systems or platforms, making it a versatile tool for businesses.

Overall, both BPA and RPA can offer businesses significant benefits in terms of efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings. However, BPA is a broader term that encompasses a wider range of technologies, while RPA specifically refers to the use of software bots to automate tasks.

Checkify Business Process Automation

Checkify is a business process management software (BPMS) which offers you a way of documenting business processes, scheduling processes and automate processes using our online software.

Automate processes to trigger other processes and allocate the right person to complete the the task. 

The system will guide you through each step in the form of a checklist so that it becomes an easy process to follow. 

Checkify makes it easy to automate your business p