Business process automation (BPA) is the automation of business processes through technology. It is a process of managing information, data and processes to reduce costs, resources and investment. BPA increases productivity by automating key business processes through computing technology.
The BPA process is geared toward implementing software applications to automate routine business tasks through initiation, execution and completion, while achieving enterprise-wide workflow efficiency.
Business Process Automation can either be completely stand-alone (automating several independent processes) or be part of a larger initiative, such as…
Business Process Improvement (BPI) :
finding lackluster processes and improving them. In BPI, automation can either be a big part of it (overall improvement through automation), or just a tiny puzzle piece (automating a step in a process).
Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) :
BPR works just about the same as BPI, with the main difference being that it focuses on tearing down and rebuilding processes from scratch. Automation tends to play a big part in BPR initiatives; in most cases, if you’re completely re-designing a process, it’s because of new technologies.
Business Process Management (BPM) :
BPM is a methodology of continuous improvement – unlike BPI or BPR, both of which are one-time initiatives, BPM is something a company does systematically. Accordingly, BPA can play a part in streamlining and automating old processes.
Start by identifying processes that need automation. Once you know what you wish to automate, you can delve into past performance. Understand who are the stakeholders, what efficiency levels have been in the past, what are some common bottlenecks and errors encountered, what is the scope of improvement, and so on.
Once you have a solid understanding of the process, you are in a good position to begin defining goals for automation. In the absence of well-defined goals, process automation will lack direction and become a waste of time and resources.
Process mapping or visual representation of the process is key to bringing clarity and transparency to the workflow. Every task, performer, and timeline need to be included.
Tailor data to the end users’ requirements rather than bombarding them with irrelevant information. Identify key players and ensure that their automation needs are being addressed.
Identify relevant key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress of processes. The chosen KPIs must be aligned to the goals defined in the beginning.
Before rolling out the automation, test run it to check for loopholes and errors. Record small details that go awry and make the necessary changes.
Take the automation live. Customize your dashboard to monitor progress in real-time.
A key facilitator of process enhancement is documentation. Ensure that every single detail in the process automation exercise is recorded for future reference and analysis.
Cazaayan helps clients transform and manage functional and industry-specific processes to achieve smart & efficient digital operations. These services rely on process automation and advanced analytics to help deliver higher-quality processes at lower cost with least risk. Cazaayan process automation services address the four fundamentals of process design.