New technology and the widespread adoption of digital solutions have revolutionized how businesses operate, connect with customers and optimize their processes. It has become increasingly clear that leveraging technology is a necessity for sustained success.
Enterprise automation is one of these key technological advances. At its most basic level, it entails using software to automate manual or repetitive business processes. However, in today’s high-tech environment, enterprise automation has come to mean something that operates on a much grander scale.
What is enterprise automation?
Enterprise automation aims to improve efficiency, accuracy, productivity and cost-effectiveness by reducing human intervention and automating routine tasks. It can be applied to a wide range of processes across different departments and functions within an organization, including finance, human resources, customer service, supply chain management and more.
Increasingly, enterprise automation also implies using AI or machine learning to automate business processes. There are numerous processes and workflows that AI can handle more effectively and efficiently than humans. Leveraging these types of automation can help eliminate manual, repetitive tasks and optimize business operations.
The types of enterprise automation
The four types and levels of enterprise automation can benefit your organization in varying ways. Consider which type aligns with your overarching business goals for the best outcomes.
Firstly, you have basic automation, which refers to implementing straightforward automated processes within an organization. It’s often used to address data management needs and typically involves using basic tools and technologies to streamline repetitive and manual tasks. Basic automation is the building block of larger automated systems.
It often includes using standard software applications or features that provide automation capabilities. It’s low or no-code and is usually created or modified by individual users to suit their preferences or specific needs. For example, one of the most common basic automation processes is the humble spreadsheet formula.
Next, business process automation (BPA) involves utilizing software tools to automate and streamline complex processes across different teams within an organization. These automated solutions are crucial in ensuring seamless collaboration and coordination among team members, particularly in documentation, task management and communication systems.
BPA can create better data quality, improve worker efficiency and save time across the tasks shared by various departments. This can help keep your teams on the same page and help your fledgling business through early-stage problems and growing pains.
Thirdly, integration automation removes manual steps in exchanging and synchronizing data and workflows between different systems or applications within an organization. It involves leveraging technology and tools to seamlessly connect and integrate different systems, eliminating the need for data entry and reducing errors. Integration automation enhances data accuracy and security, as well as improves overall efficiency and productivity.
Finally, robotic process automation (RPA) uses software bots to perform repetitive, rules-based digital tasks the same way a human would, but more accurately and efficiently. These bots mimic human actions and interact with applications and systems to perform tasks such as data entry and extraction, form filling and report generation. RPA enables organizations to optimize efficiency, reduce errors and free up human resources for more strategic and complex activities and is the first step towards more intelligent automation.
Implementing enterprise process automation
Enterprise process automation requires careful planning, collaboration and the right tools. To introduce automation into your organization effectively:
Assess and prioritize: Begin by identifying the processes that would benefit most from automation. Consider factors such as complexity, frequency and potential impact on efficiency. An intelligent organization prioritizes processes based on their importance to its goals and overall effectiveness.
Calculate the cost and ROI: Evaluate the costs of implementing automation, including software licensing, infrastructure requirements and any necessary training. You also need a realistic idea of what you want your automation to do. Don’t be vague. Set specific goals, such as reducing process time or increasing accuracy. This will make it easier to measure the success of your implementation.
Identify the right automation tools: Look for tools that offer a range of automation capabilities, such as workflow design, data integration and task automation to meet your organization’s needs. Considering several, different factors will help when choosing.
Universal collaboration: Collaboration is necessary when it comes to the automation of tasks. This includes your department heads, IT teams and end-users. Collaboration and communication will ensure a smooth transition.
Work closely with your team to map out the steps, decision points and data flow involved in each process. Leverage your selected automation tools to create efficient and effective workflows that align with your business requirements.
Integrate automations with integration platform as a service (iPaaS):This provides a centralized platform for connecting and managing your automated processes and workflows, ensuring seamless data exchange and communication between different applications and systems. It simplifies the integration process and allows scalability and flexibility as your automation initiatives expand.
Give your organization the boost it needs
Enterprise automation makes your organization more competitive. Adopting it can be a smooth, streamlined process. With Boomi, companies can seamlessly connect applications, systems and data sources to streamline complex workflows and enable efficient automation. From data integration to process orchestration, Boomi offers a unified platform to accelerate digital transformation.
With Boomi, you can embrace an AI-first strategy essential for success in today’s competitive landscape. This approach empowers your organization to harness the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize operations, drive innovation and achieve business goals.
