A digital workflow is a process in which all the steps are carried out, reported or automated using software. No more multiple entries, complex information searches, manual flows, methodological oversights or out-of-date paper procedures… Workflows guide teams through tasks and deliver the right information to the right person, at the right time, without unnecessary clicks. Digital workflow software frees teams from non-value-added tasks and eliminates chaos.
There’s a fine line between digitization and automation. By automation, we mean carrying out a task without human intervention, thereby eliminating tedious tasks such as software updates, sending generic e-mails, generating PDF documents, reminders and other non-value-added tasks.
In addition to making the organization more efficient and productive, a digital workflow also improves collaboration and comfort in the workplace. Indeed, friction over a process can create unnecessary tension between employees and managers.
Finally, in the past, workflow software was reserved for large companies or organizations with IT departments, making digital transformation difficult for SMEs. Today, a new wave of intuitive solutions, such as Lapala, have rethought functionality, ergonomics and pricing to enable SMEs to take advantage of this no-code technology, even without technical expertise.
What is a digital workflow?
Everything in a company is workflow! Processing a request for quotation, recording time, onboarding a customer, bringing in a new employee, managing purchasing… are all simply sequences of consecutive steps or tasks, individual or collaborative, linear or subject to conditions. So there’s no activity in a company that isn’t a process.
Nevertheless, and fortunately, not all workflows need to be digital or automated, and can remain manual. In fact, these are the three types of workflow.
Document” workflow
Traditional paper, PDF or spreadsheet procedures are excellent communication tools. However, they tend not to be read or followed, and are quickly forgotten. They are also a source of error due to overconfidence. They are difficult to update, and numerous versions can unintentionally coexist, creating chaos in the process.
Digital Workflow
A digital workflow eliminates all the problems associated with written procedures. It uses easy-to-use software to distribute the right task to the right person at the right time, without unnecessary clicks. For each task, the employee is guided through what he or she needs to do, using form fields, input fields and validation circuits. What’s more, the information entered travels automatically and effortlessly from one stage to the next.
Automated workflow
It’s a blend of digital workflow and partially automated steps. In fact, this software allows you to connect to your existing software. For example, to avoid multiple copy-paste operations, you can directly display data from a CRM or ERP system… What’s more, newly entered data can be automatically transmitted to your software without any extra effort. This frees your teams from time-consuming tasks.
Examples of digital workflows
A digital workflow can be used in any sector and any activity of a company. From sales administration and accounting to supply management and human resources… workflow software is 100% customizable according to your use cases and know-how.
Purchasing and supply management
A digital workflow is always very useful for purchasing and procurement processes. It makes it easy to create a purchase requisition, select a previous order or start from scratch. It is particularly valuable for facilitating the purchasing approval circuit between the various players, managers and directors. Finally, once validated, it automatically launches the ordering process.
Case management or ticketing
The management of requests, interventions, ticketing and case management are particularly well-suited to digital workflows. Information gathering, allocation for processing, validation circuits, scheduling… everything can be easily configured in workflow software.
Recruitment management
A digital workflow makes it easy to collect all CVs using an external form. The software can automatically qualify candidates according to filters, conditions and keywords used. The following steps are equally optimized: scheduling interviews, sharing interview frames, automatic rejection or follow-up emails, and onboarding new arrivals.
Accounting and invoice management
This digital workflow for invoice validation, linked to verification of order conformity, saves processing time. It also strengthens collaboration between the business and accounting departments. Depending on compliance, different scenarios linked to conditions can be applied, facilitating problem resolution.
How do you set up a digital workflow?
In this section, we’ll share with you a method based on our workflow software. It’s up to you to use a more appropriate software according to your needs.
Step 0 – Select the most important workflow with stakeholders
Digitizing all your processes at once is too ambitious. It makes sense to start with one or two workflows. To identify the most relevant ones, we advise you to choose from among the activities you carry out most frequently, the process that is currently wasting the most time for you and your teams. For example, repetitive tasks, multiple entries, validation circuits.
If you need it, you can also carry out a process audit. An audit doesn’t have to be a time-consuming process, and there are a number of methods that can give you a clearer picture of your organization in just a few hours or days.
Step 1 – Build the process on Lapala workflow software
With Lapala, in just a few clicks and without writing a single line of code, you can create the structure of your process! Everything is possible and 100% customizable according to your know-how. You can define actors, create condition-dependent paths or iterative loops.
Follow these tips for greater efficiency:
- One step = one task; if there are several tasks, then there are several steps.
- Start by building the workflow in its entirety for the most frequent cases, then move on to the different scenarios.
- Finally, select the right actors.
Step 2 – Create a guided experience at every stage of the digital workflow
You can create a guided experience for your collaborators from the editing interface for each step. In the example, for the “Qualify request” step, we can find various elements, including the automatic re-display of previously entered data.
Step 4 – Test with your teams and adjust your digital workflow
Before definitively implementing digital workflow, it’s important to test what you’ve created with key collaborators in the process. And workflow software like Lapala has the advantage of being easy to get to grips with, and to iterate in a few clicks if need be, without having to make a request to the IT department. In fact, they are so-called “no-code” tools, i.e. they don’t require you to write a single line of code.
Then, in the first few months of use, don’t hesitate to set up listening and measurement systems to check that users are satisfied, and to collect requests for changes to the digital workflow.
Benefits of digital workflow
A digital workflow simply transforms your team by creating guided, automated processes and experiences for your employees. No more multiple entries, convoluted information searches, tensions and suspicions… Workflow software like Lapala will make your teams more efficient in a healthy, transparent environment.
Process optimization
The advantage of a digital workflow is that it quickly eliminates a certain number of frictions, thus streamlining / homogenizing business processes. It’s a quick and easy way to save time and resources for your company.
Time-saving
Digital workflow thanks to data transfer, interconnection with existing software (CRM, ERP…) and automation. Frees teams from non-value-added tasks. They can concentrate on know-how.
Working comfort
As well as eliminating tedious tasks, teams no longer have to concentrate on following sometimes complex instructions. Lapala pushes the right task to be done at the right time. Employees can concentrate on their core business.
Data traceability
A digital workflow makes it possible to set up stable, efficient measurement systems. Data can then be processed and analyzed to make informed decisions. They can also be used for business management.
Simplified real-time tracking
Managers can follow the progress of their teams on different files or requests in real time. They can be alerted in the event of blockages or requests for assistance. This simplifies reporting and saves time.
No technical skills
The new generation of digital workflow software is no-code, meaning that any project manager can design a workflow without having to write a single line of code. This is highly advantageous for SMEs without IT departments.
Improved customer satisfaction
Customers receive quicker responses and files are processed more quickly. As a result, the company’s image is enhanced. Case management workflow software also improves the quality of case and request processing.
No more compartmentalized Excel spreadsheets
In the absence of case management tools, it is common practice to use Excel spreadsheets to track the progress of cases, their allocation, and operational and financial reporting. Case management workflow software provides new, easy-to-use collaborative tools.
The difference between digital workflow, BPM and BPA
Workflow management, BPM Business Process Management and BPA Business Process Automation are relatively similar semantics. In fact, software such as Lapala includes all three in a single tool. This enables manual and automated tasks to interact in a single process. This automation is achieved by connecting and integrating your existing software (CRM, ERP, HRIS, etc.).
For example, let’s imagine a process for managing quote requests. You could create a task to collect the requirement:
- If the customer exists in your CRM, the collaborator can display the list of contacts, the relevant data and select the customer.
- If the customer doesn’t exist, Lapala can automatically create it in the CRM.
Digital Workflows, BPM and BPA provide a 100% customizable environment for your business processes. And free your teams from non-value-added tasks.
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