What is a workflow? Definition, explanations and functions
Inefficient workflows, difficult tracking and tracing, loss of information and ineffective communication are just some of the concerns weighing on a company’s organization that can be addressed by workflow.
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Workflow: what is it?
Workflow refers to all the stages, actors and processes involved in the completion of a given task. In other words, it’s a sequence of actions that are carried out in a specific order to achieve a specific goal.
It provides valuable information for each of the players involved. It sets out the validation circuit, the tasks to be carried out, the deadlines to be met and the validation methods.
Workflows can be used in a variety of contexts, such as project management, production, manufacturing, software design, content publishing and so on. It is usually represented in the form of a diagram showing the various stages and the people or roles involved.
Workflow can be automated using specialized software called workflow management tools, which enable processes to be tracked and managed efficiently. Automation can help speed up workflow, reduce errors, improve quality, and increase overall efficiency.
What are the benefits of using a workflow?
Improved efficiency
A well-designed workflow can optimize processes, reduce lead times, minimize errors, and increase your company’s productivity.
Automatization
Workflows can often be automated using specialized software, which can save time and improve overall efficiency.
Greater control
Processes can be reviewed at every stage to ensure that they are running smoothly.
Workflows can include quality checks and audits to ensure that tasks are carried out correctly and that standards and regulations are respected.
Cost reduction
Workflows can help identify inefficiencies and waste, which in turn can help reduce costs and improve profitability.
Better visibility and traceability
Workflows can provide an overview of project or task progress. This enables teams to monitor progress and resolve problems quickly. In the event of a failure, it also makes it possible to look back over the various stages of a project and define when the failure may have occurred and why.
Better coordination and collaboration
Workflows enable several people or teams to work together in a coordinated and transparent way, improving collaboration and communication.
What are the main workflow use cases to be aware of?
Workflows can be used in a wide variety of fields and to manage a wide variety of tasks. Here are a few examples of use cases:
BPM vs workflow: what’s the difference?
BPM (Business Process Management) and Workflow are both concepts related to business process optimization, but they have some important differences.
The difference between BPM and Workflow lies in their scope: Workflow is a more limited, operational process management tool. They can be simple or complex, but they are generally limited in scope and are used to automate recurring, routine processes.
BPM, on the other hand, is a more global methodology aimed at optimizing processes as a whole. This involves the analysis, design, implementation, optimization and monitoring of company processes as a whole.
However, the two approaches are complementary and can be used together to improve the organization’s processes.
Why do many companies use workflow in their processes?
Companies use workflow to improve efficiency because by automating repetitive, routine tasks, workflows enable employees to concentrate on the most important, value-added steps.
This can greatly improve overall business efficiency and productivity.
Workflows enable processes to be followed step by step, ensuring that all steps are carried out correctly. This can reduce errors and improve work quality.
They also enable the status of business processes to be tracked, providing an overview of current and upcoming tasks. This can help managers track progress and identify potential bottlenecks.
Overall, workflow can optimize your organization while integrating employees and/or external service providers, whether on-site or remote.
How do you choose the right workflow software for your company?
Choosing the right workflow software for your company can be an important decision that can have a significant impact on your business processes.
To make the right choice, the first thing to check is whether the software offers the features you need to automate your business processes, such as the ability to create forms, define workflow rules, create notifications and track process status.
Make sure the software is easy to use and intuitive for your employees, to minimize training time and optimize adoption within your teams.
It’s also important to check that the software is compatible with your existing systems, such as your database management system, document management, and other applications.
It will be vital to ensure that the software allows easy and flexible customization to meet your specific needs, enabling the creation of workflows tailored to your business.
Another point not to be overlooked will be whether the software can be accessed from different devices and locations, so that your employees can access it anytime, anywhere.
Today, data protection is a central concern for organizations, so make sure the software offers robust security features to protect your data and business processes.
Discover Axelor BPM for modeling your business processes
The acronym BPM stands for “Business Process Management”. It refers to software that models, orchestrates, and automates processes through a responsive interface.
Axelor’s BPM software lets you model your business processes with ease. Based on the BPMN standard, you can visualize, formalize, standardize, and automate processes, making them readable and accessible to all. The standard enables a common language to be used between the various business units and IT departments.
Installing an ERP, such as Axelor enables you to simplify the understanding and sharing of inter-departmental data by grouping them together in a single system.
In pure definition, it’s a data management solution that consolidates corporate information into a single IT system.
Axelor offers you a full-web solution available in ERP Cloud or on-premise mode.
Powerful, scalable, and easily customizable, Axelor’s Open Source ERP is made up of over thirty integrated business applications, and offers your organization many considerable advantages.
With Axelor’s Low code / No Code platform, you can go even further, thanks to workflows natively integrated into the platform.
In particular, you can model your processes with Camunda. Whether Open Source or Enterprise, you can link your workflow to our business applications.
You can also use the EBICS TS protocol to optimize transactions and save time on tasks connected to banking exchanges.
Finally, the definition of workflow may seem complex, but it is quite simply a tool that helps you to organize and perform better on a daily basis. It facilitates the work of every member of staff by providing an overview, and enables a project to be successfully completed from start to finish.
Find out how our ERP can help you improve your company’s performance
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