The Evolution of Workflow Automation

First published: February 13, 2022 @ 6:00 pm

Workflow is a long-standing technology that has been around for many years. We can trace its roots back to early programming environments like the PDP-11 minicomputer.

Today’s workflow management systems are not just the limit of software and digital transformation.

Manufacturers of products like cars, electronics, and medical devices, use robotic process automation to reduce cost and improve quality.

Even when we are working with software tools, robotic process automation is an important aspect of their design. It spearheads the concept of turning your enterprise digital and minimizing human interventions.

Software applications will need to support changing business needs while still reaching operational efficiency.

The Evolution of Workflow Automation

Today, workflow automation is a popular concept used by companies all over the world. We have used it for years to automate various complex business processes.

However, it doesn’t stop at business process management. Workflow automation can automate a variety of manual tasks and functions.

In fact, many companies have their own business automation workflow created within the company’s IT department or by an outside development team. Their purpose is mostly to take care of high-volume, repeatable tasks.

Besides for business operations, workflow automation can also work for other purposes as well.

The concepts of BPM and WaaS are becoming increasingly popular, and they are allowing companies to automate a wide variety of tasks and functions across different parts of their organization.

The Value of Workflow

Workflow is a key tool for developers because it allows them to create robust, scalable systems that can handle large amounts of data. These management capabilities come at a cost, however.

Workflow systems are generic and flexible, so they require developers to implement a lot of boilerplate code.

It also means that creating workflows is a time-consuming process that takes away from developing more innovative features.

By comparison, automation technology has a very low overhead compared to workflow systems because it requires little or no programming. Additionally, it is completely agnostic about the actual implementation of business logic.

This makes digital process automation a great way to automate workflows while still providing flexibility and customization options.

For example, using an automation tool you can add custom logic to automate the creation of different types of workflows. This makes it easier for users to specify exactly what type of workflow they want without having to know the details about how it works.

Digital process automation also gives you more control over how data flows through your system because the flow rules created by your workflow system do not limit you.

Another benefit of automation is that it lets you integrate disparate systems into one cohesive platform. By creating custom components and integrating them with your existing systems, you can create a robust automation system that takes over repetitive tasks.

For example, you could create a digital process automation component that integrates with your company’s internal systems and processes and is able to handle the needs of multiple business units.

The Tools of Automation

There are many tools available for automating workflows. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Workflow Builder

This is one of the oldest workflow automation tools available. It has been around since the early 1990s and received support from many large companies like Facebook, Google, Amazon, Adobe, Intuit, and more.

In its original form, they limit it to creating “dumb” workflows based on simple rules and provides very little customization options for advanced users.

Over time, it has evolved into a more sophisticated platform that supports advanced features like visual workflow creation with graphical interfaces or user-defined macros to handle complex rules.

It also provides custom components that allow you to integrate external systems into your automation environment and supports integration with other automation tools like Informatica Connect Enterprise (ICE).

Workflow Designer

This tool is designed for automating large scale processes using many types of workflows such as ad hoc scripts or rules-based workflows with simple logic. It is designed to support multiple users and provides advanced customization options.

You can also import data from other systems and it supports integration with other automation tools. When choosing a workflow system, you should consider your needs and the type of workflows you will be automating.

For example, if you are automating very complex rules-based workflows that require advanced logic, then a workflow builder may be the best choice for you.

If you need to integrate data from multiple systems and have complex data needs, then a workflow designer may be better suited for your needs.

It is important to note that there is no one-size-fits-all digital process automation tool and the tools available today are designed to meet different requirements and needs.

Some digital process automation tools support very simple business logic while others support more advanced logic such as data integration or user-defined macros.

Some workflow automation software are very flexible while others offer more traditional solutions like wizards or dialog boxes. The key is to use the right tool for the job and take time to learn how it works so that you can use it effectively.

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