Business Process Automation (BPA) is a revolutionary approach in the marketplace where companies leverage technology to streamline and reduce manual tasks to improve productivity. According to statistics, 80% of businesses will adopt automation in 2025. This is to say that more organizations are embracing digital transformation to keep up with the pace of the rapidly changing market sphere and be future-ready.

However, there is a possibility that automation might fail, and one of the major reasons is a lack of essentials to support it. A study conducted shows that 90 percent of automation projects fail due to a lack of strategy, technical issues, lack of clarity of tasks, high implementation costs, and resistance to change.

As a future-focused company that wants to thrive and maximize its productivity, you must understand the essentials of business process automation. This includes understanding the prerequisites for process automation and the criteria for processes that need automation. 

Prerequisites for Process Automation

Before embarking on a business process automation, you must ensure you have a solid foundation to support and maintain the process. Without the right foundation, even the best process automation will fail. Here are the prerequisites that must be in place to ensure that automation technologies are successfully adopted and implemented.

1.      Clearly Defined and Documented Process Workflows:

Before automating any process, you must clearly understand the current workflows. The process must be well-defined, standardized, and repeatable. Each step of the process should be documented, outlining how tasks are performed, who is responsible, and how information flows between different stages.

2.      Well-Defined Organizational Structure & Job Functions/Roles

For automation to be successful, your organization must have a well-established structure. This refers to a structure where job functions and roles are clearly defined.  It is easy to align the automation with the right responsibilities and authorities when the structure is well-defined. This ensures that the employees who are to be charged with the automated system are well-trained and their minds prepared to accept the change so as not to be resistant to it.

3.      Clear Approval & Delegation of Authority Policy

Automation often involves decisions that require approvals. You must ensure that your organization has a clear policy on who has the authority to approve certain tasks and how delegation is handled. This is important to avoid bottlenecks and ensure smooth process flow.

4.      Fit-for-Purpose IT Infrastructure

Your existing technological infrastructure must support the automation tools and software. You have to ensure that you have the right hardware, software, and networks in place, and they must be robust, secure, and capable of handling the automated processes. Without the right infrastructure, the automation efforts might likely fail due to technical challenges or the inability to integrate seamlessly.

5.      Data Availability and Quality

Automation relies on accurate and accessible data to be successful. If the data required for the process is incomplete, inconsistent, or unavailable, the automation might not be effective. If you aren’t sure of the accuracy and credibility of your company’s data, ensure you do that now and sort it out. The data must be of high quality and structured appropriately if you want the automation to be successful.

6.      Budget and Resources

Implementing process automation requires money. You will need a sufficient budget to cover the costs of automation technology, implementation, and ongoing maintenance. Assess your budget to know whether it can comfortably cover the whole process. Do not initiate adopting automation when there is no budget for maintenance. A sufficient budget ensures you go for the best and ensure they are appropriately maintained to maximize their efficiencies. 

Criteria for Processes that Need Automation:

Not all tasks and routines can be automated. The dangers of automating the wrong tasks are critical, and can result in increased inefficiencies, increased errors, and wasted resources. Instead of saving time and costs, it creates complications, reduces flexibility, and potentially disrupts workflows.

So, it is important that before implementing automation, you must ensure that certain criteria are met to ensure that the process is suitable for automation and that the desired outcome can be achieved.

Here are key factors to consider:

1.      Standardized & Repetitive Processes

The process to be automated must be consistent and involve repetitive tasks. Standardization ensures that automation is applied uniformly across the organization. If you notice that a particular workflow process is inconsistent or varies frequently, strike it out, as it is not a good candidate for automation. Automate only processes that are consistent and standardized.

2.      High Volume of Tasks

Processes involving a large number of tasks are prime candidates for automation. Automating them increases efficiency by reducing manual effort and minimizing errors. On the other hand, tasks that are infrequent or require specialized human judgment may not benefit from automation.

3.      Multiple People Required to Execute Tasks

Processes requiring input or collaboration from multiple individuals can benefit from automation, ensuring the process becomes better coordinated and completed seamlessly. It saves the employees time to focus on more complex and strategic tasks.

4.      Time-Sensitive in Nature (Requires Speed)

Processes that need to be completed quickly, often within strict deadlines, are ideal for automation. This is because automation accelerates task completion and reduces delays.

5.      Need for Compliance and Audit Trails

One major advantage of automation is that it enhances workflow processes’ compliance and ensures processes are consistently done in the right way, providing detailed audit trails for accountability and reporting purposes.

6.      Rule-based and Predictable

Only processes that follow a set of rules and have predictable outcomes should be automated. Those that involve complex decision-making, creativity, or nuanced judgment are not fit for automation unless advanced technologies like artificial intelligence are involved.  In some cases, artificial intelligence might not be suitable, as you will need human judgments.

Examples of Processes That Can Be Automated

Here are examples of some of the processes that can be automated: 

• Purchase Request: Automating the purchase request process is essential in streamlining approvals, tracking requests in real-time, and ensuring compliance with procurement policies. It simplifies the process and allows for transparency.
• Payment Approval: Automation can speed up the payment approval process, reduce errors, and maintain a clear record of approvals, which is crucial for audit purposes.
• Vacation Request: Automating vacation requests can simplify the process for employees and managers. This helps to ensure that the requests are handled promptly and following company policies.
• Sales Order: Automate the sales order to enhance the accuracy of sales orders, speed up fulfillment, and provide real-time updates. This is highly essential if you deal with a large volume of sales.
• Travel Expense Request: Automating travel expense requests can streamline the reimbursement process, providing a clear record of expenses for auditing, which is essential for proper record keeping of the company’s expenses.

Final Words

It’s clear that digital transformation is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. However, the success of your automation journey depends on having the right foundations in place. Our team of experts is here to guide you through every step of your BPA implementation, ensuring that your processes are optimized and your automation delivers tangible results.

Contact Mac Adebowale Professional Services at emails@macadebowale.com or macadebowaleadvisory@gmail.com today to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help you lay the groundwork for successful business process automation. Let’s work together to grow your business.