Consider these three things before you buy any automation software

As someone with 30+ years of experience in document management workflow and process automation, I've seen the industry evolve from the early leaders like Eastman software, Wang Imaging and Kodak to the current market leaders such as FileNet, OpenText, and Documentum. In my current role as CTO of a project that develops an innovative content services platform, I've learned a few key things that I believe are important to consider before buying any automation software.

Try to move towards a hybrid model and slowly transition to full digitalization.

When I joined the automation industry 30+ years ago, we all talked about the paperless office. Now, with just a few years left to my retirement, we still use more paper than ever. As humans, we have a strong attachment to paper, but it's bad for the planet, bad for productivity, and bad in many other ways. While it's important to try to move towards a 100% paper-free process, it's important to keep in mind that your team and customers may not be ready for this transition. A hybrid model, where some processes are automated while others are still done on paper, can be a good way to ease into a full digitalization of your processes.

Don't try to automate a loosely defined process using a "big five" name brand tool. Instead, choose a dynamic process automation tool that mimics real-world scenarios.

We often think that automating a process will automatically improve it. However, with my 30 years of experience, I've learned that business process automation requires solid business process definitions. In the real world, there are more exceptions to the rules than you might think. For example, in the financial industry, I've seen a process called memo approval, which is used to approve expenses or activities. This process often has a very dynamic hierarchy. Using a "big five" name brand tool to automate a loosely defined process like this will likely lead to failure. Instead, it's important to choose a dynamic process automation tool that can handle exceptions and mimic real-world scenarios.

To gain acceptance from your team, try to mimic the human way of approving processes by adding a visual signature.

Adapting to new technology can be difficult and building trust in it can be even harder. For example, how many times did you double-check everything at the ATM when you withdrew money? How was your experience when you did your first digital transaction? When it comes to approval processes, making them fully digital can make your team uncomfortable. That's why people often prefer to see someone sign off with ink. To make everyone on your team more comfortable with the transition, try to mimic the human way of approving processes by adding a visual signature.

In conclusion, if your organization is looking to automate processes, it's important to first ensure that the processes are solid and don't have many exceptions. If this is the case, consider using a process automation tool that can digitize your business process. If not, consider using a dynamic process automation tool that mimics real-world scenarios. Adobe Sign or DocuSign are good options, but they can be costly. An alternative option is Evia Sign, which offers similar features at a fraction of the cost. In addition, it uses the same validation platform as the big players, so the digital seal is of the same quality.

In conclusion, automating processes can be done without breaking the bank, it's all about the mindset. Next time, we can talk about streamlining business processes and how process automation tools can make a significant difference. Until then, consider using an ad-hoc approval tool to make your approval processes efficient