What is Business Process Automation (BPA)? A Complete Guide

Every day, people create 2.5 exabytes of data — the informational equivalent of 90 years of HD video. At the same time, the rate at which we produce data isn’t static. It’s growing exponentially, with 90% of the world’s data having been created within only the last two years. And while much of that digital information is likely in the form of personal text messages, emails, digital photos, music etc., a large portion of it is related specifically to businesses and their customers.

There’s no doubt about it: modern business is an extremely complex entity. Businesses have to be able to manage the data associated with potentially millions of clients, in addition to the information related to their own business processes and systems, in order to understand their market and clientbase. To unlock the power within so much intricate information and so many systems, successful businesses have begun to rely on advanced business process automation (BPA) and application development platforms.

In the days before computing became an integral aspect of business, business processes were managed directly by employees and management. For every business process, at least one dedicated worker and sometimes entire teams of workers, had to be investing their time and energy — energy that would be more valuable if applied elsewhere.

However, the advent and proliferation of digital technologies changed all of that. Files could now be stored, copied and transferred digitally at the push of a button. Reports could be compiled from digital data and created in a matter of minutes. Even excel spreadsheets could be turned into automated workflows and apps to create efficiencies. From these and similar advancements, business process automation became a reality.

As computers became capable of handling larger amounts of data and performing more complex tasks, computer scientists began to explore the possibilities of computer automation. With computer automation, business process related tasks can now be performed without having to allocate human resources to the job.

And while early business process automation systems were prohibitively expensive, custom-built, in-house platforms, recent breakthroughs in cloud technology and artificial intelligence have resulted in business automation process solutions that are accessible and affordable for organisations of all sizes.

Workflow automation helps everyone spend less time on repetitive tasks with tools that can automate any business process for any role or department.

The main point of business process automation is to free up employees from having to perform certain time-consuming tasks. However, there are other advantages to consider.

By cutting down on the number of processes that require manual input, businesses also reduce process turnaround time. Consider administrative tasks such as auditing or submitting expense receipts. With business process automation, organisations can more quickly review their processes, locating and eliminating potential bottlenecks. As for submitting receipts, employees can enjoy faster reimbursement on business expenses. Complex business processes in all departments can be easily automated, streamlined and simplified with apps for any team, any role and any size of business.

The cost advantage of business process automation is another noteworthy benefit. Between improving employee productivity and reducing process turnaround time, BPA has the potential to save businesses large amounts of money. And while there is certainly an initial cost of investment, business process automation tends to pay for itself through increased work efficiency. By ensuring that businesses are getting more out of available time and resources, an effective business process automation solution generates a substantial ROI.

Finally, business process automation built on a reliable platform can effectively eliminate costly mistakes. In fact, it is estimated that data errors and faulty information cost U.S. businesses $3 trillion every year . With effective automation, business-process data is transferred directly between applications, eliminating the risk of human error and ensuing that valuable information retains its accuracy.

Considering the advantages, many organisations are now in the market for reliable business process automation software. That said, every business is unique and an out-of-the-box solution is unlikely to effectively address all of an organisation's specific needs in a satisfactory way.

For those businesses who want to get the most out of BPA, a solution built on the most trusted, customisable data management platform is certainly worth considering.

Learn how to automate business process

Salesforce is the most reliable CRM and data solution software in the world and one of the things that sets them apart is their focus on automation. Now, with the Salesforce Platform, organisations can enjoy the advantages of effective business process automation, custom designed to fit their own unique needs.

With the Salesforce Platform, businesses have access to a wide selection of easy-to-use process automation tools that can be easily integrated with an organisation’s existing systems and CRM data and because Salesforce doesn’t expect everyone to be an expert straightaway, they help users find the tools that are right for them. Salesforce’s certified specialists are available to guide decision makers on a tour through the available tools, helping them to find powerful solutions to their process automation needs.

Additionally, for those situations where an existing tool just isn’t sufficient, the Salesforce Platform gives businesses the power to quickly conceptualise, build and employ customised automation applications. Drag-and-drop app design tools are available and easy to use and don’t require any experience with computer sciences or writing code. The Salesforce Lightning Process Builder gives organisations the power to turn, difficult, complex and repetitive tasks into automated processes, saving time and money, all while eliminating errors before they can become problems.

Coupled with the user-friendly interfaces, real-time processing capabilities, productivity tools and cloud-based structure that Salesforce is known for, the Salesforce Platform is a business process solution that turns the dream of reliable automation into reality.

Take a tour of the Salesforce Platform