IT has a front seat when it comes to bad workflows. Whether noticing the systemic problems they create like bottlenecks and bad communication, or trying to fix specific workflows like Vendor Payments and Travel Requests, IT is in the middle of the war against inefficient workflows.
The typical tool IT uses in this fight is a single developer sitting down and quickly hammering out a rule-based application. But what happens when the business leader wants to continually make changes to it? And what happens when everyone starts coming and making requests for quick workflow apps? For IT, the problem isn’t usually the solution, it’s the scaling.
Thankfully, there’s a new way that IT leaders can address bad workflows in their organizations: workflow management software.
This is a platform specifically built to tackle the challenges of workflows–from the simplest to the most complex. But the best part about about workflow software is that if you pick the right one, business leaders can be the ones who make their own applications, rather than running to IT for every request and edit.
What Is Workflow Management Software?
Workflow management software allows users to create their own workflows to manage common business processes. It typically involves creating a form to capture data, designing a workflow for that data to flow down, and then adjusting settings like permissions, notifications, integrations, and reports.
For example, suppose the procurement team wants to create an automated purchase requisition process. They can first build a form that captures all the information required including the vendor name and contact details, cost of the goods, requesting department, and any other details.
Then, they design a workflow that includes a manager approval, finance approval, and a VP approval if the amount is over $10,000. On the form, they can restrict access to some of the fields depending on the step, link the form to a database that displays the department budget, notify the initiator when the request is approved, and automatically start a Purchase Order that ends with purchase order approval.
If you choose a no-code option for workflow management, all of this can be done by anyone in the organization without any help from the IT team. They can create and manage their own applications while IT focuses on other technology challenges.
The Benefits of Using Workflow Management Software for IT
Customizable Workflows
When using off-the-shelf tools, many business users get frustrated at limited workflow functionality. With workflow software, everything is customizable by the user, including data fields, conditional tasks, and integrations.
No IT Support Required
With no-code workflow software, business leaders make and edit their own apps. The software vendor supplies support for any questions, freeing up IT for other projects. After a simple orientation to the software, department leaders can manage everything else.
All Workflow Apps on One Platform
One constant stress on IT is each department requesting their own specialty software. However, with a robust workflow management platform, departments can build their own workflows and applications instead of needing to buy others. This drastically cuts down on IT spend and support and unifies all the workflows in an organization.
Faster Workflow Creation
If IT has to make all the workflows, it can take months or longer to meet everyone’s needs. By using a no-code workflow management software, apps across the company can be created in minutes and set the live instantly.
More Time for IT to Focus on Bigger Projects
IT has more important things to work on than simple workflow apps. Whether it is implementing a new blockchain project or inserting AI into decision-making modules, every developer has their sights set toward the future.
Why Companies Need Workflow Software
In the end, workflow management doesn’t just make IT’s job easier. It actually makes workflows across the company more efficient. That leads to better communication, less wasted time, fewer errors, and faster processing.
Here are some clear benefits your business users will get from using a workflow tool:
Eliminate redundancies: When workflows are created digitally, it becomes clear where unnecessary steps are and how to circumvent them. Workflow software also gives you powerful reports and analytics to measure the effectiveness and speed of workflows.
Improve communication: Instead of trading emails and spreadsheets around, everyone involved in a process can have instant visibility into where items are and what is keeping them from moving ahead. Communication shifts away from blame to productivity.
Reduce chaos: Inefficient workflows create situations where stress and anxiety reign supreme. By using workflow software, departments can improve the way they work with each other and spend more time getting more done.
Why McDermott Went for Workflow
Oil and Gas giant McDermott went looking for a workflow tool when their IT team became overwhelmed with the number of requests they needed to process. By implementing KiSSFLOW, they were able to meet an organizational-wide need without adding any additional requirements onto the IT team. See their full story.
Conclusion
Workflow software delivers a lot if you choose the right one. It puts the power of workflow creation into the hands of business users and gives IT a scalable, hands-off solution that meets their needs.
Choosing the right workflow management system is key to getting the right benefits. Kissflow Workflow is an industry leader and continues to make it easier for anyone to create powerful workflows. Try it for free, or schedule a demo to see if it’s right for you!
✈ Ready to take a look at what Kissflow Workflow Software can do for you?
