The Pros And Cons Of Work Flow Automation

Work flow automation is designed to use technology to make normal office processes faster and more efficiently. For example, if you work in a medical office, work flow automation can be designed to pre-fill in any forms you have with a patients information with the click of a button. This can make filling out medical reports and billing faster. However, while there are many upsides to work flow automation, there are also a few downsides. Learning about the pros and cons will help you decide if this is ideal for you. Here are a couple of the pros and cons of implementing work flow automation in your office.

Cons of Work Flow Automation

• It Can Be Costly to Implement

One of the downsides to work flow automation is that it can be costly to implement. You have to buy the right software and then pay an IT specialist to program it so that it works for your business with your computer systems. You then have to take the time to train your staff on how to properly use the software. If you have a small business, limited time, and a limited budget, trying to implement a work flow automation system can be out of reach.

• You Have to Have a Professional Make Changes

The other con to work flow automation is that you have to have an IT professional work with your software whenever you need to make changes to it. If you find that the system is not working right for your business and you want a step or two taken out or added, the entire software may need to be re-coded or reworked. Or if you upgrade your computer system or software, your work flow automation needs to be updated. This can result in downtime that your business simply may not be able to afford or accommodate.

Pros of Work Flow Automation

• Can Speed Up the Work Flow Process

The biggest upside to work flow automation is that it can speed up the work flow process. There are many tasks that employees have to do that are mundane and mindless. If you could automate that process, you can free up more of your employees' time to focus on tasks at that hand that are more pressing or require more thought to them. You can streamline your process and help your employees work more efficiently with the process of work flow automation.

• Reduces Errors

The other major benefit to work flow automation is that it reduces the number of errors an employee makes. For example, if you own a pest control business and your dispatcher has to call an employee to send them out on a job, they may incorrectly relay the wrong address to the driver, mixing up a number or accidentally omitting one. However, if your system were automated to text the driver the information, they would get the correct information, cutting down on wasted time.

Work flow automation can speed up your employees' day-to-day tasks. However, it can be costly and time consuming to implement. Weighing the pros and cons will help you decide if work flow automation is right for your business.