Choosing enterprise business process automation software

Corporates need enterprise business process automation software to stay ahead in the digital-first era. In this blog, we discuss what you need to know when choosing yours.

With a clear understanding of the business benefits of enterprise business process automation software, you're well on your way to ensuring you succeed in scaling an organisation. But selecting which tools and software you'll use is as crucial as knowing why you're searching for them.

Here are key things to look out for in right-fit enterprise BPA software, and an overview of a few of your available options.

What to look for in enterprise business process automation software

Your choice of software will affect every aspect of your business — from customer service turnaround time to employee satisfaction and staff turnover. Draw up a shortlist of potential BPA software with the following in mind to ensure you pick the right fit for your business:

Customisability

Out-of-the-box solutions are the most logical instead of creating a completely bespoke software solution, but ensure you do not end up hamstringing your business by selecting a solution that is too rigid to truly meet your automation needs. Prioritise software that allows you to implement highly customisable automations using programmable automation.

This means you can automate any process you want to, no matter how complex. Check out their programmable automation feature in HubSpot, and see how easily you'll be able to customise and automate your ERP integrations, lead rotations, commission calculations, renewals and more.

Features

Documenting your business processes first can help you identify exactly where you need to automate. This can then be cross-referenced with the features of the enterprise business process automation software you're considering — can they meet all your needs? You could even create a checklist of features you need to prioritise, like our 3 favourites:

Data syncing: How easily can you connect your business apps to the platform and keep customer data consistent and up to date? Can data sync in both directions, in real-time and sync historical data as well, to truly simplify data import and export?
Programmable automation: Can you customise automations to suit your changing business processes as your company scales, and customer data increases and processes grow in complexity?
Data quality automation: Dirty data slows your team down and can damage your reputation with employees and customers. Can your BPA software be programmed to clean your data, formatting property values in certain ways (such as updating phone numbers, capitalising letters correctly and more)?

Integrations

How easily can the platform integrate with your existing systems reliably, easily and securely? For example, HubSpot Operations Hub integrates with more than 600 custom integrations in their App Marketplace, including Microsoft 365, ZenDesk, MailChimp and more. And, unlike any other platform, provides real-time, two-way sync of your data to ensure your databases mirror each other across all platforms, all of the time.

Ease of use

If your team can't (or won't) use it, any enterprise business process automation software is automatically useless. How easy is the platform to use? Is it designed to boost user adoption through intuitive UI, consistent support and tutorial opportunities?

It's also worth considering bringing in some extra help when rolling out the software — booking a few training workshops or getting assistance with change management can go a long way to boosting user adoption rates.

Is it an all-in-one solution?

How easily can the platform scale with your business? All-in-one solutions require less custom building and can be more cost-effective as a result. They also reduce the risk of API vulnerabilities, flatten learning and adoption curves, and set you up for scalability and growth as one provider can easily match your evolving needs.

What are the 4 types of enterprise automation?

When it comes to enterprise automation, there are four different types, each representing a different level of sophistication. The four types of enterprise automation are:

Basic automation
Process automation
Integration automation
Robotic process automation

Let's examine these in more detail.

1. Basic automation

Basic automation is a way of setting up user-independent systems that can take care of everyday tasks without any additional input. It eliminates the need for a worker to manually finish a task, saving precious time and energy.

Basic automation works well in managing data sets, building reports, automating business logic, personalising customer experiences, creating comprehensive dashboards and improving overall system performance.

Additionally, they are also capable of controlling access to certain resources or regulating how data should be moved and stored within organisations.

2. Process automation

Process automation software helps teams record and share important information such as how tasks are completed and how these tasks relate to organisational objectives. This helps everyone involved in the process know exactly what needs to be done and ensures that nothing slips between the cracks or is forgotten.

With process automation, teams can easily automate repetitive manual tasks so they can focus on more important work, while businesses get increased visibility into their workflows and ultimately become more efficient and effective organisations.

3. Integration automation

Integration automation is a powerful tool for organisations to more efficiently manage and control their data and processes. By automating the integration of different software systems, applications, and devices, organisations can ensure that information is shared quickly and accurately.

This process eliminates the need for manual labour in order to establish connections between independent components. Automation allows users to set up rules and parameters to execute desired actions consistently with quality assurance. In turn, this saves time and money in faster deployments as well as reduces errors from human input.

The unified platform created by automated integrations makes it easier for companies to quickly respond to certain changes or challenges within the organisation or market. Companies are able to create reliable workflows that integrate various applications together without having to manually code each one individually.

This reduces development times and helps in creating more efficient customer experiences by reducing the lag time between customer requests and outcomes as they move through the system faster with less complexity.

4. Robotic process automation

Robotic process automation (RPA) is an innovative technology that has revolutionised the way businesses work. By using this software, previously complicated and manual processes can be automated in a fraction of the time it would take with manual labour.

This is especially beneficial for businesses that have to manage large volumes of data or need to ensure deadlines are met and accurate data is presented. RPA also decreases human error which helps to reduce operational costs as well.

The RPA software acts like a digital worker, taking care of rule-based jobs that would usually require manual intervention.

Not only do they free up more time for employees to focus on innovative higher-level thinking tasks, but they also help boost ROI and productivity within the company. This means that RPA provides companies with huge potential for improved efficiency and cost savings if used correctly.

What are the benefits of enterprise automation?

Enterprise automation has enabled businesses to drastically increase efficiency and reduce costs by streamlining traditional manual processes. Through automated solutions, companies can save time in completing tasks and improve their output quality.

Automated messaging, data processing, document management, workflow systems, customer service tools, and reporting solutions are just some of the features available in today’s enterprise automation technology.

The positives of enterprise automation are numerous—from compliance to operational cost savings to error prevention. Automation reduces paperwork that is prone to human error.

It also eliminates the need for manual data entry into different software programs or databases ensuring that nothing gets missed or duplicated.

Through automation, organisations can help ensure higher levels of accuracy with no effort from employees. This results in higher productivity as employees can focus on other projects instead of mundane tasks that are seen as a burden.

Additionally, customer experience is improved with automated tools like chatbots which allow customers to get assistance 24 hours a day without having to wait for a response from customer service staff.

Finally, decreased overhead costs associated with implementing these automated technologies also helps contribute to an overall savings for businesses that transition to automation systems.

The 12 best enterprise process automation software solutions you need to know about

Let's take a look at some options in the enterprise market. It's not an exhaustive list — it's designed to get you started, as a basic outline of, and comparison between, some of today's top players.

HubSpot Operations Hub

HubSpot Operations Hub is a modern platform engineered to streamline and automate business operations, aligning teams, tools, and data for smoother functionality. The hub serves as a centralised conduit for operational processes, ensuring business processes run like a well-oiled machine. Here are some of its notable automation-centric features and benefits:

Data sync: At the core of HubSpot Operations Hub is its robust data sync feature, which facilitates seamless data integration and synchronisation across different applications. This feature is pivotal for automating data management processes and ensuring data accuracy across the organisation.
Workflow automation: The hub excels in automating workflows, allowing teams to streamline their processes, reduce manual tasks, and significantly improve operational efficiency. Its intuitive workflow builder enables the creation and automation of workflows that align well with organisational objectives.
Programmable automation: HubSpot Operations Hub provides programmable automation features, allowing for the creation of custom automation solutions. This feature is perfect for businesses with complex or unique operational needs, enabling them to automate processes that go beyond standard automation solutions.
Data quality automation: The platform has a strong emphasis on ensuring data quality through automation. By automating data cleansing and maintenance tasks, it aids in maintaining a high level of data accuracy and consistency.
Integration capabilities: With robust integration capabilities, the hub seamlessly connects with a wide range of external systems and applications.
Custom code actions: The feature of custom code actions allows for tailored automation, enabling businesses to create specific automated actions that cater to their unique operational needs.
Scalable operations: HubSpot Operations Hub is designed to scale with the evolving needs of businesses, supporting a wide range of operational automation requirements.
Centralised operations management: By centralising operations management, the hub provides a unified view of operational processes, aiding in better monitoring, analysis, and continuous improvement of automated processes.
Ease of use: The intuitive and user-friendly interface of HubSpot Operations Hub makes it easy for users to create, manage, and optimise automated workflows, promoting operational excellence.

Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate, formerly known as Microsoft Flow until November 2019, is a potent tool within the Microsoft ecosystem designed to automate workflows and processes across various applications and services. Here's a detailed insight into its capabilities and benefits:

Automation of workflows: Power Automate enables users to create automated workflows between different apps and services. These workflows can help synchronise files, get notifications, collect data, and more. The primary aim is to automate mundane, manual processes to boost productivity, especially within Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Azure environments.
Part of Microsoft Power platform: Power Automate is a component of the Microsoft Power Platform, which also includes Power Apps and Power BI. This integration allows for a broader range of automation and analysis capabilities across the platform.
Robotic process automation (RPA) and digital process automation (DPA): Power Automate facilitates not just workflow automation but also extends to robotic process automation (RPA) and digital process automation (DPA), thereby providing a comprehensive automation solution across all Power Platform projects.

SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation

SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation (SAP Intelligent RPA) is a robust platform designed to foster the creation, orchestration, and monitoring of automation bots that mimic user actions across multiple applications and tools. Here's a closer look at its capabilities and advantages:

Automation across applications: SAP Intelligent RPA is engineered to automate processes that span across various applications, be they SAP modules or other desktop and web-based applications. This broad scope of automation is particularly useful for enterprises operating with a mix of SAP and non-SAP systems.
Bot creation and orchestration: The platform offers a cloud-based design studio, allowing users to design, configure, and execute automation projects seamlessly. Users can create end-to-end workflows and orchestrate software robots to automate business processes, thus improving operational efficiency.
Machine learning integration: One of the standout features is the integration of machine learning which enables the platform to learn from past experiences and make more accurate decisions over time. This can significantly enhance the automation's effectiveness and accuracy.

Oracle Business Process Management

Oracle Business Process Management (BPM) is a comprehensive solution designed for business process automation, helping organisations achieve heightened operational efficiency and business agility. The platform is tailored to automate, monitor, and optimise business processes, ensuring streamlined operations and improved decision-making. Below are some of its notable automation-centric features and advantages:

Robust process automation: Oracle BPM is adept at automating both structured and unstructured processes. Its robust process automation capabilities allow for the design, execution, monitoring, and optimisation of business processes, reducing manual efforts and driving efficiency.
Low-code development: The platform offers a low-code environment that facilitates rapid application development and deployment. This feature enables individuals, irrespective of their coding expertise, to create and automate business processes swiftly.
Real-time monitoring and analytics: Through real-time monitoring and analytics, organisations can gain insights into the performance of automated processes. This helps identify bottlenecks, ensuring continuous process improvement, and making informed decisions.

Comindware Tracker

Comindware Tracker, now known as CMW Tracker, is a comprehensive low-code workflow tracking and automation software designed to empower both business professionals and non-technical users. Here are some key aspects and benefits of Comindware Tracker:

Low-code platform: At its core, Comindware Tracker is a low-code platform that facilitates the design, execution, and modification of business processes using intuitive graphical tools, thus reducing dependency on IT resources. This is particularly beneficial for individuals with little to no technical expertise, enabling them to actively participate in process automation and management.
Efficient workflow tracking and automation: Comindware Tracker stands as a robust solution for tracking daily tasks and automating various business processes.
Business process modeling and management: Besides workflow tracking, Comindware Tracker provides tools for business process modelling and management. This is crucial for organisations looking to automate their business operations and boost workflow productivity.

ConnectWise Manage

ConnectWise Manage is a dedicated business process platform tool aimed at enhancing sales, collaboration, and communication within an organisation. Here are the notable aspects and benefits of ConnectWise Manage:

Centralisation of data: It allows the centralisation of data from multiple channels, providing real-time visibility in operations which is critical for informed decision-making and operational efficiency.
Automation and operational productivity: With a set of automation features, ConnectWise Manage aims to improve both employee and operational productivity by centralising information. This frees up resources and allows for the resolution of issues that machines cannot address, further aided by the availability of statistical data for identifying key bottlenecks.
Professional services automation: It's a professional services automation software that helps IT organisations efficiently manage their operations, with key features like project management, cloud billing, contract management, and procurement. It also includes a built-in help desk for managing tickets, essentially offering CRM functionalities as well.

KissFlow

Kissflow, developed by OrangeScape in 2012, is a cloud-based platform designed to facilitate the automation and management of business processes and workflows across various domains such as digital workplaces, human resources management, and workflow management. With a philosophy of keeping things smart and simple, it caters to both technical and non-technical users, providing an easy-to-use interface for the creation, execution, and management of automated workflows.

Here are some notable aspects and benefits of Kissflow:

Low-code platform: Kissflow is a low-code application development platform that brings business users and IT closer, simplifying work management and accelerating digital transformation. Its low-code to no-code nature provides a balance between ease of use and powerful functionality, making it suitable for a broad range of business process automation and management tasks.
End-to-end workflow management: The platform is touted for its end-to-end workflow management capabilities, providing tools to automate enterprise business processes through an innovative and simple interface. This is particularly beneficial for streamlining routine operations and ensuring consistency across workflows.
Automation and integration: Kissflow supports the automation of standard approval processes with an intuitive drag-and-drop form builder, coupled with assignment rules. Additionally, it boasts a strong integration system to connect with third-party apps and build APIs, thereby extending its functionality and promoting seamless workflow automation across different applications.

Bonita BPM

Bonita BPM, created by Bonitasoft, is an open-source and extensible platform dedicated to business process automation and optimisation. Developed initially in 2001, it has evolved into a robust platform facilitating a clear separation between visual programming and coding, which accelerates the development and production phases of projects. Here's a deeper dive into its notable features and advantages:

Comprehensive process automation: Bonita BPM is proficient in automating a wide array of business processes, ranging from simple to complex workflows. Its robust automation capabilities ensure streamlined operations, reduced manual intervention, and improved efficiency.
Low-code development environment: The platform offers a low-code development environment that simplifies the creation and customisation of process applications. This enables rapid development and deployment of automated workflows, catering to the evolving business needs.
Intuitive design and modeling tools: Bonita BPM houses intuitive design and modelling tools that make the process of creating and automating workflows straightforward. Its user-friendly interface allows for easy modelling of business processes, ensuring that the automation aligns well with organisational objectives.

Azuqua (Okta Workflows)

Azuqua, now part of Okta Workflows, was designed as a tool to help users integrate their Software as a Service (SaaS) applications and build custom automations. It was acquired by Okta in late 2019, and has since been integrated into Okta Workflows to leverage its workflow orchestration engine and application integrations for automating complex identity-centric processes such as user onboarding and offboarding. Here are some key features and benefits of Azuqua (Okta Workflows):

Workflow orchestration engine: Azuqua's workflow orchestration engine is at the core of Okta Workflows, enabling automation of complex processes, which is essential for managing identity-centric tasks like user onboarding and offboarding seamlessly.
Application integrations: Azuqua facilitates application integrations to streamline operations and improve workflow automations, making it a powerful tool for managing a variety of processes across different applications.
Identity process automation at scale: With the integration of Azuqua, Okta Workflows can easily automate identity processes at a larger scale, replacing custom code with powerful, flexible logic. This is particularly beneficial for organisations looking to automate and streamline identity management processes across their operations.

Laserfiche

Laserfiche is a leading Software as a Service (SaaS) provider specialising in enterprise content management (ECM) and business process automation. It provides a platform to accelerate business operations through powerful workflows, electronic forms, document management, and analytics. Here are some notable features and benefits of Laserfiche:

Workflow automation: At its core, Laserfiche excels in automating complex workflows, allowing organisations to streamline operations, reduce manual tasks, and significantly improve efficiency. Its workflow automation tools enable the design, monitoring, and optimisation of business processes.
Low-code development: Laserfiche provides a low-code development environment which facilitates rapid design and deployment of automated workflows. This feature enables individuals regardless of their technical expertise to create and customise workflows with ease.
Forms automation: With its forms automation capability, Laserfiche allows for the digital transformation of paper-based processes. This allows for the easy creation, distribution, and management of digital forms, accelerating process automation.

Zoho Creator

Zoho Creator is a low-code platform crafted to expedite business process automation (BPA) within organisations. It provides a fertile ground for individuals to design, develop, and deploy a broad spectrum of business applications with minimal coding effort. Below are some of its notable features and benefits-oriented towards automation:

Low-code process automation: At its core, Zoho Creator thrives in enabling low-code process automation. This allows individuals, irrespective of their coding skills, to create, automate, and optimise business processes with ease.
Drag-and-drop interface: The platform hosts an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, simplifying the process of application and workflow creation. This enables swift development and deployment of automated workflows tailored to unique business requirements.
Custom application development: Zoho Creator supports the development of a wide range of custom applications aimed at automating various business processes. Its tools facilitate the seamless design of workflows, forms, and fields, ensuring a coherent automation experience.

IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation

IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation is designed as a modular and integrated set of software components, tailored for any hybrid cloud environment. The primary goal of this platform is to automate work processes and accelerate business growth. Below are some key features and benefits associated with IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation:

Modular design: The platform consists of a modular set of integrated software components which can be adapted to various hybrid cloud environments. This design allows for a flexible and customised approach to business automation, catering to the specific needs of different organisations.
Comprehensive automation: IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation is engineered to simplify complex multi-step workflows, manual tasks, and decision-making processes. It also facilitates data extraction, record management, document governance, and compliance, making it a comprehensive solution for business automation needs.
AI-powered automation capabilities: It includes a set of AI-powered automation capabilities encompassing content, capture, decisions, workflows, and tasks. These AI-driven features enhance the platform's ability to quickly solve tough operational challenges, making it a robust solution for modern enterprises.

Related: Dig into how HubSpot supports the growth of leading global enterprises in our blog post, Everything You Need To Know About HubSpot Enterprise Tools.

How Huble can help you automate your business processes

HubSpot Operations Hub is our enterprise business process automation software of choice.

It's highly customisable to suit your organisation's unique needs and combines powerful features like real-time data syncing with an easy-to-use interface that guarantees a high likelihood of user adoption. What's more, it integrates seamlessly with myriad third-party apps, but also with the entire HubSpot Suite.

Chat with us about a personalised BPA strategy and implementation — including change management and training — for your business. Click here and get in touch!