Workflow system – what it is and how it works?

In today’s world, when productivity and efficiency are key to business success, the use of practical workflow plays an increasingly important role. Many people certainly encounter the term on a daily basis, but not everyone knows in detail what it actually means.

A workflow system is a tool that allows you to control and automate business processes. Thanks to it, it is possible to streamline work and minimize errors due to the human factor. In this article, we will present how exactly workflow software works, what are the benefits of its use and in which industries it is most often used. Are you ready to explore the topic of workflow? We invite you to read on.

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What is a workflow system and why does it influence efficiency to such an extend?

Giving one specific definition of workflow would not be enough, because there is no single good explanation of the concept. The construction of the definition, for each company and different experiences, may be slightly different. In a general sense, workflow is a method and system for guiding processes performed by employees after prior definition by management. Managers distribute work and activities with a view to predetermined guidelines, procedures, as well as personal competencies. As a result, employees in different departments carry out processes, often without knowledge and insight into the overall structure or workflows in other departments of the organization.

The term workflow itself translates to workflow. It is also often regarded as the flow of information between individual employees. In many organizations, work processes are predetermined and modeled through BPM class tools.

How does workflow system work?

As mentioned earlier, workflow software itself is a tool that allows you to control and automate business processes. Modeled and handled in a program or application is a sequence of tasks that defines the entire life cycle of a document (such as invoices, contracts or correspondence) or work processes.

The workflow system includes, among other things, business process models, graphical diagrams, routing rules, guidelines for exceptions and abnormal situations, and workflow automation modules. The workflow program enables supervision of business processes, increases their efficiency, minimizes errors and time consumption. It allows easier and faster management of human resources. It is usually used in industries such as finance, medicine, logistics or manufacturing, but is increasingly appearing in other sectors. Public administration, accounting offices, HR departments and commercial companies are also using such solutions.

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Do not hesitate to find out about your company’s workflow system

What documents can be processed in a workflow program?

Programs that support work processes also allow the circulation of various types of documents within the organization. Among the most common of these are:

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Sales and purchase invoices

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Requests

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Orders

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Contracts

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Correspondence

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Leave requests and business trips

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HR documents

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Procedures and instructions

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Internal documents

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Schedules and work plans

Processes handled by the workflow program are fully electronic. This may include, for example, the submission of a business trip, means of transportation assignment, approval of the trip by the manager followed by billing and accounting of costs. More often, the case is similar with attendance records, reporting and approval of absences, or conducting employee recruitment processes.

What does workflow software include?

To better understand what a workflow system is, it is useful to identify its basic elements, processes, and procedures. The most important of them is the task, which consists of an activity. An activity can be either manual, performed by a team member, or automatic, performed by the system. Another important element is transit, or the conditions that must be met to move from one activity to the next.

A workflow program consists of several sections. Initially, decisions are necessary related to the involvement of individuals, defining the characteristics of the process and the division of responsibilities. Often, workflow diagrams depicting task flows are also created. Then comes the time to implement the system and train employees on how to use the application. Once the system has been implemented and staff trained, the tasks can begin.

The workflow program provides all team users with specific activities to perform. In the course of process handling, activities are then introduced to optimize and automate or change the work process in its entirety.

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What are the benefits of implementing a workflow program for an organization?

Implementing workflow software in a company brings many benefits. The most important are:

  • Increase company efficiency by streamlining work and automating tasks.
  • Improvement of product or service quality achieved by better process management and quality control.
  • Reduce task and work duration by eliminating unnecessary steps and close monitoring of progress.
  • Increase transparency of operations and manage information more efficiently by centralizing and organizing data.
  • Improved communication among employees and better utilization of their potential, through effective coordination of work and easier transfer of information.
  • Increase control over processes and reduce the risk of errors as a consequence of automation, introduction of rules and standards or procedures.
  • Improve resource management efficiency as a result of better planning and monitoring of resource use.
  • Facilitate reporting and data analysis by making information accessible and organized in the system.
  • Increased organizational flexibility as a result of the ability to easily adapt processes to changing needs and conditions.
  • Greater customer satisfaction due to faster and more efficient service.

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How to streamline work processes in a company?

1.

Introduce task automation to increase efficiency and reduce time spent on work.

2.

Standardize procedures to make it easier for employees to perform tasks and to ensure that operations are performed consistently.

3.

Implement a high-quality workflow system in the organization to fully monitor progress and control task completion.

4.

Train employees so that they have the right skills and knowledge to perform tasks efficiently, as well as in accordance with procedures.

5.

Document processes and tasks so that they are easier to monitor and improve.

6.

Set goals and performance measures to accurately assess the effectiveness of activities and identify areas for improvement.

7.

Współpracować z pracownikami, żeby poznać ich potrzeby i sugestie dotyczące usprawnienia procesów.

8.

Work with employees to learn their needs and feedback for process improvement.

9.

Create a culture of continuous improvement and innovation so as to motivate employees to be proactive and seek new solutions.

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V-Desk – workflow by Primesoft

Primesoft specializes in the development and implementation of workflow and DMS class solutions for companies. The V-Desk system has been supporting work in hundreds of enterprises for 20 years. Many well-known and respected brands have accelerated their work and business processes thanks to V-Desk.

Why do companies rely on V-Desk? First of all, because of the comprehensiveness of the solution, which supports and digitizes virtually all business processes of the enterprise.

Want to learn how our workflow system works? Get in touch with us today!