What is a Workflow? When it comes to working in business, everyone is always looking for an extra edge to keep them competitive. Often this all comes down to the efficiency of processes. After all, the faster work is done, the more that can be completed. You’ve probably heard people talk about workflows before, and […]
When it comes to working in business, everyone is always looking for an extra edge to keep them competitive. Often this all comes down to the efficiency of processes. After all, the faster work is done, the more that can be completed.
You’ve probably heard people talk about workflows before, and you probably already have multiple workflows in place without even realizing it. Even in our day-to-day lives, most people have workflows in place for things as simple as getting your morning coffee. You probably switch your water to heat up before grinding beans, right? That’s because it’s more efficient to get the water heating before it’s needed. That in itself is a simple workflow that maximizes your efficiency.
In the end, a workflow is really nothing more than a set of processes that are combined to maximize efficiency. Yet they can do even more when implemented across processes and in collaboration with others, especially when you work in business.
Efficiency is one of the top reasons why workflows are important to use in business. They help speed up processes that can be long and complicated (like budget approval or signoffs) by giving employees steps to follow each and every time that a process is begun.
Workflows also help reduce overall errors in work. If a business has a process in place for budget approval it can be as simple as: Karen creates and sends her budget to finance -> Lucy at finance reviews and signs off on it. If Lucy doesn’t sign off on something and money that shouldn’t have been allocated has been, that can cause problems. With workflows in place, Lucy will review all budgets, so she can track funds and prevent budget issues from developing.
In addition to speed and fewer errors, workflows can help save money by ensuring that important tasks (say client onboarding) are completed within a specific timeline/process. Without a workflow in place, it can be easy to lose track of important reminders, files, and even clients, which can create costly operating delays, lead to industry or compliance fines, and prompt clients to pursue relationships with your competitors.
Of course, different industries can have wildly different types of workflows. While a law firm might need to use a workflow for collecting client information, those working in the education sector might need to use a workflow to have curricula approved.
One guarantee though? Almost every sector uses workflows, whether they realize it or not.
Of course, even within different industries, there are common workflows that nearly all industries use including budget approvals, client intake, employee onboarding/offboarding, expense signoffs, and travel. Here are just a few examples:
No matter what industry you work in, employees have to be onboarded. For most companies this will look something like this:
That’s a fairly simple workflow, but one that most industries have in place.
Almost all industries have document review workflows, even if it’s just as simple as:
Vacation time off might seem simple, but usually, a business goes through several steps before requests are approved, including:
Employee time off request --> manager reviews request/schedule --> manager does/does not approve time off.
All laid out here, it can look overwhelming. However, it’s important to remember that most businesses have some type of workflow already in place.
Of course, even these familiar workflows take effort and can cost a lot of time in terms of administrative work. That’s why workflow automation has begun to rise in popularity.
Workflow automation can help by transferring already-created workflows to automated systems. Your employees don’t have to take the time to oversee workflows anymore. Instead, they’re automatically completed for you.
Workflow automation makes workflows even more efficient as it takes away the admin responsibilities from your employees and allows them to focus on more important work.
Of course, not all workflow automation systems are created equal. Workflow automation is essentially made to save you time and money. While some workflow automation systems promise this, you might find that they take an enormous amount of time to set up, while also costing more money than they’re worth.
That’s where FileCloud comes into play.
FileCloud is a hyper-secure cloud storage and file-sharing system that allows businesses to securely store, share, and collaborate on their files.
FileCloud has many benefits and features including a helpful Compliance Center for governance and security of files, advanced file-sharing options, and workflow automation.
Workflow Automation is a part of FileCloud’s system, not an additional system that users have to learn and buy. It was created with business workflows in mind, to make your work easier.
The no-code, drag-and-drop design makes it possible for anyone to create workflows.
Workflows have a built-in logic that makes them easier to create and edit. These workflows can be shared with team member and across departments for ease of collaboration. All running workflows can be viewed in a dashboard to track processes in real-time, which helps correct oversights. In addition, anyone can download reports and logs for internal reviews and external audits.
With just a click, any employee can automate their workflows for their tasks including:
The tasks that make up workflows are a vital part of all organizations. Workflow automation with FileCloud makes sure these tasks are done quickly and easily. It’s easy to set up FileCloud’s workflow automation, which means your employees can focus on creating value within their unique expertise.
For more information on how FileCloud can support your business or organization, check out our tour or sign up for a free trial here!
