Automation solutions — just like the processes and workflows they automate — are continually evolving. For years, businesses have relied on a standard set of tools to automate and optimize their processes. Today, many businesses are adding artificial intelligence and no-code automation platforms to their process management toolbox. As a result, these businesses are finding new ways to extract more efficiency and productivity from their processes and workflows.
Recently, we asked 160 enterprise business and IT leaders about their expectations and experiences with the process and workflow automation tools of today. Our goal was to better understand which tools they were using, the motives behind their choices, and the benefits they were seeing — or expected to see — as a result of adopting these tools.
Highlights
The report covers three focus areas: process and workflow automation solutions, generative AI, and no-code tools.
Process and workflow automation solutions
According to C-suite executives, the primary drivers behind their adoption of process automation include increasing efficiency and improving productivity. 59% said that reducing errors was also a key driver, and more than half (52%) said they looked to process automation solutions to conserve their IT resources.
When it comes to the benefits of adopting process and workflow automation solutions, “better data and decision making” and “improved agility” topped the list for C-suite executives. Department directors saw “cost savings” and “more consistent process outcomes” as the main benefits.
How do these leaders evaluate process and workflow automation tools? Security was top of mind for 77% of directors and 71% of C-suite executives. Ease of use and ease of integration were also top considerations, with 66% of C-suite executives evaluating solutions based on their ease of use, while 65% of directors considered ease of integration to be a key factor.
Artificial intelligence
Business leaders are optimistic about the benefits of combining artificial intelligence with process automation. 79% of C-suite executives expect generative AI to increase the efficiency of their processes by at least 25%. Among other benefits, 59% of C-suite executives expect AI to help employees make better use of their time, while 54% anticipate that a primary benefit of applying generative AI to process and workflow automation will be “better decision making.”
No-code tools
Another relatively recent development in process automation technology is the use of no-code solutions or tools that business teams can use without any coding experience of their own. According to the survey, more than half (52%) of department directors turn to no-code tools to increase productivity, and 38% see no-code tools as a way to increase innovation.
For C-suite executives, the main drivers behind the adoption of no-code include increasing productivity, increasing innovation, and making the best use of their IT resources.
Read the full report
Download the Process & Workflow Automation Report for full survey results and exclusive insights from enterprise business and IT leaders. The report covers:
- Expected impact of generative AI on process efficiency
- Benefits of combining AI with process automation
- Drivers behind the adoption of process automation tools
- Common barriers to implementation
- Beliefs about process automation
- Benefits of no-code tools
