{"id":11302,"date":"2018-04-25T10:55:38","date_gmt":"2018-04-25T15:55:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/?p=11302"},"modified":"2025-08-06T10:11:29","modified_gmt":"2025-08-06T15:11:29","slug":"business-process-automation-101-understanding-the-basics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrc-productivity.com\/blog\/2018\/04\/business-process-automation-101-understanding-the-basics\/","title":{"rendered":"Business Process Automation 101: Understanding the Basics"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Education\"Summary: Business process automation (BPA) is the technology-enabled automation of business processes. It is performed to improve efficiency through the automation of manual processes. In this article, we explore the basics of BPA, and explain why it’s so important to your business. <\/em><\/span>
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photo credit: Nikiko<\/a> via pixabay<\/a> cc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We\u2019re living in a digital era. Speed and agility are the name of the game.<\/p>\n

The big question facing the modern business:<\/strong> How quickly does your business move and adapt to changes?<\/p>\n

The problem<\/strong>: Many are still living in the past. They\u2019re stuck with outdated, manual processes that slow down their entire business.<\/p>\n

What do these processes look like? Here are a few common examples:<\/p>\n

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  1. Manual data re-entry:<\/strong> Employees are stuck manually entering and re-entering data into multiple systems.<\/li>\n
  2. Paper or email-based workflows:<\/strong> Business processes require a lot of human interaction to complete.<\/li>\n
  3. Heavy spreadsheet usage:<\/strong> Spreadsheets are required to move data from one system to another, or run reports.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Now, this is by no means a complete list. These are just a few of the more common manual processes you\u2019ll find in businesses today. But, they hinder your company\u2019s agility, and could even hurt your ability to remain competitive.<\/p>\n

    If you notice these issues (or other manual processes) in your business, then this article is for you. We\u2019ll introduce and explain a way to solve these problems: Business Process Automation (BPA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    What is BPA?<\/h3>\n

    Because no two businesses are the same, BPA will mean different things to different businesses. For some, it will mean automating email follow-up. For others, it might be an automated workflow process for handling help-desk requests. Or maybe it\u2019s an automated invoicing process<\/a>. The list could go on and on.<\/p>\n

    While it will mean different things to different businesses, the underlying goal is the same: Efficiency. As explained below, BPA is all about streamlining manual processes.<\/p>\n

    \u201cBusiness process automation is the use of technology to transform and streamline a manual process so that it becomes more cost- and time-efficient,\u201d explains Puneet Gangal, CEO & Founder of Aciron Consulting<\/span><\/a>. \u201cBPA often involves moving paper-based processes to a digital system. Instead of relying on manual input from employees to move the process along, the system automatically moves through workflows and drives the user to take action when necessary.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    How will BPA improve your business?<\/h3>\n
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    photo credit: Walter Benson<\/a> via photopin<\/a> cc<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Now, I realize that \u201cstreamlining manual processes\u201d is a pretty vague phrase. What does it mean to your business? What benefits will you see as a result of this effort? While the list could be longer, here are a few of the more common benefits:<\/p>\n