Who needs an IT Department to institute BPM and Workflow Applications?

 

How efficient and effective is your business? Introducing new software can oftentimes alleviate inefficiencies and non-effective handling of business. The two most popular types of software for improving these shortcomings are Business Process Management applications and Workflow applications.

Unfortunately, department managers often feel dependent on their I.T. department to put new software systems such as these in place. Although software can often help alleviate these hurdles, being reliant on your I.T. department is no longer required. Let’s explore some alternatives which will allow you to circumvent your IT department. I’m sure they’re full of very nice people, but they’re probably pretty busy, so it’s probably best to not disturb them.

 

Let’s Take a Closer Look

The first step is to determine what your inefficiencies are. These can be any number of things such as communication issues, time spent manually imputing data, project delays, legacy software issues, data storage which is too full or aged, or splintered storage. These drawbacks can cost your organization a huge amount of lost revenue. Once this is determined, then the next step is finding a solution. Let’s explore some software built to increase efficiency and the effectiveness of businesses.

 

What is BPM software?

There is software specifically developed to improve inefficiencies, improve process performance and simplify your daily operations. This is called Business Process Management software. A great BPM software system will flawlessly achieve these goals by automating routine (manual entry) based processes, design new process routines, seamlessly integrate with other systems and provide exceptionally useful reports.

 

Some of the most sought-after features found within BPM’s include:

 

  1. A mobile version, such as a web application or mobile app
  2. Powerful administrator tools
  3. Role-based access control
  4. Powerful integration options
  5. Process performance metrics and reports

 

Although there is a myriad of off-the-shelf BPM software solutions, these systems may be bloated full of features which your organization will never use or lack specific options and features which your business requires. Moreover, these systems will definitely require your I.T. department’s assistance to set up and deploy. No Thanks! For these reasons, many organizations use custom BPM systems.

 

What is Workflow software?

Many organizations use Workflow Software to track processes, projects and tasks.  These systems can be used solely by administration personnel or by various levels of employees and departments within an organization, depending on what the system is being used for. There are key features which are fairly ubiquitous within workflow software applications. Here are a few:

 

  1. KPI-based reports
  2. WYSIWYG form builder, which creates forms effortlessly
  3. Instant notifications
  4. Cloud-based solution
  5. Role-based access control

 

Workflow software can be used in many different types of businesses because they can be customized to fit your specific needs. This can be a major drawback when choosing an off-the-shelf Workflow software application, since it will require your I.T. team  for setup and deployment. Again, we suggest going with a Custom Workflow Application Developer, such as Inflash.

 

To Reach or Not To Reach, That is the Question

As a department head, I find myself hesitating to reach out to our I.T. department for help in increasing our efficiency and helping us reach our financial goals. Generally, I.T. departments often have quite a bit already on their plates, so new projects such as installing new software systems are simply to the back of the line. This delay can be months, which most of us simply don’t have.

 

The fact is, most people within I.T. departments are very helpful and knowledgeable about the general hardware and software systems required for the general upkeep of an organization, however, when expressing the need for a new BPM or Workflow application, one could be met with hesitation, due to a lack of familiarity with such a piece of software.

 

The beauty of these kinds of systems today is that they can be designed, developed and then deployed into the cloud without ever bothering your I.T. department. How is this?…..

 

The key word in the phrase above is “cloud”. A software development partner, such as Inflash, can put together a custom application with is designed, developed and deployed to your department’s exact specifications. By deploying your system into a cloud storage solution, we are able to achieve a few pieces of technological marvel…..

  1. Avoid bothering your I.T. department
  2. Provide access to your system from any remote location with internet access
  3. Bring your department up to date with some incredible, highly efficient and effective, software application solutions

 

In conclusion, introducing new software can breathe new life into an organization or department. Especially software which automates processes and improves communication. Off-the-shelf BPM and Workflow software systems can help, but usually, require an I.T. department to set up and deploy. Today you can avoid relying on I.T. for this. Using a custom software development organization like Inflash will provide a solution tailored to your needs coupled with the ability to circumvent your I.T. department. Call us today for a quote…. 301-710-0667 or click here.