Earlier this month at the TUG meeting for Infor users, Ellen Richard from our office gave a presentation on “Workflow Do’s and Don’ts” that was very popular. We thought it would be a good list to share.

The Digital File Manager’s workflow process can ensure the right documents are going to the right people, at the right time! Here’s some great info every office can use to improve its digital workflow.

Do

1. DO THINK THROUGH AND DOCUMENT YOUR CURRENT WORKFLOW PROCESS; You should always take an extensive look at your current method of working. You first need transparency into what employees are doing and how they are doing it.
2. DO INVOLVE THE TEAM AND GET INPUT FROM CURRENT USERS; Ultimately, your team members will be the ones most affected by the change, so involve them from the beginning. If you’re improving on an existing workflow, Interviewing and observing people that use the processes you want to improve will help you develop the elements that support a better workflow process. Team members should understand the benefits they will get from the change. Also, any concerned team members should thoroughly understand how the new system works.
3. DO START SMALL; START WITH ONE AREA; Incremental process improvement is the key to lasting change. Let your team get used to one process before moving on to the next.
4. DO ALLOT OWNERSHIP; Having a manager in charge of the overall workflow is a best practice for workflow automation and can be crucial for smooth operation of the process.
5. DO MAKE WORKFLOWS FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE; Often workflows are determined and configured by the IT administrator because they are complicated to set up and maintain. But that means that every time users want to change or update the workflow, users need to call in IT. A good system allows users with permission, such as managers, to make adaptations without having to call in IT.

Don\’t

1. DON’T INCREASE THE COMPLEXITY OF WORKFLOWS UNNECESSARILY; Many workflow systems are highly complex, requiring many people to design them. But the workflows themselves should be as simple as possible. It is key to finding a cost- effective solution.
2. DON’T GO IT ALONE; Utilize our support team to help guide you through the process and set-up. Take advantage of both their technical expertise and their knowledge of how other companies are utilizing the software and have set up their workflows for maximum efficiency.
3. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPACT OF AUTOMATION; The more you can automate in the background, the more time and energy your employees have to focus on tasks that actually drive revenue. Be aware of all that can be automated. You can automate any process of your business, including confidential and critical work. Digital workflow automation is an investment that pays for itself many times over; both by increasing productivity and decreasing the frustration of your workers, who no longer have to spend so much time working with a less efficient system.