Top of the best process automation tools
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Imagine a company where the sales team wastes hours each week manually entering customer data into their CRM, sending follow-up emails, and updating reports.
Now, imagine that same team using a process automation tool that connects the web form directly to the CRM, automatically sends personalized emails, and updates reports in real time. The result? More time to sell, fewer errors, and much higher productivity.
Process automation tools are no longer a luxury reserved for large corporations: today they are a necessity for any company looking to be more agile, competitive, and profitable.
From simple tasks like sending emails to complex internal approval workflows, there are tools designed to make teams' lives easier and maximize results.
Read more in this article about the top process automation tools that can transform your business from day one.
What is process automation?
Process automation is the use of technology to execute tasks or business processes with minimal human intervention. This practice allows routine operations to be optimized, ensuring consistency, greater speed, and reduced costs.
Administrative processes (such as internal approvals), marketing activities (such as sending personalized emails), financial operations, customer service, and more can be automated. Key benefits include:
- Increased productivity.
- Reduction in human errors.
- Improved customer satisfaction.
- Greater process control and traceability.
- Operating cost savings.
Criteria for selecting process automation tools
Before investing in process automation tools, it's important to consider some key criteria:
Ease of Use: The tool should be intuitive and easy to implement without requiring extensive technical knowledge. "Pay attention to documentation and other materials that help teams understand and learn best practices for using the tool. Don't choose a tool that's too complex for your team," they noted in an article on the TestDevLab portal.
Assess needs: “When defining the scope of your automation, you should assess your requirements, such as the features, functions, and integrations a process automation tool should have. This includes the type and level of automation you need, input and output formats, and data sources and destinations,” they explained in the LinkedIn documentation.
Integrations: It should connect easily with the applications your company already uses (CRM, ERP, marketing tools, etc.).
Scalability: The solution should adapt to your business's growth and allow you to automate more complex processes in the future.
Cost: Evaluate whether the price-benefit ratio is appropriate for your budget.
Technical Support: Timely support and an active user community are vital.
With these factors in mind, let's explore the best options available.
Top of the best process automation tools
1. Zapier
Zapier is one of the most popular and accessible process automation tools on the market.It allows you to connect thousands of apps and create custom workflows called "Zaps" without any programming.
“Use Zaps to automate your repetitive tasks without programming, saving you time and money. Whether you want to automate a simple task, like sending yourself a Slack message every time your Google Sheets updates, or create a complete automated system, like a lead management workflow, you can use Zaps to do the work for you,” explained Zapier in its documentation.
2. UiPath
UiPath is a leader in robotic process automation (RPA). This platform allows you to create "software robots" that replicate human actions to perform complex tasks in digital systems.
Ideal for sectors such as banking, insurance, telecommunications, and healthcare. Its intuitive interface, low-code development, and extensive library of pre-designed actions make it a versatile platform for businesses of all sizes.
3. Make (formerly Integromat)
Make is a powerful visual platform for process automation that allows you to create complex flows through intuitive diagrams.
“With visual automation, teams can collaborate to design, refine, share their work, and deploy faster,” they explained on their website. “From enabling AI in a workflow to automating processes, Make’s visual platform gives you the power to accelerate innovation,” they added.
Make is perfect for companies that need to automate more elaborate and customized processes.
4. Microsoft Power Automate
Part of the Microsoft ecosystem, Power Automate lets you create automated flows that integrate seamlessly with apps like Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, and Teams.
“Automate processes across nearly any system, desktop application, and website using robotic, digital, and AI-powered process automation,” they detailed on their website. “Confidently scale automation across your entire organization with comprehensive security, governance, and oversight,” they added.
In addition, this process automation tool allows native integration with Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, and it is also possible to include RPA and AI-powered automation. It is ideal for companies already operating in the Microsoft ecosystem.
Highly recommended for medium and large organizations looking for a robust and scalable solution.
5. Kissflow
Kissflow is a low-code process automation tool that allows users to design workflows without deep technical knowledge.
They coined the term “citizen development,” in which any non-technical professional can join the development of custom applications. These “citizen developers” are people outside the IT team who want to build their own solutions and need more independence.
Kissflow is an excellent option for companies looking to digitize and automate their business.They need to quickly ramp up internal processes, have IT process delays, want to innovate faster, and are experiencing a talent shortage.
How to choose the best process automation tools for your company?
The choice of a process automation tool should not be based solely on its popularity, but on the specific needs of your organization. Some aspects to evaluate include:
- Type of processes to automate: Are they simple administrative tasks or complex approval and validation workflows?
- Team size: Who will be using the tool? Do they require different permissions or multiple integrations?
- Available budget: Consider not only the license costs, but also training and support costs.
- Free trials or demos: Take advantage of the free trials offered by many platforms to evaluate their ease of use before committing.
Finally, investing in training is key: training your teams to get the most out of the tool will maximize your return on investment.
Process automation is not only a trend, but a strategic necessity in a world where efficiency makes the difference. Tools like Zapier, UiPath, Make, Microsoft Power Automate, and Kissflow offer adaptable solutions for different types of organizations, needs, and budgets.