Task Automation | Automate Repetitive Work

This article was first published in February 2018 and was updated in November 2024.

What Is Task Automation?

Task automation is the use of software to reduce the manual handling of simple tasks or a series of more complex tasks with the goal of making processes more efficient and employees more productive.

Automated workflows can save time and enhance team efficiency by streamlining various tasks such as document handling, form approvals, and onboarding processes, all without the need for coding skills.

Definition of Task Automation

Task automation is the process of leveraging technology to handle repetitive, mundane, and time-consuming tasks. By automating these tasks, businesses can free up human resources to focus on more strategic, creative, and high-value activities. This involves using software, tools, and platforms to streamline specific tasks or sets of tasks, thereby increasing efficiency, productivity, and accuracy. Whether it’s automating data entry, sending notifications, or generating reports, task automation helps in reducing the burden of manual work and allows employees to concentrate on tasks that require human ingenuity and decision-making.

Types of Tasks that Can be Automated

Daily and Weekly Tasks

Daily and weekly tasks are prime candidates for automation. These tasks are often repetitive and time-consuming, making them perfect for task automation tools. Examples include:

• Data Entry: Automate the input of data into systems to save time and reduce errors.

• Notification Sending: Automatically send notifications for updates, reminders, or alerts.

• Information Retrieval: Use automation tools to fetch and compile information from various sources.

• Task Reminders: Set up automated reminders to ensure tasks are completed on time.

• Report Generation: Automatically generate and distribute reports based on predefined criteria.

By automating these simple tasks, businesses can significantly improve efficiency and reduce the time spent on routine activities.

Recurring Monthly Tasks

Recurring monthly tasks, such as bill payments, invoicing, and payroll processing, can also benefit greatly from automation. These tasks are repetitive and often follow a set schedule, making them ideal for automation tools. For instance:

• Bill Payments: Automate the payment of recurring bills to avoid late fees and ensure timely payments.

• Invoicing: Automatically generate and send invoices to clients, reducing the administrative burden.

• Payroll Processing: Use automation tools to calculate and distribute employee salaries accurately and on time.

Automating these tasks not only saves time but also ensures consistency and accuracy in financial operations.

Data Management Tasks

Data management tasks, such as data entry, data processing, and data analysis, are often time-consuming and prone to errors. Automating these tasks can lead to significant improvements in efficiency and accuracy. Examples include:

• Data Entry: Automate the collection and input of data into databases or spreadsheets.

• Data Processing: Use automation tools to process large volumes of data quickly and accurately.

• Data Analysis: Automate the analysis of data to generate insights and reports without manual intervention.

By automating data management tasks, businesses can reduce the risk of errors and make better use of their data.

Task Automation Software

Task automation tools vary based on complexity and use case. For instance, a tool like Zapier can be used when the tasks involve straightforward integration between Web-based systems—for instance, sending a Slack notification when a Twitter post mentions your company name.

In other cases, you may want to automate tasks related to a customer submitting a complaint form or requesting a significant capital expenditure. You’ll want to look into a task automation platform with robust integration capabilities in these cases. These tools can help you lay out your tasks in a visual way that helps deal with the complexity and socialization of the process.

Creating automated workflows can enhance efficiency and streamline processes within teams. These workflows facilitate various tasks such as form approvals and employee onboarding, allowing teams to focus on more important activities and reduce the potential for errors associated with manual processes.

Building Processes with Automated Tasks

Task automation software has become increasingly popular thanks to user-focused task workflow tools that simplify complex designing tasks. In most cases, tasks are arranged using a drag-and-drop interface, allowing various task types to be arranged and connected to simulate the real-world task workflow. This is also sometimes referred to as “workflow automation.”

Automating business processes is crucial for enhancing efficiency and productivity within organizations. Tools like Wrike and Microsoft Power Automate can streamline these processes through automation, making them accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise while ultimately transforming workflow management across various tasks.

The tasks in a process can include forms to be completed, approvals to be provided, assignment of work, triggering of another system, data retrieval, sending emails and alerts, etc. Most task automation software includes a variety of pre-built tasks like these that can be arranged sequentially or in parallel based on the order tasks typically follow.

A series of automated tasks for handling a security incident.

Business Rules

A workflow engine (sometimes called a “business rules engine”) is an application that runs within a task automation system and makes decisions automatically based on preset rules. These decisions usually involve deciding how a task should be accomplished, who should do it, how to know when it’s completed, and what needs to be done next. 

For instance, you might have a task that’s part of the process for onboarding new hires. The task is ensuring a new hire is correctly entered into the payroll system.

• How should the task be accomplished? Selecting the proper salary classification for the new hire.

• Who should do it? The HR administrator for the new hire’s region.

• How will we know the task is completed? When the salary classification is selected, submitted.

• What needs to be done next? The salary classification must be reviewed and approved by the HR Director.

This task could be automated in several ways:

• As the new hire is entered into the system, the salary classification is automatically added based on title or other data.

• The task could be automatically assigned to the proper HR administrator based on the new hire’s office location.

• A new task could automatically be assigned to the HR Director upon submission.

• If the selected salary classification is inappropriate for the title and department, it could automatically come back to the HR administrator for adjustment.

Task Collaboration

Even the most automated tasks require human involvement and collaboration at some point in the process. While smart rules, bots, and similar intelligent tools can help make business workflows more efficient, a process that runs entirely on auto-pilot can eventually generate unexpected outcomes.

When people need to complete a task, they need tools to collaborate and answer questions. For instance, someone might provide insufficient information to request an expense and wonder why their request was returned. Including discussion tools as part of the process allows stakeholders to communicate directly, whether before, during, or at the end of a process.

Benefits of Automating Task Workflow

• Reduced manual handling

• Reduced errors

• Policy compliance adherence

• Improved visibility

• Improved employee satisfaction

• Continual process improvement

• Better workload management

• Reduced approval cycles

Want to Learn More About Automating Tasks with Nutrient Workflow?

Nutrient Workflow is an easy-to-use but robust task automation platform for enterprise-level automation needs. If you’d like to see Nutrient Workflow in action, request a live demonstration or watch a recorded demo.

Interested in Automating Your Workflow?

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FAQ

What is task automation?

Task automation is the use of software to automate repetitive tasks, reducing manual work and increasing productivity.

How can task automation improve efficiency?

By automating routine tasks, businesses can free up time for more strategic work and reduce human errors.

What types of tasks can be automated?

Tasks such as data entry, notifications, report generation, and payroll processing are commonly automated.

What software is used for task automation?

Tools like Zapier, Microsoft Power Automate, and Wrike are popular for automating workflows.

How does task automation benefit businesses?

It saves time, improves accuracy, enhances productivity, and ensures consistency in business operations.