Workflow Automation vs. Workflow Management Automation

It drives me crazy when products claim to be a “workflow automation” app while in reality having zero capabilities to automate even a trivial task like “Send email”. 🤷‍

When an app lets you create a workflow definition, start process and manage manual tasks — it’s automation of workflow management. The app is basically doing what a process manager would have been doing manually — creating new tasks, assigning to people, tracking progress etc.

Workflow automation on other hand is when an app lets you automate manual tasks, so that no one need to do them manually in a first place:

• Send email.
• Save files to Google Drive.
• Update record in DB.
• Send contract for signing.
• Check if invoice has been paid on PayPal…

I think you got the idea.

Many apps will claim this all is doable via Zapier integration. This is true, to some extent. But Zapier is like shouting directions out of open window — ”send invoice to the cliiiieeeeent!”. There’s no way to get response or get any update back to the app — was it actually done? Was there any error?

It’s important that when task is automated you as a manager not loosing any visibility in its status: was it done? When? If it failed — why? What was the problem? Can we try again?

Fortunately, some apps are actually let you automate 🤖 workflow tasks (in addition to its management)!