Managing your business operations is a challenging endeavor that often requires a high level of time, attention, and manual labor. Luckily, the digital transformation taking the workplace by storm has set its sights on automating these business operations through Business Process Management (BPM) and workflow management.
You may have previously heard these terms used interchangeably, but we’re here to let you know there are actually quite a few differences between these terms. We’ll kick off this article with a quick overview of what exactly BPM and workflow are.
What is BPM?
So, what is Business Process Management? BPM refers to the way in which businesses create, implement, and manage necessary business processes. These processes are made up of activities or tasks pieced together to complete an operational goal. BPM assists businesses in defining, analyzing, and improving business processes for a more efficient workplace.
Many businesses manage their processes using Business Process Management software. This software provides businesses with the tools to automate their business processes for improved accuracy and efficiency.
What is a Workflow?
Chances are, you’ve heard the term “workflow” at least once in your workplace. But what does it mean? A workflow is a sequence of tasks that are needed to achieve a business goal. Workflows are often used to automate repetitive tasks that occur in a specific order over and over.
Similar to BPM, businesses will often use workflow automation software to manage and automate their workflows. Daily tasks can be automated for faster completion using custom business rules for improved workflow management.
BPM vs. Workflow
Now that we’ve defined BPM and workflow, let’s look at how these two work together and the key differences that make them so unique.
Similarities
To start, we’ll discuss how BPM and workflow management work together. Both of these tools are used to automate work functions. Whether it’s simple, daily tasks or entire processes, BPM and workflow management work hand-in-hand to make our days a little easier.
Workflows are the sequences of tasks that go into completing a project. BPM, then, could be described as the management of a set of workflows from multiple departments that come together to achieve an operational goal. Since both BPM and workflow are important factors in the workplace, they are often found in every organizational aspect.
In addition, the end goal of BPM vs. workflow is similar. They both serve to automate tasks in the workplace as a way to increase productivity and improve accuracy.
Differences
Despite the seamless way BPM and workflow management seem to work together, there are key differences that make each a unique part of a digital workplace.
When we talk about BPM vs. workflow, we can think of these two in terms of large-scale vs. small-scale operations. BPM focuses on large-scale processes. This management system handles the workflows, data, and people that work together to reach goals. Workflow management, on the other hand, takes care of small-scale operations. Workflows are made up of the sequences of steps that will eventually lead to BPM’s larger-scale processes.
In this way, workflow management software allows you to organize your workflows through additional steps, software integration, and more. BPM, on the other hand, offers a big-picture look at every process in your company. BPM takes company organization a step further, combining workflow management with detailed analytics, reporting, and process monitoring.
As your company grows, BPM is an essential component that must remain flexible to meet changing business needs. BPM software allows you to easily adjust business processes to better match the goals your company is focused on achieving. Workflow management, on the other hand, can extend the horizon of business process management. Workflows can be enhanced with AI/ML and Robot Process Automation (RPA) capabilities that make business processes intelligent.
Comidor BPM and Workflow Management
Falling in line with the digital transformation, Comidor is revolutionizing the way that businesses manage their operations. With state-of-the-art BPM software and workflow management, we’re redefining the management of business processes.
Our No-Code Hyperautomation tools allow you to efficiently manage and automate your business processes and workflows with ease. Simply go beyond streamlining processes and instead unlock a wide range of automation opportunities with Cognitive Automation and RPA.
Contact us today to learn more about how to bring BPM and workflow management into your business!
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Comidor BPM enables organisations to streamline and automate business processes