Key Points

• Automation tools can do away with tedious processes.
• Most modern automation tools use no or low-code platforms.
• Ideally, automation tools should scale with their users.

What are the top automation tools in use today? Automation is one of the hot buzzwords of modern business, but how it is implemented differs from industry to industry. There isn’t necessarily a universal approach to how an organization should use it to gain the best results. That said, some stellar tools can help simplify the approach and get businesses right on track.

Automating processes is a great way of keeping the entire workforce focused on more crucial tasks. Often, process automation takes the form of doing away with the tedium and drudgery associated with vital but repetitive tasks. Implementing some form of automation enables organizations to remain nimble while retaining the same core functionality. Today, we’re looking at some of the top automation tools businesses worldwide use.

What Is Process Automation?

Process automation is defined by automation experts Appian as “the use of technology to automate repetitive and manual tasks within a business process.” To this end, many businesses look to digital solutions like artificial intelligence integration, low or no-code platforms, and even robotics depending on the industry.

It isn’t as simple as just introducing software to the fold when looking to automate processes, however. The top automation tools often allow users to tailor their solutions to fit whatever needs might arise. That said, it is often going to be a bespoke solution, regardless of the platform or tools used.

Process automation has caught on in a major way in the last decade or so. Many organizations are turning to platforms to boost efficiency, increase communication, and optimize the overall operations of the day-to-day proceedings of their organization.

Cutting Through the Chaff

So, why would a business want to use automation in the first place? Consider all the little tedious jobs that arise with anything in a business. Entering data into spreadsheets from physical receipts, onboarding new employees, categorizing IT support tickets, and so forth. In short, these are all little jobs that are necessary for daily operations to continue as planned. However, no one wants to do them.

These little tedious jobs can still be done with automation, but it opens staff up to focus on other aspects. Rather than sifting through support tickets to find the critical cases, IT support staff can focus on who needs help now. Employees can be onboarded with minimal fuss, entering into the workforce in a streamlined manner.

Automation isn’t just about doing away with the boring stuff, but rather about making sure it gets done so the people in your business can focus on more important tasks. Things like purchase orders are vital for a manufacturing company, so why not automate as stocks of certain materials run low? That’s the beauty of any of the top automation tools in use today.

The Top Automation Tools You Can Use

So, what are the top automation tools in use today? You’ll notice that for many of the tools highlighted, they all seem to accomplish the same general goals. However, that is selling their capabilities short by quite a large margin, to be honest.

Automation tools have the same aim, but how you’ll use them is going to differ from other use cases. As such, it isn’t like you’re looking into communication suites like Microsoft Teams or Slack, but rather you’re looking at which platforms will best suit the needs and requirements of your organization.

When choosing the top automation tools, you’ll want to discuss things both with the teams that’ll use it as well as the teams behind the tools. Most of these are services where consultation isn’t just an option, but something I’d heavily suggest taking into consideration before settling on a tool.

Cflow

Cflow is a no-code automation platform intended for smaller organizations. Pricing comes in three tiers and allows for some flexibility in how you approach this top automation tool. What makes Cflow such an enticing choice isn’t just the low cost, but how it integrates into your platforms.

Aside from the pricing, you’ve got tailored tools for the likes of bookkeeping, IT operations, administration, and marketing. It might not be the best fit for organizations looking to automate processes for the likes of customer service and document processing.

Cflow allows users to build their workflows visually, requiring just a little time and a mouse to get the work done. Further, you can dictate how tasks are routed, so work delegation becomes a breeze. All said this is a flexible and affordable platform for smaller teams looking to leverage the power of automation.

Bizagi

Bizagi is a fine choice for users who don’t mind rolling up their sleeves and writing a little bit of code. This is a low-code platform, meaning it does require some basic knowledge of programming to fully utilize. However, this is a flexible and immediately usable platform for users looking to design workflows for their processes.

Bizagi’s pricing is a bit different compared to many of the other platforms covered, meaning that you’ll be paying for the usage rather than a flat monthly rate. However, that’s readily solved by talking to their team of consultants to determine projected use.

Bizagi is a fine choice for users looking to break out of the box of process automation. If you’ve got the need for bespoke solutions, then this is a fantastic platform for getting the tedium handled. As it sits, this is one of the top automation tools thanks to its extensive documentation and integration.

Pipefy

We’ve spoken at some length about the impact of artificial intelligence on the business landscape. However, one area where AI is making a huge impact is that of automation. The integration of AI is what makes Pipefy one of the top automation tools for users looking to leverage the technology.

Much like Cflow, Pipefy is a no-code automation solution. However, the integration of AI means you get robust functionality without the need for a visual editor. Users simply enter a prompt and the platform gets to work.

This makes for a flexible and fast automation platform best suited for organizations where time is of the essence. You can create bespoke solutions in a matter of seconds, and tweak them to suit your needs as you go.

Appian

Looking to try one of the top automation tools but don’t want to commit just yet? That’s where Appian comes in handy. Much like many of the other top tools covered today, this is a no-code visual workflow solution intended for use across a wide variety of industries.

Users looking to just test the power of automation can do so for free, provided their team is under 15 employees. After that, pricing is rather flexible, with enterprise plans available upon request. As such, this might be a great way to test the waters for any organization looking to try automation for themselves.

Appian is well suited for just about every industry you can think of. Financial services, insurance, government work, and far more are handled by this flexible and secure platform.

Camunda

Top automation tools are best when they can operate at scale. Business is hardly a static endeavor, so why should the tools be? Camunda is one of the top automation tools precisely because of this flexibility. It features an open architecture, the ability to scale, and can be used either as a no-code or low-code environment for automating your processes.

Camunda excels in tech-centric industries, freeing up the likes of digital assets so employees can focus on continuing to innovate. If you’re on the hunt for something robust, yet able to grow with your company, then Camunda might be just what the doctor ordered.

IBM Business Automation Workflow

Few companies have dictated the modern tech landscape like IBM. Whether it’s from their pioneering work in establishing the PC standard or continuing to innovate in the field of AI, IBM remains one of the vanguard of the digital revolution. As such, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that they’ve developed one of the top automation tools in use by businesses today.

IBM Business Automation Workflow is a robust and mature platform, making for an exemplary experience when you’re looking to automate certain processes. This is done through the use of process modelers and artificial intelligence, meaning less tech-savvy individuals can handle some of the nitty gritty.

Like many of the top automation tools covered, IBM Business Automation Workflow comes in a variety of tiers, with a low-cost alternative available for smaller teams looking to try automation for themselves.

Axon Ivy

Few platforms have seen the same sort of continual development as Axon Ivy. The lauded business automation platform has hit release 12. It now comes with a whole host of enticing features for users looking to supercharge their business.

You’ve got a few different ways to approach process automation with Axon Ivy. They’re leaning either on visual designers, low-code platforms, or AI generation through the use of a prompt. This enables users to successfully tackle their process problems with ease. Further, it makes for one of the top automation platforms for businesses looking to stay on the bleeding edge of technology.

PMG

If coding isn’t a problem, then I’ve got just the platform for you. PMG is one of the top automation tools in use by businesses looking to simplify their workflows. This is done through a low-code development platform, requiring just a minimal knowledge of software engineering to get tasks accomplished.

Further, PMG is a great solution for users looking to either handle the back-end of administrative tasks or free up IT resources for other tasks at hand. Some of the examples the platform gives are the likes of automated forms, reporting, and integration with a variety of business tools.

Studio Creatio

Wrapping up our top automation tools is Studio Creatio. This is a no-code AI-driven automation platform. One of the major benefits of this platform is its approachability. You don’t need to know your way around a line of code or other details just to get the simple stuff automated.

Further, this extends to designing applications, which can be fantastic for users looking to get automated solutions up in no time.

Other Useful Tools and Concepts

On the hunt for some other tips and tricks? You might want to take a look at the remote-first companies who’ve made it stick. Remote work is here to stay, but some companies stick to the landing better than others. If you’re looking for inspiration, these companies exemplify the principles of the workflow.

Additionally, you might want to take a closer look at the best tools for remote work. Implementing a remote workflow can be a difficult process. However, with the right infrastructure in place, you’ll have no issues getting work done.

Conclusion

The top automation tools meet where you are with your business needs. Ideally, they should be simple but robust. Hopefully, with the platforms we’ve highlighted today, you’ve got just what you need to take your business to the next level.

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