Must-Have Features of a Workflow Management System

CIO Review Europe | Monday, May 24, 2021

An efficient business WMS can send updates via email or push notifications on the mobile device to inform firms of upcoming approvals.

FREMONT, CA: A workflow management system (WMS or WfMS) is a software tool that aids in optimizing routine business processes. Workflow management systems include developing a form to store data and automating a series of tasks for the data to follow before it is fully processed.

Every workflow management system should have these features.

Integration with Other Cloud-Based Services

For workflow management, integration used to be a nice-to-have function. It is now a requirement. Workflows should not run in isolation from other systems. Documents, cash flows, sales reports, calendars, and contact information can all flow seamlessly from the workflow tool to the CMS, calendar, email, financial apps, and other applications. It is already obsolete if the WMS is not extremely simple to set up and integrate with other tools.

Notifications When and Where Needed

The trick to automated workflows is that they do not require any manual intervention. Notifications are crucial in this type of flow. An efficient business WMS can send updates via email or push notifications on the mobile device to inform firms of upcoming approvals. The type of alerts that users receive should also be customizable.

KPI-Based Reports

There are numerous workflow tools available that will enable you to build a simple workflow. However, if a business is serious about reaching a new efficiency level, it will need some reliable monitoring tools. Organizations enter a testing ground when they first automate a workflow. It is possible that what the firm thought was going smoothly is taking far longer than expected. Businesses may discover that they need a new move or that they have too many steps. The WMS's comprehensive KPI-based reporting feature will enable firms to see and evaluate where the bottlenecks are and where they should concentrate their efforts.

Role-Based Access Control

Many workflows contain confidential data that should not be exchanged with anyone involved in the process. Businesses should be able to configure what each user can see and edit in every WMS. A fast adjustment to this part of the process does not break it or affect previous requests.