YEKLABS / Automation
What should you review before automating a workflow?
YekLabs ·
For your first automation, choose a frequent task with clear rules that can be reversed if something goes wrong. Walk through the workflow with the person who performs it. Record where the information comes from, who checks it and what triggers the next step.
Follow one transaction from start to finish
Imagine a customer emails a quote request. An employee reads it, finds the customer record, enters the request in the CRM and notifies the relevant person. Note the fields, owner and waiting time for every step. Mark where information is entered twice and where someone has to make a decision.
Document exceptions alongside the normal flow
A complete request that matches an existing customer could become a draft CRM record automatically. If two customers have similar names, an employee should be able to select the correct one. Decide when a second record should be opened if the customer sends the same request again. These rules define where automation stops and hands over to a person.
If data moves between two systems, consider what happens when the connection fails. Record whether the transfer succeeded and use a matching key to prevent retries from creating duplicate records for the same request. The team can then see which operations are pending.
Measure one outcome in the first trial
You could spend a week creating draft records only for complete requests. The employee retains approval before sending. Before the pilot, record the time needed to enter sample requests, incorrect matches and missing fields. Measure the same things after the trial.
If the results meet your needs, choose the next step. For example, once draft records are accurate enough, add a notification to the owner. If errors cluster around a particular request type, clarify its business rule first.
Checklist
- Which event triggers each step?
- What happens when information is missing, a request is repeated or the connection fails?
- Which records will you use to measure the pilot’s outcome?