How to find the right process management software
Are you currently dealing with the digitization of your business processes and searching for the right process management software? A software with which you not only model processes, but also automate and monitor them? Have your company's needs gone beyond the capabilities of your current solution? We provide you with the best tips on how to discover the most appropriate process management tool for your company and make your business process management secure in the long run.
Why are more and more companies using a process management system?
Every business has a current status when it comes to digitizing business processes. While numerous companies still pass around handwritten procedural instructions, progressive SMEs and larger corporations have achieved at least a proportionate digitization and automation of their processes. Businesses are actively driving digital transformation and consider business process management as a crucial task. Process management software has therefore gained importance in recent years. Currently, more than 50% of all companies in the USA have such a solution in use - and there are more to follow. For good reason: Because a process management solution comes with many advantages.
Advantages of a process management software
- It enables you to optimize your business processes, to reduce costs, to boost efficiency and to enhance productivity.
- It monitors used resources, process steps and compliance levels.
- It serves as a knowledge base for employees to learn and refresh process flows.
- It provides real-time analytics and reports on your business processes to detect weaknesses and bottlenecks.
- It teaches employees the company's objectives and how to achieve them.
- It prepares your company for external and internal challenges.
What features should a professional BPM system have?
There are over 200 providers of process management software worldwide. While a lot of solutions focus on the graphical elaboration of process models or on the simplest workflow routes, few tools enable holistic process management along the BPM lifecycle. Therefore, it is not easy to find the right tool for the needs of your own company – looking at the most essential functions can help. The BPM lifecycle outlines the activities of business process management as a control loop. It serves as an orientation for which portfolio a process management software must offer to cover as many BPM functions as possible. The life cycle clearly reveals two points: First, software reduced to one or two features does not offer a long-term secure BPM base. Secondly, in process management, similarly to quality management, you need continuous control and optimization. Software solutions that are based on the company's own requirements and grow with them are thus best suited.
Process analysis/design
Process analysis that accompanies the first design is the beginning and end of each iteration of the BPM lifecycle. Each process is individual and should therefore be designed with its requirements, environments and interfaces in mind.
Key features:
- Key figure analysis for current processes and simulation for target processes
- Control of core objectives: throughput time, process expenses and process quality
- Data-driven identification of bottlenecks and weak points in existing processes
- Integrated document management to diminish administration and maintenance effort
Process modeling
The core of the most process management tools is process modeling. When selecting software, your focus should be on intuitive and guided modeling in various notations as well as on rule-compliant release processes.
Key features:
- Modeling of end-to-end processes in a variety of established notations (e.g., BPMN 2.0, EPC, DMN, VCD, EAM, IT architecture)
- Smart modeling support through drag-and-drop, auto-layout and system-side validation of processes
- Automated creation of processes and object index
- Multi-level release based on process responsibilities, commenting, follow-up cycles, versioning and archiving
Process automation
Next step is the everyday work: Your employees implement the defined processes. Step-by-step activities including process automation and sophisticated role concepts offer optimal support for day-to-day duties.
Key features:
- Depiction of process models as understandable step-by-step activities
- Workflows as central points of contact for all process information, including document templates
- Integration into external systems for (partial) automation of repetitive tasks
- Citizen development concept enables professionals without programming skills to create and manage automated workflows
Process monitoring
Better safe than sorry! This also applies to process management. The control functions within different workflow tools help to discover deviations during each process run and we provide you with direct monitoring valuable data for improving business processes.
Key features:
- Real-time performance analysis, automated detection of deviations and variations
- Continuous monitoring of relevant key figures
- Integration of external data sources for complete end-to-end process control
- Conducting internal and external audits, e.g., for quality management
Process optimization
No process is perfect from the start. Process optimization (which relies on process mining for the most advanced solutions) assists in fixing the pain points and bottlenecks in your processes.
Key features:
- AI-based recommendations to improve processes based on real-time data
- Automated creation of new models for previously undefined processes
- Ensuring the CIP (continuous improvement process) for greater efficiency and quality
- Risk reduction through standardization of process flows
The No.1 BPM tool at your side:
BIC Process Design
With BIC Process Design you will experience the latest generation of business process management. Build a digital process landscape that covers your entire organization with our unique process management software - and keep your processes under control at all times. Whether you want to model, analyze, communicate or improve your operations, BIC Process Design is your best choice for next-level business process management.
Which process management software is suitable for the level of digitization of my company?
As previously stated, every company faces its own challenges when it comes to digitization. Using the Digital Maturity Model, you can easily classify how far the digital transformation has progressed in your business. The model classifies the degree of digitization in six levels, from an entirely analog structure to a digitally connected company. Depending on your current level your focus should be on the applicable BPM functions.
Level 0-2: Entering the digital world
- Status: Your organization is searching for a connection to digitization
- Tasks: Analyze and digitally record processes, replace analog work steps with digital equivalents
- BPM Life Cycle: Start of process analysis and modeling
- Software: BIC Process Design
- Goal: Attain quick profits by transferring analog processes to digital systems
Level 3: Digital structures are established
- Status: You benefit from initial digital added value
- Tasks: Definition and formation of end-to-end processes
- BPM Life Cycle: Modeling a company-wide process map
- Software: BIC Process Design
- Goal: Extend existing structures and recognize automation potentials
Level 4: Automation starts
- Status: Simple processes run automatically
- Tasks: Establish and control workflows, create interfaces between IT systems
- BPM Life Cycle: From analysis to execution and monitoring
- Software: BIC Process Design / BIC Process Execution
- Goal: Automate recurring processes in a resource-saving way
Level 5: The business as a digital pioneer
- Status: You have created a holistically digitized working environment
- Tasks: Monitoring and optimization, connection of the latest technologies
- BPM life cycle: Development of a complete cycle
- Software: BIC Process Design / BIC Process Execution / BIC Process Mining
- Goal: Enhance optimization potential through continuous improvement
What are the most important interfaces to other management functions?
Quality management:
Processes are a fundamental component of quality management. As such, we recommend interfaces between both systems. Rather than manually managing quality management processes in standard programs such as Word, BPM solutions maintain your processes in a revision- and audit-proof manner, automatically create QMS manuals, and have an integrated document management system. In this way, BPM establishes itself as the single source of truth - as the central point of contact for the quality management system in your company.
Read our whitepaper "Intelligent linking of quality management and business process management" for more information
Governance, Risk and Compliance:
Governance, Risk and Compliance Management (GRC) is one of the central challenges of corporate management, not only in banks and insurance companies. A process oriented GRC approach enables you to anchor and manage business risks and controls directly at the processes. Linking BPM and GRC increases the efficiency of your processes as well as your compliance. With BIC Process Control (which is available as a native add-on for BIC Process Design), you combine your process management with your GRC management and create a fully integrated, central view of processes, risks, controls, and measures.
Enterprise Architecture Management:
In a digital world, every business process depends on at least one IT system. This close integration offers a cross-interface analysis of IT systems and the processes related to them. This allows you to integrate IT data, which companies are modeling in Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM) solutions into their process landscape in a meaningful way. The resulting transparency allows data-driven analyses and decisions in the complex IT environment.
Enterprise Resource Planning:
Coordinate the entire lifecycle of your ERP systems in one BPM software: Using innovative process mining technology to examine the ERP processes and effectively identify deviations, inefficiencies, and capacity bottlenecks. Based on this knowledge, you can (re-)design your processes in a modeling environment. Comprehensive BPM solutions such as BIC Platform offer an innovative platform for end-to-end business process transformation.
Find out more about how BPM and ERP are merging with our solution for SAP: BIC for SAP
How complex is the migration to a holistic BPM solution?
Customers of another process management software who are not happy with their solution often ask for a fresh and professional BPM package. The motivations for switching are manifold: not enough functions, excessive costs, or an extremely high complexity. For whatever reason you are looking for a better BPM alternative: With standard functions for importing your existing models into BIC Platform and GBTEC consulting, we guarantee your transfer will be as easy as possible:
- Import feature: If you already use a database-supported tool, we enable you to seamlessly incorporate your process landscape into the BIC Platform, with a low-level implementation and training effort - so you can continue where you left off in modeling.
- User-friendly: Thanks to the intuitive and easy-to-use tools, not only business users can quickly get going with BIC Platform.
- Different types of deployment: BIC Platform will be provided either in your data center (on-premises), as a private or a public cloud.
- Better teamwork: The collaboration feature allows you to involve all participants in early stages and create room for innovative ideas.
- Always up to date: In our cloud solutions, you will receive the latest features through regular software updates, upgrades, and releases.
- Software and consulting in one: GBTEC consulting and expert team will accompany you during the entire implementation process: from consulting and hands-on training to the takeover of your BPM tasks by BIC-experienced employees.
We are delighted to support you with your BPM project. Sign up now for a free trial of BIC Platform and find out why over 1.000 companies from all around the world rely on us!
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