Business process management (BPM) is a discipline or methodology of discovering, designing, modeling, executing, monitoring, measuring, analyzing, optimizing, and automating business processes. BPM software and tools aid companies in their efforts to analyze, accelerate, and optimize business processes so that they become more efficient and focused in achieving business goals.
Table of Contents
- What Is BPM Software?
- Best BPM Software
- Must-Have Features of BPM Software
- Types of BPM Software and Tools
What Is BPM software?
Business process management software helps users achieve process improvement, efficiency gains, and any other desired outcome, which allows an organization to conduct business in the most efficient way possible. BPM software allows an organization to map and monitor existing processes automatically from start to finish to discover where bottlenecks, deficiencies, repetitions, waste, weaknesses, and other inefficiencies occur. It can also provide suggestions for optimizing the process and be the point of integration with other business systems.
Read more: Business Process Management (BPM) vs Project Management
Best BPM software
BPM software helps improve and integrate different business and IT systems to create efficiencies. This list of the best BPM software that can automate processes and manage workflows aims to help make your search for the right BPM tools quicker.
Pipefy
Pipefy is a business process management and workflow software. Users can design and automate workflows on a secure, low-code business process automation platform to increase efficiency. Business and IT departments can collaborate easily and integrate operations such as revenue, HR, finance, procurement, IT, and governance.
Pipefy lets users track, manage, and improve day-to-day business processes. Users can create service portals, standardize forms, receive external files at any phase, and allow stakeholders to review the status of their requests resulting in improved collaboration and communication. Integration with existing tools helps centralize processes, avoid missed information, and enhance control and visibility. The BPM software also has low-code automation, smart rules, and custom dashboards.
Pros
- User-friendly and highly visual low-code platform
- Real-time process monitoring
- Smart automation
Cons
- Needs more integration
- Support response time can be faster
monday.com
monday.com is a flexible work management platform that enables users to customize any workflow to boost alignment, efficiency, and productivity. It provides a business process management cloud software that allows users to manage and automate any business process with ease. Code-free automations include status updates, email notifications, dependencies, due date alerts, task assignments, and time tracking.
monday.com provides multiple work views that let users see the bigger picture to gain important insights. Automation takes care of repetitive tasks. It also allows users to centralize processes with integration of tools and data in one place. It is interactive, highly visual, customizable, and suitable for mapping and tracking of processes.
Pros
- Task assignment, management, and tracking
- Dependency, critical path, and project management
- Automated workflows
Cons
- Too many notifications
- Needs simpler way to add integrations and automations
Microsoft Power Automate
Microsoft Power Automate is a BPM solution that enables a company to achieve higher levels of business efficiency, agility, and collaboration. Users can streamline processes, expedite workflows, and simplify data capture with the BPM software. They can streamline repetitive tasks and automate paperless processes to get more things done in a better way.
Power Automate can build automated processes with low-code, drag-and-drop tools and pre-built connectors. It allows users to record and visualize end-to-end processes with its process and task mining capability. Users get guided recommendations and deep insights to accurately know what to automate. Other features include an AI model builder, document automation, process approvals, and image and text detection.
Pros
- Digital process automation
- Easy, flexible setup
- Lightweight no-code, low-code platform
Cons
- Most connectors are separately purchased
- Needs better workflow error description and documentation
Zoho Creator
Zoho Creator is a custom low-code application development platform that enables users to easily design, develop, and run needed business software. It is a simple business process management tool that allows users to create process-based applications, automate routine tasks, and manage data more efficiently. Although not a direct substitute to a BPM software, the low-code solution lets users rapidly build cost-effective custom solutions in-house.
Zoho Creator allows users to build solutions for a wide range of use cases and access all the apps from a single account. It has an extensive collection of ready-to-use and customizable business app templates. Apps can run on all devices. It also has tools for automating processes with visual builders, real-time analytics and dashboards, and a no-code AI builder.
Pros
- Data synchronization and security
- Workflow automation
- Ready-to-use templates
Cons
- Steep learning curve
- Limited customization in forms
Smartsheet
Smartsheet is a scalable work collaboration software that provides users a dynamic workspace and rich set of features. It lets teams manage projects, automate workflows, and build new solutions with no-code tools. It is a BPM solution that can help users map and analyze processes, implement changes to existing processes, and monitor the performance of updated processes.
Smartsheet automation tools let users create workflows to manage repetitive processes using an intuitive visual editor and combining pre-built multiple actions. Connectors allow users to automatically sync data across different business platforms or import, merge, or replace data from spreadsheet applications. It also has dashboards to identify trends and display live data, forms to collect consistent data, customizable reports, and a no-code platform for building web and mobile apps.
Pros
- Project and task management
- Workflow automation
- Custom fields
Cons
- Collaboration is not intuitive
- Notification in the mobile app needs enhancements
UiPath
UiPath is an automation platform with several products that users can deploy on the cloud and on premises. It provides robotic process automation (RPA) software intended to operate processes as humans would. Although not strictly a business process management software, RPA software lets organizations streamline business processes for maximum efficiency and value.
UiPath products include process mining that combines data mining and process analysis. It automatically discover business processes, identify deviations and bottlenecks, and show users where automation can deliver the most value. It also has AI-powered task mining that identifies repetitive tasks, task capture that auto-generates process maps, environments for building robots, and orchestration tools to manage, scale, and test robotic workforce.
Pros
- Easy creation and scaling of robots
- Seamless automations
- Performance analytics
Cons
- Needs compatibility improvements with third-party apps
- Steep learning curve
Nintex
Nintex is a process management and workflow automation software. It provides the tools to help manage processes by letting users define the processes with the most impact to the organization. Users can also design process maps collaboratively and manage the process participants toward continuous improvement.
Nintex process automation tools include workflow automation and RPA to automate manual repetitive work. It has digital forms to capture data and eliminate paper forms, mobile apps to work from anywhere, document automation for generating and sharing documents, and e-signature for digitally approving and signing documents.
Pros
- Simple process mapping
- Strong integration with third-party apps
- Easy-to-use forms builder
Cons
- Requires fair amount of configurations
- Customer support needs to be faster
Quickbase
Quickbase is a no-code platform for managing digital operations. It is a business process management tool that lets users connect data, processes, and workflows to gain deeper insight. Users can tailor workflows to support the unique ways people work or let them create new workflows with no-code, low-code citizen development solutions.
Quickbase is a flexible platform that allows users to continuously improve business processes. It has reporting tools that capture data across the organization for increased transparency. It also provides personalized dashboards that run on different devices, integration and workflow orchestration to quickly connect data, integrate systems, and orchestrate automated workflows with pre-built integration channels and APIs.
Pros
- Application lifecycle management sandbox
- Built-in security in development
- Online learning resources
Cons
- Limited customizations
- Poor search functionality within rules and automation
Kissflow Workflow
Kissflow Workflow is a workflow automation software for all kinds of business processes and approvals. Teams are able to build their own workflows without the need for coding experience. It includes a visual form and workflow designer, SLA and escalation systems, automated workflow routing, and algorithmic task assignment.
Kissflow Workflow also includes third-party integrations, a built-in ticketing system, contextual collaboration, and reporting and analytics. It provides a business process management workflow software that has intuitive no-code tools to get users started quickly in a matter of days. It also has hundreds of ready-to use templates as well as customizable workflows.
Pros
- Ease of use
- Contextual process collaboration
- Responsive support
Cons
- Users wish for a better admin portal
- Software updates occasionally cause performance issues
Process Street
Process Street is a no-code checklist, workflow, and SOP builder with an easy-to-use interface for any type of business process. It provides a simple way to manage recurring checklist and procedures. Users can create a workflow, run multiple instances of the workflow, and track progress while collaborating with the team.
Process Street includes a Pages feature for capturing, organizing, documenting, and sharing team knowledge. A simple interface with intuitive keyboard shortcuts and drag-and-drop let users create structured documents quickly. Users can then create workflows and assignments to the team. Dashboards help track activity and send users notifications when team members complete tasks defined in the workflow. Other features include conditional logic for dynamic workflows, single instance, multi-stage, or sequential approvals, forms, and integrations for task automation.
Pros
- Document importing
- Role-based permissions
- Ease of use
Cons
- Users wish for to-do list feature or to-do list app integration
- Limited mobile app interface
Must-Have Features of BPM Software
Here are some essential features to look for in a business process management solution.
- Process mapping and documentation: Enables users to easily create or import process maps, flowcharts, or procedure documents into accessible process maps
- Secure collaboration: Allows teams to safely access process maps and documents and contextually collaborate towards its improvement.
- Automation: Users can automate workflows and tasks using intuitive builders and templates with built-in permissions and approvals.
- Process tracking and analysis: Intelligent tools that help users discover and explore insights using customizable dashboards and reports.
- Integration and customization: Provides enhanced data connection and flexibility to manage processes and create optimized solutions.
Read More: Top 10 Project Management Software
Types of BPM Software and Tools
Business process management is not limited to one specific type of software but extends to an approach that aims to streamline processes to achieve maximum efficiency and value. Here are some types of BPM solutions and tools.
Standard BPM Software
Business process management software helps organizations map and document business processes. It has tools and features that simplify designing, executing, monitoring, and optimizing processes. These capabilities are very relevant today as organizations adopt and execute digital transformation, create organizational agility, and drive rapid innovation.
Integrated Work Management Solutions
Work management solutions enable business process management by providing multiple work views that improve visibility and transparency of processes. A single work platform also helps centralize all information, making it easy for people to communicate and collaborate. Centralized information is easier to analyze using dashboards and reports, which allows an organization to measure performance and institute changes, adjustments, and improvements to current business processes.
Workflow Automation Tools
With more intuitive BPM tools, employees at all levels in the organization are able to automate repetitive, time-consuming, manual processes. Process and workflow automation tools are helping streamline processes such as data entry, social media updates, inventory, and reports. Employees now have more time to do creative and analytical tasks that help improve productivity, lower costs, reduce error, and drive innovation.
No-code, Low-code Development Platforms
No-code and low-code development platforms provide tools, resources, and a development environment for all levels in the organization. Any user working with a business process can create custom applications to manage and automate processes in an exact manner. Smart, drag-and-drop builders enable users to simultaneously document and automate business processes.
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