BP Logix is a BPM Vendor Listed on the 2018 Gartner BPM Magic Quadrant for iBPMS

Gartner recognizes leaders in intelligent business process management suites (iBPMS) and has named BP Logix to the list of 2018 Gartner BPM Magic Quadrant for Intelligent Business Process Management Suites making it the fourth year in a row.

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About Gartner

Gartner is an American research and advisory firm that aims to provide a qualitative analysis into a market and its direction, maturity and participants. The Gartner BPM Magic Quadrant for iBPMS report evaluates BPM software vendors once a year and defines their intelligent BPM platforms as “platforms which compress the observation-to-action-to-outcome cycle, and help business transformation leaders, business process directors and solution architects establish a fluid capability to handle big change.”

Gartner does not endorse any BPM vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those BPM vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner BPM Magic Quadrant for Intelligent Business Process Management Suites (iBPMS) research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About BP Logix

BP Logix is BPM vendor that unites IT and business users enabling them to deploy sophisticated, form-based, workflow-driven enterprise apps in a fraction of the time and a fraction of the cost of traditional development. Our award-winning BPM software and workflow automation software powers workflow-driven solutions that cross organizational boundaries, embracing the C-suite, operations, sales, customers and prospects.

Customers including Barclay Damon, the City of West Allis, IDEX, Leo Burnett USA, Memphis Light, Gas and Water, MultiPlan and University of Central Florida rely on Process Director innovations such as its mobile BPM capabilities and its broad integration with SharePoint, MS Dynamics and MS Office integration, and other enterprise applications and data bases. Process Director low code / no code BPM applications enables customers to build award-winning applications that deliver clear and measurable improvements in productivity, compliance, and customer engagement.

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Process Director sets the pace for your BPM and digital transformation. Schedule a free demonstration of Process Director and discover for yourself how this unique BPM platform empowers you to innovate, respond to market demands, and delight your customers. Or, contact us to learn more about how our business process management software have helped our customers conquer their digital challenges.

Clearly, no one can predict the future — however there is a significant difference between a ‘guess’ and an informed estimate. In our case, we derive our workflow and BPM trends by combining our knowledge of products, technology, workflow and BPM trends we’ve seen with the continuous feedback we receive from our customers, analysts and other influencers to develop what we believe to be an informed estimate.

Our customers in various industries, you see, are a fairly vocal bunch. Because we partner closely with them, we learn about their vision and the direction(s) they are pursuing. We also learn about what they consider to be hard priorities and daily realities. That combination of information and factors brings us to propose (and share) our view of key potential workflow and BPM trends in 2019 for business and IT managers:

Championing Simplicity: We are all aware of the vast number of digital workflow tools available to modern employees. As technology drives more of our lives, it also exerts a greater influence on almost every decision and action we take. This is neither good nor bad. The reality, however, is that the sheer number of options we have for applications, tools, processes and devices can become stressful and difficult to manage. We believe that one of the workflow and BPM trends in 2019 will be that BPM companies will take measures to reduce technology options and, instead, rely more heavily on processes, checklists and repeatable methods to create desired behaviors.  Organizations will use processes that are easy to build and change as-needed, updated when necessary, and managed by the business users themselves, reducing the reliance on IT. Business managers will seek solutions that allow employees to be productive on-the-fly and make an impact in real-time to company operations.

A Prediction about Predicting: Time can be both the greatest asset and, potentially, biggest enemy, of any business. Failing to meet a schedule or not delivering on expectations can be disastrous. Having insight into your organization’s operations and rhythm, then applying that information to ‘predict and prepare’ is one of the most important advantages a company can have. We believe the BPM trends in 2019 we are going to see is that more organizations will be insisting on using analytics to provide insights. They will anticipate and predict outcomes based on both historical references and current operations. These companies are going to plan and allocate resources more effectively, becoming more agile and efficient.

The Value of Collaboration: ‘Mobile’ is a BPM trend that has clearly changed the nature of how we work. It has given employers who offer the ability for employees to work remotely a huge advantage— and has accelerated the time it takes to complete approvals and, often, tasks as well. With technology providing a foundation for productivity and communication, companies can utilize the best talent irrespective of where employees choose to live and work. Remote workers, however, have not always been able to take advantage of real-time interfaces — and this has been a challenge to that strategy. We predict that some of the workflow and BPM trends in 2019 we will see will be that companies will ‘implement collaboration’ at a greater level driven by workflows that keep employees engaged with one and other more easily (“collaboratively”) resulting in increased productivity. These capabilities will come in the form of process-driven tools that encourage workers to distribute, share and create together.

A Different Kind of Workforce: The job market is hot and all indicators suggest it will remain so in 2019. As with any cycle, however, there is a shift happening that will have waterfall effects regarding how people work in the coming years. More millennials will be hired in 2019 than at any other time; in fact, for the first time in a while, the Gen X’ers will become a secondary group. We expect millennial workers to be dedicated and passionate. Moreover they have grown up with technology and expect there to be very little difference between the technology they use for social purposes and that in their work environment. Employers who will win the war for talent will do so partly by providing recognizable interfaces and technology infrastructure that this younger generation will be comfortable using.

The Shrinking IT Department: As more applications run in the cloud and use more consumer-oriented interfaces, there is less reliance on IT departments to deploy, maintain and manage apps and support users. While IT is, and will always be, a critical element of every enterprise, the infrastructure that was used in companies in the 90s is very different from what we use today. We believe the will probably see less direct hires in IT, but more hiring among LOB managers who have an understanding of IT basics. The key will be ensuring that employees can address most of their own issues using tools with interfaces and dashboards that enhance decision-making.

We would love to know more about your BPM trends and plans for 2019— and how we can help you achieve them. In that spirit, we invite you to meet with us so we can share information about how workflow and BPM can help your organization in the New Year.

About BP Logix

BP Logix is a BPM vendor that offers Process Director, an innovative business process management engine combining the power of BPM software with the flexibility of rapid application development—with no programming. Electronic forms, workflow automation software and BPM case management solutions are just the beginning of digital app development. Process Director combines the easiest and most efficient workflow engine in the industry with a rich set of tools offering snap-in data integration, rapid prototyping and release, and comprehensive reporting and analytics.

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The new Process Director 5.0 is transforming the above-stated predictions into reality by utilizing BPM and AI and BPM and IoT to enhance predictive analysis, create dynamic business rules and facilitate collaboration within cases. Schedule a private demonstration and learn what Process Director will do in assisting your organization with its digital transformation goals.

Our roots are in the software industry however we are involved in our communities, work in philanthropic and non-profit organizations, and write books. We are grateful to be a part of a BPM company that thrives on challenge and rewards creativity and innovation.

As evidenced by multiple awards for business, BPM software, business process automation software and process excellence, we are a BPM company that is also recognized as a key partner to customers across industries and geographies.

We hope that knowing more about us and our business process management software – and what we do for our customers – will be the reason to check us out further. And we invite you to start that conversation.

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Tell Us Your Story

BP Logix is a BPM company that helps companies change the way they operate through business process management (BPM). We know process, and we have discovered that it is not merely the movement of a decision, document or action along a workflow. Rather, process is an always-changing and flexible way of thinking about, and applying, a better way of doing things. What things? The things that are important to you.

Successful BPM implementation with our BPM software comes from us knowing your story and recognizing how we can help you meet your goals. That knowledge allows us to partner with you so we can collaborate to change the fundamentals of your business.

You know what you want to achieve. Tell us your story so we can help you get there.

Schedule a Free Demonstration

Schedule a free demonstration of Process Director BPM platform and discover for yourself how this unique business process management software platform empowers you to innovate, respond to market demands, and delight your customers. Or, contact us to learn more about how our BPM and digital transformation solutions have helped our customers conquer their digital challenges.

There may be some reluctance on the part of executives and stakeholders to implement workflow software for automating workflows within their organizations. That reluctance may be the result of either, 1) Existing habits and behaviors that are considered to be adequate, or 2) Fear. The former is actually more challenging to overcome from both an IT and business perspective, while the latter can often be addressed when an organization realizes how its business can become better, much better. It’s paradoxical to realize, too that fear is often what encourages people to hold on to old habits, thereby creating the mindset of, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Smart businesses are not fooled by that adage, however.

We are not suggesting that there is a tendency towards organizational status quo; it is easy to understand, however, that with the hope and promise of workflow automation software comes some stress relative to not knowing what the future might bring. The vision of a well-oiled organization making more informed and logical decisions that lead to optimal business outcomes seems quite achievable in a demo- or on a video. To arrive at that point, however, means   letting go of a lot of “trusted habits” and relying on something new and not as familiar. And it may be comforting to stick with what you know and how you currently work.

When an organization automates its workflows – and truly looks at how processes are currently being done within itself – there may be a period of both “reckoning” and discomfort. Ultimately, however, the benefits are huge. We have numbers to support these changes, and can point to customer successes. Before we can talk about the upside, however, we often find we need to address the misconceptions about automating workflows—and what it will and won't do.

3 Misconceptions of Workflow Automation

Some of the misconception given for postponing the move to a workflow automation environment for business process, app and project development look like these:

1. Automating workflows cannot replace the way we currently do business: Automating workflows may be disruptive at first, but you are probably dealing with daily disruptions in your current environment already, especially if you not have a centralized structure for your processes. If you are operating without an adequate workflow process, you   may already be unable to absorb the rapid pace required for your organization to adjust and adapt to changes in the market, your sector or as a result of what competitors may be doing. Using workflow methodology and a tool that supports your business processes will ultimately provide a more consistent environment for your business operations.

2. We cannot afford the time it takes to implement a new way of working: Beyond the benefits you will realize today, your business is built on investing for the future. While automating workflows requires implementing new software, investing in user training, and other organizational modifications, those upfront costs are necessary to ensure a more efficient and effective operating environment, long-term.

3. Our team doesn't have the skillset to do this:  If your team is accomplishing its ”work”, it is probably using some form of workflow. It may not be with a BPM software solution with the  workflow management software capabilities like Process Director, but there is some routing and decision-making that follows a prescribed order. So, yes, you already have workflow. You may need to learn a new way of identifying and prioritizing   after adopting a focused-on-workflow tool, but workflow is largely dependent on smart decision-making. If your team is being successful you are part of the way there! Using a tool like Process Director requires some change in habits, but is based on knowing how and when to move things, and in what direction. Your team has more skills than you may realize.

Change often brings with it some trepidation, however change control also becomes easier with a more visible path to success. The first step towards having a clear picture for automating workflows is recognizing how it could fit into your current business, then understanding how automating workflow could help your business in ways you may not have considered.

When we talk with you it is to learn about your concerns and fears, so we can understand your business. Armed with that information, we can provide a roadmap to using workflow effectively, and in a way that optimizes your existing workforce and habits.

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How BP Logix Works With Business and IT Users

There is a perception that some CIOs and IT Directors use Q1 to determine what they will buy in order to implement it by Q4. We know the reality, however, is that smart business people are always looking for BPM solutions to improve their businesses. Whether its Q1 or Q3, or any time before or after, they continue to seek to understand how to be more productive and efficient.

Change and flexibility are the basis for growth-minded organizations. And while change is inevitable, it cannot be totally disruptive. There are big changes (losing major customers, replacing key executives, market swings), and there are small changes (implementing a new accounting system, re-organizing functional teams). Some may be anticipated and, therefore, manageable, while ‘big change’ can impact the way you do business going forward. In either case, companies need to be prepared to deal with some level of disruption— yet keep the cadence of their business moving in the direction of their goals. Our free BPM software demonstration of Process Director keeps all of that in mind providing a customized experience based on your needs.

Put Thoughts of Business Change at Ease With a Free BPM Software Demo of Process Director

When you sign up for a free BPM software demo of Process Director, we provide a customized experience. We view our demo as an opportunity to show what our product can do in the context of your organization. Our customers often tell us that our free BPM software demos are different than other vendors. They believe that we take time at the front end to understand your needs and environment — and to then show how Process Director might enable your business to be more efficient (and more adaptable to changing requirements).

An important element of Process Director that we like to show is its business process automation software technology with built-in predictive capabilities. We understand that business priorities can change rapidly and sometimes before you are completely prepared to deal with them. Process Director was designed to enable users to make ad hoc changes to meet changing demands. And, of course, these changes can be done by end-users, not programmers.

Our free BPM software demo provides insights as to how Process Director works —and gives you a feel for the ease with which you can make changes to address your organization’s specific needs. We can point to awards and validations from customers, yet understand that their story or situation may not be yours. What takes place in your group, division, and even across the entire company is unique.  And we appreciate that —which is why we customize our demo to make it reflect that uniqueness as much as we can. We often hear prospects ask, “Is it really that easy?” We would love for you to be the judge of that yourself.

Our free BPM software demo of Process Director is best way to experience it and truly understand the nature of what it can provide   — and to then map your challenges and needs to Process Director’s workflow management software functionality and capabilities. A list of what our product can do would take reams of paper.  Our free BPM software demo will allow you to see it live and will give you a realistic notion of where, and how, Process Director could fit in your department — or company. And, of course, it helps us to have a more substantive conversation about where you want to take your business.

Reviewing new products and evaluating vendors can be stressful and time-consuming. We’re not interested in the hard-sell; rather, we hope to begin a dialogue — a constructive conversation to learn about your business and your needs. We suspect you will see the BPM benefits in Process Director after you see it in action.

The right tool is always one that addresses your needs, but is capable of growing as you expand, change and innovate.

Schedule a Free Demo of Process Director

That is what your business does, and what we strive to deliver. Contact us to schedule your free BPM software demo of Process Director today!

Digital transformation is the trending celebrity in the business process management (BPM) world, flanked by an entourage of terms: the sexy ‘Digital Supply Chain Management’, the enigmatic ‘Context Aware Mobile Experiences’ and of course who could forget that frequent attention hog, ‘Internet of Things’. They strut across our BPM landscape revered, nay, worshipped by beatific throngs.

Digital Transformers Are Agents of Change

Enamored as we are by the zeitgeist of digital transformation, it is easy to forget the poor schlub toiling away behind the curtain: the digital transformers. She is the CIO who finds herself installed in a company that still delivers documents via pneumatic tubes. He is the CEO of a burgeoning start-up, trying to build a competitive architecture for the future. Digital transformers are the men and women pushing against the grain of archaic technologies toward this better way. You might be this long-suffering individual, this oft overlooked crusader, staring into the faces of a befuddled board while trying to explain the need to eliminate wet signatures.

Rarely does digital transformation break down the walls of a company, Kool-Aid man style. It more often happens in inching (infuriatingly slow) steps, first one application, then another, then one more. The danger of this is at the end of the transition your organization is left with a poorly-fitted patchwork of solutions. Sure, your company has been digitally transformed—but the result is more Steve Buscemi than the hoped-for Christian Bale.

The Right BPM Platform For Digital Transformation

Whether you’re beginning from blessed scratch or dragging your company kicking and screaming into the digital age, the right BPM platform will be an indispensable guide on your digital journey, from the first e-signatures to always-on, customer-focused, end-to-end digital nirvana. In either situation potential is key. Your BPM platform must have the potential to grow, adapting to many roles and performing among an ensemble. It directs your digital production as a low-code/no-code, rapid application development environment—perfectly cast for the critical role it will play as your business expands.

For that your BPM solution needs to scale easily, and tessellate with legacy applications and systems of record, giving you the ability to deploy custom applications to solve your unique problems. For giggles and grins, let’s throw in a graphical interface that is intuitive and easy to use for non-programmers, such as your business or technical analysts. If digital transformers can achieve this and the business world will be your stage.

Contact us to learn how our award winning BPM platform, Process Director, can help you on your digital journey.

What Are eForms?

To optimize the processing of many kinds of information, most organizations have implemented some number of electronic forms (eForms) since they easily integrate with back-end repositories, are flexible, and eliminate errors that result from paper forms. Additionally, electronic forms can be easily adapt to initial business requirements, then updated as the requirements change. We all recognize that the information that goes into a form is dynamic. As a result, at some point it will need to be updated. eForms and electronic forms management software allow you to manage the entire lifecycle of the form , as well as the data that is contained within it.

The Struggle With Paper Forms

One might be surprised at how many organizations (even progressive, innovative ones) handle forms. Indeed, despite many advances in technology, there is still a job market for data processing “inputters” and filing experts. We have worked with companies who continue to store vast amounts of paper forms, all of which contain data that’s important to the company operations. Imagine what it takes to get those paper forms reviewed, signed, delivered and filed. Then, consider what happens when someone needs the information from those forms when they are stored in a file cabinet in some remote location. It makes me think of the final scene in Indiana Jones where the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were chiseled, are sent to a cavernous warehouse, likely to be lost forever. That makes me, as a BPMS software evangelist, shudder with horror.

Businesses create, distribute, manage and secure ever-increasing amounts of information, all of which is crucial to daily business operations. The vast majority of that information is dynamic; it is constantly manipulated, validated and reviewed as part of regular processes. Decisions are made based on this information, and it is essential that the right users have access to the data that is most relevant to them.

Why Is Electronic Forms Management Important For Your Organization

Why do we emphasize forms so much? As one component of business process management (BPM), electronic forms and electronic forms management software are a basic necessity. First , they provide the most elegant and precise way of capturing data. Second, they provide a format for communicating data to other users.  Third, automating forms provides dramatic time savings. Routing paper forms from person to person within an organization, sometimes across time zones and geographies, can take days – or weeks. Using electronic forms , data can be reviewed, commented on and approved in a fraction of the time.

Process Director Electronic Forms Management Software

We know that the people who benefit most from the data in forms are the business managers who need to make decisions based on that information. With that in mind, we have given Process Director's electronic forms management software a flexible, yet powerful, graphical user interface that allows managers to control the behavior of forms and designate the routing flow they should take. This can be done all according to defined business procedures and rules.

Review and approval of forms also becomes very efficient. One of our customers recently told us that she had three people review and approve one form within one process in five (yes, 5!) minutes. That same form and process took weeks prior to automating it. How much more effective, then, is that process? It goes without saying.

And, by the way, since there is an underlying workflow, email alerts are sent automatically to notify users when there are forms waiting for them review, approve and/or address.

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BPM software provides an actionable format for collecting, delivering and managing information. Electronic forms and electronic forms management software enhance decision-making ,ensuring that leaders and managers within the organization are more and better informed. Isn't this what you want for your company?

Process Director web-based workflow software and workflow tools require no programming expertise, making it fast to implement with little user “learning curve”. It easily integrates with enterprise software already in place and offers rapid app development to create endless integration options.

Process Director is the only workflow software that offers two workflow models: traditional and Process Timeline™, a workflow engine that offers predictive analysis of processes by incorporating the element of time, which is missing in most BPM’s of the past.

Process Director is award winning. KMWorld named them in their 2017 Top 100 Companies that Matter in Knowledge Management, and as a Trend-setting Product in 2016. Gartner also named Process Direct to the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Intelligent Business Process Management Suites (iBPMS) for several years in a row.

Process Director is a 100% web-based workflow software which allows it to be accessed on any internet compatible device, including in the field for a true mobile workforce. It requires no client software, ActiveX controls, or programmers.

Process Director is comprehensive. Neither “human-centric” nor “machine-centric”, Process Director web-based workflow software uses the best of human engagement, automation, and overall knowledge management to meet a variety of business processes across multiple industries.

7 Benefits of Process Director Web-Based Workflow Software

Workflow software is and has been being implemented for years supporting businesses in increasing productivity and profitability. Searching for the right one for your needs can be a bit overwhelming, however. Here are some reasons to consider Process Director, a web-based workflow software, for your enterprise.

1. Automate processes- Automating workflow makes creates process efficiency by reducing errors and minimizing tasks that “fall through the cracks”.

2. Receive Notifications- Automated alerts can be sent through email and/or Microsoft Outlook. Never miss another deadline.

3. Simplify Approvals- The approval process can be shortened through automatic triggers and processes and are available from any computer or internet connected device, including tablets and smartphones.

4. Better Management- Receive notifications when workflows are predicted to be late, see real-time data, achieve continuous improvement initiatives, and more with easy to search data available to the right people at the right time.

5. Improve Agility- Make changes to better serve your market with sub process and rapid application development. Grow with demands while maintaining profitability and efficiency.

6. Better Compliance- Track documents, including multiple versions to create an audit trail. Use e-forms, permissions, and electronic signature technology for more complete information, increased security, and better business process governance and compliance.

7. Secure Data Storage- Organizations have the choice to store information on the cloud or on premise making it easier for administration, better security and automated backups.

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Process Director is an award winning business process management solution featuring knowledge management tools to help your business excel. Learn more about BP Logix’s Process Director for your business and request a demonstration. One of our BPM experts will learn about your goals and requirements and tailor a demonstration to meet your specific needs.

Automation is the buzzword of modern-day business process management. If you are in the business of claims processing, this may be more true than ever before. Today’s customers expect responsiveness, and with limited staffing and/or limited budgets, businesses must find a way to provide a good customer service, while also using technology to create profitability, agility, and growth. BP Logix’s Process Director BPM software does just that, as Pethealth and Multiplan learned.

Pethealth Claims Processing Automation

Pethealth, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is a leader in pet microchip identification, pet insurance, pet products, and animal management software. Offering several insurance products, each with their own criteria, and processing over 20,000 claims per month, they needed a claims processing automation solution to support the level of customer service they desired.

Stuart Janzen, Senior Solutions Architect at Pethealth identified the need for a claims processing automation solution that would be customer friendly with easy-to-use forms. He also needed a searchable database and compliance compatible system that would provide information necessary for an audit.

“Tracking data and being efficient are very important to Pethealth. We wanted to provide a better customer experience while reducing both processing time as well as the delays that sometimes arise in processing. For problem solving and creating efficiencies, there is nothing that compares to BPM,” Stuart Janzen, Pethealth.

As a result of their BPM software implementation to support their claims process through Process Director from BP Logix, they are currently finalists for the PEX Network Award (2017).

MultiPlan’s Claims Automation Needs

Founded in 1980, MultiPlan is the nation’s leading comprehensive provider of healthcare cost management solutions, serving an estimated 57 million consumers. Multiplan provides a single gateway for managing the financial risks associated with healthcare claims to primary, complementary and out-of-network providers.

Focused on quality and efficiency, MultiPlan became aware of their need to retire an outdated database and replace it with a more agile, cloud BPM and claims automation software.

Due to the success of BP Logix Process Director, MultiPlan rolled out the BPM solution in expanded areas and departments, saving time and money in purchasing, approval processes, HR, AP, and more. They continue to find ways to move more processes into an automated and cloud based system, opening up information to more users for better communication, collaboration, and decision-making.

Is BPM software and/or workflow software right for your enterprise? Learn more about BP Logix’s Process Director for your claims processing automation needs and to request a demonstration today. One of our BPM experts will learn about your goals and requirements and tailor a demonstration to meet your specific needs.

You have decided it is time to look for business process management software. Consider Process Director from BP Logix. Award winning Process Director was designed with more than just efficiency in mind. The features and benefits truly show our passion for creating a complete solution that is agile enough to grow as your enterprise grows, while also meeting the unique needs of the individual business, making it one of the best BPM software suites in market.

Features and Benefits of Process Director

Process Director can be used across various industries or can be specific to your unique organization. Ease of use and customization helps makes Process Director one of the best BPM software suites.

100% Web-based, which means:

• NO Programming for integration
• Smart forms to be used in mobile applications
• eForms and eSignatures to reduce postal & printing expenses
• Work and/or access needed information from any internet connected device

Implement better workflow for increased:

• Reporting capabilities
• Efficiency due to streamlining of processes
• Consistency and reduced redundancy in tasks
• Ability to search and track information
• Approval process completion
• Compliance and governance with user permissions

Intelligence is Key To Being One of The Best BPM Software Suites

Technology evolves quickly, and as business process management software becomes more popular with forward thinking industries, BPM technology itself must evolve to stay ahead of the desired competitive edge of such companies. Those looking for leaner processes, increased process efficiency in their business models, and improved relationships with employees, vendors, and even customers, are looking forward to intelligent BPM solutions.

Gartner, a leader in technology research has defined intelligent BPM, or iBPMS as “platforms which help business transformation leaders, business users and solution architects establish a fluid capability to handle big change.”

Because Process Director can be implemented in complex business workflows and includes the patented business process automation solution, Process Timeline, which creates intelligent predictive analysis, it is considered an iBPMS. In fact, BP Logix’s Process Director has been named in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for iBPMS for several years in a row making it one of the best BPM software suites in the marketplace. This business process management software can be implemented in:

Mobile BPM settings allowing off-site workforce capabilities including field technicians, such as implemented by the City of West Ellis.

Cloud based BPM allowing for remote staff and easier workflows with delivery of, and access to, important files, cases, and/ or data.

Process Director also has social BPM integration on social media outlets including customer engagement, predictive analytics, automated workflows and more.

Key Elements of BPM

There are 5 key reasons why Process Director is one of the best BPM software suites available and why some of the leading organizations choose to implement Process Director for their BPM It’s for a good reason: it gets results.

1. To Improve Process Efficiency

Results: 75% decrease in duplicate data entry; 60% less manual task routing; 15% reduction in approval cycle time

2. To Increase Productivity

Results: 50% less “shuffling” of tasks; 75% improvement in handling “exceptions”; 50% faster decision making.

3. To Better Adapt & Change (to customer demand, changes, and policies/governance)

Results: 50% improvement in audit trails; 75% increase in compliance adherence; 75% improvement in organizing and capturing process change requirements.

4. To Automate Tasks

Results: 45% faster process implementation; 60% faster data compilation; 45% faster process changes.

5. For Better Access to Information

Results: 60% increase in documentation; 60% increase in applying best practices; 60% process guidance improvement.

Ready to see how one of the best BPM software suites can support your business? Contact us today to schedule a free demo of Process Director with one our business process management software specialists.

Image Credit (Autocab.com)

It also goes without saying that if BPM implementation cannot provide demonstrable benefits to the bottom line, it has no place within a forward-looking enterprise. Not everyone in every organization, however, obsesses about cost savings though. IT, for example, may just want to get things done faster — or with fewer obstacles. Purchasing might want to ensure faster sign-offs and approvals on requisitions and invoices. And HR certainly wants the employee onboarding process to work as smoothly and effortlessly as possible.

With BPM implementation, benefit of using workflow software is that the workflow tools create a more efficient path, companies not only get their tasks done sooner — but also contribute to a more financially responsible environment. Their efforts, aided by workflow tools and BPM technology, save money and foster a more productive working situation. Once established, the expectation is that repeatable processes open the door for continuous improvement —and a new mindset begins to take over throughout the company.

The point at which BPM implementation makes a demonstrable impact from BPM software and workflow software is observable happens very quickly— and is sometimes almost immediate. With many of customers, implementing our BPM software solution, Process Director means using eforms software, workflow and business process management software for the first time. Beyond the initial learning curve, customers typically find that there is huge value to be derived from changing even the simplest task. When data entry is an automated (rather than manual) function, we have seen as much as a 75% reduction in the duplication of data. When routing is automated, we have seen a 60% (or faster) turn-around in responses.  With the proper BPM implementation, changes like that translate into significant changes to the bottom line. This is the kind of thing that serves almost all stakeholders: lines of business managers see more productivity, IT sees less manual work, HR experiences uniform dissemination of information and faster onboarding and finance and purchasing recognize validations of purchases.

One of the reasons that workflow software and business process management (BPM) software can be mapped to cost savings is because of the transparency they provide. We have customers who, prior to using Process Director BPM software, could not place the location of a document during its approval routing, and did not know when to expect a business action to be completed. By employing our BPM technology and adhering to our defined business rules engine, actions can now be automated and status becomes very visible. That visibility means that goals and deadlines can be applied and met. That, in turn, leads to scheduling and planning according to whatever schedules (quarterly, yearly, by-project, by team) the company wants to use.

With the added level of visibility comes the ability to review and analyze outcomes. Knowing where things tend to stall, and where there is room for process improvement enables the business to continuously improve and optimize its actions. Similar to a post-mortem, this allows a team to identify areas that can benefit from being modified or changed — and can bring together the players that will help them achieve their goals. This can be done concurrently with an eye towards efficiency and profitability, knowing that "profit" comes in many forms.

BPM implementation does not deliver results as independent “things.” With a defined strategy for implementation, an understanding on KPIs, and recognition of how to use resources effectively, Workflow and BPM implementation deliver significant value — value that will profoundly impact an organization’s bottom line.

Programmers: I love 'em. In fact, I was one, many years ago, when the Internet was a friendly place where everybody knew your hostname. In those days, if you needed a computer to do something, you hired a programmer for software development. Off-the-shelf BPM software development was limited to the most very basic commodity tools, such as word processing. Not only was locally developed business process management software the default choice, companies viewed their home-grown custom applications as a competitive advantage. I recall one very large firm in the early 90s that even wrote its own programming language because, well, I guess none of the dozens of existing languages quite fit the bill.

But, as my (remaining) gray hair can attest, things change. Companies today regard expense reduction as a key driver, and most CIOs recognize that custom applications should be the exception rather than the rule. Programmers still have an important contribution to make, but for BPM vendors, creating solutions that can be leveraged by more than just one company.

Business process management is an important part of this fundamental trend, because there can still be a mismatch between the features of off-the-shelf applications and the very specific needs of a given business. BPM solutions act as the glue that fills these gaps, taking data from one or more systems, pushing that data through a process, and updating other systems as appropriate.

Thus, the real leverage of BPM software is found in its ability to combine proprietary processes and data with off-the-shelf applications. However, that leverage is weakened considerably if the business process management solution itself requires custom development, and all the overhead that goes along with it. That is no doubt why virtually every RFP or requirements list I see specifies that little or no programming should be needed to implement any proposed business process management solution.

Happily, there's one industry that still needs programmers, and is likely to continue to need them for quite some time to come. Of course, I'm referring to the business process management software industry, and that's one reason I'm so glad to be a part of it.

In a previous healthcare BPM post, we talked about how BP Logix works with large healthcare organizations like MultiPlan and the National Eye Institute to implement BPM healthcare solutions for improved process efficiency across departments including finance, IT, regulatory, and purchasing among others.

Today, again, we’re looking at additional BPM healthcare examples and case studies to further illustrate how pivotal Process Director can be in improving processes, saving time, and reducing headaches.

The National Institute of Mental Health Creates a Telecommuting Workforce with BPM

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) is the largest scientific organization in the world dedicated to research focused on the understanding, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders and the promotion of mental health. The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.

THE PROBLEM: As the organization grew, tracking and managing the sheer volume of forms, approvals, and documents associated with their administrative business processes became an administrative challenge that needed to be addressed. They wanted a BPM healthcare solution that could interface with their other systems, offer multiple scenario workflows, and be searchable. They also wanted to be able to create a designated telecommuting workforce.

THE SOLUTION:  Within 60 days, the IT team had created and implemented their initial healthcare BPM workflows and database connectors that integrated with their back-end systems. They quickly created teleworker authorization and remote access forms, travel requests, waiver process/security exception requests, budgetary funds request, and IT purchase requests.

Learn more about National Institute of Mental Health here.

Whittier Health Network Streamlined Benefit Enrollment with BPM Healthcare

Whittier Health Network provides quality, comprehensive medical care to its residents in a compassionate family care setting. The network is comprised of acute rehabilitation hospitals, sub-acute rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, management services, an institutional pharmacy, a home health care agency, and an adult psychiatric hospital.

THE PROBLEM: Their annual benefit enrollment process was grueling,  with 2,500 employees who needed to be processed in a three-week time frame. The volume of documents to process was overwhelming and they wanted an easier way that automated more of the process. The goal was to find a product that did not require a lot of expenses for training.

THE SOLUTION: They began with a smaller process of online applications and when that was successful, they went onto to use Process Director to implement the full employee benefits enrollment process. Rather than scanning forms of information and gathering signatures and approvals, the full process was automated with healthcare BPM improvements. Less challenging, less painful, friendlier, and more effective, Process Director took a complicated enrollment process and simplified it.

Is a BPM healthcare solution right for your organization? It can be a solution for medium- and large-sized healthcare institutions processing volumes of paperwork on a daily basis. Contact us today for a free demo and to speak to one of our BPM experts.

When asked the value of healthcare BPM (business process management), it always comes back to three things: alleviating regulatory headaches, standardization of data, and simplification of processes. Improved process efficiency, reduced redundancies, better levels of customer care, and resulting revenue increases are the typical goals for any BPM, and healthcare BPM receive all those and more. Here are a few examples of how healthcare BPM has been used to the benefit of the healthcare providers.

MultiPlan’s Use of Healthcare BPM Smoothed out Procurement

MultiPlan is the nation’s leading comprehensive provider of healthcare cost management solutions. Contracting with an estimated 57 million consumers through 900,000 healthcare providers, the company provides a single gateway for managing health care claims financial risk. Processing over 40 million medical claims annually, MultiPlan is the only company offering access to national independent PPOs, its network, and negotiation and medical reimbursement services through a single electronic submission.

THE PROBLEM: MultiPlan became aware of their need to replace their Lotus Notes database with a more effective procurement method for the handling of capital and major expenditure requests. Initially, they began looking for an eProcurement solution, but found those to be more than what they needed. They wanted an off-the-shelf solution to integrate with their financial management programs, ERP, and other applications as well as be able to offer an electronic approval process and improve the capital and expenditures business process.

THE SOLUTION: Setting up a healthcare BPM solution using the BP Logix Process Director with its unique timeline software, Process Timeline. The finance department was excited to see the solution working effectively so they executed the process for all expenses, rather than just large capital. Additionally, IT discovered the ease of customization, and began to create processes that allowed documentation attachments such as vendor quotes, PO’s, ROI analysis, and more. Due to the success, IT further added Accounts Payable (AP) to the process, which allowed users to search past records and match invoices within the system.

Learn more about MultiPlan here.

Whittier Health Network Streamlined Benefit Enrollment

Whittier Health Network provides quality, comprehensive medical care to its residents in a compassionate family care setting. The network is comprised of acute rehabilitation hospitals, sub-acute rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, management services, an institutional pharmacy, a home health care agency, and an adult psychiatric hospital.

THE PROBLEM: Their annual benefit enrollment process was grueling,  with 2,500 employees who needed to be processed in a three-week time frame. The volume of documents to process was overwhelming and they wanted an easier way that automated more of the process. The goal was to find a product that did not require a lot of expenses for training.

THE SOLUTION: They began with a smaller process of online applications and when that was successful, they went onto to use Process Director to implement the full employee benefits enrollment process. Rather than scanning forms of information and gathering signatures and approvals, the full process was automated with healthcare BPM improvements. Less challenging, less painful, friendlier, and more effective, Process Director took a complicated healthcare workflow enrollment process and simplified it.

Learn more about Whittier Health Network here.

More on Process Director Healthcare Workflow & BPM Solutions

Ready to learn more about the value Process Director BPM software can support your BPM goals? Contact us today for a free demonstration from a BP Logix expert.

Make Construction Project Management Easier

Construction project management includes the oversight of budgets, timelines, workers, consumer communication, and more. With all the moving facets construction project management entails, tasks can easily be forgotten causing missed deadlines and/or costly budget changes. Construction workflow software assists to create intelligent automation to reduce the chances of project steps “falling through the cracks”, as well as create accountability.

How Can Process Director Construction Workflow Software Help Me?

Approval Process Management

Approvals can be time consuming but are important for budget, timeline, and customer satisfaction. Automating the approval process can simplify it by automatically sending the needed paperwork to the correct party and notifying them if they don’t meet a deadline or are approaching one. You will no longer need to check emails over and over searching for approvals, forwarding documents and awaiting responses. Workflow management software can automate the approval process and save time within the overall construction project management timeline.

Simple Field Forms

Electronic forms are easy to create and allow users to enter specific information while they are in the field, whether or not they are online. This information can quickly be communicated to the office, or appropriate parties, so the next action can be taken.

Quickly conduct inspections, receive easy to read data, and even attach images or documents for a robust file of information.

Accountability

Our construction workflow software allows users to grant specific permissions to different users to create accountability and security. Only the needed information is provided to the client, subcontractor, supplier, or other personnel making it clear where a project is in its workflow and who is responsible for which tasks.

Reporting

A single point of data is created through the cloud based construction workflow software which allows reports to be generated, printed, saved, or emailed from any computer. All information is in real-time and can track the information you need for better management. Process Director can also alert management when tasks are expected to miss a deadline to allow for correction and reduce downtime.

Document Workflow Management System

A document workflow management system allows for the scanning of documents and images so all documents and information are in one area. Changes can be tracked to create audit trails, and data can easily integrate into other systems, such as payroll, job costing or other financial management tools.

Request a Demonstration

Avoid redundancy, decrease costs, and increase profit within your construction project management timeline by allowing automation and integration to work in your favor with our construction workflow software solution, Process Director. Contact us to speak to a BPM expert and schedule your free demonstration today.

Inspectors want a way to more easily track and enter their work in the field. The inspection process, including audits and field visits, can be optimized and better managed with mobile BPM solutions. Recently, The City of West Allis was able to improve their mobile inspection process with Process Director from BP Logix.

West Allis, located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin is an industrial and suburban city with a population of nearly 63,000 residents. The city is responsible for overall government including public safety, housing assistance, water distribution and disposal, public works, and recreation. One of the problems they were looking to solve was that of new business permit inspection process.

Businesses who wanted to operate in West Allis were completing redundant applications because the multiple departments who needed the information weren’t able to share the data, and when they did, they often discovered missing information. This made renewals difficult and left huge holes in the process that delayed businesses from opening, or allowing them to open without all the permits and licenses they needed in place.

The city wanted to redo its entire licensing and business occupancy permit inspection process to be more efficient by allowing new business owners to apply for permits with less paperwork, and the information to be complete and seamlessly flow to all needed parties.

After reviewing several BPM software options, they chose Process Director because it addressed not only their specific needs, but because of its overall capabilities which expanded into 86 other business process solutions.

The Process Director Mobile Inspection software allows management to:

• Gain greater visibility and transparency of their field workers
• Have custom configurable forms and workflows unique to your business
• Automate workflow triggers when inspection data is submitted
• Streamline the way CAPA (Corrective and Preventative Actions) are handled
• Create permissions on data so it is available to all and only the appropriate users
• Know real time geo-locations of all inspections and their status
• Search and view all past inspections, audits, and field visits
• Create form templates with mandated fields to create consistent data
• Use eForms to capture, track, document, and integrate information whether on a mobile device or desktop via cloud technology
• Have seamless integration with current applications such as ERP, HRIS, and more

Process Director Mobile Inspection Process Improve software allows field inspectors to:

• Easily track and enter data via their mobile device, without returning to the office
• Enter data once, rather than in multiple locations or on multiple forms
• Connect messages, video, and/or pictures to the forms easily
• Streamline data sharing with the appropriate office personnel
• Have a simple daily schedule of locations with complete geo-tracking information
• Have the ability to complete forms whether or not there is an internet connection
• Get driving instructions via Google Maps to minimize down time/drive time
• Obtain approval signatures directly on their mobile device
• Tag, time-stamp, and location-stamp attachments

Process Director can help you connect with employees in the field quickly, with no developer or code required. Learn more about the award-winning BPM software and see if it’s right for you with a free demo today.

As your business evolves and expands, so do your technology needs. A one-person shop likely needs little more than a phone and computer; however, an enterprise may need high-speed cable, networks, and even a help desk. A laptop and landline simply won’t do. However, we find clients who have complex workflows with multiple steps who are using SharePoint workflow solutions to handle their requirements.  What ends up happening is, they tend to find out (months or more later) that this tool is not designed to handle their specific needs.

Why? Because it is a hard job to identify and evaluate the right IT solution for a project. Even just considering custom workflow solutions can lead down can rabbit trail and become convoluted when considering the additional needs from other departments, personnel or even customers. SharePoint vendor information can be confusing, and when performing a side-by-side comparison, it looks too similar to create real understanding. What usually ends up happening is that the process becomes tedious and overwhelming. Decision fatigue sets in and can create a delay in decision making, or worse, it forces a quick decision to be made, which creates a short term, ineffective, and incomplete fix to the problem.

Benefits and Limits of SharePoint Workflow Solutions

SharePoint offers workflow software capabilities, but it can seem very linear and limited. It offers modeling and process functionality to address basic internal portal and intranet operations, and the Microsoft Office platform is widely recognized. Expansion of its capabilities seems like a logical step, however it isn’t able to handle intelligent decision-making processes, document management, and automated business rules, especially when they require human intervention, such as approval processes. A true BPM software solution must be able to adapt to the constantly growing needs of the enterprise.

Furthermore, while SharePoint workflow solutions are good for content and data management, it doesn’t do a good job at managing governance and compliance requirements. Additionally, it requires dedicated developers to create the needed customization for businesses. In the end, it becomes expensive and slow to implement, hard to customize and expand, and not fully effective.

While the company is searching for streamlined processes, increased agility, and cost savings from a BPM solution, they’ve created nearly the opposite result with a tool designed for much simpler applications.

An Alternative To SharePoint Workflow Solutions

BP Logix Process Director is a SharePoint alternative. An award-winning BPM solution, Process Director uses rapid application development and no-code implementations to seamlessly link legacy programs with management tools that streamline data, manage documents, automate processes, and create audit trails for compliance, governance, and accountability. Customers currently using SharePoint workflow software can leverage their existing SharePoint investments by implementing eForms, lists, tasks, and data connectivity to create the real decision-making and cost saving capabilities BPM was designed for.

Whether searching for a robust, flexible, and easy-to-implement BPM solution, or wanting to better leverage current programs, including SharePoint workflow solutions, BP Logix has solutions to support your business process management goals. Contact us today for more information or schedule a free demo of Process Director with one of our BPM workflow experts.

What Is A BPM Suite (BPMS)?

A BPM suite (BPMS) is a set of business process management tools that are implemented in order to improve business processes. Benefits include increased productivity, more streamlined procedures, less downtime waste, better customer and/or employee experience. This leads to more complete and consistent data in which to make more accurate decisions.

BPM software has evolved from simple process automation into a more robust management and engagement tool. Process Director business process management suite from BP Logix has balanced this complex functionality with easy to integrate solutions to get the most benefit, without the elaborate, expensive, and frustrating need for IT resources and coding.

Digital Transformation With A Business Process Management Suite

What is it? Overall, digital transformation allows your business to stay ahead of the curve by putting technology in place to allow for continued growth and expansion. The most powerful technology, in our opinion, is that of a BPM suite.

As business process management suites have morphed to handle increasingly complicated tasks and processes, the need for simplicity has become more crucial than ever before. BPM technology advances, such as low code rapid application development, has bridged this gap, allowing for both complexity and simplicity in one dynamic software. The cloud based platform means it stays as agile as your business, with updates to create continuous improvement.

Overall, Process Director business process management suite (BPM Suite) can make your job easier.

Business Tools Designed For The User. In the past, everything was code driven. A solution was implemented and users where trained on how to use it, that is, until something newer and better came along, when then the process had to start over again. With Process Director BPM suite, we turn this old thinking on its head and start with the user first. The tools are easy-to-use and focused on results and needs of the user in a way they already understand.

Structure Based On Projects. Outdated traditional BPM platforms depend on linear, first-second-third type processes, designed for manufacturing type systems. Today’s businesses need more than that and Process Director business process management suite does this by structuring BPM to focus on projects in small segments that allow for easier automation and faster ROI.

Proving A Valuable View Of Business Processes. Real-time data and analytics, as provided in an iBPMS such as Process Director, means better management. The users define not only the processes but also key performance requirements, resulting in relevant, accurate and concise decision making.

Customizable reports, alerts, e-forms, permissions and automated responses keep and build accountability, accuracy and information storage with more efficiency and effectiveness.

Process Director BPM suite is a robust yet easy-to-use solution that combines the automation of both repetitive processes and unique, unpredictable processes and human decision making into one. Want to learn more about Process Director business process management suite? Contact us today for a free demo from a BP Logix business process management expert and learn how to speed your workflow, communication and decision making processes with our award winning platform.

Image Credit: http://blog.snapinspect.com

Process Director Business Process Management Software

Process Director business process management software is designed to support the multiple processes that make a business run. It works to improve workflow processes by automating, reducing redundancies and outdated practices, streamlining document based procedures and more. Agile BPM software like Process Director can meet specific needs unlike enterprise software of old, making it the new solution for a variety of applications to increase businesses’ bottom lines.

Intelligent Business Process Management Software (iBPMS)

Business Process Automation: The process of automating redundant tasks removes redundancies and increases efficiency for better output.

Social BPM: Social media can make or break credibility with today’s consumer. Social BPM watches consumer behaviors and takes specific actions to provide more dynamic online engagements.

Mobile BPM: BPM software is ever expanding through the use of apps. Rapid app development means solutions for field workers to reduce lag time and increase consistency.

Electronic Forms: Create consistent data entry and rules around who can access what information, for a more robust and useful knowledge base. For example: Memphis Light, Gas & Water.

Analytics: By creating benchmarks to track and adjust, managers can be more predictive and responsive to data driven information and make better decisions.

Simple Integration: Web-based software means it is easy to access from anywhere and reduces the risk of on-site back-up failure. Integration between enterprise software is easy to integrate and reduces the need to learn new software.

Alerts and Rules: Automating linear and complex processes with rules and alerts keeps things moving forward without “babysitting”. Approval processes become easier to manage and paperwork isn’t lost or buried in a desk in-box.

Rapid Application Development: Easy to use forms, dashboards, reports and more can all be created quickly through rapid app development, without coding.

Compliance and Security: Document workflow management allows you to stay compliant and organized by storing, securing, managing and searching content across multiple arenas of business. User permissions allow tracking, security and collaboration.

Process Director Award Winning BPM Software

BP Logix is proud to offer Process Director BPM software. Award winning, customer focused and agile, Process Director BPM is ready to take your business to the next level. Process Director is also in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Intelligent Business Process Management Software (iBPMS).

Ready to learn more? Contact us today or schedule a free demonstration to learn more about how our iBPMS can support your objectives.

Order Processing, Quality Assurance, Change Control, and Compliance are Improved with BPM Software

Our work with our manufacturing customers is not ‘just’ about implementing technology for manufacturing process automation. For Process Director BPM software to be most effective to our manufacturing customers we needed to understand their business, how they work with their own customers, and what makes them unique. The manufacturing sector provides a particularly outstanding business environment for process-minded individuals – and teams.

The complexity of building and delivering goods and services in the global economy is probably felt most profoundly by manufacturing companies. With software or services, input and communication renders location essentially unimportant, but those in the business of building hard goods need to ensure they have materials to do their work, and the ability to deliver finished products irrespective of geography. Because of the increasingly detailed nature of accomplishing ‘work’, there is a greater need for these kinds of businesses to have manufacturing process automation solutions that adopt and adhere to their business processes.

Why Manufacturing Process Automation Is Important

Order processing, quality assurance, engineering change control, government and industry compliance represent areas for manufacturing process automation. When those processes are automated they enable near real-time decision-making and auditability. With the IT ecosystem needing to be more dynamic, rigid and form- fit processes must be replaced to ensure that the company can adapt (and respond!) to changing market conditions.

Process Director BPM Software

While repeatability is desirable in any manufacturing process, so too is the ability to be flexible. We understand that companies need to adapt processes real-time. It would be costly and ineffective to halt all manufacturing while a process change request slowly travels through the IT queue. That is one of the reasons that manufacturing process automation with Process Director BPM software requires no programming skills to make changes to running processes.

Manufacturing is also a highly-regulated industry. Audits from the government and agencies are performed to ensure compliance with financial laws and industry guidelines. We built Process Director to implement the rules and procedures that demonstrate and ensure business process governance.

Being beholden to governance, risk and compliance usually means a higher likelihood of audits. For compliant organizations, the need to back-track, research, identify and review previous actions, decisions and requests is part of the audit scenario. BPM software facilitates that by allowing access to information that can be displayed, reviewed and approved for all decisions and actions.

When a manufacturing organization implement manufacturing process automation solutions with BPM software they operate according to well-defined actions and operations, gaining an advantage in terms of both repeatability and accountability. The organizations that rely on processes to handle the ‘heavy lifting’ are then able to focus on quality which, in turn, creates loyalty and competitive advantage.

Schedule A Demo

Schedule a free demonstration of Process Director BPM platform and discover for yourself how this unique business process management software platform empowers you to innovate, respond to market demands, and delight your customers. Or, contact us to learn more about how our BPM and digital transformation solutions have helped our customers conquer their digital challenges.

What is EAI? EAI Definition Explained

What is EAI, you ask? Enterprise application integration refers to the approach, services and/or technologies that integrate software, hardware and otherwise disconnected IT systems in an enterprise.

Most businesses rely on several working parts in order to complete all the tasks and processes required to run day-to-day operations. Enterprise application integration works to take all the moving pieces – from vendors to customers to employees and the processes for each, into a single module.

When Is It Best To Use?

Small enterprise who only need a couple integrations typically are able to use a point-to-point integration, but large companies, those with even four or more connections between operating systems required, are better suited with enterprise application integration. Consistency across databases becomes critical when scalability matters. When the complexity of integration is high, a more stable application integration needs to be in place.

Why Does Application Integration Matter?

Simply put, communication between multiple applications can simplify and automate business processes to improve efficiency. In the past, the time, expense and learning curve were steep to implement data structure changes. Today, with enterprise application integration, those obstacles have been overcome, providing even faster implementation and ROI.

Data integration ensures consistent information across multiple systems, managers have access to real-time information, processes are automated, streamlined and simplified, and information is more easily accessed by the right people at the right time.
Development, implementation and maintenance are faster and easier than ever before.

“If you’re looking for a platform that will help you build support systems for business processes that need to be able to be reshaped and re-prioritized to maximize service delivery – particularly, business processes in which customers/citizens, partners or suppliers play key direct roles – then you should definitely consider BP Logix and Process Director.”

The Future

What is EAI doing that is impacting the future? Better business process management is key to surviving the fast-paced, technology-driven consumerism of the 21st Century. As large business moves increasingly to cloud based computing, and rapid application development allows for greater segmentation, we expect to see top, forward-thinking companies embrace application integration to increase productivity, lower costs, provide better customer service including better social media interactions and increase their agility.

What is EAI to BP Logix

Process Director BPM platform by BP Logix offers built-in database connectors, becoming an enterprise application integration tool that enables you to connect to and exchange information with your organization’s databases. Any data accessible via SQL can be integrated directly into your forms and workflow. ERP systems such as JDE/JD Edwards, SAP, or Microsoft Dynamics GP, HR applications, CRMs, or any program that stores information in a database can be integrated without scripting or coding. With Process Director, you simply select the database you wish to access, and the application integration goes to work assisting you in selecting the data, tables, and columns you need for security, consistency and growth.

Application integration is now faster and easier than ever with BP Logix Process Director. Ready to see for yourself? Contact us for a free demonstration from a BP Logix expert.

Business is going really well at our company. We have seven consecutive quarters of significant growth, dramatic improvement in margins, we are hiring good people, and morale is great. In the midst of this, the last thing anyone wants to do is kill the momentum. Which is why, if I don't nail the project I'm planning, I could easily become the guy who ruined all the fun.

The truth is, I think we have the potential to improve. Even with all this success, I see areas that would benefit from business process improvement— in areas like how we manage tasks, how we communicate, and how we make decisions. I see this from the perspective of an employee whose work depends on business processes and workflows. Yet, as Director of IT, I also know that with the right solution, the right internal buy-in, and collaboration, we can improve on how our company achieves its goals. If I can get agreement and support to drive a project that identifies and implements a business process improvement solution, I have no doubt that every department within the company will get on board.

It is interesting how success can sometimes breed complacency. Some might attribute it to the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" syndrome. In other words, since business is going so well, why introduce something that will require ‘change’ and modify our business operations? My vantage point tells me that this is precisely the right time to make a change. We are already running efficiently and have a focus on our goals. Some could translate that as we're already where we want to be. Yet, I’m sure we can do better.

So the challenge is for me to sell it. I need to get senior management to approve and support the project. In fact, I even need them to champion it. The first step, however, is to get my CIO and other executives to recognize that this is not the time to sit on our hands. I need them to see that with action, we can prepare our company for a future where we can replicate the things we are doing well right now— and even do them more effectively.

In order to get their approval and for me to then be able to move forward, I have to explain it in their terms. I need to inform and persuade our executives by focusing on outcomes. I want them to see the critical improvements that our company will realize with the implementation of this kind of thinking (yes, I need to talk to them about business process management), and I also need to assuage any concerns they have. My approach will be a mixture of salesmanship and exploration. I recognize that in the course of doing this, I will also learn more about the issues they think are important, and ultimately, I may bake those into our solution.

These are the issues I will address in order to get executive approval:

ROI: As they say, accentuate the positives. Our executives need to answer to their Board and investors; their performance is based on how well they manage costs and increase revenue. I am doing a fairly rudimentary cost/benefit analysis that demonstrates significant cost savings from deploying a robust BPM solution. It includes estimates of reductions in the number of hours employees spend on time- consuming tasks, the impact of faster and more collaborative decision-making. And because I am looking at a BPM solution that doesn’t require coding to create processes, my ROI shows significant savings that will come from avoiding the IT application queue (plus having the ability to create, modify and manage their own processes.)

Empowerment: Executives love it when people can do more. A BPM software solution, especially one that does not require IT to build and manage processes, empowers employees to improve their workload by creating more efficient ways to accomplish tasks. I know they will love to learn that we can reduce the IT burden and give staff the ability to build, implement and manage processes. That means there will be cost savings and change management all in one.

Risk mitigation: There are always concerns, with any new BPM or workflow software, around allowing access to company and customer data. I completely understand that! If our data falls victim to a hack or security breach, it could have a major impact on our brand; if customers cannot trust us, they will not remain customers for very long. I have already built in tight security controls for our network and our environment. To ensure that our BPM system will be secure, I have developed specific guidelines for usage and access, and, with the solution I'm proposing, I will be able to monitor usage trends and behavior.

Automation benefits: Most of our business activities consist of repeatable processes. The issue is finding time to actually codify them as processes and commit them to how people work. In my company, even the C-level execs are frustrated with the length of time it takes to accomplish certain tasks. I am going to demonstrate what a BPM solution with workflow automation capabilities can do to automate certain tasks, thereby reducing red tape and increasing efficiencies across the organization.

My work is cut out for me. Our execs, like all execs, are a demanding bunch— but that is why I like being here. I want them to really poke at my project because it will ultimately help me create a better plan.

I will be back shortly...and I will let you know if I got the green light. Wish me luck!

Continue The Journey

The Project, Step 2: Process Pat Seeks Executive Champions

Business Process Outcomes: What an Enterprise Should Expect for Its BPM Investment

We talk with companies of all sizes and shapes and, even though their industries vary, their business challenges are usually quite similar. Some have preconceived notions of what a business solution “should” look like. And they have perceptions as to what success looks like as well.

It is not our job to suggest a workflow solution where one is not warranted. We always have to consider a customer's predilections when creating the right solution for them. It is important, however, for decision makers to understand the reality of what workflow is— and what it provides.

The first part of our engagement with any customer is to listen to their story and learn what is important to them. We are workflow and business process experts, but we can’t identify how to help a customer until we understand their challenge. Once we “get it”, we can work with that customer to suggest where BPM and workflow could help.

For us to be successful, and for our customers to derive value, we must also help them achieve a significant ROI. And our customers tell us they have achieved measurable improvement in these areas:

1. Document format standardization: Different types of documents are used within organizations, with differences attributed to functional needs and design preferences. This is totally normal. As long as all documents adhere to business rules and some level of guidance, which are provided by a workflow solution, variances in look-and-feel can be accommodated.

2. Deeper user engagement: The whole point of workflow is to increase transparency and eliminate bottlenecks caused by participants who are unaware of changes and updates. A workflow solution must alert people to changes in documents, request approvals where needed, and provide real-time updates. Those enable the business owners to manage expectations and be better equipped to anticipate where issues might occur. They enable them to be more informed and able to adapt.

3. Integrate data: No matter how you look at it, data drives an enterprise. There's almost nothing that happens that is not ‘informed’ by data that resides somewhere else within the organization. Irrespective of company size, data needs to be shared and workflow is the best enabler of that communication. An effective workflow and process management solution should be able to easily pull data (that includes specified, selected sets of data) from different documents and applications, and integrate it into a usable, functional presentation layer. This data forms the foundation of the workflow— and it is critical that it be easy to create and manage.

4. Make use of replicable patterns: A key element of business efficiency is automating processes. Workflow provides a foundation upon which processes can be built, and is done in a way that mirrors human activity. Doing so allows participants to optimize what works best for them, and use what they've learned in other processes. The goals can be different however the workflow foundation and processes supporting it can be re-used and re-purposed.

5. Better governance: Once created, workflows can be adapted and changed, however the workflows themselves must be carefully managed. You want everyone included who should be included — yet access needs to be limited to those who are actively involved. A solid workflow solution will facilitate easy change management, so that new players can get involved and contribute.

6. More user and admin flexibility: With all the great things a workflow provides, one of the most important things it needs is flexibility. This means it has to be changeable, easily, to adapt to new business needs, new participants, and updated goals. Workflows are not built then left to fend for themselves. This limits what workflows can provide. The true test of an effective workflow is one that is able to constantly change, like the business it supports.

7. Increased predictive capabilities: Irrespective of what you are trying to achieve through your workflows and processes, you should be able to have visibility in to what a post-workflow world looks like. Your solution must provide intelligent, thoughtful predictions about the improvements you will see, then measure whether or not you are actually achieving them.

Business challenges come in all shapes and sizes, and they are not easy to predict. But if you have implemented an effective workflow solution and adhere to a smart business process framework, you will be well positioned to deal with any issues you might face. You are trying to build something that will enable growth; your workflow and BPM will prove time and again that they can be effective tools to help you do that. Contact us to learn more about Process Director and schedule a free demonstration today.

Jim Barksdale, the charismatic CEO of Netscape, famously said, “Nothing happens until somebody sells something.” In the business world, truer words have never been spoken. Money is the lubricant that runs everything we do. The purpose of every organization is to grow and improve—and a better bottom line indicates achievement on both counts. Reaching a certain financial outcome is, however, determined by numbers, and numbers only.

What the bottom line fails to calculate, however, is the human element in our business ‘activity.’ Improvements can be made - sometimes big, sweeping improvements - that do not show up on a spreadsheet. In sales parlance, this is often referred to as a "soft benefit", and may not, unfortunately, be considered. When we talk with Process Director users, however, we find that these "soft benefits" are precisely what fuels large organizational changes which, in turn. ultimately lead to better bottom lines.

This is the crux of the Process Director BPM software value proposition. It enables processes that lead BOTH directly and indirectly to improvement!

Those improvements occur in a variety of different ways:

Participant contribution: Let’s be honest: this is not exactly sexy stuff. But business process management (BPM) is a critical piece of how we run our organizations When we have better insights into the way our companies operate, we get a deeper sense of what is, and what isn't, working. Maybe we knew from the beginning that invoices weren't getting approved quickly because submitters did not include copies of paperwork, for example. Yet, when using a BPM and workflow tool we can identify what is occurring throughout the course of a process, contributing our personal knowledge to improve how things get done. (And reminding submitters, in this example, to include the appropriate documentation). Imagine if everyone in an organization had a tool that would allow them to be that involved?

Insight: For the sake of speed and expedience, people want to be supplied with data and metrics on a regular basis. In far too many cases, users just want to validate the status of some activity. But that's not what is essential. The really critical things are the issues and process that can be changed and improved through insight and analysis. A weekly Excel report can indicate specifics, but it does not encourage users to seek solutions. Process Director empowers users to combine their own analytical skills with the insights provided through our BPM and workflow solution. When combined, they give an organization the ability to change and improve in ways that are meaningful to them, to their customers, and indeed, to the bottom line.

Usability leads to engagement: Process Director does not require users to code in order to create or make changes to usable processes. By knowing and understanding what is important the right types of changes can be made easily, changes that can impact company performance. There are two important outcomes that can result from this: 1) The potential for better processes and operations, and 2) A sense of ownership among the employees who are involved. What's more, when employees know they can contribute in this way, a feeling begins to permeate throughout the organization— creating an internal esprit de corps. This becomes an invaluable asset for any organization, and one that begins to build upon itself.

BPM software and workflow software are business tools. Using them effectively results in greater efficiency and effectiveness. Those lead to bottom line business process improvement. We know that customers seek that when looking for a solution initially. We have come to find, however, that the bottom line is not the only benefit from automating and streamlining processes and workflows. They are solutions that breed the mindset of accountability and improvement— and that ultimately leads to better financial results.