PIPELINEGuide
Automation: where to start without losing focus
The most common mistake isn't the wrong technology, but the wrong first workflow. A sequence that works.
The most common mistake when getting started with automation isn't the wrong technology, but the wrong first workflow. A suitable process is one that occurs frequently, has clear rules and is still manual today — if any of these is missing, it rarely pays off: rare workflows aren't worth it, unclear rules can't be automated. The first workflow must work, or there won't be a second one; so observe for a week first, then choose the most time-intensive candidate, not the most interesting one.
01
The three criteria
A workflow is suitable if it occurs frequently, has clear rules and is currently manual. If any of these is missing, it gets expensive: rare workflows don't pay off, unclear rules can't be automated, and what's already automated doesn't need to be done again.
02
How to find candidates
For one week, note what gets repeated. Don't analyze, just write it down. At the end of the week you have a list that's more realistic than any workshop.
03
The sequence
Don't start with the most interesting process, start with the one that takes the most time and has the fewest exceptions. The first process has to work, otherwise there won't be a second one — that's an organizational truth, not a technical one.
04
What you need to clarify beforehand
Who decides on exceptions, who gets notified when errors occur, and what happens if the process doesn't run. Without these three answers, you end up with a system that nobody trusts.
05
When to stop
When the next process has more exceptions than standard cases. Then manual work is the right answer, and that's not a failure.
06
An example of the first process
A weekly inventory report that someone currently compiles by hand from three spreadsheets is a classic first candidate: regular, clearly defined, and currently pure manual work. These are exactly the kind of processes you'll reliably find during the one-week observation phase.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does getting started cost?
That depends on the workflow, not a flat rate — that's why we deliberately start with a single, clearly defined process instead of a large package. A concrete proposal comes after a brief inquiry. The decision on the second workflow is then based on experience rather than hope.
Do we need new software for this?
Usually not. Most of it runs through the systems already in place, plus a connection layer. New software is the exception, not the rule.
What if the workflow changes?
Then it gets adjusted. That's why you build the changeable parts — text, recipients, thresholds — so they can be modified without a developer.
Next step
Let's talk briefly about whether this makes sense for you.
A twenty-minute conversation is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense. If not, we'll say so — that's cheaper for both sides than an offer nobody needs.