PIPELINEGuide
Process automation: process, approach and what's needed from you
The process for process automation from the first question to ongoing operation — including what you need to contribute for it to work.
A process automation project runs in 4 steps: from “current state assessment” to “operation”, a total of 3 to 6 weeks. Each step ends with a clear approval before the next begins.
01 — Process
The steps in detail
Current state assessment
Half a day where we observe and take notes. Usually more candidates are found than expected.
Selection
We calculate the annual time savings per process and start with the one that delivers the most — not the one that sounds most exciting.
Build and test
The process is built and tested with real data before it goes live.
Operation
We monitor along during the first weeks and fine-tune. After that it runs, and you only get notified if something jams.
02 — Participation
What we need from you
- A contact person who can make decisions — not just forward them.
- Access to the affected systems, in time and not on launch day.
- Real examples from daily business — the messier, the more useful for testing.
- Two to four hours for coordination, distributed over the project duration.
- An answer to the question of what success means. Without it, nothing can be assessed afterward.
03 — Scope
What's included
- Assessment of existing processes — what actually happens today, not what's in the manual
- Prioritization by time savings and error risk rather than technical feasibility
- Implementation of automations with logging of every run
- Error notification: If something stalls, you find out, not your customer
- Documentation that someone who wasn't there also understands
- Handover with training so you can make small changes yourself
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
What happens to the people who used to do this?
In practice, a position rarely disappears — the part of the work that nobody liked disappears. The time goes into things there was never time for before.
Are there subsidies for this?
For digitalization projects in Austria, there are several funding programs, such as KMU.DIGITAL or the aws digitalization funding (kmudigital.at, aws.at). Whether and to what extent this currently fits your situation, we check together — important: The application must be approved before the contract is awarded. Plan lead time for this.
Do we lose control over our processes?
On the contrary: An automated process is fully documented and logged for the first time. You see every run. Before, only the person who always did it knew.
How quickly does it pay off?
For the processes we typically start with, payback is between four and ten months. We calculate that before the quote, not after.
What if our processes change?
Then the workflows are adjusted. We build them so that the variable parts — text blocks, recipients, thresholds — are in a table that you maintain yourself, without needing us.
How do we know what's worth automating?
Rule of thumb: A process is worth it if it occurs at least weekly, has clear rules and is manual work today. In the current-state analysis, we calculate every candidate — frequency times duration times cost — and you decide based on numbers.
Do we have to buy new software for this?
Usually not. Most of it runs on the systems you already have, plus an automation layer. We only suggest new software if there's a real gap.
05 — Decision
How to move forward
The most affordable next step is a conversation, not a quote. Twenty minutes is usually enough to clarify whether a project makes sense, what scope it involves, and whether we're the right fit.
If we're not, we'll say so. An honest no costs less than a project you abandon after three months — for both sides.
06 — Next
Related pages
- Process automation — Overview
- Process automation — Duration
- Process automation — provider comparison
- Process automation — Checklist
- Process automation — alternatives
- Process automation — team and acceptance
- Process automation — cost-effectiveness
- Process automation — risks
- AI automation
- CRM integration
- Automate Quote Creation
- All guides
Process automation by region
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.