CMW Lab Blog

CMW Platform Featured among the Top-Rated IT Workflow Management Software on Capterra

Helen Belskaya — Fri, 19 Jan 2024 16:23:54 +0000

CMW Platform is proudly recognized by Capterra on the 5 Top-Rated IT Workflow Management Software report, which highlights, in alphabetical order, five top-rated IT workflow management software based on user reviews. For each product, the overall user ratings along with the highest-rated parameter, review excerpts from industry professionals, and product pricing has been included.

CMW Platform has been mentioned in this report with one of the highest ratings of 4.6 out of 5.

Well, that’s not all, as here’s what users have to say about CMW Platform:

“I see CMW as one of the best workflow management platforms out there. I like the fact that I can easy use the platform and also control my operations.” [Abasiama A.]

“We wanted a solution that would track end to end process and task management, looked at a variety of alternatives and settled on CMW, totally pleased we did, it delivers on all the features we were looking for” [Martin C.]

“I absolutely love CMW Lab! It’s an incredible tool for managers, providing a comprehensive solution for tracking tasks, time management, and team performance. The ability to set time limits on tasks and generate detailed time reports is a game-changer for productivity. CMW Lab is a must-have for any manager looking to optimize their team’s efficiency and workflow.” [Christian A.]

Want to review CMW Platform? Click here.

“Receiving these high user satisfaction ratings is a testament to the hard work and dedication that each member of CMW Lab team puts into creating exceptional Business Process Management solutions and providing top-notch service. It is great to see that our efforts are making a positive impact on the experiences of our customers.

I want to express my deepest gratitude to all our users who took the time to share their thoughts and experiences on Capterra. Your feedback is not only a source of motivation for us but also a valuable guide as we continue to enhance and refine CMW Lab solutions” Michael Donaghey, Director of North American Operations, CMW Lab

Disclaimer:

To be considered for this list, products had to:
Have at least 20 unique product reviews from users in the information technology (IT) industry, published on Capterra between September 2021-2023. We selected the five products with the highest ratings to feature in this article.
Offer the following core workflow management features: business process automation, workflow configuration, and task management.
To determine which size businesses each product is “commonly used by,” we check if at least 20% of reviewers come from a particular business size, and only then classify the product as having customers from that business size.
Review excerpts are passages extracted from longer reviews written by verified reviewers. We obtain these excerpts by applying an algorithm that considers factors including, but not limited to, length, sentiment, topic coverage, and thematic relevance.
Excerpts represent user opinion and do not represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Capterra or its affiliates. Excerpts are not edited for clarity or grammar.

The post CMW Platform Featured among the Top-Rated IT Workflow Management Software on Capterra appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

How to build a reliable document management system?

admin — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:27:20 +0000

In today’s digital age, the need for efficient document management is paramount. Businesses and organizations generate vast amounts of documents, from invoices and contracts to reports and emails. Managing these documents manually can be time-consuming, error-prone, and costly. To streamline document handling, improve efficiency, and reduce human error, organizations turn to document management systems (DMS). This article will guide you through the process of building a comprehensive document management system with document process automation, breaking down the essential components and features to consider.

Understanding the Basics of Document Management Systems

In the current digital world, where data is easily shared and papers are produced at a never-before-seen pace, effective document management is critical for companies and groups of all kinds. This is where document management systems (DMS) become useful, transforming the production, archiving, and handling of documents. This section offers a thorough examination of the core ideas underlying DMS, clarifying their meaning and purpose.

1.1 What is a Document Management System (DMS)?

An all-inclusive software or platform called a Document Management System, or DMS, is made to make it easier to create, arrange, store, track, retrieve, and manage documents and information effectively. It provides a range of capabilities to expedite document-related procedures and serves as a central store for all kinds of papers, both digital and physical. Document capture, storage, indexing, retrieval, security, and distribution are some of these procedures. A DMS essentially acts as a digital link between data and documents and the people and systems that depend on them.

Fundamentally, a DMS uses technology to automate processes and replace antiquated, paper-based document management techniques with digital technologies. Although DMS solutions come in a variety of forms, from straightforward software programs to intricate Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems, they are all aimed at improving the effectiveness, security, and usability of document management.

1.2 Why Do You Need a DMS?

In today’s fast-paced company climate, using a Document Management System can yield numerous benefits that are not only useful but also frequently necessary. The following are strong arguments for why your company requires a DMS:

– Efficiency: One of the primary reasons to implement a DMS is the significant enhancement of operational efficiency. Manual document management can be labor-intensive and prone to errors, whereas a DMS streamlines the entire document lifecycle, from creation to archiving, saving valuable time and resources.
– Accuracy: Automation within a DMS significantly reduces the risk of human error in tasks such as data entry and document routing. This leads to consistent and error-free document management, improving data quality and reliability.
– Compliance: For organizations operating within regulatory frameworks, a DMS is crucial in ensuring compliance. It provides features such as document tracking, audit trails, and security controls that are essential in meeting legal and regulatory requirements.
– Collaboration: A DMS fosters efficient collaboration among team members, irrespective of their physical location. Documents are stored centrally, allowing authorized users to access and work on them simultaneously, thus improving teamwork and productivity.
– Cost Reduction: The reduction in paper usage and manual labor that comes with a DMS can translate into significant cost savings. It reduces expenses associated with printing, storage, and document retrieval, all of which are often underestimated.
– Remote Access: With the advent of cloud-based DMS solutions, remote access to documents has become more convenient than ever. This allows businesses to adapt to global work environments, enabling access to documents from virtually anywhere with an internet connection.

DMS offers a comprehensive solution to address these needs and more. In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into the various components and features that constitute a robust DMS, as well as the steps involved in building such a system to fit your organization’s unique requirements.

Key Components of a Document Management System

A Document Management System consists of multiple necessary parts in order to guarantee effective document processing. Together, these elements simplify the process of creating, organizing, storing, retrieving, and securely sharing documents. Let’s examine the essential elements of a DMS:

2.1 Document Capture

Document capture is the first step in the life cycle of a document within a DMS. It involves the process of acquiring documents and converting them into a digital format that the system can manage. Document capture can take several forms:

– Scanning: Converting physical paper documents into digital images by using scanners. This is a common method for digitizing paper records.
– Importing: Uploading electronic documents, such as Word files, PDFs, or spreadsheets, into the DMS.
– Email Capture: Automatically importing and storing emails, attachments, and email content directly into the DMS.
– Automated Data Extraction: Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology is used in automated data extraction to retrieve and modify data from scanned documents.

All document types—digital and paper—can be effectively imported into the DMS with the help of efficient document capture. This element is essential for guaranteeing that papers are accessible within the system for processing and administration.

2.2 Document Storage

Once documents are captured and converted into a digital format, the next critical component of a DMS is document storage. Document storage involves the organization and safekeeping of these digital documents. There are two common approaches to document storage within a DMS:

– Centralized Storage: In this approach, all documents are stored in a central repository. This centralized location makes it easy to manage, search for, and secure documents. It also ensures consistency in document storage and access.
– Decentralized Storage: Some DMS solutions allow for decentralized storage, where documents can be stored in various locations. While this can provide flexibility, it can also lead to challenges in document organization and retrieval.
– Cloud Storage: Cloud document storage is a choice that is becoming more and more popular. Solutions for cloud-based DMSs provide accessibility, scalability, and lower infrastructure costs. Anywhere with an internet connection can access documents kept in the cloud.

The size, security requirements, and unique needs of the organization all influence the storage strategy selection. Whatever method is selected, the goal of document storage in a DMS is to protect and arrange documents for quick access.

2.3 Document Indexing

The process of adding metadata to documents so they can be easily found and searched within the DMS is known as document indexing. Document type, author, creation date, keywords, and any other pertinent information are examples of metadata. Because it enables users to find documents quickly by searching for specific criteria, effective indexing is essential. Important elements of document indexing consist of:

– Consistency: Documents are labeled consistently, which facilitates their finding, thanks to an organized and consistent indexing system.
– Searchability: Documents should be searchable by keywords, document type, author, or date, among other criteria.
– Automation: To minimize the need for manual entry, some DMS solutions include automated indexing tools that can extract metadata from emails or documents.
Effective document indexing simplifies document retrieval and contributes to the overall efficiency of the DMS.

2.4 Document Retrieval

Document retrieval is a core function of any DMS. It involves providing users with the ability to quickly and accurately locate and access documents. A well-designed document retrieval component should offer:

– Search Capabilities: Users should be able to search for documents using keywords, metadata, document type, and other relevant criteria.
– Sorting and Filtering: Options for sorting and filtering search results help users refine their document searches.
– Advanced Search Functionality: Advanced search options allow users to specify search criteria in more detail, ensuring precise document retrieval.
– Document Preview: The ability to preview documents before opening them can help users quickly determine if the document they found is the one they need.
– Integration: Integration with other software, such as email clients and office suites, facilitates seamless document retrieval.
Efficient document retrieval is essential for users to access the right documents quickly, improving productivity and decision-making.

2.5 Security and Access Control

Organizations have the utmost concern for document security. Documents are shielded from loss, alteration, and unauthorized access thanks to a DMS’s security and access control features. Among this component’s salient features are:

– User Authentication: Users must log in to access the DMS, and their actions are logged, allowing for traceability.
– Encryption: Documents should be stored and transmitted in encrypted form to prevent data breaches.
– Role-Based Access Control: The degree of access granted to users is contingent upon their roles within the organization. Only authorized users can view, edit, or remove documents thanks to role-based access control.
– Audit Trails: Detailed audit trails provide a record of document access and changes, which can be invaluable for compliance and security purposes.
– Data Backup and Recovery: Regular data backups and disaster recovery mechanisms are crucial to safeguard documents against loss.

Ensuring robust security and access control measures is essential for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of documents within the DMS.

2.6 Version Control

Version control is essential for tracking changes made to a document over time. It is a vital component in a DMS, as it helps maintain data integrity and compliance. Key elements of version control include:

– Version History: Viewing and restoring earlier iterations of a document that show who made changes and when is one of its features.
– Collaborative Editing: Allows several users to work together on a document while recording each person’s edits.
– Notification of Changes: To ensure transparency and oversight, users should be informed when changes are made to the documents they have access to.

Effective version control ensures that organizations can maintain the history and integrity of documents while allowing for collaboration and document evolution.

2.7 Low-code workflow Automation

Low-code workflow automation is a significant component in modern DMS solutions, as it streamlines and automates document-related processes. This automation enhances efficiency and reduces manual intervention. Key aspects of workflow automation include:

– Document Approval Workflows: Automating approval processes for documents, allowing for multiple rounds of reviews and approvals.

Document approval process example

– Document Routing: Automatically routing documents to the right individuals or departments based on predefined rules and criteria.
– Notifications and Reminders: Notifying users automatically when there are tasks or approvals that need to be completed.
– Integration with Other Systems: To further improve efficiency, workflow automation can be integrated with other business systems like ERP and CRM.

Workflow automation makes complicated business processes easier to understand and guarantees that documents go through the intended process without human intervention, from creation to archiving.

The key components of a Document Management System (DMS) work in harmony to provide a comprehensive solution for document creation, organization, storage, retrieval, security, and automation of document-related processes. When implemented effectively, a DMS can greatly improve an organization’s document management efficiency, accuracy, and security, enabling it to operate more effectively in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

Building Your Document Management System

Developing a Document Management System (DMS) is a methodical procedure that needs cautious preparation and execution. We’ll go over the main processes in building your DMS in this section, from specifying your document types to guaranteeing user adoption.

3.1 Define Your Document Types

Understanding the kinds of documents your company handles is crucial before starting the process of developing a DMS. Documents can take many different forms; they can be reports, emails, contracts, invoices, and more. To effectively manage them, categorize and define your document types, considering their characteristics, importance, and how they fit into your business processes.

– Categorization: Group similar documents into categories or document types. For example, contracts, financial statements, and employee records could be distinct categories.
– Attributes: Identify the key attributes or metadata associated with each document type, such as document title, author, creation date, and keywords.
– Retention Policies: Determine how long each type of document needs to be retained, considering legal requirements and business needs.
– Workflow Requirements: Understand how different document types move through your organization’s workflows. This helps in setting up automation later.
Defining your document types provides a clear roadmap for designing the DMS to meet your specific requirements.

3.2 Selecting the Right DMS Software

Choosing the right DMS software is a pivotal decision that will have a significant impact on the effectiveness of your document management system. Here are some considerations when selecting the appropriate DMS software:

– Scalability: Ensure that the software can grow with your organization and accommodate increasing document volumes.
– User-Friendliness: The software should be intuitive and user-friendly to facilitate smooth adoption by your team.
– Integration: Assess the software’s ability to integrate with other systems, such as CRM, ERP, or email clients.
– Security Features: Verify that the DMS software provides robust security features, including encryption, user authentication, and access controls.
– Vendor Support: Evaluate the level of support and training offered by the software vendor, as good support is essential during implementation and ongoing usage.
– Cost and ROI: Take into account the software’s price and assess the possible ROI in light of anticipated cost and efficiency savings.

Selecting the appropriate DMS software is essential since it serves as the basis for your document management system.

3.3 Setting Up Document Capture

Document capture is the process of acquiring and converting documents into a digital format. It’s essential for ensuring that all relevant documents are accessible within your DMS. This phase includes:

– Scanning: If you have physical paper documents, set up scanning stations or devices to convert them into digital images.
– Importing: Establish processes for importing electronic documents, such as Word files, PDFs, spreadsheets, and emails, into the DMS.
– Automated Data Extraction: Consider implementing Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology to extract data from scanned documents automatically, making them searchable and editable.

A well-implemented document capture phase ensures that all documents, both physical and digital, are brought into your DMS efficiently, setting the stage for the subsequent stages of organization and management.

3.4 Creating a Structured Storage System

The structure of your document storage system is crucial for efficient document management. Two common approaches are centralized and decentralized storage:

– Centralized Storage: In this approach, all documents are stored in a central repository. This method simplifies organization, search, and access.
– Decentralized Storage: This approach allows documents to be stored in various locations. It provides flexibility but can be more challenging to organize and retrieve.
– Cloud Storage: Cloud-based storage is increasingly popular, providing scalability and accessibility.

Organize your documents logically by creating a folder structure and naming conventions that make sense for your organization. A structured storage system ensures documents are easy to find and manage.

3.5 Implementing Effective Indexing

Indexing involves adding metadata to documents, making them searchable within the DMS. Effective indexing is essential for efficient document retrieval. Key considerations for indexing include:

– Metadata: Define the metadata elements for each document type, including document title, author, creation date, keywords, and other relevant attributes.
– Consistency: Maintain a structured and consistent indexing system to ensure uniformity and ease of search.
– Automation: Utilize automated indexing tools within your DMS to extract metadata from documents or emails, reducing manual entry.

Effective indexing is the cornerstone of document retrieval and can significantly enhance the efficiency of your DMS.

3.6 Ensuring Document Security

Document security is paramount to protect sensitive and confidential information. Key security considerations include:

– User Authentication: Users must log in to access the DMS, and their actions are logged, allowing for traceability.
– Encryption: Documents should be stored and transmitted in encrypted form to prevent data breaches.
– Role-Based Access Control: Different users have varying levels of access based on their roles within the organization, ensuring they can only view, edit, or delete documents as authorized.
– Audit Trails: Maintain detailed audit trails to provide a record of document access and changes, essential for compliance and security purposes.
– Data Backup and Recovery: Regular data backups and disaster recovery mechanisms are essential safeguards.

Robust security measures protect the integrity and confidentiality of documents within the DMS.

3.7 Version Control Mechanisms

Version control is essential for tracking changes made to documents over time, ensuring data integrity and compliance. Key aspects include:

– Version History: Enable the ability to view and restore previous versions of documents, including details of who made changes and when.
– Collaborative Editing: Support multiple users collaborating on a document while tracking changes made by each user.
– Notification of Changes: Notify users when changes are made to documents they have access to, ensuring transparency and oversight.

Effective version control ensures the history and integrity of documents are maintained while allowing for collaboration and document evolution.

3.8 Automating Workflows Automating document-related processes is a core feature of modern DMS solutions. It streamlines complex processes, enhancing efficiency and reducing manual bottlenecks. Key aspects of workflow automation include:

– Document Approval Workflows: Automate approval processes for documents, enabling multiple rounds of reviews and approvals.
– Document Routing: Automatically route documents to the appropriate individuals or departments based on predefined rules and criteria.
– Notifications and Reminders: Automate notifications and reminders for users with pending tasks or approvals.
– Integration with Other Systems: Integrate workflow automation with other business systems to further enhance efficiency.

Workflow automation simplifies complex business processes and ensures that documents follow the desired path without manual intervention.

3.9 Integration with Other Systems

Integrating your DMS with other systems, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and email clients, is crucial for streamlining business processes. Key considerations include:

– Data Flow: Define how data and documents will flow between the DMS and other systems, ensuring seamless integration.
– APIs and Connectors: Verify that your DMS and other systems have compatible APIs or connectors to facilitate integration.
– Data Mapping: Ensure that data in one system aligns with data in the DMS to prevent data discrepancies.

Integrating systems streamlines operations and minimizes manual data entry, reducing the risk of errors.

3.10 User Training and Adoption

User training and adoption are pivotal for the successful implementation of your DMS. Without user buy-in, even the most well-designed DMS can fall short of its potential. Key steps in user training and adoption include:

– User Guides: Create comprehensive user guides that explain how to use the DMS effectively.
– Workshops and Training Sessions: Conduct training workshops to familiarize users with the system’s features and functionalities.
– Ongoing Support: Offer ongoing support to address user questions and issues, ensuring a smooth transition to the new system.
– Feedback Mechanisms: Establish channels for user feedback, allowing for continuous improvement and addressing concerns promptly.
– Change Management: Implement change management strategies to ease the transition, addressing resistance and promoting acceptance of the new system.

To get the most out of your DMS and make sure it becomes a crucial component of your company’s operations, user adoption and training are crucial.

For your DMS to be successful and help your company manage its documents more effectively while improving data security and compliance, each of these elements is essential.

Document Process Automation

A revolutionary method for controlling and enhancing information flow inside an organization is document process automation, or DPA. DPA uses technology to create automated processes and workflows in place of labor-intensive, error-prone, and manual document-related tasks. It includes all facets of document management, including workflows for approval and archiving, as well as document capture and routing. We will examine the nuances of document process automation, its advantages, and the best ways to incorporate it into your document management system (DMS) in this section.

4.1 Understanding Document Process Automation

Document Process Automation (DPA) is a holistic approach that involves automating and streamlining document-centric tasks and processes. These processes often include:

– Data Extraction: Automated extraction of data from documents, reducing the need for manual data entry.
– Document Routing: Defining automated routes for documents to move through various stages of approval, review, or distribution.
– Document Archiving: Automatically archiving documents based on predefined retention policies.
– Notification and Alerts: Setting up automated notifications and alerts to inform users of pending tasks or actions required.
– Approval Workflows: Automating the approval process for documents, including multi-level approval workflows.
– Document Generation: Creating documents automatically based on predefined templates and data inputs.

DPA not only streamlines these processes but also improves accuracy, reduces the risk of errors, and accelerates document workflows, resulting in significant time and cost savings.

4.2 Benefits of Document Process Automation

The implementation of Document Process Automation offers numerous benefits for organizations across various industries. Some of the key advantages include:

– Enhanced Efficiency: DPA significantly reduces the time required to complete document-related processes. Automation eliminates manual bottlenecks, accelerating the flow of documents through various stages.
– Error Reduction: Automation minimizes human errors, particularly in data entry and document routing, ensuring the consistency and reliability of document management.
– Compliance and Traceability: DPA helps organizations adhere to regulatory requirements by providing a well-documented and traceable record of document-related actions. This is crucial for industries with strict compliance regulations.
– Cost Savings: Automation leads to substantial cost savings by reducing manual labor, paper usage, and document storage costs. It also lessens the possibility of fines brought on by non-compliance.
– Improved Visibility: DPA gives organizations up-to-date information on the state of documents and processes, enabling them to track developments and make wise decisions.
– Improved Collaboration: Even though team members may be spread out across different regions, automation promotes collaboration by allowing them to work on documents concurrently.
– Quicker Decision-Making: Automation expedites document workflows, facilitating quicker choices and more flexible reactions to evolving business requirements.
– Customization: DPA solutions can be customized to fit the specific needs of an organization, ensuring that the automation aligns with its unique processes and requirements.
– Reduced Paper Usage: By automating processes that traditionally relied on physical documents, DPA reduces the need for paper, leading to environmental benefits and cost savings.
– Enhanced Customer Service: Quick access to relevant information and documents means that customer service can be more responsive, providing customers with the information they need faster.

4.3 Integrating Automation into Your DMS

Integrating Document Process Automation into your existing Document Management System (DMS) is a strategic decision that can significantly enhance your organization’s efficiency and document management capabilities. Here are steps to effectively integrate automation into your DMS:

– Identify Processes: Start by identifying the document-related processes that can benefit from automation. These may include document capture, data extraction, approval workflows, archiving, and more.
– Select the Right Automation Tools: Choose automation tools and software that align with your organization’s specific needs. This may include workflow automation software, OCR technology, and integration platforms.
– Process Mapping: Create a detailed process map that outlines the steps involved in the document-related processes you want to automate. This will help you define automation rules and criteria.
– Define Automation Rules: Based on your process map, define the rules and criteria for automation. For example, you can specify conditions under which documents are routed for approval or establish triggers for data extraction.
– Testing and Optimization: Implement automation gradually and test it thoroughly to ensure that it operates as expected. Optimize the rules and criteria as necessary.
– User Training: Provide training to users on how the automated processes work and how they should interact with the DMS in the context of automation.
– Monitoring and Maintenance: Regularly monitor the automated processes to ensure they continue to operate effectively. Perform routine maintenance and updates as needed.
– Scalability: Consider the scalability of your automation solution. Ensure that it can handle increased document volumes and process complexity as your organization grows.
– Integration with Other Systems: Make sure the automation works seamlessly with other systems (like CRM or ERP) if your DMS is integrated with them to facilitate the flow of documents and data.
– Feedback and Ongoing Improvement: Request input from users on the automated procedures, and utilize this input to make ongoing improvements. Continuous improvement ensures that your automation remains aligned with evolving business needs.

The effective integration of Document Process Automation into your DMS can have a transformative impact on your document management capabilities, resulting in improved efficiency, compliance, and collaboration. It’s a strategic investment that can lead to significant competitive advantages in today’s fast-paced business environment.

Future Trends in Document Management Systems

5.1 Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Discuss how AI and machine learning are being integrated into DMS to automate tasks like data extraction, classification, and natural language processing for improved document search and retrieval.

5.2 Cloud-Based DMS

Explore the growing trend of cloud-based DMS solutions, which offer scalability, flexibility, and remote access. Discuss the benefits and challenges associated with cloud-based document management.

5.3 Mobile Document Management

Highlight the importance of mobile access to documents in today’s remote work environments. Discuss how mobile document management apps and features are becoming increasingly essential.

5.4 Blockchain and DMS

Examine the potential of blockchain technology in document management, particularly in enhancing document security, integrity, and traceability.

Conclusion

For modern organizations, a comprehensive document management system with document process automation is an essential tool. It guarantees information accessibility, increases efficiency, lowers errors, and improves compliance. Organizations can create a strong DMS that meets their unique needs and is ready for the opportunities and challenges of the digital age by following the steps outlined in this guide. Additionally, firms can continue to improve and streamline their document management procedures in the future by keeping up with emerging trends in the industry.

The post How to build a reliable document management system? appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

Starting Q3 with New Medals and Recognitions

admin — Wed, 13 Sep 2023 09:39:56 +0000

CMW Lab, a provider of business process management solutions, is thrilled to announce our latest achievements in 2023. As we design software that aim at process excellence and innovation, we are excited to share new rewards that reflect this commitment. And we couldn’t have done it without the continued support of our customers.

1) Recognized for Outstanding Features and Functionality in 2023

CMW Platform has received the “Best Features and Functionality 2023” award from the review experts at GetApp. With an overall rating of 4.6 out of 5, CMW Platform stands as our dedication to delivering impactful solutions that help businesses succeed.

2) Implementation Speed Award 2023

We’re thrilled to announce that CMW Platform has been recognized for its swift implementation by our clients at G2. In the Business Process Management category, CMW Platform boasts the shortest go-live time, making it the go-to choice for businesses looking to streamline their processes efficiently.

3) Champion Medal in the SoftwareReviews 2023 BPM Emotional Footprint Market Report

CMW Platform is honored to have received the Champion Medal in the SoftwareReviews 2023 BPM Emotional Footprint Market Report. Emotional Footprint Champions are selected based exclusively on feedback provided by real users via SoftwareReviews’ comprehensive online survey. The survey measures user satisfaction across 27 elements of the provider relationship, including strategy, service experience, product experience, conflict resolution, and the contracting process.

“This award highlights the emotional connection we’ve forged with our users, reflecting our commitment to designing solutions that resonate positively. We will continue to provide the problem-solving customer care and regular product updates based on end user experience and transform them into features improvement roadmaps on our side” Michael Donaghey, Director of North American Operations, CMW Lab

4) CMW Platform Named Among the Top 5 BPM Software of 2023 by TechDogs

TechDogs, a tech media platform, has recognized CMW Platform as one of the “Top-5 BPM Software of 2023.” This acknowledgment reaffirms our status, dedicated to helping organizations excel in business process management.

“CMW Platform offers comprehensive and robust solutions covering all the steps from modeling to reporting and everything in between and more. It allows you to design, run and change business processes with an efficient drag-and-drop feature, simplifying the process for non-technical users. Additionally, the platform enables numerous integration options synergizing data exchanges between applications.” Editorial team, TechDogs

The post Starting Q3 with New Medals and Recognitions appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

Staying Ahead of the Market: Trends in Document Management

admin — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 13:38:05 +0000

Document management is becoming a critical aspect of any business looking to streamline their workflow and maximize the use of their collected data. Integrating a document management system into one’s business can be tricky but, it’s worth it due to the numerous benefits it can bring. However, with the many emerging trends in tech, the software requirements for remote employees are increasing.

As document management software is in demand, you may be wondering what are the main trends in this segment and how they can benefit your business. In this article, we describe to you the newest trends in document management and how they can positively impact your bottom line.

Keep reading to know more.

A quick refresh: What is document management?

Back then, people would have filing cases filled to the brim with papers for all the documents for their business. These filing cases were often arranged alphabetically and required the expertise of an employee who was organized, detail-oriented, and neat. But now, things have changed.

Companies are opting to minimize physical documents because of how it can lead to bottlenecks in a workflow. Surveys have shown that employees can spend up to 2-3 hours a day searching for documents and this may not always prove to be fruitful. To turn to effectiveness, digital documents are what companies are using to streamline their workflow, minimize their carbon footprint, and secure their data.

One of the reasons your business can benefit from document management software is that it can simplify the lifecycle of a document in your company by automating its approval, storage and organizing. A feature that’s critical, especially for companies having business dealings in Europe, where the data privacy laws are stricter.

With document management software, you’ll have a tool that will help you automate your document workflow without significantly increasing your operating expenses. The best part? These platforms are constantly evolving to keep up with consumer demands.

Each document management platform is being augmented according to the trends of the software industry to provide clients with a flawless document management experience.

Document Management Trends

As we’ve mentioned above, document management platforms are evolving, and the best ones are keeping up with the trends to ensure that each customer gets top-notch software.

Here are some of the biggest trends that document management software providers are looking into.

Using cloud storage

The use of cloud storage in one’s process is revolutionizing the way people store and access documents – it’s creating smoother workflows.

Cloud storage is the practice of storing your data on a remote server. This enables your team to access the information they need at any time from wherever they may be. A benefit that can boost your company’s productivity without making huge changes to your digital infrastructure or budget.

Additionally, cloud-based document management providers implement security tools to ensure that your data is safe. Some of their most common security measures are as follows:

Data encryption
Software redundancy
Intrusion Detection System (IDS)
High-end firewalls
Top-tier physical security
24/7 monitoring

Adopting AI

Cisco has stated that about five quintillion data bytes are produced daily. In your business alone, you can be sure that the number of documents generated, filled out, and stored are also high. This can lead to certain items falling through the cracks and getting mislabeled or incorrectly filled out.

Some document management software has started adopting AI into their process. This has led to a higher data accuracy rate, speedier manual task completion, and smarter document processing.

By entrusting an AI to handle manual tasks, you can divert personnel’s attention to higher-value tasks that can help grow the business.

In CMW Platform users are free to connect any AI-based third party software via fully Open API to put your document management on another level.

Making it mobile friendly

There are thousands of employees bringing their work with them on their travels as work-from-home and hybrid arrangements become a norm. One should also consider the advancement of smartphones and how employees are using these devices to accomplish their tasks while on the go.

Document management providers have considered this and aside from making their software cloud-based, they’ve also enhanced the structure to make it mobile-friendly for ease of use. The developers of these platforms have ensured that their programs can be viewed and manipulated seamlessly on any operating system, screen size, and browser.

Customers experience as a main priority

Customers across the globe are becoming more protective of their personal information and they’re looking for a company with a process that’s more thoughtful of their experience.

One way to get your clients more involved while also championing business transparency is by sharing their documents with them on a customer portal. It also fosters collaboration and communication, which greatly improves client-agency relationships.

Document management software providers have innovated their systems enough to allow you to share client information with them on a secure channel. This also allows your clients to edit any mistakes on their documents, comment on the project in a private channel, and have access to all the documents uploaded on this portal.

Improving customer experience also includes giving them the information they need to use all of your software’s features. This means writing informative articles about how to convert from PDF to Word and filling out an effective FAQ section.

Advanced search

A feature that the top document management software providers have is advanced search functionalities.

The advanced search functionality enables your employees to find the documents they need in a single interface, even if it’s located on a separate repository. Advanced search functions can increase productivity and boost efficiency with just a few clicks.

Enhancing security measures

Data stored in document management software is protected by stringent security measures that these providers enforce. Now, some of these software developers are taking it a step further by including blockchain technology in their process.

By using blockchain technology for the storage of sensitive data, information can be distributed without the chance of it being tampered with. Blockchain tech uses heavy encryptions to ensure that the information will only be seen by the target audience.

Easing integration

Businesses use multiple software to ensure that their business runs smoothly. This is why document management software developers must consider how easy it is to integrate their software into these other systems.

A seamless integration process can boost your team’s efficiency and foster collaboration between employees who are using different systems.

Nonetheless, it’s also clear that document management platforms that can easily be integrated into other systems can lead to better customer satisfaction due to the way it simplifies their business process.

Some companies have even taken integration a step further by linking their document management software with various communication tools such as messaging programs and emails, to enhance team productivity.

Designing with intent

Having software that’s designed intuitively is another reason why clients choose that document management system.

User experience plays heavily on productivity and with a good percentage of employees on hybrid or remote setup, you’ll want to make sure that they’re working with a sleek interface. This means that developers must lessen unnecessary features and create a platform that doesn’t look outdated.

Finding a document management software that keeps up with the trends

Finding a document management software that takes all your needs into consideration can be hard. You’ll want to make sure that you have an effective and customizable platform that can grow with your company, just like what CMW Platform Document Tracking software can do.

CMW Platform Document Tracking Solution is a flexible tool that allows you manage and control all the types of documents across the company as well as processes and teams involved. With the true low-code technology and powerful graphical engine you can easily create and modify your document processes without any interruption to your operations. Cloud-based deployment and fully Open API let you create a single digital environment for the efficient collaboration and tasks completion.

Take your document management above and beyond. Reach out to us today for a Demo.

Bernard San Juan III is the Managing Partner of Truelogic who comes from a successful career in online companies, where he played a critical role in building & managing workforce groups. He has redesigned the organization’s IT infrastructure to improve order processing and logistics. His skills include managing performance, managing costs and training. He also manages overall sales, customer satisfaction, graphic design, copywriting, and training with first line supervisors.

The post Staying Ahead of the Market: Trends in Document Management appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

Top 10 Benefits of Resultive Business Process Management

kamille — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 01:27:00 +0000

The definition of business process management (BPM) is broad but it can be slashed to a systematic approach to making a company’s workflow more effective and reliable for better understanding. This short definition highlights business process management importance for business, but not hardly foreground benefits of BPM integration into a business. Below we cover why BPM is needed and how businesses of any size can benefit from BPM technology.

The most tangible benefit of good business process management is Cost Efficiency that can mean decreased costs and increased revenue. While the rest of benefits BPM delivers is intangible in the short term, they add crucial value in the long run, and help both small and huge companies with gearing up for worldwide competition. BPM technology makes any company better equipped to switch gears, respond to its changing business environment faster than competitors, and succeed!

Learn more how BPM software can help you achieve your business goals while it simplifies your business processes management cycle, handle change processes and drive projects to success.

Here are the Top 10 Benefits of good business process management:

1. Cost efficiency

Simply slashing budgets is no longer a viable option in organizations that have become leaner in response to global economic conditions during recent years. There simply is not much left to cut. However, in order to thrive, organizations still need to maximize the efficiency of the costs they do incur and profit they generate. And good BPM is a driving strategy towards maximizing cost efficiency by streamlining business operations and collaboration, automating repetitive tasks, improving product quality and reducing corporate risks.

CMW Platform combines process management and workflow management with task management and built-in real-time reporting and analysis, so teams collaborate more effectively within both routine workflows and profit-generating projects and bring their projects to fruition within budget, with reported cost savings of 30% to 50%.

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2. Business agility

A trend in BPM is toward more nimble processes that respond to organizational learning in the marketplace. Nowadays flexibility is frequently taken as one of business process management goals in addition to cost efficiency. This has led to a greater demand for ultra-flexible business process management tools that are easy to design, change and deploy. Generally, agility incorporates the following elements, all of which are included to CMW Platform:

Process management: With CMW Platform, process management comes in the form of visual workflows that you can change on-the-fly. You can re-use workflows wherever you need to and customize them as you go.
Rule management: As work management moves into an unstructured, collaborative age, rules management will be the way to stay properly governed, visible, and compliant, while keeping processes on track. CMW Platform features on-the-fly rule configuration for each department, function or project (whether structured or unstructured), as needed. This provides unique flexibility not seen in other work management tools.
Integration and automation: CMW Platform offers comprehensive solutions that support task and case management as well as Project Management. The fact that this all sits on one organization-wide database means that the company has full control, visibility and real-time analysis capability.
Continual optimization and scaling. CMW Platform enables quick-win implementation and non-code addition and modification of running processes. It allows for starting with simple automated workflows and growing incrementally with comprehensive business process management.

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3. Compliance ease and visibility

Changes to legislation and other factors have meant that companies without a flexible system for handling end-to-end compliance can incur great, unforeseen costs, both in reporting and penalties. Within BPM systems, companies can build compliance into their business practices if department-specific applications are integrated with the organization as a whole. CMW Platform allows for full integration with function-specific, 3rd party applications via Open API that are also tied to an organization-wide database. This makes it possible to produce automated reports that demonstrate compliance in a cost-efficient way.

4. Customer focus

Savvy customers are demanding thorough proof-of-concept (POC) processes that document how their needs will be heard through self-service Web 3.0 capabilities. Business process management helps organizations to combine people with technology to acquire and retain satisfied customers and CMW Platform lets organizations include any desired user (read: customer) with easy-to-program security roles. This paves the way for ongoing, real-time collaboration with customers in a way that proves responsiveness, personalization, customization and access to information.

5. Staff satisfaction

6. Efficiency and productivity

Consequently, BPM plays an essential role in assisting companies in achieving their productivity and efficiency goals. In order to establish baselines and then enhance them, BPM projects give priority on measuring and monitoring processes, establishing process excellence. Process efficiency rises when operations run smoothly and at full capacity. Moreover, the same tasks can be done within shorter terms, making the team more productive and being able to concentrate on business-critical tasks. Process analysis is continually done. The ability to quickly identify and remove tasks that bring little value boosts productivity overall.

7. Reduced micromanagement

Micromanagement might be effective as it anyway leads to getting the task done. However, it is always detrimental to a company in the long run. Sticking to a set of procedures in order to minimize errors is one of the main reasons that leaders prefer to micromanage their workers.

Micromanagement is no longer necessary due to BPM. Leaders and staff members who are aware of their responsibilities clearly document all SOPs. When a certain step is called for, workers complete it clearly without constant coaching or direction.

8. Single digital environment

The appropriate BPM tool can serve as a unified environment for data fetching and pushing to vital software platforms like ERP and CRM. Department-specific software is typically created for distinct use cases, but data access and use for other purposes can be challenging.

The benefits of integrating core applications with an enterprise-wide BPM platform are numerous. Some procedures require human input, while others do not. With the process automation software enterprise can decrease cycle time and manual entry errors, while granting access to the company’s fundamental operations to all the employees or dividing the access levels for security purposes.

9. Measurable results

You can evaluate the results of new processes using BPM. You may estimate how much time has been saved, decide if enhanced processes actually save money, and keep an eye on these findings in real time. With CMW Platform you may automate the process of monitoring and reporting outcomes, and once you have these findings, you can use them to further direct your internal processes.

10. Improved responsibility

Implementing BPM and citizen development in your organization also becomes the driver for employees to take ownership of their work. As soon as the dependency on IT-department minimizes, the processes can be built and completed faster by non-technical users. It means that the power now is in the hands of any employee who sees the bottleneck and wants to bring value.

At conclusion

Could your organization benefit from improvements in the following areas?

Increased customer satisfaction and shorter time-to-market for products and services
Greater efficiency (and cost savings) with existing applications and processes
Greater team satisfaction as collaboration and best practices are improved
Full transparency of all activities across the team and organization

If so, then get advantage of work management software, which delivers a full set of tools and services that apply workflow structure to information and workers so that processes are streamlined and performance is improved. Business Process Management (or BPM) is a core subset of effective work management and the question why business processes are so important doesn’t burn any more. By the way, don’t confuse BPM with BPMN; BPMN is a modeling and notation standard that makes it possible to manage business processes well.

…work management is a set of software products and services that apply workflow structure to information and workers so that processes are streamlined and performance is improved…

Some companies already have BPM systems. But, after the BPM initiative is in place for a year or two, professionals in these enterprises are usually frustrated by how difficult it is to change processes, and are surprised by the degree to which colleagues use “work-arounds” for unstructured projects that arise. When formal business processes cannot be changed easily, or when the team isn’t using the formal processes for all work, then visibility, agility, organizational learning and market response times all suffer. CMW Lab low-code BPM software enables non-technical users (Top-managers) to change business processes easily, making sure that company staff don’t need “work-arounds” for projects that occasionally arise and stay effective!

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Kamille Nixon is Senior Manager, Product Marketing for Comindware.
A former newspaper reporter, Kamille specializes in database applications, researching how developments in graph databases help organizations reach their goals. Kamille has an MBA from St. Mary's College of California, Global Business.

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6 Business Process Examples and Automation Ideas

ehaidukova — Wed, 14 Jun 2023 08:20:10 +0000

Business process automation is a crucial element of any modern day business as they bring about increased efficiency and productivity in the workplace. They also help businesses at all levels to serve their customers in an orderly and swift manner. However, the thrust of this article is to provide you with some practical Business Process Examples and Automation Ideas that you can employ to drive your business to the next level. So, kindly read through…

What is a Business Process?

Nowadays the fast-paced business environment requires the implementation of automated business processes, which has become increasingly important due to its numerous benefits. Automated business processes not only improve efficiency but also take errors to minimum and enhance team productivity. By leveraging new technologies such as machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), and robotic process automation (RPA), organizations received the ability to streamline their operations and achieve significantly better results.

Generally, a Business Process is a set of related, structured activities and steps performed by the people or equipment in an organization in order to achieve the basic organizational goals like Profit maximization and Customer satisfaction.

Business processes may be repeated many times at all organizational levels and may or may not be visible to the customers.

A Business process is often regarded as a flowchart or workflow of logical steps, and it serves as a primary foundation for several related ideas like Business Process Management, Process optimization, Process mapping, Process Simulation, Process Automation, etc.

However, it must be noted that a Business Process can either be Manual or Automated. A Business Process is considered manual when the process is achieved by human i.e without the aid of any assisting technology or automation model. While an Automated Business process is that which is achieved using an automation model or assisting technology. What differentiates the two is that Automated is modern and it is more accurate, standardized or optimized compared to the manual method.

One of the main advantages of automated business processes is the minimization of manual tasks, which are usually time-consuming and error-prone. With automation, repetitive activities can be performed seamlessly and consistently, freeing up valuable time for employees to focus on more strategic and value-added tasks. This leads to increased productivity and employee satisfaction. said Michael Donaghey, Director of North American Operations at CMW Lab.

Moreover, automated business processes let organizations achieve a higher level of accuracy and standardization. As automated processes stick to earlier defined rules and algorithms, they ensure more precision in every step. That’s why the companies see an enhancement in the quality of outputs but also improvement of customer satisfaction as they experience a more reliable and consistent service.

Furthermore, automation brings the real-time monitoring and analytics of business processes to enterprises. Teams can easily identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies and eliminate them with the help of data-driven insights. This enables them to make informed decisions, optimize their workload, and drive the culture of improvement throughout the organization.

The importance of Business Processes to small, medium, and large businesses cannot be overemphasized as it helps your business function to be more orderly and streamlined, and thus facilitating Business Process Management as well as improving the organization’s efficiency and productivity. We will discuss more about Business process examples and automation ideas later in this article.

Basic Steps of Business Process Implementation

Step 1: Define Your Goals

At this stage, you will first define the basic purpose of the process as well as the reasons for creating it.

Step 2: Plan and Map Your Process

Here you ruminate on effective strategies you can adopt to achieve the set goals and what resources you need for this

Step 3: Set Actions and Assign People that will handle it

Who are the best individuals to handle the tasks? What are the machines they will need to execute the plan? These and more are what you will make decisions about here

Step 4: Test the Process

The goal here is to first scrutinize the process at a low-key level and see how it fared.

Step 5: Implement the Process

If you are convinced with the results you get after testing the process, then it is time to run it on a global level. At this stage, present the process to all those who will be handling the tasks and train them for better results.

Step 6: Monitor the Results

Try reviewing the process and check for any threats it may later bring, and find a way to mitigate the risk.

Step 7: Repeat

If you were able to achieve the set goals with the process, continue to replicate it and always track its effectiveness and progress along the line

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Business Process Examples

As earlier said, business processes occur at all organization levels and it varies from one industry to the other. For instance, the business process used in the mining industry would be quite different from the one in Finance, Health, Aviation, Security, etc. since the nature of their business is not the same. Here are business processes examples of some industries and firms:

INDUSTRY/FIRM	BUSINESS PROCESS EXAMPLE
Manufacturing	Order processing, engineering change control, product assembly, product line process, quality assurance, maintenance
Finance	Invoicing process, expense management process, risk management process, the billing process, CapEx management
Health	Medical assessment process, drug approval process, financial process.
Banking	Customer onboarding process, credit check process, the risk assessment process, claims management
Travel	Agent billing, trip booking, leave management process, business travel management process.
Procurement	Purchasing, invoice reconciliation, account receivable
Advertising	Cost estimating, project approval, cost reviewing
Sales and Marketing	Product delivery process, product development process, the marketing research process, marketing metrics estimation

In CMW Lab we believe that with the right BPM solution, you can not only streamline your existing processes based on the pre-built frames but also unlock new opportunities for growth and differentiation. It’s all about putting the power of app creation in your hands and enabling you to shape your business operations in a way that drives your success. The right software gives you the unlimited freedom of process creativity. said Michael Donaghey, Director of North American Operations at CMW Lab.

What are Some of the Terms Related to the Business Process?

A Business Process can be linked with several business concepts and terminologies, which includes Business Process Automation, Business Process Modeling, Business Process Reengineering, Business Process Simulation, Business Process Monitoring, but to mention a few.

However, in this context, we shall be laying more emphasis on Business Process Automation so as to help you understand how it works, as well as its importance to your business.

Business Process Automation Explained

Business Process Automation involves the use of assisted technology such as software & apps in performing business processes and activities, with the sole aim of minimizing cost and increasing productivity. When a business has its processes automated, it stands a chance to reap some benefits like greater efficiency, minimal error, reduced labor stress, cost minimization, profit maximization, better customer satisfaction, among others. A great example of common process automation found in businesses is the sales process automation and IT process automation.

Visual workflow builder for non-coding business process automation

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Business process automation (BPA) allows businesses to organize their personnel and systems through workflows and thus facilitating the move towards achieving the set organizational goals.

Business process automation is not restricted to data management and record keeping alone; it allows you to exercise absolute control over various business issues like facility management, marketing, customer relationships, employee analytics, staff recruitment, standardization, but to mention a few.

Why Automate Your Business Processes?

Do you still doubt the capabilities of Business Process Automation? Consider these:

Business Process Automation brings about Increasing Value Per Work – When you automate your business the workload on the employees will decrease and they will be able to channel their strength and creativity to other essential assignments and tasks. This will, in turn, enhance their focus and productivity.
Business Process Automation leads to Higher Employee Satisfaction – There are some business processes that are extremely complicated and if you leave them for the employees to handle, it may not only put them in the middle of chaos, but also demotivate them. But on the contrary after implementing automated workflows the employees will concentrate on really business-critical tasks.
Business Process Automation Minimizes Human Error – As long as humans beings are involved in a process, the error is inevitable, and some errors can be colossal at times. Automating your business will help eliminate every form of human error, and thus giving you a more accurate result.

Other Benefits of Business Process Automation Include:

Streamlined communication
Cost minimization
Improved workflows
Increased flexibility
Better customer satisfaction
Consistent maintenance of a work standard
Increased product/service quality
Increased administrative control.

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6 Amazing Business Processes and Automation Ideas

Numerous automation experts opine that automating a business brings about higher productivity, while it frees both the employees and the managers from most of the hectic and time-consuming tasks in the firm.

Here are examples of how automating your business can help make life easier at work:

Hiring process

No business organization can operate without a set of employees, and this is why hiring is a must for them. Recruitment and selection process is very delicate and critical because it can make or mar an organization.

To make the hiring process seamless, you can make use of Automated hiring tools that will read through applications submitted by the employees speedily. These tools are also capable of searching for related keywords in each application so as to easily identify the candidates that best suit the available position in your organization.

Again, when you automate your hiring process, you will be able to reduce the cost and time incurred in the process.

Employee analytics

You can use automation systems in reading a variety of employee data to improve employee happiness although rather than waiting for the annual review.

Employee help desk support

Customers are the soul of your business, and your ability to provide excellent support to them will determine their level of loyalty. The traditional support system is not that effective compared to the automated systems, especially now that technology is widespread. Therefore, you can automate your help desk support using special tools and systems like live chat, Chatbots, email client, etc. This will enable your customers to reach you faster, and thus giving you an edge.

Task or Project Management

Make use of Task management software to ensure adequate workflow in the organization. This software provides a dashboard that will display the tasks and activities every member of the organization is expected to perform at a specific time. You can use automation tools for various aspects of your business such as marketing workflow, web content workflow, sales workflow, purchase requisition workflow, writing workflow process and content workflow management to mention a few.

Social Media Management

Every business is expected to have a dedicated account on the major social platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, LinkedIn etc.

However, operating social media accounts can be daunting at times, because the handler would need to be posting new updates every hour, which could be consuming much time.

Therefore, to minimize the time spent on Social Media Management, you can use Social Media automation tools that will allow you to schedule your posts for let’s say a day, a week, or a month.

Auditing

Perhaps your business deals with complex operations or major investments that demand thorough auditing, you don’t need to put the stress on your employees as BPM tools are readily available to help you out within a few minutes and with fewer errors.

BPM FAQ

Q1: What is the significance of process management and automation for businesses?

A1: Automation and process management are essential for businesses because they increase effectiveness, production, and customer happiness. Organizations may improve workflows, automate monotonous procedures, and streamline operations while lowering errors and more efficiently allocating resources.

Q2: How can businesses identify which processes to automate?

A2: Processes must first be assessed for volume, complexity, and influence on company objectives. Automation is typically an excellent option for repetitive, rule-based, and time-consuming processes. Processes having a high potential for cost savings or mistake reduction should also be taken into account.

Q3: What are the key benefits of process automation?

A3: Process automation offers several benefits, including increased efficiency, improved accuracy, reduced costs, and faster turnaround times. It also enables real-time monitoring and analytics, allowing businesses to identify bottlenecks and make data-driven decisions for process optimization.

Q4: Are there any challenges or risks associated with process automation?

A4: Process automation has a number of advantages, including higher accuracy, quicker turnaround times, lower costs, and increased productivity. Additionally, it offers real-time monitoring and analytics, enabling companies to locate bottlenecks and take data-driven actions to improve processes.

Q5: How can businesses ensure successful process management and automation?

A5: The management and automation of processes must be approached holistically. Prior to automation, it is crucial to perform a complete analysis and optimization of the processes, involving stakeholders and subject matter experts. Success depends on effective communication, change management, and continual oversight. Utilizing the knowledge of automation consultants or specialists can also assist businesses in overcoming obstacles and maximizing the advantages of automation.

Conclusion

Having shown you some of the Business Process Example and Automation Ideas, we guarantee you of increased productivity and efficiency at your workplace, provided you incorporate them adequately into your business.

CMW Platform makes it a snap to model your own business process and get it up and running quickly.

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Helena Haidu is an Online Marketing Manager at CMWlab. and a passionate advocate for empowering executive managers onward to workflow automation and running their businesses efficiently.

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Retail real estate sector is booming: how digital transformation can help to succeed?

Helen Belskaya — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:35:19 +0000

With the end of lockdown, the retail real estate sector showed significant growth in 2022. The forecasts for 2023 prove this tendency with a retail vacancy rate falling to 4,2%. It means the beginning of an even tougher race between real estate agencies than it ever was before. How to stay on top in this highly competitive environment and what technologies can help with it? In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways that digital transformation influences the real estate industry and the benefits it brings.

Impact of the digital transformation on consuming in retail

Digital transformation, no doubts, has significantly impacted retail real estate. First of all, it has led to fundamental changes in the way retailers approach their physical spaces. One of the most noticeable changes is the lockdown shift towards online shopping, which has resulted in the closure of many physical stores and malls. According to a report by Coresight Research, a total of 9,832 stores closed in the United States in 2020, the highest number on record.

However, the booming popularity of online shopping has not spelled the end of retail real estate. Rather, it has transformed the sector, with retailers focusing on creating more experiential and innovative physical spaces that cater to the changing needs and preferences of consumers and real estate agencies — dealing with more customer oriented and even quicker results delivery.

Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) are two technologies that are creating more immersive and engaging shopping experiences. By enabling customers to virtually try on clothes or see how furniture would look in their home, AR and VR are making it easier for retailers to bridge the gap between online and offline shopping.

Mobile apps are another technology that is having a significant impact on retail real estate. By using mobile apps to provide personalized recommendations and in-store navigation, retailers are able to create more seamless and convenient shopping experiences for customers. According to a report by McKinsey, customers who use mobile apps while shopping are 40% more likely to purchase from a retailer than those who do not.

Digital transformation has also enabled the rise of micro-retail — a trend towards smaller, more flexible retail spaces that are designed to meet the needs of emerging retail concepts and pop-up stores. This trend has been enabled by technology, which has made it easier for retailers to set up and manage these smaller spaces. According to a report by JLL, micro-retail is a growing trend in cities across the world, with landlords and developers recognizing the benefits of these smaller spaces in creating more diverse and dynamic retail environments.

New digital opportunities

Business processes visualization. Source: CMW Platform

Increased Information Accessibility

One of the most significant ways that digital transformation has influenced real estate is through increased access to information. With the advent of online property listings, buyers and sellers can now access a wide range of information about properties, including photos, virtual tours, floor plans, and detailed descriptions. This has made it easier for tenants to find properties that meet their specific needs and for landlords to reach a wider audience.

According to a study by the National Association of Realtors, 93% of home buyers used the internet to search for homes in 2020, up from 44% in 2010. This shows that the vast majority of buyers now rely on digital resources to find their next home. As a result, real estate professionals need to ensure that their online presence is up-to-date and informative to capture the attention of potential buyers.

Improved Efficiency in Transactions

Another benefit of digital transformation in real estate is improved efficiency in transactions. Online tools such as e-signatures, virtual notarization, and online payment systems have made it possible to complete real estate transactions entirely online, saving time and resources for buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals.

In addition, digital tools such as customer relationship management (CRM) systems and project management software have streamlined the process of managing real estate transactions. These tools allow real estate professionals to manage and track leads, communicate with clients, and monitor the progress of transactions from start to finish.

Enhanced Marketing Opportunities

Digital transformation has also brought new marketing opportunities for the real estate industry. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have made it easier for real estate professionals to reach potential clients and promote their listings. By creating engaging content and utilizing targeted advertising, real estate professionals can connect with buyers and sellers in a more personalized way.

Increased Transparency and Accountability

Digital transformation has led to increased transparency and accountability to the real estate industry. Online review platforms such as Yelp and Google Reviews allow buyers and sellers to share their experiences with real estate professionals, which can help improve the overall quality of service in the industry.

In addition, blockchain technology has the potential to transform the way real estate transactions are conducted by providing a tamper-proof ledger of all transactions. This can help prevent fraud and increase transparency in the industry.

Emerging Trends in Real Estate Technology

As digital transformation continues to influence the real estate industry, new technologies are emerging that have the potential to revolutionize the way we buy, sell, and manage real estate. Some of these emerging trends include:

Digital transformation platforms have made it easier for agencies to manage their operations and workflows. For example, real estate agents can use BPM-software to manage their leads and track their interactions with clients, as well as efficiently manage their properties and tenants. This has helped real estate agencies save time and reduce manual work, allowing them to focus on providing better service to their clients.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning: These technologies can help simplify many of the tasks involved in real estate transactions, such as lead generation, property valuation, and contract management.

Process automation: Dealing with a huge volume of information, brokers have to be sure their operations are error-free. This technology ensures minimization of human errors and enhances customer experience.

5 process automation ideas for real estate agencies

Staying on the top of a highly competitive environment now often means a transition from manual processes to automated ones. According to CMW Lab customer requests, here is the list of the most demanded operations that real estate agencies are struggling with and which are seeking for automation.

Property listing and management: This involves automating the process of creating and managing property listings, including uploading property details, photos, and videos to listing websites and social media platforms. By creating an automated listing creation process, real estate agents can save time significantly. The BPM software can automatically publish property listings to multiple websites, sync the listings across all platforms, and provide analytics to track listing performance.

Customer Relationship Management: This involves automating the process of managing customer relationships, including email and text message follow-ups, lead scoring, and lead nurturing. A BPM software can help automate these processes, providing real estate agents with a centralized platform to manage leads and track customer interactions. It can also provide insights into customer behavior, enabling real estate agents to tailor their approach to each customer.

Property valuation: This involves automating the process of property valuation, using machine learning algorithms to analyze property data and generate accurate valuations. Automating property valuation in real estate involves using technology to streamline the process of determining the market value of a property. This process can include the following steps:

Data collection: this can include information such as the property’s location, size, age, features, and recent sales of comparable properties in the area.
Information analysis: Once the data has been collected, it can be analyzed to determine the market value of the property. AI algorithms can use machine learning to analyze the data and make predictions about the property’s value based on factors such as location, size, and features.
Consider multiple valuation methods: Automated property valuation can incorporate various methods of valuation, including cost approach, income approach, and sales comparison approach.
Verify the results: While automated property valuation can provide a quick estimate of a property’s value, it’s important to verify the results with a human appraiser. A human appraiser can take into account factors that automated systems may miss, such as the condition of the property and any recent renovations.

Contract generation and management: This involves automating the process of generating and managing contracts, including digital signatures and contract tracking. This can help real estate agents streamline the sales process and reduce the time it takes to close a deal. A contract management software can automate the process of contract generation, providing real estate agents with pre-populated templates that can be customized for each client.

Document tracking. Source: CMW Platform

Lease parsing: By automating the lease parsing process, real estate agents and property managers can save time and reduce errors, while also gaining valuable insights into their leasing operations. The automated process can help them quickly and accurately process lease agreements, monitor leasing performance, and make data-driven decisions to optimize their leasing strategy. This process may consist of the above:

Data extraction: The first step is to extract data from the lease agreement document. This is typically done using natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML) techniques. The software scans the document for relevant information, such as lease start and end dates, rent amount, security deposit, and other key terms and conditions.
Data validation: Once the data is extracted, it needs to be validated to ensure its accuracy and completeness. The software checks the extracted data against predefined rules and templates, and alerts the user if any errors or inconsistencies are found.
Data normalization: After validation, the extracted data is normalized into a standardized format, which can be easily imported into a BPM-platform for further processing.
Data enrichment: To provide additional context and insights, the extracted data can be enriched with other relevant information, such as property details, neighborhood information, and other relevant data sources.
Data analysis and reporting: The final step is to analyze and report the extracted data. The software can generate customized reports and dashboards that provide insights into key metrics such as lease duration, rental income, and occupancy rates as well as further notifications on the lease agreement dates or changes.

Conclusion

Digital transformation has brought many benefits to the real estate industry, including increased access to information, improved efficiency in transactions, enhanced marketing opportunities, increased transparency and accountability, and the emergence of new technologies that have the potential to revolutionize the industry. As technology continues to evolve, it’s essential for real estate professionals to adapt and embrace new digital tools to stay competitive in the market.

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global real estate market size is expected to reach $4,263.7 billion by 2025, with digital transformation playing a significant role in this growth. Real estate professionals who leverage digital tools and embrace emerging technologies will be well-positioned to succeed in this rapidly evolving industry.

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The post Retail real estate sector is booming: how digital transformation can help to succeed? appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Security Controls with Data Analysis

Lydia Harper — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 15:24:12 +0000

Most businesses have implemented strategies and plan to achieve going forward. Even though these plans are attainable, provided that the right effort is channeled in the right direction, there is one thing that most stakeholders fail to understand. A business cannot be successful in an environment with poor security and regular cybersecurity attacks. The only thing that guarantees the development of a company is the security status of its data and the well-being of its environment.

It is no secret that the modern business world is highly congested with business owners who have incredible ideas. However, these ideas tend to fail because business owners neglect the power of creating a safer environment for the success of their operations. Every company has a digital footprint that facilitates its operations on different online platforms. The application of security controls with data analysis is one of the innovations invented to guarantee security.

Hackers are developing new means daily that can help them prepare through the company system and access customers’ data. This calls for creating sophisticated methodologies that can help create a reliable security wall that can safeguard the well-being of businesses and the customers’ data. Given that most sensitive information is stored online, there is a need to create reliable firewalls that hackers cannot penetrate through.

The application of data analysis in security control has introduced a new web within the cyber security system. Data analysis helps in analyzing security data sets to discover unusual activities that are likely to haunt the security standards of the business. Even though this is a newly established technology within the security sector, it has proved to be an effective strategy that can help to limit the hackers’ activities when penetrating through the company’s security firewall.

Considering that there is a hike in the number of hackers trying to penetrate into business operations, there is a need to measure the effectiveness of security controls within company settings. This has called for the implementation of different strategies that are specifically designed to measure the effectiveness of the types of physical security controls that have been put in place in businesses. Let’s learn more!

The Need for Security Controls in Business

Scams, viruses, and hackers can have catastrophic impacts on business development. It is vital for the business to safeguard the personal data belonging to employees and customers in order to create a safer environment for business operations. The impact of insecurity activities has forced companies to put in place security controls that can help them develop a safer working culture for the success of their goals.

Most companies have hired data analysts who help in digging through large data sets to extract valuable security-related information to help them create reliable strategies. Data analysts have the responsibility to study various patterns and trends to uncover any unusual activities that need fixing. They also take part in data visualization such as a trend chart, and Sankey diagram to ensure that business stakeholders understand all the technical elements generated from the data.

When data is placed at the forefront of business operations, it becomes easier for the company to maintain its online operations considering the best safety practices. Many businesses across the globe lose millions of dollars every year trying to curb cyber security cases. The application of data visualization can help in fixing such instances by translating massive amounts of data into a simple language that the security department can understand.

Measuring the effectiveness of cyber and physical security controls, such as business video surveillance, with data analysis is considered one of the most challenging responsibilities in tackling an integrated security approach. However, you can easily achieve this, provided you understand the steps taken to complete the work. Below are some of the basic concepts you can use to evaluate the effectiveness of your security controls and possible solutions to fix the problem.

Carry Out Security Audit Against the Company Servers

A cyber security audit is one of the best solutions when you want to understand the effectiveness of security controls. This is a fake attack that is launched toward your business to determine any weak areas that hackers can use to penetrate through. Most hackers use links and other malware solutions to access the company service and penetrate customer data to achieve their goals.

They are hackers who also demand ransom in the name of recovering private information. This is why most businesses encounter threats every day courtesy of hackers activities. The Security department can conduct cyber security audits on regular occasions to discover any weak areas and tailor solutions that can fix the problems.

It advised companies should look for experienced security auditors with extensive knowledge in the field to determine lasting solutions to the weak areas. Note that when all the weak areas are fixed, hackers find it difficult to access the company system. This is why understanding the attack surface concept is key, whether or not you are directly responsible for protecting mission-critical assets. Such knowledge, supported by experts, gives you power against malicious actors.

Track the Incident Response Times and Outcomes

There are different reasons why companies want to measure the effectiveness of their security controls. Most companies always want to understand whether their systems are working and if there is anything that needs to be improvised. One of the best ways to achieve this is to track various activities on a real-time basis. They then document the outcomes from the processes and the amount of time taken.

These activities are done within different parts of the business depending on the security speculations delivered by the intelligence. This is a common activity, especially when cases such as corruption are recorded within the business and an employee is locked out from the company’s email or the entire system. All activities conducted throughout this department can be tracked and noted down for further analysis.

The information generated from the process offers detailed insights that can be used to evaluate the security measures within the company. When the security department evaluates the situation in detail, they can easily note the weak areas within the system and determine possible solutions available.

Conduct Risk Assessments and Offer Training to Your Employees

Note that the employees are the most vulnerable people within a business environment, and they also have what it takes to safeguard the business. Hackers mostly prey on my victims to get access to the business servers. This problem can be solved by training all your team members on security matters and how they can safeguard the business environment. Always remember that knowledge is power, and employees can help you to create a safer environment.

When you monitor your employees keenly, you will realize that most employees experience certain incidents more than others. This is one of the risk assessment activities you need to conduct to ensure that all your employees know about security matters and can do everything possible to safeguard the business. You can also assess your team members and evaluate any high-risk behavior likely to deteriorate the business security standards.

You can also come up with various guidelines, such as instructing employees never to open emails from unknown senders. This will help you prevent hackers’ activities and limit their chances of accessing your company servers.

Investigate the Permissions and Entitlements

Most companies always want to give their customers access to various information on their websites. They end up giving permissions and entitlements to various uses, which ends up becoming a high-security risk. When hackers manage to invade through their entitlements, they also get access to the company’s system. This means that hackers can access the business data, and do anything possible to benefit their efforts.

Business owners can acquire tools that can help them to investigate the permissions and entitlements given to various team members to validate their security standards. There is a need to dig deeper into the entitlements that are given to all employees to prevent cases of hackers penetrating through the company systems.

Final Word

Every business has the power to grow into a bigger brand. However, the power of a business to grow revolves around the security measures put in place to safeguard its safety. Measuring the effectiveness of your security controls can help you to determine all the weak areas that need urgent fixing in order to create a safe environment that guarantees the well-being of the business and the satisfaction of customers.

Note that customers only prefer going to businesses that have proper security standards. Hackers are inventing new methodologies every day that enable them to gain access to companies’ data in order to benefit their efforts. By measuring the effectiveness of your security controls, you can determine the areas that need urgent modifications to create a better operating platform for your business.

Lydia Harper has been in the writing profession for a decade now. She has great experience writing informative articles and her work has been appreciated and published in many popular publications. Her education background in communication and public relations has given her a concrete base from which to approach different topics in various niches.

The post Measuring the Effectiveness of Security Controls with Data Analysis appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

Recruitment workflow: How to Tackle Effective Employee Onboarding Workflow

mkomarova — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 01:17:46 +0000

Are you running a small or medium-sized business? If so, getting new employees on board is one of the major challenges you might face soon. This is, particularly, if your HR manager will carry out a manual employee onboarding process with onboarding checklist samples. The process is not only flawed and outdated. It is also time-consuming and boring. If you have to depend on humans to recall different hiring dates, they could forget some intervals of the recruitment process. And if some dates are skipped, you can no longer claim to run a dependable HR department. What you require is some sort of automation software that will straighten out your recruitment workflow. Here are more things workflow software like CMW Tracker is going to do for you in addition to new employee process automation.

Protect your brand image

The newly onboard employees are usually very keen to make observations in the workplace. They want to know how you run, how you guide and treat employees, and how efficiently things run. If not careful, your new employees or job candidates might develop a bad impression of your company. This could have a direct effect on your organizational culture and image. With the HR workflow software in place, however, you can appear more organized in the eyes of newly hired employees. It supervises them for you by displaying their workload for each day. If everyone seems to know what they were hired to do, it will give the impression that you are professional and orderly. The automated system speeds things up, ensuring that each step of the hiring process is done in a timely and systematic manner.

Software comes in handy in an emergency recruitment process

If there is a vacancy that needs to be filled in quickly, your business will handle it quickly if it has a recruitment workflow technology. A manual onboarding procedure would be so difficult to run in such a circumstance. The onboarding program consists of two things. First, the HR manager has to develop the onboarding workflow template. This means that they have to breakdown the entire process into small stages and then add it to the workflow automation software. Once this happens, there can be more officers tackling the procedure on the backend. Hence, the HR head would be relieved of some stress and would be more confident that an emergency job positioning would start and end successfully.

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Onboarding workflow software boosts communication

Modern people are conversant with technological devices, apps, and software. By the time they attend the interview, they expect you to have used a given form of technology to get in touch with them. For instance, you could ask them to send their cover letters via mobile or email. As a result, job candidates will perceive your communication process as streamlined and efficient. The Recruitment workflow software puts all participants on the same page. Thus, every worker will be keen to do what is expected of them as the interview process continues. At the same time, candidates will look sharper rather than confused and lost. There will be clear steps explained to them even before they walk in the interview room. The hired ones will also enjoy the automated job orientation process and new hire onboarding portal.

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The software simplifies the auditing process

Your HR manager might want to review the original documents gathered during the initial onboarding process. If the process is automated, the documents can be retrieved and audited quickly. The same cannot be said of the manual onboarding tasks handling. The manual filing procedure is less convenient, especially, if the documents you want to review were shared throughout a whole year onboarding program. The HR workflow software saves time that could otherwise be spent searching for old paperwork. With just a few mouse clicks, the hiring official could recover the data they require to proceed with the remaining part of their onboarding program.

This is why you need the CMW Tracker onboarding workflow software. It can be provided to you for 30-day trial period. Do not hesitate to request your trial period today! CMW Lab will automate more than just your recruitment process.

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Maria Komarova is a Product Marketing Analyst at CMW Lab – a global software company delivering innovative Business Operations Management solutions enabling performance and efficiency optimization.

The post Recruitment workflow: How to Tackle Effective Employee Onboarding Workflow appeared first on CMW Lab Blog.

CMW Lab Blog

CMW Platform Featured among the Top-Rated IT Workflow Management Software on Capterra

How to build a reliable document management system?

Understanding the Basics of Document Management Systems

Key Components of a Document Management System

Building Your Document Management System

Document Process Automation

Future Trends in Document Management Systems

Conclusion

Starting Q3 with New Medals and Recognitions

Staying Ahead of the Market: Trends in Document Management

A quick refresh: What is document management?

Document Management Trends

Using cloud storage

Adopting AI

Making it mobile friendly

Customers experience as a main priority

Advanced search

Enhancing security measures

Easing integration

Designing with intent

Finding a document management software that keeps up with the trends

Top 10 Document Management Software in 2023

CMW Platform

PaperSave

ClickUp

Templafy

M-Files

Bit-AI

DocuWare

XaitPorter

OnlyOffice

Google Drive

How to Compare and Analyze These Top 10 Platforms?

Unleashing Productivity: Embracing the Power of Top Document Management Software in 2023

Top 10 Benefits of Resultive Business Process Management

1. Cost efficiency

2. Business agility

3. Compliance ease and visibility

4. Customer focus

5. Staff satisfaction

6. Efficiency and productivity

7. Reduced micromanagement

8. Single digital environment

9. Measurable results

10. Improved responsibility

At conclusion

6 Business Process Examples and Automation Ideas

What is a Business Process?

Basic Steps of Business Process Implementation

Business Process Examples

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Business Process Automation Explained

Why Automate Your Business Processes?

Other Benefits of Business Process Automation Include:

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BPM FAQ

Conclusion

Retail real estate sector is booming: how digital transformation can help to succeed?

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New digital opportunities

Increased Information Accessibility

Improved Efficiency in Transactions

Enhanced Marketing Opportunities

Increased Transparency and Accountability

Emerging Trends in Real Estate Technology

5 process automation ideas for real estate agencies

Conclusion

Measuring the Effectiveness of Security Controls with Data Analysis

The Need for Security Controls in Business

Carry Out Security Audit Against the Company Servers

Track the Incident Response Times and Outcomes

Conduct Risk Assessments and Offer Training to Your Employees

Investigate the Permissions and Entitlements

Final Word

Recruitment workflow: How to Tackle Effective Employee Onboarding Workflow

Protect your brand image

Software comes in handy in an emergency recruitment process

Onboarding workflow software boosts communication

The software simplifies the auditing process