When should we automate a process?

Not everything that can be automated should be automated. Four characteristics distinguish the profitable from the costly.

It is repeated often

Volume is what makes the work worthwhile. A task performed a hundred times a week justifies spending a couple of days setting it up. One that occurs monthly rarely does.

It is stable

If the rules change frequently, the workflow must change just as often. Processes undergoing reorganization should wait until things have settled — otherwise, you will be maintaining automation for something that will need to change anyway.

The rules can be written down

If the people performing the task cannot explain what they do and when, it cannot yet be automated. This is not a technical problem, but a sign that the process actually relies on judgment.

Errors are manageable

Ask what happens if the workflow does something wrong a hundred times before anyone notices. If it can be corrected, the risk is acceptable. If it is sent to customers or entered into the accounts, controls are needed first.