Choosing the right business automation software: an imperative for the modern enterprise

Organizations constantly seek to enhance efficiency, customer experience, and competitive edge. Enterprise automation, the strategic application of technology to streamline and optimize business processes, is a critical enabler for achieving these objectives. It offers the means to transform operations, boost productivity, and foster innovation.

The journey to successful enterprise automation starts with consideration. The market is populated with diverse automation software solutions, and selecting the appropriate tool requires careful consideration of your organization's unique needs, existing infrastructure, and long-term strategic goals.

The most effective automation solutions are constantly evolving to address new enterprise pain points, empowering businesses to stay ahead of the curve.

The transformative power of enterprise automation

Enterprise automation leverages technology to execute repetitive, rule-based tasks and workflows, freeing human capital for more strategic initiatives. And its benefits are significant. Operational efficiency improves as processes become faster and streamlined, often translating to reduced operational costs and better resource allocation. Automation also minimizes human error, leading to higher accuracy.

Beyond these advantages, automation development fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation. Businesses can adapt more quickly to changing market demands and customer expectations. As companies embark on digital transformation, effective process automation becomes a key differentiator, paving the way for enhanced agility, improved data-driven decision-making, and sustained growth.

Key considerations when choosing automation software

Selecting the right business automation software is a pivotal decision impacting operational efficiency and strategic capabilities. It means forging a partnership with a solution that addresses your unique challenges and empowers long-term objectives. To navigate this critical selection process effectively, several key factors demand careful evaluation, ensuring the chosen platform serves as an enabler of your business transformation.

1. Understand your specific needs and goals. Before exploring software, conduct a thorough internal assessment. Identify pain points, processes suitable for automation, and desired outcomes like reduced cycle times or improved compliance. Clear requirements will guide your choice towards a solution aligned with your enterprise's vision.

2. Evaluate core platform capabilities. The software must offer robust process modeling and orchestration to design, execute, and manage complex, end-to-end business processes. Forrester's "The Digital Process Automation Software Landscape, Q2 2025" report defines digital process automation (DPA) as “platforms that develop process applications with low-code and advanced programming principles with modeling, orchestration, dynamic case management, and AI-led support." Intuitive low-code or no-code development features are also important for rapid deployment by diverse users, helping to "reduce development cycles for professional and citizen developers…."

3. Assess integration and scalability. Modern enterprises use many applications. Your automation software must connect smoothly with existing systems like enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and other new technologies. Forrester emphasizes that DPA should "provide a platform to integrate diverse and more intelligent endpoints." The platform must also scale to handle current and future workloads without performance issues, accommodating growth.

4. Ensure robust governance, security, and analytics. Strong governance and security are essential. The software needs to control access, ensure regulatory compliance, and protect data. Comprehensive analytics and reporting are key for monitoring process performance, identifying bottlenecks, and supporting data-driven decision-making for continuous optimization.

5. Look for support for advanced technologies. Automation is constantly advancing, with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) becoming increasingly important. Features like intelligent document processing (IDP), AI agents, and sophisticated case management unlock new efficiency levels. Forrester states, "AI for process orchestration, document automation, and employee support agents is the new battleground for DPA."

6. Consider vendor viability and partnership. Evaluate the vendor's reputation, industry experience, and customer feedback. A strong vendor provides a robust platform and acts as a strategic partner, offering support, training, and a clear product roadmap.

How automation software addresses enterprise pain points

Navigating the modern business environment effectively means confronting various operational challenges. Strategic implementation of the right automation solutions can lead to significant advancements in operations and customer service.

• Breaking down silos: Many organizations struggle with information and process silos. The orchestration engines in automation software connect disparate systems and data sources, enabling end-to-end process automation and improving collaboration and visibility.

• Increasing agility: The business world demands constant adaptation. Flexible, low-code, and model-driven automation platforms allow businesses to quickly modify and optimize processes, responding effectively to market shifts.

• Boosting efficiency and cutting costs: Automating repetitive tasks improves operational efficiency and reduces errors, which in turn frees employees for more valuable work.

• Improving customer experience: Automation software helps design customer-focused processes. Streamlined interactions and faster service improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.

• Ensuring compliance and governance: Automation solutions with built-in auditing, version control, and security features help organizations meet regulatory requirements and maintain control over automated processes.

• Driving innovation: Support for technologies like AI and case management allows businesses to innovate beyond simple task automation, exploring intelligent agents and adaptive case management.

The right automation software provides tools for building and managing these advanced solutions. Orchestrating complex workflows, integrating systems, and using AI are key for businesses aiming for true digital transformation.

To gain deeper insights into the DPA landscape and understand how solutions can help your organization, access the full Forrester report, "The Digital Process Automation Software Landscape, Q2 2025," available here.

Forrester does not endorse any company, product, brand, or service included in its research publications and does not advise any person to select the products or services of any company or brand based on the ratings included in such publications. Information is based on the best available resources. Opinions reflect judgment at the time and are subject to change. For more information, read about Forrester’s objectivity here.

Choosing your path to automation success

Selecting the right business automation software is a key strategic decision requiring careful thought about your organization's needs, goals, and software capabilities. 

Choosing flexibility, scalability, strong integration, and support for emerging technologies allows businesses to fully benefit from automation. And a strategic approach to automation, powered by the right technology partner, is essential for scalable growth and competitive advantage right now. 

Flowable's comprehensive features and commitment to open standards based automation development, offers a solid foundation for enterprises, while excelling at integration with existing and diverse systems, streamlining current operations, and supporting future innovation. 

Discover the Flowable Business Automation Platform.