What is Workflow Software?

internet computers

Workflow software provides a way for your computer to achieve its highest potential — to do work for you so you can get on with other important tasks. Workflow software comes in many functionalities. Some of the most familiar functionalities do some of the most familiar computer tasks.

Workflow software can help save you time by automating routines and subroutines that you would otherwise spend time on, such as data entry and email filtering. Workflow software can be configured to process data entry in such a way that it runs in the background, allowing you to concentrate on other more important tasks. The same is true of email filtering, the process of slotting email messages in different folders according to instructions that are either preinstalled or installed by you.

If you are a retailer who specializes in online and/or phone orders from customers, then you will find much to like in workflow software. This kind of application can automate such normally time-consuming tasks as order processing, refunds, and merchandise tracking. Workflow software can be configured to handle such tasks and guarantee that all of the data will get to the right places. This is a side benefit of using workflow software: the ability to avoid human errors that unavoidably crop up in business-related tasks.

With the growing popularity of electronic communication, more and more employees are sending and receiving emails, FAXes, and digital images. Scanners are often used to create such digital files. Workflow software can help here, too, by automating the scan-and-send process. You can configure your workflow software to do this by designating a Scan folder, say, and instructing the workflow software to scan anything placed in the folder and attach the result to an email. In some cases, you can even number the files and designate corresponding email addresses, so you needn’t spend time addressing each individual email.

Another useful task performed by workflow software is file conversion. One of the most popular kinds of file conversion these days is making pdf files out of just about any other kind of file. Adobe, the creator of pdf, makes workflow software that allows just this sort of automation; other applications made by other developers offer the same sort of functionality. No matter your needs, workflow software has an answer for you.

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5
to annon 19928 some vendors built in workflow software which really means that they have some workflow component that works only with their software. Where as pure play workflow vendors sell software that bridges/integrates a lot of different types of software.
- workflowguy
4
Workflow software comes in many different 'flavors' from very generic to very industry specific. For example, we have been working on one specific to the Large Format Printing Industry. Anyway you cut workflow is pretty much a must for companies today.
- anon28556
3
Oracle and major vendors built_in workflow software, there are also 3rd party workflow software, what are the key differences?
- anon19928
2
Workflow is more server/client these days and less about the individual and more about the organization they belong to. It also reaches the realms of process modelling, similation, and business activity monitoring.

Cheers,

Craig

- anon7280

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Written by David White
Last Modified: 29 August 2009

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