Manual tasks, data entry in particular, is one of the main problems of field service industries, such as construction, energy, aviation, etc. Manual activities, paper document management, commuting for signatures and approval, task notifications through emails or phone calls, reprint of edited forms, etc. consume time and slow down the overall performance.
Workflow automation can be a solution. It offers tools to standardize repeatable procedures, providing flow templates for all of the business processes. Workflows automate work tasks and, as a result, improve process management, making it more transparent, coordinated, and error-proof.
When set properly, business process automation lets companies save time, create new growth opportunities and manage operations with minimal human intervention.
Taskstream by Fluix is an advanced workflow functionality that automates repetitive tasks with a fixed and predictable path of completion. A taskstream (workflow) is a sequence of steps that route data to the right people through a lifecycle, and get tasks from being undone to done.
Before building a taskstream, you need to predefine this sequence, and the people responsible for each task. Then you design a flow, and set up the rules that will route data or files between people, and coordinate collaboration between them.
An example is a punch list process taskstream. It configures communication between two groups of people – contractors and subcontractors. It has fixed paths with some variations that are processed within a single taskstream.
Workflow automation can be used across any kind of business or industry, from construction to health insurance. The more labor-intensive repetitive processes an organization has, the more it benefits from automation.
Here are some processes that can be optimized using Taskstream:
Put simply, Taskstream is an evolved version of traditional flow charts, which has advanced features and characteristics, both visual and functional.
In the image, you can see the visual difference between the two functionalities. The block structure has transformed into a process-based swimlane diagram, and task paths have become easier to track. Swimlanes also indicate the areas of responsibility more clearly, highlighting steps that need to be completed.
And below, there are explanations about tech characteristics – differences and similarities. This isn’t an overall list but it will give you a general idea of what you get when using each tool.
Visual Representation
Forms
Document & Data Process Automation
Platforms
Integrations
Visual Representation
Forms
Document & Data Process Automation
Platforms
Integrations
Both traditional Fluix workflows and Taskstream have more to offer than provided in the table. To get the fullest info, you can contact our sales team or customer success team at sales@fluix.io and support@fluix.io.
Despite the complex functionality, creation of taskstreams doesn’t require tech or code skills and is user-friendly. In the video above, you can see that the Taskstream builder has 3 drag-n-drop modules – Task, Submit Actions, Branches – each having its own settings. Using them, you can design taskstreams of different complexity and tailor them to whatever processes you aim to automate.
Watch this video to get a better understanding of how these functions work together.
The onboarding process starts before a new hire comes to the office on the first day. The HR department needs to prepare all the legal documents, an employee handbook, work instructions, safety talks, etc. and distribute them before all teams involved. Then there is a process of welcoming a new member and introducing them to the team and company.
Employee onboarding isn’t a formal procedure, but rather a strategic investment in the team’s success. The smoother it goes for a person, the higher the working experience and eventually the retention rate are.
The bigger the size of the company, the more important it’s to automate record and approval of employee work hours. Paper-based time cards and even spreadsheets have disadvantages like cost, waste of time, complexity of the approval process, human error, mess with files and folders.
Task automation helps reduce paper usage, record work hours properly, show project status, analyze employee performance and predict HR budget. Employees can fill in digital timesheets using mobile devices and their managers can check and approve them from anywhere.
Big projects that consist of different stages require commissioning. This process includes planning, documentation, maintenance schedule, testing, and verification of the equipment’s compliance with the project requirements and regulations.
Such a complex process is often managed by distributed teams, each responsible for their own task. The successful teamwork can be achieved by using automated workflows that facilitate collaboration between teams, and allow for a transparent process lifecycle.
Safety talks are short team safety meetings held to discuss safety hazards and safe work practices. They serve to improve safety at the workplace, instruct team members on possible risks, and improve the overall employees’ wellbeing. Safety talks also help companies comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements.
Automating safety talks can reduce the whole procedure at the same time increasing its effectiveness. People can get familiar with digital hand-outs in advance, consume information when convenient, and participate in general discussions more effectively.
Quality control refers to all activities across an organization that ensures that the work environment, manufacturing, used materials and the final product are compliant with the quality standards, national policies and client expectations.
Quality control checklists are one of the main elements of any quality inspection. They help communicate critical issues and enable field crews and subcontractors to better understand whether all acceptance criteria have been met, and the project is ready for the closure stage.
Any company looking for efficiency improvement should start considering workflow automation. Without it, you’ll continue spending time on manual entry and repetitive tasks no matter how much you think you’ve standardized them.
By adopting Taskstream, you can better manage your projects, leverage operations, and maximize the performance of the existing IT investments on the enterprise level.
What’s more, automated workflows remove the load of mundane work from your employees, making them more satisfied with their role and activities. The ROI of this advantage is hard to calculate, so it’s often underrated, yet its effect on employee retention is significant.
To test Taskstream in action, you can create a trial account (valid for 14 days) and try mapping your business processes with taskstreams. The time you’ll spend on exploring a new feature will pay off immediately.