How to identify and digitalize manual processes with Power Platform

Is there a recurring business process in your organization that is handled in Excel, PowerPoint, or on paper?

With Power Platform, you can transform cumbersome, error-prone processes into streamlined digital solutions in a matter of days. By digitalizing these manual tasks, your organization can save time, reduce errors, and unlock the benefits of software development easily.

Innofactor’s TeamCard application is a concrete example of how process digitalization and Power Platform can deliver tangible benefits.

Manual processes drain company profits and lower job satisfaction

Every business relies on processes – some critical, others routine.

While organizations often direct their resources toward core operations, smaller, repetitive tasks tend to be overlooked. This neglect leads to missed opportunities for efficiency, as digitalizing routine processes can unlock significant savings. Even replacing a single manual task with an automated workflow on a low-code platform can yield substantial annual returns.

Manual, time-consuming processes drain company profits. Time spent searching for data or transferring numbers could be better used for value-adding activities. Additionally, automating repetitive tasks not only reduces inefficiency but also enhances employee satisfaction by alleviating monotonous work.

"Even replacing a single manual task with an automated workflow on a low-code platform can yield substantial annual returns."

Why do organizations struggle to digitalize inefficient processes?

Two key barriers often prevent organizations from digitalizing processes:

1. Lack of awareness: Manual workflows persist simply because they’re familiar. Teams often struggle to envision alternative approaches.
2. Perceived complexity: While some processes are recognized as inefficient, digitalization projects are often viewed as overly complex and resource-intensive.

However, with the right combination of business insight and technological expertise, these challenges can be overcome. Tools like Power Platform enable organizations to quickly identify and digitalize inefficient processes. A great example of this is Innofactor’s TeamCard application, which was specifically built to meet our organization's needs.

How we transformed a manual business process into a digital application

Several years ago, we realized that our client needs weren’t being met as effectively as intended. Challenges in resource management highlighted clear gaps in how we operated.

To address the issues, we revisited fundamental questions such as:

• Which employees belong to which teams?
• Do our teams have sufficient resources?
• Are there any undocumented connections between customers?

Initially, we used physical notes and PowerPoint to map out the situation. Eventually, we upgraded the team card concept into a digital application using Power Platform – and achieved this in just two days.

This agile approach enabled us to address a concrete business challenge without extensive requirements or architectural planning. Here’s what we gained:

• Repeatability: In large organizations, even small changes can have wide-reaching effects. Power Platform allowed us to scale updates across the entire system.
• Visualization: Automated visualizations presented data clearly and intuitively.
• Agility: Modifications could be made quickly, enabling rapid iteration without the risk of costly errors or delays.
  
  

"This agile approach enabled us to address a concrete business challenge without extensive requirements or architectural planning."

Digitalize manual processes to unlock your organization’s hidden potential

Every organization harbors untapped potential hidden in manual processes that are ready to be digitalized.

To uncover these inefficiencies, we’ve developed a Proof of Concept (PoC) model, enabling teams to explore and test improvements iteratively. With tools like Power Platform, organizations can quickly pilot solutions, refine them, and achieve maximum impact. For instance, the TeamCard application has empowered us to comprehensively track team efficiency and resource utilization, unlocking new opportunities for optimization.

Ready to uncover hidden bottlenecks, streamline workflows, and save costs by digitalizing manual processes? Discover how process mining can help and get started easily with Microsoft Power Platform!