In very simple terms, Business Process Management (BPM) is the science of making business processes as efficient as possible.
What is a Business Process Management (BPM) Solution?
Business Process Management (BPM) solution is a set of business process management tools designed to carry out the essential operations of business process management: namely modeling, executing, evaluating, and improving business processes to ensure optimal efficiency and productivity.
Business Process Management (BPM) solutions may be on-premise or cloud-based in terms of installation and come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and prices.
Key Features that BPM Solutions Need
When looking for the right business process management tools or solution for your company, look for the following crucial features.
1. Drag-and-drop Form Builders
A visual-based approach to BPM is the best way to go. With this feature, you can drag and drop common elements to define forms in your workflow or logically structured processes.
2. Rule-based Workflows
BPM is done by arranging workflows as a sequential series of tasks, accompanied by data-collecting forms, and defining the team members involved in various stages. A rule-based workflow dictates the flow of data through a process, routing it by making logical decisions, which in turn are defined by ‘rules’ set by the user.
3. Automation Capabilities
Automation in the context of BPM simply refers to the routing of data and sequential execution of tasks, without any manual intervention.
4. Process Monitoring
Simply modeling and executing a process won’t help you carry out true BPM. For this, you’ll need a good Business Process Management (BPM) solution to offer the ability to monitor, analyze, and provide insights into business processes.
5. Cloud Technology
Most newer Business Process Management Systems(BPMS) are cloud-based, meaning they don’t have to be installed on site. This makes for instant use–you can start using them the moment you complete payment. Fees are also significantly lower with a cloud-based BPM Application like Kissflow.
The Benefits of Implementing BPM Solutions
Implementing a BPM solution can bring numerous benefits to organizations. Let's explore some of the most significant:
1. Improved Efficiency
By modeling, executing, evaluating, and improving business processes, organizations can streamline their operations and increase efficiency.
2. Increased Productivity
Optimizing business processes leads to increased productivity, allowing organizations to accomplish more in less time.
3. Better Decision-Making
BPM solutions provide organizations with valuable data and insights that can inform their decision-making processes.
4. Enhanced Collaboration
A good BPM tool often comes equipped with built-in collaboration features, making it easier for teams to work together, communicate effectively, and stay aligned throughout the process lifecycle
5. Increased Competitiveness
By improving efficiency and productivity, organizations are better equipped to compete in their respective industries.
Key features to look for in a BPM solution
When evaluating a Business Process Management (BPM) solution, you should consider the following criteria to ensure it meets your organization's needs:
1. Visual workflow modeling: Intuitive, drag-and-drop tools for designing and automating processes quickly, eliminating the need for coding expertise.
2. Controlled user access: Advanced access controls to manage who can view, edit, or restrict sensitive information, ensuring security in multi-user environments.
3. Easy change management: User-friendly tools to implement changes or fix errors without requiring technical expertise, enabling quick adaptability.
4. Integration capabilities: Seamless integration with core systems (e.g., CRM, RPA, APIs) to automate workflows and maintain process interconnectedness.
5. Enterprise scalability: Supports large user bases and scales with organizational growth while maintaining efficiency and performance.
6. Data management: Easy data capture, flow, and utilization across processes, enabling insights to improve process performance.
9. User-friendly experience: Simplified interfaces and low-code functionality empower teams to build and manage processes with minimal training.
10. Interdepartmental collaboration: Facilitates document sharing, approvals, and notifications for seamless collaboration across teams and stakeholders.
11. Mobile responsiveness: Offers mobile compatibility for on-the-go access, promoting flexibility and process efficiency.
12. Unique case management: Handles exceptions and non-recurring processes, ensuring adaptability to diverse business needs.
13. Real-time reporting: Provides real-time visibility into workflows, helping identify bottlenecks and evaluate KPIs for continuous improvement.
Summary
You now know the basics of Business Process Management solutions (BPM), and essential features any BPM software should have. This list is by no means a comprehensive one, but three of the more popular choices in the BPM platform .
Most business process management solutions, including Kissflow Process, offer a free trial. Try one today to see if it fits your organization’s business processes.
FAQ - Business Process Management Solutions
1. Which is the best BPM tool?
The best BPM (Business Process Management) tool depends on your organizational needs. However, Kissflow stands out for its no-code approach, making it ideal for process owners and non-IT teams to build and manage workflows. It simplifies business process automation, especially for departmental and workgroup applications, and supports both IT-led and citizen development initiatives.
2. What are business process solutions?
Business process solutions refer to tools and systems that help organizations map, automate, monitor, and optimize workflows. These solutions enhance transparency, reduce manual errors, and support better decision-making. Platforms like Kissflow offer integrated tools for managing structured and ad hoc processes, enabling both IT teams and business users to collaborate effectively on process improvement.
3. What are the 5 levels of BPM?
The five levels of BPM maturity typically include: 1) Initial (ad hoc processes), 2) Managed (defined and repeatable processes), 3) Standardized (processes are standardized and integrated), 4) Predictable (performance metrics are applied), and 5) Innovative (continuous improvement driven by data and innovation). Tools like Kissflow support growth across these levels by offering scalable automation and real-time analytics.
4. What factors should I consider when choosing a BPM solution?
When choosing a BPM solution, consider scalability, ease of use, integration capabilities, governance features, and the ability to support both IT and business-led initiatives. Kissflow is purpose-built to support process orchestration with minimal configuration, making it suitable for both IT-backed automation and citizen-led app development.
5. How can BPM solutions improve operational efficiency?
BPM solutions improve operational efficiency by digitizing manual workflows, enabling quick decision-making, reducing redundancies, and ensuring process compliance. Kissflow’s unified platform helps teams move faster by offering visual tools for workflow design, advanced reporting, and automation that reduces dependency on IT.