TechTarget.com/searchitoperations

https://www.techtarget.com/searchitoperations/definition/task-automation

What is task automation?

By Rosa Heaton

Task automation uses technology to perform repetitive or routine tasks automatically, improving efficiency, minimizing mistakes and reducing errors. Automating tedious and time-consuming tasks removes the need for human intervention so employees can spend time on other important tasks.

Why is task automation important?

Task automation reduces time spent on repetitive tasks, freeing time for more high-value tasks. It enables employees to be more strategic with their time management and work more efficiently. Other benefits include the following:

• Enhanced efficiency. By reducing time spent on manual tasks, employees can complete tasks quickly and spend less time on repetitive jobs.
• Employee satisfaction. Automation can help reduce stressful workloads, freeing up employees' time to focus on their best work. According to a 2024 report, The Impact of Technology on the Workplace, 59% of people who used artificial intelligence (AI) to improve productivity experienced improved job satisfaction.
• Fewer errors. When automated tools and processes take over mundane, repetitive, manual tasks, the risk of human error is eliminated.
• Reduce costs. Using automation reduces the need for manual labor, enabling businesses to reallocate funds to support business endeavors.
• Scalability. Task automation helps businesses streamline complicated workflows without increasing spending.

What types of tasks should be automated?

Some work will always require human intervention, such as tasks involving ethics and lawmaking, leadership and management decisions, and skilled trades. It is the repetitive, routine tasks that are good examples of beneficial workflow automation. Rule-based recurring tasks will likely be the most tedious and time-consuming for employees. The following are some examples of these tasks:

• Data entry.
• Data processing and analysis.
• Invoicing and payroll processing.
• Reporting.
• Scheduling social media posts.

By recognizing the time-consuming tasks that can be done as efficiently -- if not more efficiently -- by an automation tool than by a human employee, businesses can lower spending, improve productivity and boost efficiency. According to Precedence Research, robotic process automation (RPA) can help companies achieve significant cost reductions, and return on investment can range from 30% to 200%.

Task automation use cases and examples

Task automation is customizable and can be altered for specific use cases, situations or circumstances, making it a useful tool for businesses across different departments in an organization, as well as different industries.

Healthcare

In healthcare, task automation can be used to streamline appointment management to reduce errors and improve efficiency. Managing appointments, patient registration and billing are examples of rule-based repetitive tasks that can easily be simplified with an automation tool. Other examples of task automation in healthcare include the following:

• Automated prescription dispensers.
• Automated clinical notes.
• Electronic health record management.
• Patient feedback collection.
• RPA for administrative tasks.

Retail

Similarly to other industries, task automation can improve efficiency and productivity in the retail industry. While useful for business leaders and employees, automation also helps to provide a strong customer experience for consumers. The following are some examples of task automation use cases in retail:

• Customer support.
• Marketing and promotions.
• Order processing.
• Self-checkout systems.
• Stocktaking and inventory management.

Finance

The finance industry involves many repetitive tasks that demand efficiency, making it an appropriate candidate for task automation. Examples of task automation in the finance industry include the following:

• Fraud detection.
• Invoice processing.
• Loan underwriting.
• Payroll processing.
• Report generation.

Task automation checklist: 5 steps to get started

Before businesses can begin to consider adopting task automation tools and software, they need to determine an appropriate roadmap to ensure success:

• Identify time-consuming and repetitive tasks. Conducting a workflow audit is an efficient way to identify the rule-based, manual tasks that take up employees' time. Look for bottlenecks and identify areas of inconsistency. Speaking to employees directly, such as through an internal survey or feedback form, is a useful way of understanding pain points across the organization.
• Define clear goals. Establishing clear goals -- whether cost reduction or boosting employee satisfaction -- helps to guide implementation and prevents overwhelm caused by tackling too many tasks at once.
• Choose the right tool/automation system. Once goals have been defined, select the appropriate automation system to suit business needs. There are several tools available, such as customizable templates, integration platforms, task management tools and workflow automation systems. Businesses should choose a tool that compliments existing tech stacks and systems.
• Implement task automation. Once the tool or system has been selected, businesses can begin to implement them into daily tasks by setting up tasks for automation. This can take careful onboarding and training across the organization. Starting small with pilot projects and then expanding across workflows and departments can help efficiently track and monitor effectiveness.
• Review automation impact. After implementation, careful monitoring is important to measure impact. Measuring key performance indicators, such as time savings, error reduction, cost savings and productivity gains, can help to assess whether the automation is delivering results.

Task automation vendors

The following is a list of task automation vendors, which were identified after extensive web search and chosen based on their support of RPA:

• Asana.
• ClickUp.
• Kissflow.
• Microsoft Power Automate.
• Trello.
• UiPath.
• Zapier.

The future of task automation with AI and ML

The future of task automation promises to take advantage of the evolution of AI and machine learning (ML). As AI and ML continue to grow, expect to see an increase in the complexity of tasks that can be automated, providing further opportunities for human-AI collaboration. As AI becomes more intelligent, the boundaries of automated functions will grow. The future could see task automation used in instances with greater context awareness, not simply for rule-based repetitive tasks.

As task automation is likely to become powered by advanced AI, ethical considerations must be taken. These considerations include the following:

• Bias and discrimination.
• Data privacy.
• Environmental concerns.
• Job displacement.
• Personal autonomy.

As AI-powered task automation continues to be adopted by different industries and organizations, business leaders will need to take these ethical and societal considerations into account.