# Workflow Automation

> Workflow automation is connecting the steps of a business process — approvals, handoffs, data entry, notifications — so they run automatically instead of relying on people to move each one forward by hand.

_Source: https://plenaura.com/glossary/workflow-automation · Last updated: 2026-06-03 · Plenaura_

## Key points

- Targets the routine, repeatable processes that eat staff time: onboarding, approvals, order handling, reporting.
- Removes the delays and dropped handoffs that happen when work sits in inboxes waiting for a human to act.
- Can be pure rules for simple flows, or AI-assisted where a step needs to read documents, classify, or decide.
- The win is measured in time saved and errors avoided, not in the technology used.

## FAQ

### How is workflow automation different from RPA?

RPA is one tool for automating tasks by mimicking a person's clicks. Workflow automation is the bigger picture — orchestrating a whole process end to end, which may use RPA for some steps, direct system integrations for others, and AI where judgment is needed.

### Which processes are worth automating first?

Start with the ones that are high-volume, repetitive, and rule-heavy — they give the fastest payback and the least risk. Processes that need heavy human judgment on every case are usually left mostly manual, with automation handling only the routine parts.