Quick answer: Workflow automation means letting software carry out repetitive steps that someone in your office does by hand, such as copying enquiry details into a spreadsheet, sending invoice reminders or creating a folder for each new client. Small offices get the most from automating tasks that happen often, follow the same steps every time and involve moving information between two systems. Start with one or two of those, using the tools you already pay for plus a connector such as Zapier, and build from there.
In most small offices, a surprising amount of the week goes on copying and pasting. An enquiry arrives by email, someone types it into the CRM, then into a spreadsheet, then sends a reply. None of it is difficult, but it is slow, easy to forget and easy to get wrong. That is exactly the kind of work software is good at.
What makes a task worth automating
Before looking at tools, look at the work. A good candidate usually has these traits:
- It happens often. Daily or weekly, not once a year.
- The steps are the same each time. If it needs judgement, automate the parts around the judgement.
- It moves data between systems. From a web form to a CRM, from a shop to an accounting package, from email to a task list.
- Mistakes cost something. A missed follow up, a late invoice, a double booking.
A quick way to find candidates is to ask everyone in the office to note, for one week, any task where they think “I do this every time”. You will usually end up with a list of ten or more.
Tasks most small offices can automate
1. Website enquiries
When someone fills in your contact form:
- Add their details to your CRM or a Google Sheet automatically.
- Send them an acknowledgement email straight away, with what happens next.
- Notify the right person by email or in Slack, depending on which service they picked.
- Create a follow up task for two days later if nobody has replied.
Most form tools, such as Gravity Forms on WordPress, Wufoo or Google Forms, can do some of this alone, and a connector covers the rest.
2. New client onboarding
When a deal is marked as won:
- Create a client folder in Dropbox or Google Drive from a template.
- Create a project in Trello, Asana or Basecamp with the standard tasks.
- Send a welcome email with the documents they need.
- Add the client to your accounting software.
3. Invoicing and payment reminders
Accounting packages such as Xero, QuickBooks Online and FreeAgent already include features many offices never switch on:
- Repeating invoices for retainers and subscriptions.
- Automatic reminders before and after the due date.
- Bank feeds that match payments to invoices.
- Online payment links on invoices.
Turning these on is often the single biggest time saver for a small business, and it costs nothing extra.
4. Appointment booking
Instead of trading emails to find a time, let clients book directly. Online booking tools such as Calendly, Acuity Scheduling or the booking features in your practice software can:
- Show your real availability from Google Calendar or Outlook.
- Send confirmations and reminders by email or text.
- Collect the details you need before the meeting.
5. Email handling
Small changes in your inbox add up:
- Filters that label, file or forward messages automatically, for example all supplier invoices to your bookkeeper.
- Saved replies for questions you answer every week. In Gmail these are called canned responses and can be turned on in Labs.
- Shared inboxes for info@ and support@ addresses, so two people do not answer the same email.
6. Email marketing lists
When someone buys, books or signs up on your site, add them to the right list in MailChimp or Campaign Monitor automatically, with tags for what they bought. A short welcome series can then go out without anyone pressing send. If you want to go further, our guide to marketing automation explains how to plan follow up sequences.
7. Ecommerce admin
For online shops:
- Send new orders to your accounting software.
- Alert you when stock falls below a set level.
- Ask for a review a week after delivery.
- Flag high value or unusual orders for a manual check.
8. Reporting
Instead of building the same spreadsheet every Monday:
- Schedule Google Analytics reports to arrive by email.
- Pull form entries, sales or tickets into a Google Sheet that updates itself.
- Use simple dashboards so the numbers are there when you need them.
9. Document creation
Proposals, contracts and letters often follow a template. Tools can fill in client names, prices and dates from your CRM, then send the document for signature through services such as DocuSign or HelloSign.
10. Social media scheduling
Write posts in one sitting and let Buffer or Hootsuite publish them through the week. Share new blog posts automatically to your company accounts.
The tools that make this possible
Features already in your software
Check first. Many of the tasks above are built into tools you already pay for. It is common to find reminders, repeating invoices or automatic replies that were never switched on.
Connectors such as Zapier and IFTTT
When two apps do not talk to each other, a connector can link them. Zapier is the most widely used by businesses. You set a trigger in one app, such as “new form entry”, and an action in another, such as “create contact”. It works with hundreds of web apps and needs no coding. IFTTT does something similar and is popular for simpler personal and device tasks. For a full walk through, see our guide to Zapier for small businesses.
Google Apps and Office 365 scripting
If you live in Google Sheets and Gmail, Google Apps Script can automate a lot with a little code: sending emails from a sheet, tidying data or building reports. Office users can do similar work with macros in Excel.
Custom integrations
When a task involves your own systems, large volumes, or software without a ready made connector, a small custom integration through an API is often more reliable. Our explainer on what an API is covers the basics.
How to start without making a mess
- Pick one task. Choose the one that wastes the most time or causes the most mistakes.
- Write down the steps exactly as they happen today, including the exceptions.
- Fix the process first. Automating a confusing process just makes the confusion faster.
- Build it, then test with real examples before switching off the manual process.
- Name an owner. Someone should know the automation exists and check it monthly.
- Keep a simple list of every automation, what it does and which accounts it uses. When a staff member leaves or a password changes, you will know what might break.
What not to automate
- Anything where a personal touch wins the work, such as replies to complaints or big quotes.
- Processes that change every month.
- Tasks that happen twice a year. The time spent setting up will rarely pay back.
FAQ
Do I need a developer for workflow automation?
Not for most tasks. Built in features and connectors like Zapier need no code. A developer helps when you need to connect your own systems or handle large volumes.
Is it safe to connect my apps together?
Use reputable tools, give each connection only the access it needs, turn on two step verification and review connected apps from time to time.
How much time will it save?
That depends entirely on your office. A useful way to judge is to time the manual task for a week, then compare it with the time spent checking the automation.
Ready to hand off the busy work?
We help small offices find the tasks worth automating and set them up so they keep running. See how we help you automate the busy work.
