Business Process Automation

Business Process Management Software

— integrated process, alerts and action management

Business is dynamic and we understand that an ERP system cannot remain static, which is why our solution is designed around giving you the agility to cope with ongoing change. Agresso Business Process Automation software (BPA) forms one of the three integrated core components of Agresso's Vita architecture: the process model (alongside the data and information delivery models). These capabilities add a further layer of proactive intelligence to our solution, allowing users to "discover and respond" to their specific situation and monitor the current state of the business.

There are three main business process automation software (BPA) tools: Workflow, IntellAgent and Action Overview, specifically designed for out-of-the box use with all Agresso modules — no programming is required, so all your users can quickly and easily benefit from the facilities. Each can be used alone or in combination with one another, to improve an organization's corporate governance, internal controls and procedures.

Business process management and automation

Agresso Workflow

The Workflow component of our business process management software enables users to visually define rules and processes, which can then be used to model many different types of business process, including: financial transactions, such as requisitions and invoices; and non-financial transactions, such as absences and timesheets.

It is purpose-built and fully integrated to all core Agresso business areas. This offers significant advantages over ERP systems that need a third-party "bolt-on" tool for these functions.

How can it help?

Workflow provides visibility into company-wide processes and allows users to look up a specific employee's involvement, track and report task progress, identify delays and bottle-necks and review performance metrics. This helps organizations to adhere to operational policies and guidelines.

For example, Workflow can:

• outline who approves what;
• enforce approval limits;
• build best practice into business processes and activities;
• define the number of authorizers needed to approve a high value item;
• require reasons and actions when an item is declined, such as the need for more documentation.

What does it do?

Workflow offers a range of features and facilities, including:

• automated reminders, escalations and alerts;
• workflow approval with automatic notification that a task requires attention;
• built-in reports to track performance and uncover bottle-necks;
• intuitive drag-and-drop design tools for simple building and managing of models;
• intelligent validation to ensure logically correct and error-free process models;
• version control and tracking of changes to review designs prior to finalization;
• integration capabilities with external workflow engines, in order to push out messages and alerts.

Workflow definition, design and map for supplier invoice approval features an intuitive graphical design for simple building, editing and managing of business models.

Business alerts and process automation

Agresso IntellAgent

IntellAgent is an automated business alert and response system, which takes business process automation software reporting to the next level, by allowing users to identify and focus on exceptions and critical actions, rather than solely relying on the manual generation of reports in order to identify exceptions.

How can it help?

IntellAgent establishes a high level of operational control and risk reduction.

For example, it can:

• perform "obvious" actions automatically — such as updating a customer status to "on hold" when a credit limit is exceeded;
• help to keep the business moving better — by sending users a message when the next action in a process should be carried out;
• send a message when something important has happened — such as reminding HR when an employee probation period elapses;
• warn when things in the business are not going as planned — such as alerting treasury staff when transaction limits are exceeded;
• monitor a critical system process and alert the system administrator, if it stops;
• automatically synchronize with other systems — such as sending reminders for timesheet approvals within a specified number of days.

What does it do?

IntellAgent monitors and responds to exceptions, offering a range of facilities, including:

• alert definition for both Agresso and non-Agresso data;
• triggered responses, such as emailing messages, SMS alerts, running reports, initiating server processes and placing messages in task panes, alert lists and dashboards;
• scheduling capabilities, to allow users to define the frequency of event monitoring;
• configurable event definition, using simple queries, SQL scripts or directory polling.

Action items

Agresso Action Overview

Action Overview is a tool to manage key "to do" items associated with any master file or transactions record (e.g. "Projects", "Customers", "Suppliers", "Employees", "Assets", "Products" etc.) and to view interaction between all users and the master file.

How can it help?

Action Overview can alert managers and employees alike, when time-critical events haven't occurred. It can also act as the means of recording actions performed in response to these prompts, such as:

• filing a building permit;
• confirming receipt of a shipment;
• awarding a project.

What does it do?

It offers a range of features and facilities, including:

• a record of past actions taken and the ability to document future planned actions;
• links to the document archive, allowing users to associate documents to an action;
• links to workflow, enabling processes to automatically create action items.