If your team has tasks that "have always been done this way," spreadsheets that someone updates manually, emails that are sent by copying and pasting, or data that is repeated in several tools, it is very likely that you already have processes that can be automated in a company without the need to make major changes or take unnecessary risks.
The good news is that identifying processes that can be automated in a company isn't a matter of intuition or randomly trying out tools. It's a matter of method. In this article, I'll share a practical and highly applicable system for identifying real opportunities, prioritizing them strategically, and turning them into useful automations with a measurable impact on the team's daily work. And if you want to move faster or avoid mistakes, in ARTIC We can help you analyze and execute an automation plan from start to finish.
Why not everything should be automated (even though it can be)
Before we start listing ideas, it's important to make a clarification. Just because some processes in a company can be automated doesn't mean they all should be automated now, nor does it mean they're a priority. Automating without a clear plan usually creates more complexity than it solves.
The smart approach is to identify processes within a company that can be automated and start with those that meet two very clear conditions: real impact and reasonable effort. Impact in the form of time savings, error reduction, or improved user experience, and reasonable effort in terms of available data, clear rules, and viable integrations.
In ARTIC We usually focus on automations that eliminate friction between teams and that tackle repetitive tasks that, accumulated week after week, consume many hours without adding value.
Clear signs that there are processes that can be automated in a company
When we analyze organizations of different sizes, the same patterns always emerge. If several of these points resonate with your daily operations, it's very likely you have processes that can be automated quickly and with a good return on investment.
- High task repetition
- Clear rules of the type "if X happens, do Y"“
- Lots of copying and pasting between tools
- Dependence on human reminders
- Recurring manual errors
- Approvals and follow-ups via email
- Data distributed across CRM, ERP, email, and spreadsheets
When these signals combine, there are almost always processes that can be automated in a company without the need for major developments or traumatic changes.
Step 1: Take a light inventory of processes
There's no need to set up a huge project or document the entire organization. To identify processes that can be automated in a company, a practical inventory is usually sufficient.
Start by listing the main areas: sales, marketing, finance, operations, support, and human resources. Then, ask each manager to identify five to ten repetitive tasks that are time-consuming, error-prone, or overly reliant on people.
For each process, note down the essentials: what initiates it, where the information comes from, what steps it involves, what tools are used, how often it occurs, and approximately how much time it takes. This exercise, which usually only takes a few hours, is very revealing. You'll quickly discover processes that seem small but add up to many hours per month.
This is how the processes that can be automated in a company with a greater impact begin to take shape.
Step 2: Prioritize judiciously (impact vs. ease)
Once the processes have been identified, the next step is to prioritize. Not all processes that can be automated in a company should be addressed at once.
A simple way to evaluate each process is along two axes: impact and ease of use. Impact refers to time savings, error reduction, or service improvement. Ease of use refers to the clarity of rules, data availability, and integration between tools.
The best candidates are usually those who combine high impact with high ease of implementation. In many cases, these processes can be automated in just a few weeks and generate visible results from the outset, which helps build internal confidence to keep moving forward.
Step 3: Identify the type of automation you need
Not all processes are automated in the same way. Choosing the right approach is key to making automation work and preventing it from becoming a new problem. At ARTIC, we typically divide automation into three main categories.
Automation between tools (workflows)
This type of automation is ideal when the problem lies in a lack of connectivity between tools. Forms, CRMs, email, calendars, and ERPs often operate in isolation, forcing users to manually transfer information.
A typical example would be: a lead comes in, the contact is created in the CRM, it's automatically assigned to a salesperson, an email is sent, and a follow-up task is generated. All of this happens without human intervention.
In ARTIC We implement these flows with tools such as Zapier, among others, always adapting the solution to the actual stack of each company.
Automation with artificial intelligence
When the process involves interpreting unstructured information, AI is often the best option. It's very useful for classifying emails, detecting intent, summarizing messages, and routing requests.
For example: a support email arrives, AI detects the type of query, creates a ticket with tags, and proposes an initial response. This reduces response times and operational workload.
Automation of internal processes (ERP and management)
This section focuses on administrative and operational processes: invoicing, inventory, customer tracking, and internal management. The goal is for the system to operate more autonomously and reliably.
In companies that use Holded, For example, one can automate complete management circuits.
Choosing the right type of automation is key to ensuring that the processes that can be automated in a company provide real value from the start.
Step 4: Validate with a proof of concept and clear metrics
One of the most common mistakes is automating without measuring. To validate correctly, define simple metrics from the beginning: time saved, error reduction, and process speed.
Start with a small but frequent process. It's the fastest way to demonstrate that processes that can be automated in a company generate real impact when they are well designed.
Quick checklist to detect processes that can be automated in a company
If you answer “yes” to several of these questions, you probably already have a clear candidate:
- Does it happen several times a week?
- Does it have clear rules?
- Is there duplicate data between tools?
- Do human errors occur frequently?
- Does it rely on manual reminders?
- Can the result be measured?
This filter often reveals many processes that can be easily automated in a company.
Do you want to do it right from the start?
Identifying processes that can be automated in a company is only the first step. The real value lies in designing the workflow well, integrating it with your existing tools, documenting it, and ensuring it's operational with ongoing monitoring and improvement.
At ARTIC, we help companies identify, prioritize, and implement processes that can be automated, focusing on real impact, data, and measurable results. From automation between tools to AI-powered solutions, we always take a practical, business-oriented approach.
