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ROI CalculatorWorkflow Automation is a principal feature of Business Process Management (BPM). The ability to create a visual representation of a company's business processes in a block diagram format include business rules, information flow, roles and activities. The BPM platform is capable of automating and executing the workflow, notifying users when they need to carry out a task, providing users with the relevant information they require to perform the task, reminding users if they are tardy in completing the task, and giving an overall status for the workflow to the user. Managers can monitor the workflow in real time, get notifications of any delays, access an audit trail of the workflow history and decisions and have a means of ensuring compliance with the company's procedures.
Most instances of the core process of Quality Management System requires a workflow process. An example of this is document control, where multiple employees are involved in authoring, reviewing and approving the document being described by the workflow. For utilizing Workflow Modelling functions of a BPM platform, the company's document control process must be modelled in a way that specifically outlines the individual roles of each person, steps and rules of the workflow, approvals required to be made by different users and decisions made at different stages of the workflow. In addition, the BPM platform will execute the workflow each time a new document is created or occurs in an existing document that has to be updated.
One of the benefits of having this capability is the ability to monitor, in real-time, the status of each document: where it is located, who has it, how long each person has reviewed the document, whether it was approved or rejected, etc. A comprehensive and complete audit trail contains all historical data required to successfully complete inspections or audits and to meet compliance with all ISO and 21 CFR requirements.
Additionally, the company defines the workflow model for their particular process needs. Should the process change, the modeler makes it easy for the company to quickly update the workflow model so it reflects the change in process. No programming or special skill sets are necessary other than a grasp of the process and simple drag-and-drop.
Workflow capability is one of the most important features within the QMS systems to be implemented. The workflow capability not only provides the ability to ensure compliance with your company's unique process but also gives you the assurance that everyone is following the correct processes with a complete auditable history and visibility.
Quality is crucial within the pharmaceutical sector because it guarantees that each step of the process is executed under a controlled, connected, and timely basis. In this regard, quality does not just consist of documenting processes. The use of emails, spreadsheets, and manual tracking systems to manage an organization's quality processes results in substantial delays in execution, a general absence of visibility, and reactive quality.
Workflow automation changes this by turning isolated quality activities into a structured, continuously moving system where actions are triggered automatically, decisions are recorded in real time and no step depends on manual coordination.
