AI Workflow Management
17 Best AI Workflow Tools for All Your Needs
Discover 17 top AI workflow tools to streamline tasks, boost productivity, and simplify your daily operations.
Feb 2, 2025
Consider this: you’ve got a research paper due soon and feel the pressure to produce. You have a topic in mind but are unsure what questions to ask to get started. Sound familiar? If so, you’re not alone. While writing and researching can be daunting tasks, AI workflow management can help you quickly tackle them.
This guide will explore how AI workflows can help you write and research more efficiently to achieve your academic and professional objectives.
Otio’s AI research and writing partner can help you achieve your goals by streamlining the writing process. This AI tool quickly generates an outline based on your input, allowing you to structure your paper and even produce sections of your paper to help you get started.
Table Of Contents
Benefits of Using AI Workflows
AI Workflows and Productivity: Making Business Work Smarter
AI workflows can dramatically improve productivity at your company. Workflow automation solutions allow a company to make the most of its resources. With technology managing various time-consuming activities, businesses can reallocate staff members to take charge of other, more critical responsibilities.
The automation software acts like a super-productive digital staff member, quietly handling all the tedious work that employees would rather not worry about because they have more significant work to accomplish, which is a better use of their limited time. As a result, overall productivity increases, and businesses save money. Many business leaders recognize the significant cost savings that workflow automation tools can provide.
For instance, when asked about ways to lower expenses for finance departments, four out of five CFOs in a 2024 Deloitte survey said increasing the automation of lower-value and repetitive activities was the single most effective cost-reduction measure. When considering potential strategies for reducing future costs for finance departments, 81% agreed that more automation was the best way.
AI Workflows and Accuracy: Making Business Processes More Precise
AI workflows can enhance accuracy and consistency while reducing the errors that slow business operations. A hectic work environment where employees constantly juggle too much minutia can lead to rushed, error-prone results. Workflow automation improves accuracy and reduces the possibility of mistakes through:
Maintaining consistency
By following predefined rules, a business can make sure tasks are performed on time and will consistently meet the company’s precise standards. This means fewer errors due to employee oversight or fatigue.
Validating information
Checking data against established criteria and triggering alerts when discrepancies are detected, such as missing or invalid information, allows staff to step in at the right time so a project based on incorrect data doesn’t continue to move forward.
Auditing processes
A business can quickly identify and correct errors by monitoring every process step. By analyzing error patterns and determining the root cause of issues, a company can take action to prevent future problems and avoid the need for costly rework.
AI Workflows and Time: Getting Business Tasks Done Faster
AI workflows can help boost the speed of business operations. Employees only have so many hours in a day to get work done — and only so much energy. With that in mind, business leaders should regularly ask themselves: Is my employees' daily work worth their time? The answer will likely be “no” if mind-numbing, duplicative procedures gobble up their workday.
For example, does it make sense to ask an employee to spend several hours manually entering information about multiple customers into a digital database when an automated system can complete the task in seconds? Probably not. Additionally, humans can manage only so much multitasking at once and still do everything well, whereas technology can expertly handle several tasks in parallel.
Rather than checking off items on the to-do list sequentially, automation can take care of multiple demands simultaneously. And unlike humans, who need rest, automated systems can run around the clock, even after a business closes, leading to faster project completion rates and reduced idle time.
AI Workflows and Communication: Enhancing Collaboration Across Teams
AI workflows can significantly improve business communication and collaboration. By keeping everyone on the team in the loop and making sure all the necessary bases are covered on a particular workflow, automation technology paves the way for better communication and smoother collaboration. Suppose an employee submits an expense report through an automated platform, for example.
In that case, the system will first determine which expenses are permitted under the company’s guidelines and which are not — so administrative staff won’t have to sift through the fine print in the rules to pinpoint allowed expenses. Then, the software will notify a manager to approve certain costs while flagging other expenses that the manager should review more closely.
Meanwhile, the system will send regular status updates to the employee and the manager, including requests for additional documentation and alerts about approved payments, all while tracking reimbursement delivery times. In the end, automation allows for easier, more transparent communication, keeping everyone on the same page about status and any next steps that need to be taken to push the expense report through quickly and accurately.
AI Workflows and Stability: Reducing Disruptions in Business Processes
AI workflows can help create more stable business processes. It’s impractical for employees to watch the vast number of ongoing tasks in every department to look for potential kinks that could disrupt a critical process. However, automation technology can do just that, ensuring each step is done exactly as the company dictates.
This leads to a more stable workflow with fewer interruptions. Suppose the system detects an issue, such as a network anomaly that delays payment to a supplier. In that case, it can automatically take action, rerouting traffic and alerting staff to address the problem. In addition, smooth integration between automation technology and other internal software systems allows for easy data exchange across departments.
An ecommerce retailer, for example, can connect its inventory management system with its sales platform, giving company officials real-time updates on supply levels to prevent the business from overstocking or understocking products.
AI Workflows and Compliance: Enhancing Business Regulatory Adherence
AI workflows can help improve compliance with industry regulations. Industry standards and regulatory compliance requirements differ, depending on the country a company is operating in — and the rules are also constantly evolving, making it challenging for companies to keep up. Automated workflows can assist by enforcing all necessary regulatory protocols in every aspect of an organization, reducing the risk of non-compliance.
In addition, an automated system generates comprehensive reports documenting how the company is adhering to regulations, which can help the company prove compliance in an audit.
For example, doctors’ offices that must follow strict privacy regulations can rely on automated workflows to record who has access to patient data and to document when information gets modified or shared, allowing healthcare providers to demonstrate compliance with privacy laws.
AI Workflows and Visibility: Boosting Business Process Transparency
AI workflows can significantly improve business visibility and transparency. Workflow automation gives teams real-time insights into every workflow process step. This eliminates guesswork, giving every department a holistic, up-to-the-minute view of the progress of individual tasks to determine whether a project is hitting its milestones and meeting its expected deadlines. The system will spot any possible slowdowns, allowing staff to take quick action to iron out issues and keep the workflow moving.
An automated supply chain management workflow, for example, might track each order from the moment it’s submitted and provide updates about the precise movement of goods from suppliers to customers, all while keeping tabs on inventory levels, shipment status, and any potential snags in the process that might cause delays.
AI Workflows and Employee Experience: Making Work More Enjoyable
AI workflows can improve business performance by enhancing both employee and customer experiences. Suppose employees arrive at work dreading another dull day and constantly sneak glances at the clock. In that case, business leaders should make it their mission to remove cumbersome roadblocks to make employees’ jobs more enjoyable and increase retention rates.
By improving employee satisfaction, businesses are bound to boost the customer experience since a happier, more productive employee is more likely to eagerly and quickly serve customer needs. Improving employee and customer experience is a top objective for businesses that adopt automation software, with 30% of all automated processes focusing on the employee or customer experience, according to the 2024 Work Automation Index report by Workato.
AI Workflows and Company Culture: Fostering a Positive Workplace
AI workflows can help foster a healthier company culture. Automation encourages a more positive culture of unity and shared purpose among employees by speeding processes and improving communication among departments. During its earliest applications, automation was typically used within a single department to streamline individual tasks.
However, the Workato report shows that 74% of teams are now leveraging automation to handle a series of tasks across more than one business team, and a whopping 52% are using it across four teams or more. As a result, automation processes build more excellent connections among departments, fostering a healthier, more collaborative culture where all business units work together to accomplish common goals.
AI Workflows and Customer Experience: Enhancing Service Delivery
AI workflows can improve customer experience by accelerating business processes that impact service delivery. A customer’s impression of a brand is shaped at every point in the buyer’s journey, from initially browsing a company’s website and contacting customer service with questions to purchasing, receiving products in a reasonable timeframe, and requesting post-sales support. Customers who encounter bumps at any stage along that journey aren’t likely to become repeat customers.
Workflow automation technology works hand in hand with employees to meet customer expectations, quickly responding to customers’ inquiries and following through on their requests. An introductory, automated confirmation email that arrives seconds after a customer makes a purchase, followed by additional automated updates when the product ships and is delivered, puts the customer’s mind at ease that the company is on top of the order.
This amounts to a smooth and enjoyable customer experience that repeatedly entices consumers to return to the business. Businesses are increasingly recognizing the benefits of automation in serving customer needs. Customer retention is the No. 1 strategic priority for automation, with customer support and operations experiencing 226% growth in automation processes in 2023, according to the Workato report.
AI Workflows and Innovation: Supporting Business Growth
AI workflows can drive business innovation. More creative, innovative ideas emerge with employees devoting their workdays to more intense cognitive activities, such as brainstorming new strategies and solving complex problems.
With automation accelerating the pace of project timelines, companies can bring those new ideas to market quickly, taking advantage of promising opportunities to expand the business. For instance, the global robotic process automation market is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of nearly 40% between 2023 and 2030, according to Grand View Research.
Here’s a more detailed look at how workflow automation supports innovation and growth:
Improved strategy and accountability:
When mapping out plans for automated workflows, a business should start by reviewing its broader strategic priorities, tying company goals to expected outcomes, establishing clear expectations, reducing ambiguity, and raising the bar on accountability. Automation can help businesses execute new strategies and measure progress. For instance, if a company needs to up its game on content generation, software tools can assist with creating and distributing a wide variety of content, including marketing blogs, email promotions, social media posts, and product descriptions on websites.
Additionally, companies can leverage artificial intelligence-powered tools to automate content generation for customer interactions, such as answering questions about products and offering technical support. Once the new content-generation strategy is in place, real-time performance analytics and feedback loops allow managers to monitor performance and identify where to adjust plans to support business growth. For instance, If a marketing approach isn’t generating sufficient engagement, the automation platform’s data-crunching capabilities will hold the business accountable.
This allows the marketing department to shift resources to a new strategy, with a renewed goal of attracting more customers.
Emergence of new products and services
With more staff devoted to mission-critical activities and more results-oriented data about product performance and customer behavior, companies can quickly make informed decisions and take advantage of new business opportunities.
Often, this allows staff to focus on developing new or improved products, services, and processes to ease customer pain points and boost sales. With automation simultaneously shrinking project turnaround times and shortening development cycles, companies have the bandwidth to regularly experiment with new ideas that may result in successful products and services.
More opportunities for market expansion
Workflow automation supports the ability of companies to scale their operations and accelerate the testing of their products and services in new markets. And with automation tools keeping an eye on regulatory requirements in different regions of the world while simultaneously analyzing market research and consumer trends, companies can focus on tailoring their product and service offerings to meet the various preferences of diverse audience segments.
Related Reading
• Workflow Examples
• Marketing Automation Workflow
• AI Workflow Automation
• AI Agents Examples
• Enterprise Workflow Automation
• AI Web Scraping
• AI That Can Search the Web
• Marketing Automation Workflow Examples
• Types of AI Agents
Use Cases of AI Workflows
Insurance Use Cases
Workflow automation greatly enhances efficiency for insurance organizations. Here are some of the top use cases in insurance:
Assignment Automation
With assignment automation, tickets and projects can be automatically assigned to the appropriate user according to the designated trigger.
Policy Exceptions
Policy forms can be built with required dropdown fields to construct a logic-based workflow. After completing a form, an automatic risk assessment can be carried out, and approval or denial notifications can be done automatically.
Claim Grievances and Appeals
Policy information can be extracted and then analyzed through rules when a claim, grievance, or appeal is made. Depending on the rules set, the claim will be routed to a human decision maker, returned, or moved onto a different process.
Claim Data Entry
A workflow can be triggered when all the appropriate information is added, and the person, based on the type of claim, state, etc., is told to start working on the claim.
Form Registrations
A form registration workflow can automate a set of rules after a user has registered on a form to respond accordingly — such as a thank you email.
Policy Cancellations
Rules and steps can be put together when a policy cancellation occurs to ensure proper cancellation.
Claims Processing
With claims processing, unstructured data can be extracted and then added to an automated workflow of rules in place for processing.
Incident Reporting
After filing an incident report, cases will be automatically routed to the proper investigator or group.
Policy Underwriting
From an underwriting application, the underwriting process can be streamlined and mapped out from review to approval. This means you can streamline low–risk applicants to approval and issuance.
Banking Use Cases
Workflow automation can enhance efficiency in banking organizations, improving the customer experience and decreasing the likelihood of errors. Here are some of the top use cases:
Client Onboarding
Client onboarding is a great use case; once an application is submitted, you can rely on a workflow to set up the accounts or services, inform the account manager, and quickly create a task to email or mail all the necessary documents to your clients.
CapEx Approval Requests
By automating CapEx approval, you’ll eliminate errors that can interrupt the approval process. When a workflow is set up, your error-free CapEx data entry is streamlined against guidelines and sent to the appropriate stakeholders for quicker approvals.
Report Generation
Automate the transfer of data to Excel to generate reports.
Mortgage Lending
With an integrated mortgage lending workflow, loan documents can be extracted and validated to approve or deny loan applications quickly and efficiently. With automation, required documents such as tax records and driver’s license information can be ingested and sorted into appropriate categories for an organized database.
Loan Processing
Loan applications can go through a set of rules for review and approval. Any exceptions can be sent to a human decision-maker for final decision-making.
Credit Card Application Review
A digitized credit card form integrated into workflows means faster processing. The client’s data can go to the appropriate departments, resulting in quicker turnaround times for approval. Plus, applicants can be notified automatically via text or email when their application goes through.
Know Your Customer (KYC)
Some KYC processes can be automated, leaving essential factors for human decision-makers. Incoming applicants can be automated using a screening and identity verification process to match regulatory standards. Any “flagged” applicants can go on to a human decision-maker.
Account Closure
Before workflow automation, cancellations had to be done manually with interest charges and funds transfer in mind. Now, this process can be smooth using workflow automation.
Expense Claims
Automated expense processing forms can be filled out online, cutting out the tedious manual tasks of completing paperwork. Plus, workflow triggers can be set up so that when a claim is sent out, it notifies the appropriate individual or department, resulting in faster reimbursement.
IT Use Cases
Workflow automation can streamline processes in IT departments, easing the burdens of monotonous, manual tasks and improving response times to employee requests. Here are some of the top use cases of workflow automation in IT:
IT Service Requests
With an automated system for IT service requests, task allocation can be simplified by notifying the appropriate IT employee according to the request sent.
Employee Account Setup
With automation, HR or IT can create accounts for a new hire all at once instead of one at a time manually, cutting down on time and errors.
Software and Hardware Requests
Self-service requests can be routed to the proper departments and people.
IT Project Requests
IT projects can be kept, managed, or scheduled using workflow software.
Software Accessibility Requests
Manage and track software requests through automated forms. Form data can be routed to the appropriate employee.
Incident Reporting
An appropriate workflow can help with IT incident notifications, notify the relevant employee, and keep track of investigation and reporting.
Virus Detection
Virus detection can be scheduled automatically on all employees’ computers with a trigger to notify the appropriate IT employee should an issue arise.
Legal Use Cases
Workflow automation can help legal firms improve compliance, avoid errors, and save time and money. Here are some of the top use cases for workflow automation in the legal field:
New Work Intake
Work intake is simplified using workflow automation that securely, efficiently, and compliantly takes in new business. Implement a visual workflow tool to make spotting where processes can be further improved and streamlined easy.
Case Tracking
Keep track of cases with an automated workflow. Law firms or departments can request where cases stand with their progress and if there are any delays, ensuring there are no outstanding cases.
Policy Exceptions
Policy exceptions can be submitted digitally in a database for stakeholders to see.
Bar Certification Tracking
With automation, a system can keep track of attorneys’ bar certifications and issue a notification to alert them when their certification is about to expire.
Self-Service NDAs
NDAs can now be pre-formatted through templates and routed to appropriate users through workflow automation.
Trademark Infringement Log
With a self-service trademark application request, trademarks can be approved faster with an automated trademark search database and notification for renewal.
Writing Legal Documents
Instead of producing a new legal document every time, a workflow system can generate a legal document template, such as a sales contract, that simply requires review.
Billing of Service
Time-tracking software can be linked to invoice software to generate accurate invoicing.
Sales and Marketing Use Cases
Sales and marketing teams can improve operational efficiency with workflow automation by reducing time spent on menial tasks to focus on what matters — growing your business. Here are some of the top use cases:
Delivering Invoices
Bots utilize accounting records to prepare and deliver invoices to the proper email account.
CRM Updates
Integrating omnichannel data (email, call, chat) automatically into CRM.
Sales Order
Replace manual processes with automated behavior with sales orders. Form fields can be auto-completed to expedite sales processes without error.
Leads Submissions Pulled into CRM Database
Whenever a new customer fills out a form or request, their information is automatically pulled to a CRM database.
Follow-Ups
Simplify sales processes with an automated reminder to follow up on prospects.
Renewal Reminders
For users on a subscription basis, a workflow can be set up to notify them via email or text that their service is about to renew.
Sync Customers to an Email List
CRMs keep track of prospects and customers’ information so that you can automate an email list quicker than before instead of manually one-by-one.
Negative Reviews Response
Automate and trigger an email response to ask for feedback whenever a user leaves a negative review.
Social Media Scheduling
A social media workflow software allows you to automate and schedule posts across any social platform.
Reorder Notifications
Generate automated workflow to send reminders to a customer when it’s time for a new order.
HR Use Cases
Workflow automation can help HR teams improve efficiency and accuracy with the many processes they oversee. Here are some of the top use cases:
Employee Onboarding
Onboarding can be done smoothly with a self-service process customized by HR that can be tailored to the job type.
Benefit Enrollments
Cut paper forms and manual processes by digitizing the enrollment process for new hires.
Expense Management
Information can be extracted according to employee, and data can be pulled by receipt or invoice when combined with OCR.
Payroll Approval
Payroll processing is expedited by following rules and regulations to speed up the process.
Budget Approval
With a budget workflow automation solution tool, budget approvals can be made easier by defining a process according to the department and using tools to simplify data entry. Approval submissions are also routed quicker, resulting in faster approvals.
Timesheet Approval
When the weekends are over, the timesheet can be sent automatically to the manager for approval.
Vacation/Time Off Requests
Employees can use a self-service form to schedule time off requests. Blackout dates and similar rules can be applied to restrict time off. Once submitted, this can be routed to the appropriate manager, who will submit the approval.
Performance Evaluations
With a performance review workflow template, evaluations are simplified with a checklist to complete that includes filling out necessary documents and submitting them quickly to HR for record keeping.
Travel Requests
An employee can submit a travel request digitally that outlines plans, purpose, and estimated cost, which can be routed to the appropriate manager for approval.
Employee Termination
Employee terminations can be made painless by an automated system that can terminate all associated accounts and log-in information instead of manually doing it.
Healthcare Use Cases
Healthcare organizations can also benefit from workflow automation. Here are some everyday use cases:
Patient Transfer
Medical records can be transferred and routed to the appropriate doctor.
Patient Admission and Discharge
When patients are admitted, their records can go through a streamlined, digitized registration, billing, and insurance process to make admission easier. Similarly, discharge can be handled digitally by a doctor for approval.
Appointment Reminders
Appointment reminder workflows can keep track of patient appointments and alert them of their appointment via email, text, or call.
Patient Surveys
After a patient is discharged, patient survey emails can be automatically sent out to provide feedback on the level of care received.
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17 Best AI Workflow Tools for All Your Needs
1. Otio: Your AI Research Assistant
Otio is an AI-native workspace that helps researchers and knowledge workers tackle the growing problem of content overload. It enables you to collect various data sources, extract key takeaways with AI-generated notes, and create draft outputs to streamline research. Top features include detailed notes on bookmarks, chat-based Q&A with individual links, AI-assisted writing, and web scraping capabilities to help you curate data from diverse information sources.
Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!
2. Trello: The Kanban Workflow Queen
Trello is known for its Kanban boards, an easy way to see tasks and current statuses. This makes much sense for workflow management as you move a task from one status to another, like “in progress” or “done.” Trello locks you into the board view system but provides consistency across your team.
Pros
It is easy to identify bottlenecks and task statuses with Kanban boards. There are tons of different use cases for Trello boards, whether you’re in sales, people operations, freelance, or software development. Easy to communicate over Trello cards.
Cons
Limited designated note-taking space. Lacks a native time tracker: limited free plan and expensive paid plans.
3. Asana: The Simple Workflow Tool
Asana is simple to use and will aid your workflow management. As a workflow application, Asana streamlines workflows, aids with task management and brings project management down to its simplest terms. It lacks core project management functionalities–like a Gantt chart–but will still serve as a central hub for your work.
Pros
Visually appealing and straightforward to use. Quickly move and assign tasks with drag-and-drop functionality. Great for organizing simple tasks.
Cons
Limited task management abilities can make collaborating with the team complex. Limited free and paid plans can be expensive, even for smaller teams.
4. Lucidchart: The Visual Workflow Tool
Lucidchart is an all-in-one diagram platform that will help you think through and map out each phase of your project. It’s perfect for flowcharts, product specs, or org charts. You can then share the diagrams across the organization or team to help everyone see what needs to happen next.
Pros
A cloud-based platform that’s accessible from any device. Integrates with productivity platforms like Google apps, Workspace, and Slack—import data from other cool apps like Excel, Zapier, and Salesforce.
Cons
There is no offline mode—limited features are included with the basic plan.
5. Fluix: The Offline Workflow Tool
If you’re looking for workflow management at construction or manufacturing companies, Fluix might be the tool for you. Its multipurpose workflows enable you to automate any process: field inspection, HSE, distribution of toolbox talks, employee training, and more. You can create a form in the built-in form editor or select it from the app library, assign a task to responsible parties, set the due date, and monitor the task progress. Plus, all these features are available offline, which is crucial for teams working in remote areas without regular Internet access.
Pros
There is a slight learning curve and an easy setup. Workflows designed for iPads. Cloud storage and integration features.
Cons
Workflows designed for the iPad can be limited due to a lack of support for collaboration, such as document sharing.
6. Tallyfy: The Checklist Workflow Tool
If you prefer your checklists in a board or card view, then Tallyfy may be a good option for process thinking. Its mode is Blueprint, which is a fancy word for a template. Set up the processes, add information to the relevant card, and then set it in motion. You also get progress updates on each card and the work done on that item. Managers get a bird’s-eye view of what each employee has done to manage risks or issues better.
Pros
Organize data with structured form fields. Easily hide tasks. Segment chats with the “report issue” feature.
Cons
Limited customization. Outdated feeling UI that can be difficult to navigate.
7. Zapier: The Automation Workflow Tool
Zapier coordinates between different tools, which is as simple as that. It makes it easy to get started and has many combinations–more than you can consider. You could connect your communication tool to your email or transfer form information into your project management software. Zapier has probably figured out a way to do anything that you want to automate.
Pros
Several automated workflow templates. Keep a running list of automation history. Can automate multiple tasks with one trigger.
Cons
It can get pricey. Learning curve if there isn’t already a pre-set connection between two apps.
8. IFTTT: The User-Friendly Automation Tool
Short for If This Then That, IFTTT is a solution for teams looking to connect and automate their work spread across multiple devices, services, or apps. It allows you to customize and control our integrations through triggers and actions to create automations without code.
Pros
Automate processes for over 700 services, including education, email, and weather checking. A vast library of automations made by other IFTTT users is available for anyone to use. Great for automating repetitive tasks that make life easier.
Cons
Some apps can already perform the automations IFTTT provides. Difficult to use on Android.
9. Make: The Powerful Automation Tool
Formerly Integromat, Make is a nice shortcut. Much like Zapier, Make connects the applications that you use most. Make gives you more detailed information and data than Zapier and connects more developer-driven apps. Like Excel, you can also enlist functions to help you navigate and start your workflows.
Pros
It is easy to connect apps with a simple drag and drop. Powerful automations without code or programming knowledge. It supports several use cases, including sales, marketing, finance, and HR. Connects to popular workflow software, like CRM and marketing tools.
Cons
It can be challenging if you’re not very technically minded. Tutorials can be difficult to follow.
10. Pipefy: The Flexible Workflow Tool
Pipefy provides integrations and templates in specific business areas, such as for sales, customer onboarding, or hiring. These templates simplify your process checklist and give you amazing pre-built templates to finish your work.
The Pipefy card system helps you create automated tasks, connect them to the right actions, and then sit back and wait for the work to be done. You’ll be notified once it is. It’s a great way to set up your automated processes and watch them in action.
Pros
Detailed reporting to keep track of project statuses. Connect different processes in the platform. Service portals to manage documents, policies, and request forms. Native Integrations with Slack, GitHub, BitBucket, and Google Hangouts.
Cons
Limited customization options with free plan. No assigned comments.
11. Notion: The Engaging Document Tool
This is a newcomer that is quickly gaining steam. Its inline editing features, simple user interface, and ease of use have made it popular. The notion is more for writing and editing documents, not necessarily storing large attachments. You can quickly create tables, docs, and more for your data inside one interface, eliminating friction points of other tools like Microsoft Office or Google Docs.
Pros
Powerful note-taking features. Create code blocks in your notes with unique formatting options. There are tons of templates. Great for team collaboration.
Cons
Complex user interface. Limited goal-tracking features.
12. Calendly: The Scheduling Tool
With its easy scheduling features and Zoom-like blue accent colors, Calendly is the king of “wait, I think I’ve used this before” moments. And TBH, you probably really liked it. Calendly takes the back-and-forth out of scheduling virtual or in-person meetings. Whether you’re meeting with just one other person or in a group, you can easily share a link with your availability to allow your guests to settle on a time. From there, the event is added to your calendar! That’s it—so simple!
Pros
Add Calendly directly to your website or email for easy scheduling. Automate communication before and after meetings. Integrations with popular tools like Zoom and Zapier.
Cons
Relying on integrations can be difficult for invitees to navigate. Doesn’t work well with some Outlook versions.
13. Monday.com: The Customizable Workflow Tool
Monday.com is a flexible platform that lets you create workflows that meet various needs—from project management to sales or software development. Boards are central to the tool. These are spreadsheet-like documents that allow you to create almost any data input. You can create tasks, set statuses and priorities, add tags, attach files, and assign user tasks.
You can view these sheets in Kanban, Gantt, timeline, or calendar views. The flexibility of the entries means it's possible to create workflows for anything from a task management tool to a CRM. If you don’t want to start from scratch, the tool also offers an extensive library of templates you can use.
Pros
Clean and intuitive user interface. Robust customization options. Powerful automation tools.
Cons
Advanced features have a steep learning curve. Time tracking is only available in the Pro account.
14. Miro: The Collaborative Workflow Tool
Miro is a versatile online collaboration tool that facilitates project management, diagramming, process mapping, and content visualization. I like that Miro has an infinite canvas, which allows users to create comprehensive and interconnected workflows without spatial constraints. This is particularly useful for visualizing complex processes and ensuring that every step is clearly defined and easily accessible.
Another reason Miro stands out is its pre-built templates and customizable boards. Whether you are managing a project, conducting a sprint planning session, or tracking progress with a Kanban board, Miro offers a wide variety of templates that can be tailored to fit specific needs with a simple drag-and-drop interface.
Pros
Templates Miro offers a wide range of templates for different use cases. Integrations Miro integrates with Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Atlassian, and digital asset management. User-friendly Miro has a user-friendly interface on desktop and web. Versatile Miro can be used for a variety of creative projects.
Cons
Some users have reported performance issues, such as frequent crashes and system UI freezes. Mobile app: Some users have criticized the mobile app for being unreliable and lacking functionality.
15. Creatio CRM: The No-Code Workflow Tool
Creatio CRM is a comprehensive, no-code platform that automates and simplifies customer relationship project management processes across various business functions. One of the primary reasons I chose CRM Creatio as a good workflow app is its comprehensive no-code platform, which allows for easy customization and automation of business processes.
This feature is particularly beneficial for organizations that need to adapt quickly to changing business requirements without the need for extensive technical expertise. Creatio's process designer, based on the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN), allows users to easily create complex workflows, while its case management tools automate unstructured processes. These features improve operational efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction by ensuring that tasks are completed accurately.
Pros
Automated reminders to follow up with new leads. Advanced email marketing tools. Customizable dashboards allow you to hide features.
Cons
It is expensive to get access to all three modules. Online forms require HTML coding.
16. Nifty: The Collaboration Hub
Nifty PM calls itself a “collaboration hub,” it aims to unite projects, allowing teams to better focus on their goals (milestones). These are the goals that each project is structured around. Each milestone is divided into individual tasks, and a visual completion bar goes up as you complete each task.
Pros
Multiple task view options to choose from. There are numerous ways to collaborate and communicate with teammates—time-saving project templates.
Cons
Third-party app authorizations need occasional attention. Template options can be limited.
17. Process Street: The Simple Workflow Tool
Process Street is a simple checklist, workflow, and SOP software that lets you create and roll out workflows for all your business processes. You can build them around any task you repeat, from vacation requests to onboarding. You start by defining your process within the tool. You can start from scratch or use one of the existing templates and customize it to your needs.
This library helps me use existing process management best practices for everyday tasks without worrying about documenting my own. Once you’ve created workflows, tasks are automatically routed to the relevant people. When they complete their task, it gets sent to the next person. And you can roll out each workflow I create as many times as you need without any further edits.
Pros
Simple user-interface. Can easily create structured documents. Can add audio and video files to documents. Easily track daily activity with an activity feed.
Cons
There is no offline version. Doesn’t offer desktop apps.
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How to Use AI for Workflows
1. Use Otio to Improve Your Workflow with AI
Knowledge workers, researchers, and students are overwhelmed by content overload and left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Otio solves this problem by providing researchers with one AI-native workspace. It helps them:
Collect many data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos.
Extract key takeaways with detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat.
Create draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. Otio helps you to go from the reading list to the first draft faster.
Along with this, Otio also enables you to write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that researchers love: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI-assisted writing.
Our tool has web scraping capabilities that allow you to access a wide range of data sources beyond traditional academic papers and search engines. This feature enables researchers to collect diverse information from sources like bookmarks, tweets, books, and YouTube videos, streamlining the process of curating and analyzing data for research purposes. Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!
2. Assess Your Business Needs Before Implementing AI for Workflows
Before introducing AI into your workflows, closely examine your current processes. Identify bottlenecks, repetitive tasks, and communication gaps slowing you down. This assessment will reveal the best use cases for AI workflow automation and help you choose the tools that fit your needs like a glove.
3. Integrate AI with Existing Systems for Smooth Transitions
With the right AI tools, it’s time to fit them into your current setup. This might involve API integrations, data migrations, and system configurations to work together smoothly.
Collaborate closely with your IT team or the tool vendor's support to ensure everything fits together like a well-oiled machine. Test the integrated systems thoroughly to catch and fix any compatibility hiccups.
4. Train and Onboard Your Team to Use New AI Tools Effectively
Introducing new AI tools to your team can feel like teaching cats to swim. Invest in team members’ training and onboarding to ensure everyone knows how to use the tools effectively. Provide clear documentation, video tutorials, and hands-on training sessions. Foster open communication, encourage feedback to tackle any concerns or questions head-on, and ensure everyone feels confident navigating the new AI-powered workflow.
5. Monitor and Optimize Workflows for Maximum Efficiency
Once AI workflow automation is in place, keep a watchful eye on performance and efficiency. Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and spot areas for improvement. Regularly gather feedback from your team and tweak the processes to optimize automation. AI workflow automation is an ongoing journey that thrives on continuous refinement.
Supercharge Your Researching Ability With Otio — Try Otio for Free Today
Knowledge workers, researchers, and students are overwhelmed by content overload and left to deal with it using fragmented, complex, and manual tooling. Otio solves this problem by providing researchers with one AI-native workspace. It helps them:
Collect many data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos.
Extract key takeaways with detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat.
Create draft outputs using the sources you’ve collected. Otio helps you to go from the reading list to the first draft faster.
Along with this, Otio also enables you to write research papers/essays faster. Here are our top features that researchers love: AI-generated notes on all bookmarks (Youtube videos, PDFs, articles, etc.), Otio enables you to chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like you chat with ChatGPT, as well as AI-assisted writing.
Our tool has web scraping capabilities that allow you to access a wide range of data sources beyond traditional academic papers and search engines. This feature enables researchers to collect diverse information from sources like bookmarks, tweets, books, and YouTube videos, streamlining the process of curating and analyzing data for research purposes. Let Otio be your AI research and writing partner — try Otio for free today!
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