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AI Workflow Management

23 Best Workflow Apps for All Your Needs

Discover 23 top workflow apps to simplify tasks, boost productivity, and streamline daily processes.

Feb 1, 2025

Everyone knows that writing and research can be overwhelming. If you have a lot of work to get done, it can feel tedious and time-consuming. You may feel lost or stuck as you try to find a starting point. AI Workflow management apps help you organize your projects, breaking them into manageable tasks and streamlining the writing and research processes.

Moreover, AI research writing tools can supercharge these apps, making them even more efficient. This guide will discuss the benefits of workflow apps and how they can help you write and research more efficiently, especially when paired with an AI tool.

One valuable tool that can help you get started is Otio's AI research and writing partner. This innovative app works alongside you as you write, automating tedious tasks and helping you stay organized to hit your goals faster and with less stress.

Table of Content

Benefits of Using Workflow Apps

Accelerated Productivity and Cost Reduction

Automating workflows boosts productivity and saves organizations money. Workflow automation solutions allow a company to maximize its resources. With automation software handling various time-consuming tasks, businesses can relocate employees to focus on other, more critical responsibilities.

The automation software acts almost like a super-productive digital staff member, quietly managing all the tedious work that employees would rather not concern themselves with because they have more significant work to accomplish — all of which is a better use of their limited time. As a result, overall productivity increases, and businesses save money.

Many organizations 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.

Enhanced Accuracy with Reduced Errors

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.

Boosted Time Efficiency

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.

Simplified Communication and Enhanced 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 perhaps flagging other expenses 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 concerning the status and any next steps that need to be taken to push the expense report through quickly and accurately.

Better Workflow Stability and Systems Integration

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 e-commerce 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.

Improved Compliance

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.

Greater Visibility and Transparency

Workflow automation significantly improves business visibility and transparency by providing teams with 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.

Enhanced 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.

Greater Job Satisfaction

Allowing employees to hand off their most painful, repetitive tasks to technology gives people time and brain space for more thoughtful, strategic work. And employees who are engaged in more meaningful, gratifying work aren’t only happier, but they’re bound to perform at a higher level and are less likely to leave the company.

Plus, eliminating manual tasks allows workers to take a step back, analyze which business processes are working well and which aren’t, strategize improvements and share critical insights that can improve decision-making for the business. When employees take on higher-level responsibilities, they can continue growing professionally, boosting morale and leading to greater job satisfaction.

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 are building more incredible connections among departments, fostering a healthier, more collaborative culture where all business units work together to accomplish common goals.

Better Customer Experience

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 making a purchase, 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.

Renewed Innovation and Growth

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.

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. 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.

Use Cases of Workflow Apps

Transforming the Insurance Sector with Workflow Automation

The insurance industry is known for its complex processes, heavy reliance on paperwork, and slow-moving legacy systems. Workflows can help organizations streamline operations by automating tasks and processes, managing data more effectively, and improving communication and collaboration. Here are 10 use cases of workflow automation in insurance.

1. Assignment Automation

With assignment automation, tickets and projects can be automatically assigned to the appropriate user according to the designated trigger.

2. Policy Exceptions

Policy forms can be built with required dropdown fields for 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.

3. Claim Grievances and Appeals

When a claim, grievance, or appeal is made, policy information can be extracted and analyzed through rules. Depending on the rules set, the claim will be routed to a human decision-maker, returned, or moved onto a different process.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Policy Cancellations

Rules and steps can be put together when a policy cancellation occurs to ensure proper cancellation.

7. Claims Processing

With claims processing, unstructured data can be extracted and then added to an automation workflow of rules in place for processing.

8. Incident Reporting

After filing an incident report, cases will be automatically routed to the proper investigator or group.

9. 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.

Streamlining Banking Processes with Workflow Automation

Manual tasks and outdated methods often bog down banking processes. Workflow automation removes these inefficiencies by digitizing operations to make them faster and more accurate. Here are nine use cases of workflow automation in banking.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Report Generation

Automate the transfer of data to Excel to generate reports.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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 faster turnaround times for approval. Plus, applicants can be notified automatically via text or email when their application goes through.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

Improving IT Security and Operations with Workflow Automation

Information technology uses workflow automation to improve security, streamline operations, and manage data. Here are eight use cases of IT workflow automation.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Software and Hardware Requests

Self-service requests can be routed to the proper departments and people.

4. IT Project Requests

IT projects can be kept, managed, or scheduled using workflow software.

5. Software Accessibility Requests

Manage and track software requests through automated forms. Form data can be routed to the appropriate employee.

6. Incident Reporting

Utilizing an appropriate workflow can help IT incident notifications notify the appropriate employee and keep track of investigation and reporting.

7. 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.

8. Security Incident Responses

When a security breach occurs, workflows can help manage responses by automatically notifying the appropriate stakeholders and keeping track of investigative procedures.

Enhancing Legal Department Efficiency with Workflow Automation

Workflows can help legal departments streamline operations by automating monotonous tasks, managing data more effectively, and improving communication and collaboration. Here are eight legal use cases of workflow automation.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. Policy Exceptions

Policy exceptions can be submitted digitally in a database for stakeholders to see.

4. 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.

5. Self-Service NDAs

NDAs can now be pre-formatted through templates and routed to appropriate users through workflow automation.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Billing of Service

Time-tracking software can be linked to invoice software to generate accurate invoicing.

Improving Business Operations with Workflow Automation

Workflow automation can help businesses from all industries improve their operations and better serve their customers. Here are 10 use cases of workflow automation for sales and marketing, human resources, and customer service.

1. Delivering Invoices

Bots utilize accounting records to prepare and deliver invoices to the proper email account.

2. CRM Updates

Integrating omnichannel data (email, call, chat) automatically into CRM.

3. Sales Order

Replace manual processes with automated behavior with sales orders. Form fields can be auto-completed to expedite sales processes without error.

4. 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.

5. Follow Ups

Simplify sales processes with an automated reminder to follow up on prospects.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Negative Reviews Response

Automate and trigger an email response to ask for feedback whenever a user leaves a negative review.

9. Social Media Scheduling

A social media workflow software allows you to automate and schedule posts across any social platform.

10. Reorder Notifications

Generate automated workflow to send reminders to a customer when it’s time for a new order.

Improving Human Resources with Workflow Automation

Human resource departments can use workflow automation to help improve employee satisfaction and productivity. Here are 10 use cases of workflow automation for human resources.

1. Employee Onboarding

Onboarding can be done smoothly with a self-service process customized by HR that can be tailored to the job type.

2. Benefit Enrollments

Cut paper forms and manual processes by digitizing the enrollment process for new hires.

3. Expense Management

Information can be extracted according to employee, and data can be pulled by receipt or invoice when combined with OCR.

4. Payroll Approval

Payroll processing is expedited by following rules and regulations to speed up the process.

5. 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.

6. Timesheet Approval

When the weekends are over, the timesheet can be sent automatically to the manager for approval.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. Employee Termination

Employee terminations can be made painless by an automated system that can terminate all associated accounts and log-in information instead of doing it manually.

Improving Healthcare Operations with Workflow Automation

Workflow automation can help healthcare organizations improve patient care and reduce costs. Here are six use cases of healthcare workflow automation.

1. Patient Transfer

Medical records can be transferred and routed to the appropriate doctor.

2. 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.

3. Appointment Reminders

Appointment reminder workflows can keep track of patient appointments and alert them of their appointment via email, text, or call.

4. Patient Surveys

After a patient is discharged, patient survey emails can be automatically sent out to provide feedback on the level of care received.

23 Best Workflow Apps for All Your Needs

1. Otio: Your AI Research and Writing Partner

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. Monday.com: Customizable Workflow Options

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.

3. Trello: Visual Workflow Management

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 plans and expensive paid plans

4. Miro: Visualizing Your Workflows

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.

5. Asana: Simple to Use Workflow Management

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, which can make it challenging to collaborate with the team
Limited free plans and paid plans can get expensive, even for smaller teams

6. Creatio CRM: No-Code Workflow Management

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 Creation 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.

7. Lucidchart: Diagram Your Workflow

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. It creates the chain of command and then factors in any contingencies cohesively. 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

No offline mode
Limited features included with the basic plan

8. Nifty: A Hub for Team Collaboration

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
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.

9. Fluix: Workflow Management for Field Teams

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

Slight learning curve and easy setup
Workflows designed for iPads
Cloud storage and integration features

Cons

Workflows designed for the iPad can be limiting
Lack of support for collaboration, such as document sharing.

10. Process Street: Simple Checklist and Workflow Software

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 I 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

No offline version
It doesn’t offer desktop apps

11. Tallyfy: Automate Your Workflows

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

12. Kintone: A Platform to Build Custom Apps

Kintone is a workplace platform that lets teams build and share custom workflows. Each team can use the tool to create the needed apps, whether a CRM, an expense report, or a content calendar. The tool offers over 1,000 templates to deploy the apps you need. You can also customize these to ensure they meet your specific workflow needs.

Meanwhile, the No-Code interface makes it easy for anyone on your team to create the necessary tools. The tool also has plenty of integrations to manage external data within your app. For example, you can add Dropbox files to the app or record information collected in emails.

Pros

Personalized workflows
Good range of apps

Cons

Poor user interface
Expensive plans

13. Zapier: Automate Repetitive Tasks Across Apps

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 pretty pricey
Learning curve if there isn’t already a pre-set connection between two apps

14. Studio Creatio: No-Code Workflow Management

Studio Creatio is a no-code platform designed to automate workflows and build applications without requiring technical expertise. Studio Creatio stands out as an exceptional workflow application due to its robust no-code platform that allows users to automate workflows and build applications without requiring extensive programming knowledge.

One of the most compelling features of Studio Creatio is its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, which simplifies the process of creating and modifying workflows. The platform's composable architecture supports extensive integration capabilities, enabling connectivity with various systems and data stores.

Pros

Workflow Automation: Powerful automation capabilities to streamline repetitive tasks and processes.
Scalability: Adapts to growing business requirements with flexible configuration options.
Integration Potential: Ability to integrate with various third-party systems and data sources.

Cons

Learning Curve: While user-friendly for essential functions, advanced features may require more training to master effectively.
Complexity for Large-Scale Projects: May struggle with highly complex business processes or large volumes of data.

15. IFTTT: Connect Your Apps

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

Can automate processes for over 700 services, including education, email, or even checking the weather
A vast library of automations made by other IFTTT users 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.

16. Camunda: Open-Source Workflow Management

Camunda Platform is an open-source workflow and decision automation platform that helps teams organize and manage their projects and teams more efficiently. It allows users to create workflows with a visual editor that makes designing them easy. They can track tasks, assign roles, automate processes using BPMN, and manage data with the built-in data source connectors. Additionally, companies can build custom applications on top of the platform using its powerful REST APIs or JavaScript SDKs. This flexibility makes it possible to integrate the platform into any existing system or application to extend its capabilities.

Pros

Developer-friendly: Provides a robust API and SDK for smooth integration with existing applications.
Scalability and performance: Capable of handling large-scale, complex business processes.
Extensive monitoring capabilities: Offers detailed insights into process execution, allowing for bottleneck identification and optimization.
Flexible deployment options: Can be deployed as a standalone server or embedded within applications.

Cons

Learning curve: Requires technical knowledge, especially for non-technical users, to navigate the features and model complex processes.
Limited out-of-the-box integrations may require additional development effort to connect with various enterprise systems.

17. Make: Workflow Automation

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

Easy to connect apps with a simple drag-and-drop
Powerful automations without code or programming knowledge
Supports several use cases, including sales, marketing, finance, HR, and more
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 complicated to follow

18. Kissflow: Workflow Management for Business Processes

Kissflow Workflow is a comprehensive low-code platform that enables users to manage tasks, track project status, and monitor team performance effectively. It offers an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface that allows team members to create workflows without technical expertise using a visual designer that makes creating and editing workflows straightforward and intuitive.

The software includes a powerful analytics dashboard and detailed analytics and reporting tools to help track key performance metrics and gain insights into all aspects of the workflow process. You can track workflow status, turnaround time, and cycle time, which helps identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions backed by real-world data. You can also generate reports in various formats, making it easier to share information with stakeholders.

Pros

Task delegation and tracking: The software simplifies task delegation and aids in task management and tracking, making it easier for users to monitor the progress of their projects
Improved work speed: Kissflow significantly enhances the speed of work, allowing users to manage their tasks more efficiently and effectively
User-friendly: The software is easy to use and navigate, making it a highly effective tool for managing business workflows
One-stop solution: Kissflow serves as a solution for various processes, eliminating the need for multiple apps for different tasks.

Cons

Inefficient search function: The search function within the software can be less efficient when searching for specific documents within workflows. It seems complicated to find documents unless they are searched in a particular manner.
Limited API support: Kissflow has limited API support, which can be a hindrance for businesses that require extensive integration with other software or tools

19. Pipefy: Workflow Management with Templates

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 a free plan
No assigned comments

20. Gather Content: For Content Creation Teams

GatherContent is a workflow management and collaboration platform designed for content production teams. You can use it to streamline your content creation process, collaboratively produce new content, and track each piece through development.

21. Notion: A Notetaking Tool on Steroids

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
Tons of templates
Great for team collaboration

Cons

Complex user interface
Limited goal-tracking features

22. Slite: An Alternative to Notion

Slite is geared strictly around writing, communicating, and creating your processes. The secret sauce is in its menu options. The Slack-like interface helps creators manage documents, tag them, and categorize them quickly. Create channels for different bits of information, and then further curate those channels to be more granular. Slite’s user interface can provide more direction than Notion.

Pros

Easy to set up
User-friendly interface
Active team collaboration capabilities

Cons

A limited number of integrations
Limited offline support

23. Calendly: Scheduling Made Simple

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 make it difficult for invitees to navigate
It doesn’t work well with some Outlook versions

How to Choose the Best Workflow App

Visualize Your Workflow

Solid workflow automation software helps users visualize their workflows according to the requirements of their organization. It aids them in specifying actions and defining the route of every request from start to finish. Each step within a task is assigned to an individual who needs to stay accountable while the ticket is in their queue. In addition, it should be able to collect crucial information to give operators access to essential information, investigative data, and context to help push the request to resolution.

Smooth Task Assignment

Task assignment plays a massive part in ensuring an even workload distribution. Defining the criteria of who takes up new tasks, how to account for complexity, how to distribute workload, etc., are all problems that need addressing. This prevents employee burnout and goes a long way in establishing a system where everyone knows what they are responsible for.

Foster Collaboration

Collaboration is a crucial tool in simplifying operations. Any request requiring cohesion, teamwork, and a grounded understanding of the process. Some tasks may even require specialists or management to step up and weigh in on the situation based on circumstance. A workflow automation platform should account for complexity, enabling requests to be smoothly assigned or reassigned to appropriate team members and drive better outcomes.

Gain Visibility Into Your Processes

Gaining visibility of the status of tasks can go a long way in identifying bottlenecks in the process. Managers can step in and reprioritize functions in case of delays and drive them to closure. This also means businesses can track every request and keep customers apprised of resolution times and delays.

Leverage Analytics For Continuous Improvement

Efficiency is everything in business. How resources are utilized, optimized time, and fast things are done have a trickle-down effect on costs, service, and customer satisfaction. A workflow automation platform can help managers derive actionable insights, make adjustments, and boost productivity at all levels. And this is only possible if the platform captures the correct data and metrics relevant to the business.

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Knowledge workers, researchers, and students today face a workflow crisis. The explosion of digital content has outpaced their ability to manage it. As a result, many are overwhelmed with data. They often settle for stitching together boring, manual tools like bookmarking and note-taking apps to get through their workflows. This approach is slow, complex, and frustrating.

The Research Workflow Crisis

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Collect: Wide-Ranging Data Sources

Otio helps researchers collect various data sources, from bookmarks, tweets, and extensive books to YouTube videos—no more manual data collection.

Extract: Key Takeaways

Otio helps researchers extract key takeaways with detailed AI-generated notes and source-grounded Q&A chat. You can even chat with individual links or entire knowledge bases, just like ChatGPT.

Create: Draft Outputs

Otio helps you write research papers and essays faster. The platform’s top features that researchers love include AI-generated notes on all bookmarks and AI-assisted writing.