Workflow software provides a way for a computer to achieve its highest potential — to do work for the user so he or she can get on with other important tasks. This software comes in many functionalities, and some of the most familiar do some of the most common computer tasks.
One of the benefits of workflow software is that it can help save a user time by automating routines and subroutines that he or she would otherwise spend time on, such as data entry and email filtering. The software can be configured to process data entry in such a way that it runs in the background, allowing the user to concentrate on other more important tasks. The same is true of email filtering, the process of slotting email messages in different folders according to instructions that are either preinstalled or installed by the user.
Retailers who specialize in online and/or phone orders from customers often find much to like in workflow software. This kind of application can automate such normally time-consuming tasks as order processing, refunds, and merchandise tracking. It can be configured to handle such tasks and guarantee that all of the data will get to the right places. This is a side benefit of using the software: the ability to avoid human errors that unavoidably crop up in business-related tasks.
With the growing popularity of electronic communication, more and more employees are sending and receiving emails, faxes, and digital images. Scanners are often used to create such digital files. Workflow software can help here, too, by automating the scan-and-send process. A user can configure his or her software to do this by designating a Scan folder, say, and instructing the program to scan anything placed in the folder and attach the result to an email. In some cases, a user can even number the files and designate corresponding email addresses, so he or she needn’t spend time addressing each individual email.
Another useful task performed by this type of software is file conversion. One of the most popular kinds of file conversion these days is making PDF files out of just about any other kind of file. Adobe®, the creator of pdf, makes software that allows just this sort of automation; other applications made by other developers offer the same sort of functionality.