Repetition alone does not make a workflow a good automation candidate. Evaluate input stability, exception handling and the consequences of an incorrect action.
Observe several real runs
A fictional agency creates a project workspace after each signed proposal. The happy path looks identical, but some buyers have multiple entities, missing documents or a different delivery owner. Record those variations before connecting the systems.
| Dimension | Question |
|---|---|
| Trigger | What proves the workflow should begin? |
| Inputs | Which fields are reliably available? |
| Exception | When must a person decide? |
| Effect | What would need reversing after an error? |
| Frequency | Does the saving justify maintenance? |
Start with a reversible step
Preparing a draft workspace may be a better first release than automatically sending every client communication. Link the source event to the resulting operation so duplicate work can be investigated. Avoid automating a decision whose business rule has no owner.
How should the gain be measured?
Compare time saved with review, recovery and maintenance effort. A minute saved followed by frequent investigation can simply move the cost. Keep a documented manual path for exceptions and measure their frequency before expanding the automated scope.
Different offices may use different triggers
A workflow described as starting after approval may mean a signed document in one office and an email confirmation in another. Identify the actual evidence each office uses. Standardise the trigger or keep explicit variants rather than silently mixing them.
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