57% of organizations performed pilot tests for solutions to automate at least one business process pre-COVID. #nocode #automation @airSlateAcademy
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According to a 2020 global survey of business leaders by McKinsey, 85% of enterprises have somewhat or greatly accelerated the deployment of videoconferencing and filesharing technologies to facilitate remote employee interactions. In addition, 50% of enterprises increased the digitization of customer channels (via mobile apps and chatbots), while some 35% have further digitized their supply channels.

The upward trend for use of robotic automation is due to its ability to facilitate contactless interactions and relieve the cost pressure that can stem from the economic decline caused by the pandemic. This tumultuous period presents an opportunity for businesses to redefine their own business models with workflow automation and no-code automation/integration bots. This new automation technology introduces a number of benefits:

• Affordability compared to standalone solutions
• Can serve as a substitute or additional workforce
• Cuts expenses associated with paper-based workflows (ink and toner, postal delivery, etc.)

For instance, airSlate’s Automation Bots allow the user to set up a fully automated no-code workflow designed to fit the specific business operations they have in mind. Before we delve into the list of the Top 20 most popular airSlate Bots, it’s a good idea to first clarify the bot definitions.

Document Workflow Automation for IT Professionals

• Business process automation
• Client onboarding
• Workflow optimization

Enroll now

What is a bot?

airSlate has two types of Bots: Automation and Integration.

• Automation Bots are used to automate a specific Flow by completing tasks like sending notifications, sending reminders, populating documents with CRM data, etc.
• Integration Bots are used to integrate your Flow with cloud services, popular tools, and streamline the storage of important information. They are used to transfer data from CRMs, SQL databases, spreadsheets, and other sources.

As a result of using airSlate software Bots, the vast scope of business operations ranging from contract management to employee onboarding and patient intake, are all efficiently handled within airSlate.

Watch the video below to get a grasp of no code bot automation basics with airSlate:

airSlate’s top-20, no code Bots for business optimization

airSlate allows organizations of any size to automate even the most complex business workflows using over 140 no code Bots. The list of airSlate’s most popular Bots can be split into several groups based on their mode of application:

Pre-fill Data Bots

• Pre-fill from Doc to Doc Bot
  Pre-fill from Doc to Doc Bot automates the process of pre-filling one document with data from another document within a single workflow. For instance, the Bot can be used to automatically populate a sales invoice with data from a completed sales proposal. Enroll in the Pre-fill from Doc to Doc course at the airSlate Academy to learn how to install and configure this Bot.
• Pre-fill from Excel Spreadsheet Bot
  The Pre-fill from Excel Spreadsheet Bot automates the process of importing data from an Excel Spreadsheet to another document within a single workflow. For instance, this Bot can help you automatically populate the dropdown fields of a purchase order form using inventory information that is taken from a product inventory Excel spreadsheet. Sign up for the Pre-fill from Doc to Doc course at the airSlate Academy and learn how to use this Bot for your business needs.
• Pre-fill Dropdowns from Google Sheets Bot
  The Pre-fill Dropdowns from Google Sheets Bot pre-populates dropdown fields in documents with data taken from a Google sheet when certain conditions are met. For example, the Bot can be used to automatically fill out the dropdown fields of a purchase order form using information that is taken from a product properties Google sheet. Click to learn more about the Pre-fill Dropdowns from Google Sheets Bot.
• Pre-fill with Custom Data Bot
  The Pre-fill with Custom Data Bot pre-populates Slates (collections of documents) with manually entered data. The Bot can be used to automatically pre-fill invoices with custom data manually entered by a sales representative such as the client’s name, reference number, and dates for a new deal. Click to learn more about the Pre-fill with Custom Data Bot.
• Pre-fill from Google Sheets Bot
  The Pre-fill from Google Sheets Bot automatically transfers data from a Google sheet to the selected fields of another document within a single workflow. This Bot can be used to automate the process of creating employee onboarding documents, financial reports, and sales orders pre-populated with data from Google Sheets. Enroll in the Pre-fill from Google Sheets Bot course at the airSlate Academy and learn how to use this Bot for your business needs.

Salesforce Integration Bots

• Pre-fill from Salesforce Records Bot
  The Pre-fill from Salesforce Records Bot automatically populates documents with data taken from one or multiple related Salesforce records. The Bot can be used to automate the process of creating contracts, quotes, invoices, and reports completed with the Salesforce information you need. Enroll in the Pre-fill from Salesforce Records Bot course at the airSlate Academy and get a step-by-step guide on how to install and use this Bot.
• Pre-fill from Salesforce Records via SOQL Bot
  The Pre-fill from Salesforce Records via SOQL Bot searches for Salesforce records based on your SOQL query and fills out documents with data from these records. For instance, this Bot can be used to automatically generate invoices pre-filled with data from unpaid sales orders. Click to learn more about the Pre-fill from Salesforce Records with SOQL Bot.
• Create Salesforce Record Bot
  The Create Salesforce Record Bot automates the process of creating Salesforce records using data from a completed document. For instance, this Bot can be used to transfer data from a new client’s completed registration form and create new Leads in Salesforce. Enroll in the Create Salesforce Record Bot course at the airSlate Academy and learn how to use this Bot for your business operations.
• Update Salesforce Record Bot
  The Update Salesforce Record Bot can change record types in Salesforce. The Bot automatically updates Salesforce records with data from a completed document. For instance, if a customer makes changes to their business address in an order form, it will be updated in the corresponding Salesforce record. Enroll in the Update Salesforce Record Bot course at the airSlate Academy to learn how to install and use this Bot.
• Export to Salesforce Bot
  The Export to Salesforce Bot automatically uploads a Slate to a specific Salesforce record. For instance, the Bot can be used to automatically save a contract as an attachment to the relevant Salesforce client record. Sign up for the Export to Salesforce course at the airSlate Academy to learn how to employ this Bot in your business operations.

Other popular airSlate Bots

• Rename Flow on Documents Completion Bot
  The Rename Flow on Documents Completion Bot automates the process of renaming your Slates. For instance, the Bot can be used to automatically assign a new name to an invoice once it has been paid. To learn more about installing and customizing this Bot, sign up for the Rename Flow on Documents Completion course at the airSlate Academy.
• Hide Signatures Bot
  The Hide Signatures Bot automatically conceals previously added e-signatures or initials when certain conditions are met. In other words, each time a signer or multiple signers want to e-sign a document, they will have to add a new version of their electronic signature(s) or initials. New signatures or initials can be added by all signers online and in-person with a tablet or smartphone using their fingers. Click to learn more about the Hide Signatures Bot.
• Email on Documents Opening Bot
  The Email on Documents Opening Bot allows you to track when your recipient opens a document sent to them. Also, the Bot sends you an email notification each time someone has started working on a Slate document. For instance, this Bot can be set up to automatically send an email notification to a sales representative once a prospect has opened a sales quote. Enroll in the Email on Documents Opening course at the airSlate Academy to learn how to install the Bot and set it up.
• Export to Google Sheets Bot
  The Export to Google Sheets Bot automatically transfers filled-in data from a Slate document to a Google sheet. For instance, the Bot can be used to export client data and order details from a completed order form to a sales report sheet in Google Sheets. Sign up for the Export to Google Sheets course and learn how to install and customize the Bot according to your workflow.
• Remind Recipients to Complete Documents Bot
  The Remind Recipients to Complete Documents Bot sends reminder emails for signing or completing a Slate document based on recipient roles. Learn how to automate reminder emails to keep all participants in a workflow up to date with the help of the Remind Recipients to Complete Documents course at the airSlate Academy.
• Save to Google Drive Bot
  The Google Drive Bot allows you to automatically move completed Slates to a Google Drive folder. For instance, the Bot can be used to archive business contracts after they have been terminated. Sign up for the Save to Google Drive Bot course to streamline your document retention routines.
• Save to Dropbox Bot
  The Dropbox Bot allows you to automatically transfer and archive completed Slates to Dropbox. For instance, the Bot can be used to store executed purchase orders, quotes, contracts, etc. Enroll in the Save to Dropbox course at the airSlate Academy to learn how to use this Bot for document retention.
• Add Tags Bot
  The Add Tags Bot adds tags to a Slate to mark specific changes. For instance, the Bot can be used to automatically assign the “accepted” tag to a sales proposal once it has been accepted by a customer. Click to learn more about the Add Tags Bot.
• Create Event in Google Calendar Bot
  The Create Event in Google Calendar Bot automatically creates events in Google Calendar and populates it with data taken from a pre-filled Slate. For instance, the Bot can be used to automatically schedule a weekly staff meeting in Google Calendar with a date, topic, and event description taken from a pre-filled meeting agenda form. Enroll in the Create Event in Google Calendar course course at the airSlate Academy to learn how to use the Bot for more streamlined appointment scheduling.

If you want to advance your no code automation skills, we recommend enrolling in the airSlate Academy’s free certification programs. Start with the airSlate Bots: The Ultimate Guide course to master the ins and outs of using airSlate Bots.

Originally published in February 2021, updated in July 2023 for accuracy and comprehensiveness

The post What is a Bot? TOP 20 Bots for no code business automation appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

This drastic shift in the use of technology would not be possible without the fast-paced digitization of businesses. According to recent airSlate research, businesses that invested early in the digitization of their most critical processes achieved a faster rate of recovery for 55% of business owners. In 2023, business automation will continue to be one of the key tech trends driving digital transformation across organizations.

Rapid and agile low-code/no-code platforms have proven their value in times of uncertainty. Leadership teams are now willing to continue using these technologies for digital channel expansion and the rolling out of critical solutions.

In this blog, we will explore the state of no-code at hand, draw a distinction between the low-code and no-code platforms, and reveal the reasons why teams and businesses of any size must foster the adoption of no-code automation.

What is no-code?

No-code solutions are used by non-technical business users, known as citizen developers to build software applications without coding. No-code app development helps business analysts, administrators, and marketing specialists build fully-fledged apps to meet specific business needs without the continuous involvement of an IT department. The use of no-code is often associated with the democratization of software development, as it empowers users with little or no technical background to participate in digital transformation.

No-code solutions are distinguished by a number of features, such as:

• Access to drag-and-drop tools and WYSIWYG (what-you-see-is-what-you-get) editors used to automate workflows and/or build applications.
• The availability of workflow templates, element libraries, and interface customization that allows for building a fully functional application without any knowledge of coding.
• Seamless integration with productivity apps, databases, web services, and APIs to connect data.
• Extreme scalability that allows for the quick deployment of no-code across teams and departments.

No-code business owners can participate in no-code communities, where peer support and knowledge sharing are readily available. This makes it easier to connect and learn from other founders.

The state of no-code in 2023

According to Gartner, by 2024, over 65% of application development will be powered by low-code technology. Predictions aside, leveraging low-code/no-code tools for business automation has helped organizations across different industries (specifically education and healthcare) adapt to the pandemic-induced digital shift.

One of the most vivid examples of using no-code is the female finance school Rock The Street, Wall Street. By using airSlate’s workflow automation, the institution accelerated their collection of student forms, which allowed them to accelerate the enrollment process for 1,200+ students and volunteers. Leveraging no-code automation bots streamlined the school’s workflow, while also enhancing the employee and student experience.

The use of no-code in Healthcare

The healthcare industry also reaped the benefits of using no-code automation. According to CIO Dive, the number of applications built with low-code facilitated remote onboarding at biotech companies, while also helping to contain the surge in public assistance requests. In one example, a low-code app helped coordinate and assign the placement of 2,000 healthcare employees in their network within two days.

During the pandemic, no-code tools helped many medical organizations streamline their patient intake process. For instance, T2 Biosystems could streamline, accelerate, and secure their patient intake procedure with airSlate’s flexible no-code automation and integration with Salesforce. T2 admitted that workflow automation allowed for a more streamlined form-sharing experience for end-users and helped secure partially completed information for future use.

Despite the advantages that come from low-code/no-code business automation, its cost, security, and deployment within a given organization are to be carefully considered.

To learn more about the no-code movement, watch the video below:

Key factors that facilitate no-code adoption

The first and probably most influential factor is the need to address the current IT skills shortage. The Global Knowledge 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report indicates that 80% of US leadership teams and 78% of their peers overseas are facing issues due to an IT skills gap. Involving no-code developers in the development process allows strapped IT teams to keep up with their ever-increasing workload while also letting them focus on priority projects, instead of dealing with menial tasks.

Another reason to foster enterprise-wide adoption of no-code platforms is their cost-effectiveness. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2026, the shortage of engineers in the US will exceed 1.2M. As a result of this trend, the median software developer salary has already reached a staggering $110K per year. No-code serves as a skills equalizer by leveraging already-employed non-technical specialists. This way, organizations can make better use of their available employees and resources, thus cutting employment costs.

The latest generation of no-code solutions has extended the limits of who can be a software developer. It has empowered non-technical specialists to build applications of any complexity and transform business processes. No-code platforms allow for automating routine workflows and IT issues that have already been resolved. Using and reusing a pre-programmed block of activities helps to achieve a faster time to result and enhance overall productivity.

To sum up, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using no-code:

Pros

• No-code allows business users, i.e. citizen developers, to independently automate workflows or create and deploy applications without the constant supervision of an IT department. That, in turn, minimizes the load on IT professionals allowing them to focus on priority projects.
• No-code platforms have a low barrier to entry as they don’t require lengthy training, meaning that anybody can start automating workflows or building apps fast.
• No-code can accelerate app development by up to x10 compared to traditional methods, saving time and resources in the long run.
• No-code platforms provide employees with a toolset to solve unique business problems, which eliminates the need to use third-party vendors or resort to shadow IT practices.
  

Cons

• Unless proper boundaries are set within an organization, the use of no-code platforms without the knowledge of the IT department can pose security risks.
• No-code platforms can have constraints when it comes to automating complex workflows or building apps that go beyond standard conditions.
  

Low-code vs no-code

The terms ‘low-code’ and ‘no-code’ are sometimes used interchangeably, which isn’t always correct. In fact, there is a considerable difference between the two — no-code is for users with little or no technical background, whereas low-code is for more tech-savvy users/developers. Low-code solutions require some knowledge of coding which will allow users to access and modify the underlying code of an app.

The low-code vs no-code comparison chart

The combination of low-code and no-code platforms accelerates app development that fulfills specific business needs with the talent and resources available at hand. By leveraging low-code, IT departments can create ready-to-use building blocks that business users can reuse, improve, and support without any extra coding. Low-code/no-code platforms ensure proper lT governance and data security while allowing business users to access data, functionality, and systems.

There are three main points of distinction between the low-code/no-code platforms:

• The capability-level point refers to the basic capabilities of a platform acting as a constraint for what can be achieved with it. For a low-code/no-code platform, this includes the extent to which the available out-of-the-box functionalities can be tweaked to fit specific business needs.
• The behavioral-level point refers to the business functionalities of the platform, such as built-in automations, workflows, custom and out-of-the-box integrations with other applications.
• The use-level point refers to the results of the application’s usage, including the data collected and stored throughout the application’s lifetime, and short-term processing changes.

In practice, the difference between low-code and no-code platforms can be described by the following situation. Let’s assume that you want to create a workflow triggered under specific conditions — when a certain set of actions is completed on your app. To complete this task, you could either use a programming language or do it with a low-code/no-code platform that already has a pre-programmed sequence of actions.

Suppose you have defined a number of standard conditions that trigger your workflow. A no-code platform would factor them into blocks of code and learn to detect and trigger the workflows when the pre-defined conditions are met. Still, if new conditions appear that are unique to your business environment, no-code platforms designed for Rapid Application Development (RAD) will not work.

In the same situation, a low-code development platform would not only factor the standard conditions but also provide users with the means to quickly adapt to new and unique conditions — for instance, by leveraging a user-friendly programming language for customizations.

To sum up, let’s explore the pros and cons of low-code:

Pros

• Low-code platforms eliminate repetitive manual coding thus increasing developers’ productivity, which results in faster delivery times.
• Low-code tools offer better customization possibilities, as developers can code in the features that go beyond any standard requirements.
  

Cons

• Low-code requires some technical skills and knowledge of programming languages, which can be an obstacle for most non-technical employees.
• Low-code may require dedicated developers to build apps, yielding additional time and expenses.
• Sticking to a single low-code platform may not be ideal, especially if developers have a limited choice of platforms to use.
  

The role of no-code in enterprise app development

No-code platforms empower organizations to become more self-reliant in creating highly customized, scalable, and secure enterprise apps in-house with available resources. The term ‘enterprise application’ denotes software used by large organizations to build and manage core business areas, such as sales, customer support, marketing, supply chain, etc.

An enterprise app integrates with similar applications to form a larger digital ecosystem. When speaking of enterprise apps, most people think of CRM, ERP, and HCM systems. However, these solutions only represent a small fraction of apps that employees interact with on a daily basis. In fact, employees use multiple applications within their responsibility areas to fulfill specific business tasks.

5 low-code and no-code predictions

For instance, an average marketing professional typically uses tools for tracking KPIs, automating email marketing, performing data analytics, generating reports, managing social media, monitoring campaigns, etc. According to a pre-pandemic SaaS Trends report, organizations of under 1,000 employees used an average of 151 apps, while enterprises of 1,000+ employees maintained a stack of 203 apps. In 2020, the numbers increased with an average organization of under 1,000 employees using 185 apps, and an enterprise of 1,000+ employees having a stack of 288 apps.

Workflow automation with no-code bots

The low-code/no-code narrative wouldn’t be complete without mentioning no-code bots and their role in workflow automation and business process automation. In a nutshell, a bot is an app designed to automate routine, repetitive tasks to eliminate manual work. The bots used for bot automation are pre-programmed to complete a task or a stack of repetitive tasks much faster than humans. Depending on the nature of the task, bots can be trigger-based, rule-based, scheduled, etc.

Robotic automation is used by organizations striving for location independence, minimizing manual effort, and reducing operational expenses to run routine digitized processes. Gartner reports that the use of robotic automation can save financial companies up to 25,000 hours of rework caused by human errors. On top of that fact, it is predicted that 90% of enterprises worldwide will have adopted some form of RPA by 2022.

Contrary to popular belief, robotic automation is not meant to replace the human workforce. In fact, the conversation is shifting towards a new blended workforce based on human-robot interaction. The no-code bot automation is all about humans delegating tedious tasks to software robots while focusing on more critical issues. For instance, airSlate’s Automation Bots allow users to set up a fully automated no-code workflow designed to fit specific business purposes.

In airSlate, all Bots are split into two categories — Automation and Integration.

• Automation Bots are used to automate a specific workflow by completing tasks like sending notifications, sending reminders, populating documents with CRM data, etc. 
• Integration Bots are used to integrate your workflow with cloud services, productivity tools, and streamline the storage of important information. They are used to transfer data from CRMs, SQL databases, spreadsheets, and other sources.

Leveraging airSlate Bots helps users streamline a vast scope of business operations — whether it’s contract management, employee onboarding, or patient intake, all within airSlate. In one example, a local recreational facility, In At The Deep End, automated their registration workflow with fast and simple airSlate forms. They also set up airSlate for internal purposes, when flow templates are either sent out on-demand or via a link within employee handbooks and on their own intranet.

It blew my mind that these tiny little bits of code (airSlate Bots) could be so powerful.

Mark Mc Nichol,
Owner of In at the Deep End

In another example, San Diego’s NewSchool of Architecture & Design was able to transform their form completion process using airSlate’s rule-based bot automation. They built the rules they required directly into their forms so that they are forwarded to the correct department for approval, and then back to the Registrar’s Office as an email sent directly into their Customer Management System.

Essentially, airSlate is paying for itself with the positive impact it has had on our workflow. Overall we have had a very positive experience with airSlate and are excited to see what new options they will continue to develop.

Allen G. Mutchler
Registrar, NewSchool of Architecture & Design

The future is no-code, and here’s why

• No-code supports the ‘cloud-forward’ approach

Government organizations and businesses of all sizes, across different industries, are now completely invested in cloud infrastructure. No-code solutions, with support for local and cloud versions, foster faster and more convenient cloud migrations. These solutions can be deployed to recreate critical business apps while helping organizations achieve new levels of productivity in the cloud.

• No-code aligns with hyper-agile architectures

Today, we are witnessing a shift toward hyper-agile architectures in business app development on cloud platforms. More and more organizations are embracing technologies that facilitate the seamless development of cloud-native apps. No-code solutions that support cloud-based app development will perfectly align with such software development trends.

• No-code supports the ‘data for everyone’ concept

In light of the global pandemic, the concept of “data for everyone” went mainstream. It emphasizes the importance of data democratization across teams and departments, enabling everyone within an organization to leverage data that they trust. The “data for everyone” approach empowers a workforce to get actionable insights from various datasets, while leadership teams can make more data-backed decisions. No-code platforms can help consolidate massive amounts of data together, presenting business experts with better reporting possibilities and descriptive dashboards. What’s more, these no-code platforms can be leveraged independently from the IT department.

• No-code paves the way to post-COVID recovery

Despite the pandemic being far from over, 2023 is projected to be the year of post-covid business recovery. Reduced in-office attendance and remote/hybrid workplaces will continue to dominate across organizations. No-code platforms, which helped to quickly deliver business apps during the pandemic, will continue to take over the development landscape, ensuring business continuity and growth.

The bottom line

The continuous digitization and transition to a remote/hybrid workplace will further promote the deployment of no-code solutions. Low-code/no-code technology helps organizations of any size automate routine workflows using resources at hand. Further deployment of cloud technology with developer environments will allow organizations to address talent shortages, while also providing employees with training possibilities and support. Eventually, no-code will close the gap between professional and citizen developers. The key to success is to choose the right toolset that facilitates a painless post-pandemic recovery.

Contact us to explore the possibilities of business automation with airSlate.
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The post Low-code vs no-code: What is no-code business automation and why is it vital for the future of business? appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

The Problem

By way of background, I spent four years as a full-time faculty member at a large public university in the United States. I taught a bunch of technology- and analytics-related courses in the school’s Department of Information Systems (IS). Brass tacks: if there was any department within the university that should have embraced automation, it was mine.

Sadly, however, the IS department — and the entire university, for that matter — largely relied on manual processes when automated ones existed. Here are a couple examples to illustrate my point.

Inefficient Process #1

First, every professor had to fill out mid-semester student academic status reports (ASRs). The rationale here was straightforward: to formally document the progress of students and allow for corrective action. That way, a student couldn’t say, “Professor! I had absolutely no idea that I was failing your class.”

To call the process inefficient would be the epitome of an understatement. Professors needed to do the following:

• Download all student grades from the Canvas — the school’s learning-management system (LMS).
• Launch a separate website where they needed to manually input students’ ASRs and recommended corrective actions. 
• Routinely hit the save and next buttons because the web app only displayed 30 students.

Professors with hundreds of students could expect to spend a minimum of three hours completing this manual process. If you think that this process was prone to error, trust your judgment.

The easier, faster, and safer way would have involved automation via a simple bot. After all, students with A’s could stay the course. Those with D’s and F’s, however, needed to meet with the professor.

Brass tacks: a simple if-then statement meant that professors could spend less time completing low-value manual tasks and more time teaching.

Inefficient Process #2

The second example demonstrates that the first wasn’t unique. Some professors used Slack in lieu of email or Canvas’ messaging functionality. (I was one of them and even wrote Slack For Dummies, but I digress.) Canvas remained the system of record. That is, students didn’t submit their assignments via Slack. Professors didn’t store student grades there. Talk about channel conflict.

Every semester, hundreds of professors created their project teams in Canvas. Although Canvas-to-Slack integrations existed, the school opted not to deploy them. As a result, professors would have to manually create their groups in both systems, unless they wanted to play with Python scripts. (Few professors wanted to invest the time, though.)

Beyond the initial stage of creating a group, a related problem stemmed from group maintenance. That is, when a student dropped a class or transferred into a different section, Canvas would automatically reflect the change — but Slack would not. Again, this forced the professor to manually alter Slack groups. (To be fair, my ex-employer was hardly unique; plenty of other universities face similar problems.)

Simon Says: retire manual business processes once and for all

If you think that a single employee wasting time every week doesn’t matter, allow me to politely disagree. Over the course of the semester, it adds up.

Every minute spent copying and pasting means one fewer minute instructing students. #automation #education @philsimon
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Beyond that drawback, think about the overall effect on worker morale. Organizations that persist in using traditionally manual processes implicitly minimize the value of their employees’ time. By way of contrast, progressive institutions identify inefficient business processes and automate them with simple low- and no-code tools. It’s not hard.

About the author

The post Automation in action by Phil Simon appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

As we progress through 2021, it’s becoming evident that no-code automation technology is going to shape technological advances for the next five to ten years. In this episode of The Startup Story podcast, Borya not only discusses the capabilities and limitations of no-code technology, but also shares his invaluable business insights on:

• How his lifelong desire to create a real impact in the world led him to founding airSlate.
• How his first company’s marketing platform combined with pdfFiller’s product allowed him to grow the business to 80 million users.
• How he believes technology that creates an economy upon its platform always wins.

Listen to The Startup Story episode with Borya Shakhnovich

The post Borya Shakhnovich, co-founder and CEO of airSlate featured on The Startup Story podcast appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

Reduce employee multitasking and burnout

It’s no overstatement to say that workers were overwhelmed before Covid-19—never mind now. Consider the results of a 2018 Gallup study¹ of nearly 7,500 full-time employees:

• 23% of employees reported feeling burned out at work very often or always
• 44% reported feeling burned out sometimes

23% of employees reported feeling burned out at work very often or always, while 44% reported feeling burned out sometimes #nocode #automation @airSlate
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Of course, reasons for employee burnout vary. There’s no one culprit. Near the top of many lists, however, is near-constant interruption while on the clock. Cal Newport makes this point in spades in his bestselling book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World².

Now, consider organizations that embrace automation via employing low- and no-code tools—a technique often called robotic process automation. Employees perform fewer manual tasks. They multitask less, stay focused, and are potentially less likely to burn out.

Watch the video below to learn the difference between no-code and low code tools, and find out how to choose a no-code platform for your business:

Reduce manual error

We’re just getting started with the benefits of low- and no-code tools. There are plenty of others. Here’s one of them: employees who constantly toggle back and forth between and among different applications are more likely to make mistakes. I’m talking about the accounts-payable clerk who either:

• Reenters key vendor information from invoices into an ERP system.
• Copies that data from one system and pastes it into another.
• Manually enters data into a spreadsheet.

In all three cases, a significant opportunity exists for massive errors. Perhaps most famously, let’s return to 2003. Electricity power generator company TransAlta lost $24 million because an employee copied and pasted incorrect data in Microsoft Excel³.

All things being equal, companies that embrace automation minimize the risk of these catastrophes.

Improve the work environment

Most countries’ labor laws distinguish between overtime-eligible and -ineligible jobs. The latter typically fall into the management bucket. Employees on annual salaries typically don’t receive any extra compensation from staying late or working on weekends. As such, many organizations lack sufficient incentive to reduce manual work via automation.

This all-too-common scenario is unfortunate. In all of my years, I’ve yet to meet an employee who enjoys manual work.

Organizations that automate manual tasks signal to workforces that management values their time. This can help stem employee disaffection and attrition and reduce employee burnout. #nocode #automation @airSlate
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Improve business processes

A great deal of academic research has shown that automation can vastly improve business processes. Studies abound⁴. At a high level, automating manual business processes can:

• Reduce employee labor costs
• Reduce error rates
• Manifest other areas for improvement.

Instill a culture of constant improvement

Automating discrete business processes can yield significant dividends, but there’s a larger benefit at play here.

I’ll conclude this post by referencing my favorite Japanese word is kaizen. Short for continuous improvement, it represents a mindset that the organization can always do better. Perhaps no organization embodies kaizen more than Amazon. As Brad Stone describes in his books⁵ on the e-commerce juggernaut, Amazon constantly ranks high in customer satisfaction surveys⁶ because its management is committed to doing better.

The Japanese word 'kaizen' means 'continuous improvement', representing a mindset that the organization can always do better. #nocode #automation @airSlate
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About the author

Phil Simon is a recognized technology and collaboration authority. He is the award-winning author of eleven books, most recently Reimagining Collaboration: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and the Post-COVID World of Work. He consults organizations on analytics, communications, strategy, data, and technology. His contributions have appeared in The Harvard Business Review, CNN, The New York Times, and many other prominent media outlets. He also hosts the podcast Conversations About Collaboration.

The post 5 Benefits of Using Low- and No-Code Tools by Phil Simon appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

Automation technologies help you optimize and grow your small business by helping you lower costs, minimize errors, reach new prospects, improve productivity and customer satisfaction, the list goes on. According to a 2019 report published by McKinsey, while small businesses are less likely to automate compared to larger companies, they are far more likely to achieve faster ROI after investing in automation.

On the topic of COVID-19, many small and medium-sized businesses face a very different set of challenges. For smaller companies that haven’t undergone robust digital transformations, remote collaboration is often limited to simple tools such as email.

Social distancing orders have made it impossible for many businesses to continue the paper-based processes or in-person transactions they use to rely on. Digitizing systems can go a long way towards helping SMBs make remote work possible. However, getting there is often much easier said than done.

No-code business process automation platforms create new possibilities for small businesses. They help optimize routine processes, increase the efficiency of sales operations, HR, and IT departments. SMBs use no-code BPM tools to save time and money they used to waste on manual operations. Moreover, no-code BPM tools eliminate any need for hiring developers and paying enormous amounts of money to integrate third-party applications.

Document Workflow Automation for Business Analysts

• Data collection
• Data management
• Business process efficiency

Enroll now

What is BPM?

Business Process Management software is a set of technologies created and combined to optimize business processes and workflows. The purpose of any BPM software is to manage a company’s business processes such as sales, HR, support systems, and so on.

Business processes that are run at a high rate, every day, make manual supervision and approval difficult. BPM software allows departments to automate processes and thus save time and money.

Why do small businesses need low-code or no-code BPMs?

Most small businesses do not have a large enough scale of operations to justify investing in complex BPM software. The number of transactions they carry out are often low in number. Small businesses, therefore, are OK with sacrificing automation in order to execute their processes manually, leaving all decision-making to the employees for the sake of keeping the workflow simple. Besides, SMBs don’t need to spend large amounts of time and money on implementation as doing so would still lead to complex, perplexing workflows.

This also means that employees operating the software for case management are reasonably clear about what steps are involved and what they need to do. There are no surprises for them, but compared to working with an automated platform, they may not be sure if skipping a step is correct or at risk of causing error.

Low-code and no-code software is more straightforward, clearer, and more intuitive. It allows users to define end-to-end business processes easily, via the use of more user-friendly interfaces. No-code software eliminates any need for hiring developers or paying huge sums of money to integrate third-party applications.

How no-code BPM works

The NewSchool of Architecture & Design is a leading provider of architecture, design, and construction management education. Their traditional methods for processing student applications gave way to a number of complications. One issue was the persistent buildup of hundreds of paper forms. This meant having to hire a part-time employee whose sole responsibility was to scan and file documents.

The biggest challenge came from students completing forms without including the required information before turning them in.

With airSlate BPM, NewSchool was able to create the rules they required directly in their forms so that they are forwarded to the correct department for approval. Once received, they could then be sent back to the Registrar’s Office in the form of an email that is received directly into their Customer Management System.

The benefits that NewSchool experienced as a result of implementing no-code automation into their processes include:

• Forms are now completely filled out when submitted
• Faculty no longer has to squint when reading student or staff handwriting
• Response times are significantly faster
• NewSchool staff can set up no-code form routing based on student data added to a form’s fields
• Greater workflow visibility allows faculty to assist with form completion and submission

Low code vs No-code: What’s the difference?

More and more small business process management solutions are making their way to the market. Some of these solutions are using the no-code approach so that end-users don’t have to worry about writing lines of code in order to use them.

Non-technical individuals, business owners, and basically anyone can use automation with any part of their business. This is possible thanks to the no-code platforms that allow every user to understand the sequence of required steps for running automated processes. This also helps enterprises empower millions of citizen developers to create and extend applications without the need for professional coding skills.

In case this is the first time you’re hearing about the no-code trend, you may have heard about low-code BPMs. Let’s get a better idea of the difference between these two types of solutions.

Low-code business process management tools

The programming language of low-code BPM software tools is less complicated than that of a traditional BPM. This means that going low-code allows for some flexibility and customizability. Companies can create multiple, unique, and different scenarios with low-code BPM software. But there are still some limitations where the rubber meets the road. A low-code BPM is less capable of developing complex business processes than a full-code BPM is. At the same time, these software types still face the same challenges as full-code platforms.

One of the benefits of going low-code is that people who don’t know much about programming can take part in the development process. Such “non-developers” are known as ”No-code Developers”, or “Citizen Developers”. 

No-code business process management tools

A no-code software means that all processes within the platform can be created without writing a single line of code or requiring any programming experience whatsoever. No-code software is also more straightforward, clearer, and more intuitive than complex and low-code software solutions. No-code software allows users to define end-to-end business processes easily, with more user-friendly interfaces.

In addition, the risk of coding errors, improper maintenance, backup failures, and system crashes are low. No-code can also be set up without prior coding, allowing users to get their system up and running in minutes.

How to choose a no-code platform for your small business

To better understand what your business needs, start by evaluating your everyday business processes: Which ones require the most time and resources?

Don’t try to capture everything at once. Take time to assess your processes individually in order to identify areas for improvement and ask whether your customers are satisfied, etc. This will ensure that you avoid the common mistakes that many small companies make when throwing money at expensive automation platforms believing they’ll solve all their problems.

A complete business process automation platform should cover:

• Document generation
• Contract management
• Contract negotiation
• E-signing
• Web forms
• PDF editing
• Online payments
• Online surveys
• Workflow analytics

At airSlate, we believe that you should have the freedom to optimize your processes. That means having access to flexible tools that adapt to your business and not the other way around.

Two of our most valued principles — aside from data security — are flexibility and fair pricing. We make it easy for you to check us out, try our tools, and see if airSlate is right for you. All you have to do is sign up for our Free plan. Our Free and Basic plans are identical in terms of functionality. The only difference is that the Free plan’s access to document Slates is limited to a 30-day period. Read our blog to learn more about the airSlate’s Free plan.

Automation is not only for enterprises

Automate your SMB with a no-code solution

Try airSlate

To better understand your small business needs, capabilities, and optimize your processes with no-code automation, we’ve launched the airSlate Academy. This is an educational portal for those looking to learn about automation, start a new career, demonstrate career growth, or implement a new high-tech solution in their workplace.

So, do I still need to learn how a no-code solution works?

Sure. If you don’t learn how to use the solution you pay for – you risk losing your money and time by getting stuck in one place. The good news is that with the airSlate Academy, you not only learn about automation and no-code, but also about optimizing different business processes, securing your data, and diving deeper into industry use-cases. All of that – absolutely for free.

Today, the airSlate Academy consists of 23 courses. You can complete each of them separately and attain a single course certificate for each one.

In addition, there are two certification programs consisting of several courses for those looking to take a deep-dive into business process automation. These are:

• The Automation Architect Program. In this program, you will learn how to master algorithms, tools, and analytics for designing and automating real-world business workflows as per the automation architect roles and responsibilities. The program consists of three levels — Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. Each of them is divided into two separate courses. 
• The Business Process Analyst Program. This program is aimed at those who want to master the ins and outs of workflow analytics to create fully-automated workflows. You learn how to get the most out of any business workflow by reducing the amount of time and money spent on routine processes.

Choose any online certification program for free (or both of them, why not?) to get everything you need to know about no-code automation for your small business as well as gain new knowledge in the business field.

Bottom line

No-code solutions democratize the automation of BPM for small businesses. They make deploying, automating, and sharing workflows fun and allow everyone in your organization to focus on what’s important: customers, career, and business success.

Whether you’re a small law firm or a local distribution company, there’s an automation solution waiting to make your life easier and your business more profitable. Automate your SMB with a no-code solution today!

Contact us to explore the possibilities of business automation with airSlate.
Fill out the form below to request a free demo!

The post How to efficiently automate an SMB with no-code BPM tools appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

airSlate premium features are available the moment you create a new Workspace, regardless of the subscription plan you’ve chosen. For your business, it’s the perfect opportunity to save.

It’s not free workflow automation if you have to spend a fortune “just to try”

Every low-code/no-code automation platform out there has its pros and cons. The benefits are pretty diverse and depend on things like industry, scale and architecture. The drawbacks, on the other hand, are quite clear.

• Expensive. In most cases, it takes hundreds, if not thousands of dollars to create and configure a workflow. For example, the standard pricing for a Nintex plan itself will cost you $850 month/10 before counting third-party integrations and deployment expenses.
• Problematic integrations. For every new integration there’s a new fee, especially if your workflow requires eSignatures, document generation, PDF editing, etc.
• Limited workspace. The lack of ability to support a large community makes it difficult to onboard new team members, which in turn, slows down collaboration within the system.
• Hidden APIs. No matter how low-code a free workflow automation solution is on paper, it still requires API programming, which makes the service complex for people who can’t code. 
• Limited flexibility. When it comes to governing your own workflows these solutions are often full of bottlenecks that leave you calling IT support every time your Flow needs to change.

Settling for less than an all-in-one solution is settling for wasted time

Still, the biggest disadvantage of most process automation services is that they’re only capable of processing certain parts of a workflow chain. If you want an end-to-end workflow solution, you have to pay over and over again for each new integration.

airSlate is the only platform that is natively multi-cloud, ensuring your workflows function across all your cloud applications at the same time.

You can create and manage almost any industry’s workflow in airSlate, including human resources, sales, finance, procurement, administration and many others.

All these business processes can… and should be!…configured and automated without the need to code APIs.

Start from the ground up and add more features later

Automation is just the tool, don’t expect it to do the job for you. The human touch is still essential to the success of any business looking for free workflow software online that will give them the jump start they need.

Use workflow mapping to define the steps needed to complete a workflow before throwing money at another vendor or integration. Keep things simple and don’t pressure your teammates with overwhelming and sophisticated automation strategies.

When a Free Trial is actually free forever

There are three subscription plans in airSlate: Free, Basic, and Business Cloud, each including a range of pretty useful automation and document management features:

Unlimited team Workspace

Online PDF editor and drag-and-drop web form builder

Legally-binding electronic signatures

Configurable workflow routing

Contract negotiation and management

Robotic process automation

Payment collection

Document generation

Analytics

airSlate’s Free plan provides you with a team Workspace, full-featured workflows and automation. Simply put, you can use every feature needed for automation for free with one exception, lifetime Flow history.

Comparing the Free and Basic plans there are no differences in functionality. The only difference is that the Free plan has a time-based retention limit for the document Flows you and your teammates create in your Workspace.

You don’t need to add any payment details to sign up for airSlate’s Free plan. Just enter your email, and start setting up your Workspace with just a few steps.

For every new Flow created, you’ll only have access to it for 30 days. However, the Flows never disappear. All you need to do to see your older Flows is subscribe to the Basic plan. Giving you full access to everything you and your teammates have created.

What’s the main idea behind free workflow automation

Contrary to what many believe, business process automation doesn’t have to be overwhelming, expensive, or confusing. You also don’t have to reinvent the wheel to make sure your company’s processes are adequately organized. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right approach.

With airSlate, everyone in your organization can finally focus on what’s essential: better customer experience, performance and business success. Upgrade your subscription whenever ready or cancel it any time with no obligations.

The post How airSlate’s smart pricing empowers free workflow automation appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

What’s the idea behind RPA?

Robotic Process Automation is yet another method of automating routine business processes. It uses software robots, or simply bots, that perform tasks without human intervention. They’re useful for everyday tasks, such as transaction processing, IT management and automated online assistants.

In fact, what RPA really does is:

a) removes existing workflow automation constraints, and
b) replaces repetitive processes with easily-configurable logic-driven workflows.

Of course, there’s an awareness that algorithms will soon replace more work tasks currently performed by humans. However, recent global labor market statistics prove the opposite. 40% of businesses expect to extend their workforce, and 25% expect automation to create new roles in the enterprise.

Since modern-day business decision-making requires precise, data-driven analytics, RPA adds to the development of so-called data-driven culture. This technique seeks to leverage data whenever possible, to enhance business efficiency and effectiveness. Data-first culture (one in which people automate data-driven decision-making so they can respond to changing market conditions in real-time) is the number one technique for every decision-making process these days.

Instead of replacing their staff with robots, companies choose to adopt smart strategies, such as staff augmentation. Not only does this technique enhance human-based workforces, but it also empowers employees to become citizen developers.

These facts lead us to a simple conclusion. The adoption of RPA, in fact, widens the range of tasks that can be accomplished by humans. When human workers are freed from the need to perform mundane, repetitive activities, there’s always more space for their uniquely human talents.

Watch the video below to get the concept of RPA explained in simple terms:

Less obvious RPA software benefits that are worth mentioning

For the first time in the history of automation, deploying and sharing workflows is actually fun. Automation aims to democratize corporate processes. It allows everyone in your organization to focus on what’s really important: customers, career and business success.

RPA offers a bunch of apparent benefits like better data management, accuracy, faster data processing, shorter backlog, and so on. But let’s focus on those we believe are not fully appreciated.

• Scalability. Which is probably the first thing every enterprise should think about. Without its core processes being adequately automated, even a successful startup is likely to face workflow bottlenecks.Along with improving teamwork and automating tasks, RPA software is the only way for your business to grow while supplying all the necessary components along the way.
• Reduced integration costs. Many businesses today trap themselves in API-driven servitude. Every time there’s a need to connect your product with an existing app, or website, you need to pay for custom API integrations.The RPA and no-code approach, on the other hand, brings you the possibility to design a robust, fully-automated business architecture without the necessity of purchasing integrations over and over again.
• Bot automation is more than just chat messages. RPA uses software bots, and no, they aren’t only capable of notifying workflow participants about specific changes in the workflow chain.When properly configured, Bots can complete any task for you without further action on your part by performing certain operations based on pre-set triggers and conditions.

When RPA software doesn’t help

RPA is a business strategy that does not replace a workflow but compliments it. After all, there are some basic patterns companies need to follow to ensure they use RPA effectively:

• Don’t imagine RPA for broken processes. RPA and bots are just tools in your hands, so don’t expect them to do your job for you. Use workflow mapping to organize work between teams and understand all the steps needed to complete a workflow before applying an RPA solution.
• Automating too much is a pothole. The human touch is essential to the success of RPA and AI. Intelligent automation solutions, like airSlate, use RPA to automate particular business processes while still leaving human workers in charge of the decision-making.
• Your RPA vendor doesn’t correspond to your business model. Imagine you’ve already figured out which of your business processes require automation. Now, your next big challenge would be finding a vendor that would ensure the seamless implementation of all the necessary tools as quickly as you need them.

How does RPA work on business process automation platforms?

Let’s see how RPA works on platforms like airSlate.

Any workflow you create, automate and manage in airSlate is called a Flow. Flows combine document and form templates with Bots configured to automate different actions under the conditions you set.

Anytime you send out a Flow to be completed, a new copy is automatically generated. You can create a reusable Template based off of the Flow you’ve created. Flow Templates in your Workspace can be edited, annotated and filled out without the need to change the initial Flow setup. All incoming Flows you receive from your business partners are always attached to the name of the person who completed the Flow. Meaning everything remains clear and transparent.

You can optimize any workflow using automation or integration Bots. No coding skills required. Bots automatically perform specific actions on pre-set triggers and conditions configured during the Flow setup.

When someone makes changes to a Flow, they create a new Revision.
No more confusion about who did what, or lost changes. Track all the edits in automatically saved versions of a Flow (revisions).

In addition to Flow revisions, you can track all the changes made by admins, team members and business partners in real-time via the audit log.

The whole automation process can be reduced to just 7 simple steps:

Step 1. Create a new Flow. Either create a brand new Flow from scratch or browse industry-specific Flow Templates and choose the one that matches your case exactly.

Step 2. Set up your Flow. Add the documents and forms involved in your process. Feel free to create, upload, or generate documents from scratch using the built-in editor. Add a payment or authorization form, request an attachment, or create a form, survey, or even a questionnaire.

Step 3. Edit the Flow documents. You can create a fillable and signable template out of any document in your Flow. If the document doesn’t have fillable fields, you can add them manually using the drag-and-drop wizard.

Step 4. Create roles. Assign authorizations and roles, allowing all the parties involved in the process to access and manage data within the Flow. Add Flow Admins. They will be able to modify and manage the Flow.

Step 5. Select and set up Bots. Choose the Bots that are right for your Flow and set them up according to intuitive IF-THEN statement logic.

Step 6. Set up permissions and share the Flow. Simply enter your recipients’ emails, specify their access permissions and mention in the attached message why you’re sharing this Flow with them.

Step 7. Lay back. Watch automation in action and enjoy the results!

If properly adjusted and customized, the Flow can successfully work for years. Every time there’s a change in the process, the Flow participants can easily change the Flow structure, as well as the automation settings without assistance from IT. It means that each workflow is, in fact, a finalized, standalone, and fully automated process.

Get workflows like this up and running in minutes, not days

• An insurance agent receives a claim from a customer and sends over an Insurance Claim form that has been automatically pre-filled with that client’s Salesforce data.
• The customer completes and signs the form online. Once finished, the form is automatically sent back to the agent’s manager.
• Once the manager has approved the form, a receipt is automatically generated using the document generator and is sent to the customer.
• Both the customer and agent receive instant email notifications confirming the Claim’s approval. A Bot then sends payment to the customer’s bank account.
• Part of the Claim form’s information is used to update the customer’s Salesforce record automatically. The Claim is then transmitted separately to the company’s internal record management system. At the same time, the receipt of the processed claim is saved to a folder in Dropbox.

If you’re looking for more examples of business processes being automated, take a free Industry Use Cases course from the airSlate Academy. The course is oriented towards business users looking to add practical benefits to their organization. It covers the challenges companies face when conducting business. It also provides a practical explanation as to what companies can get from implementing RPA in their day-to-day processes.

Other essential features that a good RPA solution must possess

Today, there are dozens of vendors on the market, and they’re all representing themselves as full-cycle workflow automation solutions. However, if you look at some of the most popular workflow automation platforms, you may find they‘re only capable of processing certain parts of a workflow chain.

• Security and compliance. Make sure your data is protected by industry-leading security standards, two-factor authentication and uses password-protect for documents. This is the only way you can ensure that your workflows can only be accessed by their intended recipients.
  Also, make sure that the software you choose allows you to archive and store documents in a single secure place. Additional advantages would be the ability to track all changes and analyze workspace activity with AI-powered widgets.
• Flexibility. A worthy no-code solution must be able to expand, change and adequately respond to every new challenge your business faces. You certainly don’t want to re-code your entire integration structure or use an API each time your workflow needs a new service added.
• Simple Bot creation interfaceсе. RPA tools should be quickly and effortlessly set up (including bots) to route and administrate document Flows.
• Single team workspace. Manage company workflows within a single team Workspace. Let teammates join a workspace by logging in with corporate emails, sending a Public link, or emailing others to join
• Out-of-the-box Integrations. The ability of an RPA solution to be easily integrable with various CRM and cloud systems (i.e., Salesforce, MS Dynamics 365, Google Sheets, MS Office 365) is essential for any business.

So what are the main points to remember about Robotic Process Automation

RPA removes existing workflow automation constraints and replaces repetitive processes with easily-configurable logic-driven workflows.

RPA improves data management, accuracy, fastens data processing and shortens backlog. It brings scalability to your business and reduces integration costs.

Bots, AI, and the global workforce are the future of workplace efficiency. Technology is now at a point where it’s simply cheaper, faster, and more reliable to have mundane tasks completed via automation.

Create a consistent process that will help your business thrive, improve competitiveness on the market, enhance overall performance and increase income.

Building engaging workflows strengthens relationships between businesses, employees and customers. Connect your essential business tools in one place and make Robotic Process Automation your project’s engine!

The post Automation here and now: processes you can improve with RPA software appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the basic concepts of the citizen-led innovation trend. If you’re looking for a practical guide to citizen development, explore one of our recent articles How to become a citizen developer: 5 steps to take charge of your company’s automation success.

Let’s get started!

Citizen development: a new low-code trend

First of all, what do we know about “cit devs” except for generalized stuff like, “someone who steps in to solve a business problem”? To start, let’s take a quick look at the citizen developer definition:

We live in the age of digital change. Any processes crucial to customer experience are quickly getting digitized and automated. There is no turning back. With high costs and constant compliance rules, businesses can no longer rely on old fashioned techniques to maintain successful performance.

For many of them, it means falling behind in the digital race. There is simply too much data, too many apps, and too many integrations.

Today, it’s clear that an effective business process has to be visually-driven and end-to-end at all times (without the need to write complex code and integrate multiple vendors). As a result, more and more companies empower their employees to become cit devs and help create new software.

With the low-code/no-code software market growing at roughly 40% annually, citizen development has already become a modern-day standard. What’s more, according to Dion Hinchcliffe, by 2025, citizen developers will be standing behind the creation of 90% of all apps.

Which citizen development benefits make this trend so popular?

• First, it empowers employees to design and build applications that can quickly grow and adapt according to the needs of the business.
• Secondly, it’s a visual process that uses pre-built modules. Cit devs can build apps quicker and arrange specific business processes without having to hire an army of expensive IT developers.

The lack of professional software developers has become a catalyst for the so-called citizen development culture. But what is a citizen developer? What are key citizen developer skills? How to become a citizen developer? Watch the video below to learn more:

How citizen developers reshape the face of app development

If you think about it, citizen development isn’t something brand new. Businesses have always built essential isolutions with spreadsheets, SQL databases, etc. with or without IT approval (this is called “Shadow IT”).

To tackle Shadow IT, organizations can foster the idea of citizen developers among their workforce. By providing employees with the necessary training, tools, and guidelines, they can unleash their creativity and problem-solving skills through approved channels, curbing the temptation to turn to unauthorized applications and processes.

Software engineering is evolving like any other form of technology. The growth gives users the ability to solve more creative, complex problems while having limited developing or coding skills. After all, developers who once bought servers and designed complex backend systems can now buy ready-to-use services from Amazon, Microsoft, or Google with a credit card.

While traditional digital application development requires thousands or even millions of lines of code, the low-code approach makes it easier to develop applications. It makes development easier by using a drag-and-drop interface combined with integrations. In fact, becoming a successful citizen developer today is a matter of adopting the right toolset.

Feel free to create something new

Build apps using a no-code platform

Try airSlate

Responding to a need

Typically, citizen developers build applications to improve their day-to-day productivity or improve an existing business process. The problem is that their corporate environments can be limiting to creativity.

With airSlate, you can create a Flow Template that will work as a separate application. An app that will track stock in the warehouse, organize data collection, workflow management, etc. What’s more, you can automate your business processes with no need to pay extra for third-party solutions and API-integrations.

If properly adjusted and set to your business, the Flow Template can successfully work for years:

• You don’t need an IT department or any engineering support to work with airSlate.
• You can track anything in airSlate without automating everything. Processes can start flexible and become more automated later.

What does airSlate have to offer?

Unfortunately, we aren’t mind-readers, so we’ve created a genuinely intuitive pick-up-and-go solution for you. Unlike many other low-code automation vendors, it arms a developer with a toolset to set up workflows faster, easier, and better than ever.

Start by mapping out your business process to bring more clarity to operations. And then use airSlate’s automation or integration Bots to improve processes that are important to your business’s success.

This is how it works in airSlate:

1. Create a Flow and upload the documents and forms involved in the process.
   
2. Adjust the Bots based on intuitive IF-THEN statement logic.
   
3. Assign permissions and roles, allowing everyone involved in the process to access and manage the data within the Flow.
   
4. After everything is ready, send the Flow.

Participants can easily change the Flow structure, or the automation settings anytime the process changes. Assistance from IT isn’t necessary. It means that each workflow, is in fact, a finalized, standalone and fully automated process.

Summing up

Business developers shouldn’t be working with outdated systems or performing tasks manually. It’s not profitable. It’s frustrating for everyone and leads to bad customer experience.

airSlate is a perfect choice for citizen developers seeking to push their company forward using nothing more than their initiative.

The post Citizen developers: all you need to know to govern the trend appeared first on airSlate Blog | Business automation.