Process automation: this way you can immediately save time on time-consuming activities (5 examples)

Automation is the future. More and more companies are choosing to automate processes. You don't replace people, you support them with smart technology. What does it give? Less costs and more time for important work.

Sounds great, right? In this blog, you'll discover how to do that, which processes you can tackle, and how automated time registration helps with that.

First digitize, then automate

You can't just start automating. First, you need to digitize your processes. That means: making everything that is still on paper digital. Think of paper invoices, handwritten timesheets, or files in files.

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Why digitize?

‍Digital data is faster to process and easier to analyse. Without digital data, a computer cannot take over a task. It's like asking a robot to flip through a paper stack - that doesn't work. By digitizing, you lay the foundation for automation. Then you can outsource tasks to software that does the work for you.

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💡 Read more about this in this blog digital time registration vs. automatic time registration.

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How do you approach automation?

So, you want to automate. But where do you start? Follow these steps:
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1. Map your processes: Look at what you do every day. Which tasks take a lot of time? Which tasks are repetitive? This helps you see where the biggest profit can be made.
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2. Choose the right tools: There are many automation tools, such as time registration apps, billing and/or accounting programs (such as: Exact Online whether Afas) and workflow tools. Choose what suits your processes.
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3. Test and Deploy: Start small. First, try automating one process and see how you like it. Does it work well? Then you can expand to other processes.
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4. Monitor and improve: Automation doesn't mean you're done. Keep an eye on the results and see where more can be improved. This is how you get the most out of it.

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The benefits of automation

What does automation deliver? A lot. Here are the main benefits:
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• Less time spent on administration: You no longer have to manually enter hours or create invoices manually. That's what the software does for you.
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• Fewer errors: A computer doesn't make typos. Automation ensures accurate data and reduces the risk of mistakes.
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• Save costs: Spending less time on administrative work means that your staff works more efficiently. That saves money.
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• Better overview: Automation provides clear data and reports. This way, you can see at a glance how projects are doing.

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These are 5 processes that you can automate

Manually keeping track of hours, processing data in Excel and checking everything afterwards not only takes time, but also causes frustration. By automating this process, you can recover time and ensure that all data is accurate and up to date. How does that work? Let's have a look.

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1. Automating time registration

Time registration is a time-consuming task for many companies. Employees write down their hours, someone enters them and everything still has to be checked. With a tool, this can be done faster and easier.
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• How does it work? With an app, employees can automatically keep track of their hours. Start a timer when you start a project, and the app records the time. Ready with a task? Beautiful. Then you stop the timer and the hours are automatically registered. At the end of the day or week, all hours are neatly in the system.
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• What does it look like? No more hassle with Excel files. The app keeps track of all hours and automatically sends reports to the manager. This way, you always have up-to-date insight into the progress of projects.

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2. Automate billing

Making invoices is often tedious work. Collect hours, calculate amounts, put everything in an invoice... It takes a lot of time. Automation makes this a lot easier.
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• How does it work? Connect your time registration system to your accounting system. For example, hours worked are automatically converted into invoices.
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• What does it look like? Your hours are neatly stored in the system, and the software immediately invoices them. All you have to do is click “send”. Outstanding invoices? You can set up automatic reminders so customers pay on time.

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3. Automate reports

Prepare the same report every month or quarter? That can be smarter. Automated reports ensure that you always have insight into your figures.

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• How does it work? Set your software to automatically generate a report based on the data in your systems. This way, you get a regular overview of, for example, turnover or hours worked. Or link your apps to a tool, such as Power BI. With Power BI, you can visualize your data at a glance.
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• What does it look like? You no longer have to gather data from different systems. The software collects everything for you and forwards it at the desired time. All you have to do is look at the report.

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4. Automate customer communication

You want to stay in good contact with your customers, but that often takes a lot of time. From sending updates to appointment reminders — automation can help here.
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• How does it work? Use automated email and notification tools. Customers get updates on the progress of their project, or appointment reminders, without you having to worry about it.
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• What does it look like? As soon as a new customer signs up, a welcome email can be sent automatically. And during a project, the customer receives a weekly status update in the inbox. This way, everyone stays up to date without you having to do any extra work.

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5. Automating project management

Project management is often arranged a lot: creating new tasks, informing teams, and monitoring progress. This can be easier.
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• How does it work? Connect your project management software to other tools, such as your CRM or time tracking system. For example, new customers are automatically created as projects, and team members receive automatic notifications about their tasks.
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• What does it look like? As soon as you add a new customer to your CRM, a new project is immediately created in your project management tool. All employees involved receive a notification telling them what to do. So your team can get started right away - hassle-free.

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Automate time registration: efficient and time-saving

Time registration often takes longer than necessary. A tool automates the process. Your employees start a timer in the app and the software does the rest. Hours are automatically linked to the right project and reports are immediately available.

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More efficient project management

Automatic time recording gives you better insight into how time is spent on projects. This helps you to:
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• Better planning of projects: You know how much time is spent on each project, which helps to make realistic schedules.
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• Find inefficiencies: By looking at where time is lost, you can improve processes.
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• Employing staff smarter: You can use employees more effectively based on their workload.

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Cost savings

By automating time registration, you can save in various ways:
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• Less manual work: Automation reduces the risk of errors and saves time entering data.
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• Faster billing: Customers receive invoices faster based on accurate time registration, which ensures better cash flow.
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• Work more efficiently: You can carry out projects better and cheaper if you know exactly where the time is going.

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Better decisions with data

Automatic time recording provides valuable information. This helps you make better choices:
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• Insight into productivity: You'll see how effective your team is and where improvements can be made.
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• Better understanding costs: You can calculate exactly what projects cost, which helps with future decisions.
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• Ongoing improvements: Use the collected data to make processes better and better.

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Implementation of automatic time recording

If you decide to switch to automatic time recording, follow these steps:
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1. Choose the right tool: Find a time tracking app that's a good fit for your business.
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2. Train your team: Make sure everyone understands how the new tool works.
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3. Make clear agreements: Explain how and when employees should record their time.
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4. Evaluate and improve: Check progress regularly and adjust things if necessary.

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Possible challenges and solutions

There may be some obstacles to implementation:
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• Resistance to change: Some employees may be afraid of new technology. Provide them with information and training to reassure them.
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• Technical issues: Provide good technical support in case of problems.
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• Data quality: Make sure employees register accurately. This can be done with clear guidelines and training.

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Are you ready for automation?

We understand that it can sometimes be a challenge to see what an application can do for you. You may have a clear overview of your business processes and know where to make improvements, but you have no idea what technical options are available. In that case, we would be happy to think along with you.

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Want to learn how TimeChimp can help your business? That's possible. Click on the link and try out all of TimeChimp's features free for 14 days. No snags, just pure time savings.

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