Automation technologies are at the heart of an ongoing revolution in business. There is almost no space that new processes and tools haven't reached. From customer-facing applications such as chatbots to back-office assistants automatically processing checks or invoices, the solutions possible are only limited by ingenuity and creativity today. With access to the Tungsten Marketplace, deploying effective automation and capitalizing on improvement opportunities is even simpler.

Filled with solutions created by professionals and experts in their fields, the Marketplace acts as a key resource for companies undergoing their digital transformation. Not every problem needs a brand-new solution every time—and we're proud to provide a central location for developers and others to share things that have worked well for them. Using these resources can slash development time and speed up your pace toward activating new automation workflows.

However, identifying the right choice for your needs requires some home-work with so many selections. Achieving buy-in for automation projects depends partly upon efficiency and a faster time to achieve a positive ROI. So how do you make a smart choice? The answer involves knowing what's available and developing a plan for evaluating your options.

Understand the different types of solutions available

Tungsten Automation solutions embody almost every business process, from document processing to business process management. Using the Marketplace is a simple way to extend the functionality of these applications even further to achieve substantial improvements. The first step towards doing so is identifying what extras you might need.

The Tungsten Marketplace includes many solutions ready for customization and deployment. You'll be able to choose among:

• Connectors that bridge the gap between different business soft-ware to facilitate better, faster work.
• Apps designed to serve specific workflow purposes, such as empowering teams in the field using their mobile devices.
• Dashboards for gathering and visualizing data.
• Pre-built automation frameworks and templates to improve deployment time and more.

So, which is best for your business?

What should factor into your decision?

With a sense of what's available, it's time to begin dialing in precisely what you and your teams need. Is it a business software connector? Do you need a special app for a specific workflow? Deciding which solution is best for you involves a multi-step process considering several important factors. Here are the things that should enter into your decision-making process.

What kind of process do you intend to automate? Start by looking at departmental issues or concerns. Engage with those involved in operations to learn about pain points and areas where automation could be a boon. For example, accounts payable employees often struggle with tedious, outdated document-based processes.

Using that example, you would determine which elements of the AP process you want to modify. You could then sort through the Marketplace by solution type or by which Tungsten software you want to extend.

It's also important to consider the level of automation you will need from a Marketplace solution. Some needs are relatively minor, such as when you must poll data from one program and move it into another solution. In other cases, you may need a multi-step software robot capable of handling a more rigorous process—such as "three-way matching" of purchase orders, invoices, and receipts in accounts payable.

Don't overcommit. Automate what your teams need right now, and re-evaluate later. Instead of overhauling an entire process overnight, identify elements you can improve in turn. This way, you can find solutions that let you realize quick wins for a positive return while planning for more significant moves over time.

Don't automate a process just for the sake of automation; a poorly-configured or ill-considered automation plan can lead to failures that necessitate rolling back to manual processes. Not only does this lead to financial impacts, but it can constrain future efforts to remain competitive by embracing automation. Before exploring the Marketplace, it's vital to consider how these efforts will generate value for the company.

As you examine apps and other solutions in the Marketplace, think about the "on the ground" effects of automating. To stick with the AP example, consider how much it costs to process one invoice with your current processes. Set a benchmark level you'd like to achieve with automation so you can measure your success. Asking how the business can improve with a given solution is critical.

Does your business have many proprietary and custom processes, or can an "out of the box" automation solution satisfy your needs? Be sure to take a step back to consider this element. Marketplace solutions are highly flexible, so opportunities to undertake additional customization still exist. However, some companies will find a better result and a faster ROI by simply adapting solutions into their workflows without extensive additional work.

Creating a successful roadmap toward automation can seem like a massive undertaking at first. However, the combination of Tungsten software and Marketplace solutions is powerful enough to help you start recognizing real improvements sooner rather than later. By asking the right questions and soliciting input from those involved in your processes, you can identify the Marketplace options best suited to address your use case.

Find solutions ready for use today on the Marketplace

Automation can be a potent tool, but it requires careful planning and fore-thought to use to its best possible effect. By developing procedures that enable your business to analyze its automation opportunities effectively, you can avoid common pitfalls and strive for real wins. Knowing the order in which to automate your processes is almost as powerful as the ultimate deployment of automation itself.

The Tungsten Marketplace contains many solutions ideal for addressing concerns across many industries and job roles. By applying the procedure out-lined above to your workflow, you can more easily find the robots, apps, or connectors your teams need to reach the next efficiency level. Where will your automation journey take you next?