The Procurement Glossary » Workflow Automation
Workflow Automation
Technology & Systems
Definition
The automated routing of tasks, approvals and notifications according to predefined business rules.
Explanation
Workflow automation ensures requisitions, contracts and invoices move to the right people in the right order, with reminders and escalations built in. It enforces policy consistently, shortens cycle time and creates a complete audit trail.
Example
A workflow automatically escalates any approval sitting untouched for two days to the next manager.
Related terms
- Approval Workflow — The defined sequence of authorisations a requisition, order or invoice must pass through before it can proceed.
- Approval Hierarchy — The ordered chain of approvers through which a purchase must pass, typically escalating with value.
- Procurement Automation — The use of software to perform procurement tasks with little or no manual intervention.
- Audit Trail — A complete, time-stamped record of the steps and approvals in a transaction, showing who did what and when.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Workflow Automation?
The automated routing of tasks, approvals and notifications according to predefined business rules. Workflow automation ensures requisitions, contracts and invoices move to the right people in the right order, with reminders and escalations built in. It enforces policy consistently, shortens cycle time and creates a complete audit trail.
Can you give an example of Workflow Automation?
A workflow automatically escalates any approval sitting untouched for two days to the next manager.
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