Best Business Process Documentation Software

Nowadays there exists a plethora of tools for software developers and engineering teams to automate their business processes, be it for project management, requirements gathering, documentation creation or code generation. But the major question is which business process automation software to choose when you need a tool that will support your development needs.

Business process documentation software helps in creating automated business processes. With digitization, there is an increase in the amount of information and processes involved. Processes become more varied and complex, leading to more potential lines of human communication that can create a gap in understanding. This gap is bridged by business process documentation software to ensure that each person involved in the process understands their responsibilities. This article takes a look at how best business process documentation software will help you put your processes into action.

Finding the best business process documentation software for your business can seem like quite a daunting task. However, when you break down the features, cost and free options available, it’s not as hard as it first seems.

When it comes to documenting business processes, there are a lot of options available. You see lots of words being thrown around when it comes to business process automation and software. Terms like BPM software, workflow software, business process documentation tools and even workflow tools are all used interchangeably. So what does that mean for people looking for help with their business process documentation needs?

What is process management software?

Process management software helps your business run more efficiently by giving you a defined process for doing things. It’s often used by mid to enterprise level organizations to help them automate business processes via a series of different workflow apps. While it may once have been out of reach of smaller businesses, it has advanced to the point where it allows them to compete with much larger organizations.

It’s also worth noting that it can be necessary in heavily regulated industries, such as finance or healthcare, in order to remain compliant.

All types of business processes can be grouped, analyzed, and improved, including:

Employee onboarding
Expense reporting
Vacation requests
Account management
Time tracking
Compliance
Loan origination
Invoicing
Project management
Customer relationship management (CRM)

Business process management systems (BPMS) tend to focus on longer term analysis that’s carried out on a regular basis, rather than one-off events, such as launches of a new app or product. The best business process management software includes workflow and task management options, meaning that you can keep an eye on activity as it compares to the intended process.

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What does a process management system do?

A business process system provides a way to improve and standardize processes in an organization. It helps to eliminate manual errors and gaps in processes, whilst improving compliance and efficiency.

There are several kinds of BPM suites that can be categorized by their purpose in an organization. These are:

System-centric BPM, which handles processes that rely on legacy systems. For example, a CRM without much human involvement. If implemented correctly, system-centric process management software is highly integratable with API access able to create fast and efficient business processes. One example is online banking, which may include various software systems in combination.
Human-centric business process management suites support processes that are carried out by people. This software involves processes that need access control for approvals and tasks carried out by employees. An example of this type of software could include customer service, complaint management, onboarding new employees, etc.

These both have different advantages and disadvantages. With system-centric BPM you may find that focusing on systems rather than employee workflow doesn’t help your team – it doesn’t provide them information on how to improve, or show how process should work across different systems and departments. With human-centric BPM, the opposite can happen. While it’s a great way to improve individual and team workflows, without tracking activities related to processes or integration with existing applications, you won’t see the full benefit.

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What are the benefits of a business process management system?

As a business grows it becomes impossible to personally oversee everything. You can’t be constantly putting out fires, so you need to be sure your team can handle the business processes in the same way you would. This means you need to implement standardized processes across business workflows.

1. Risk reduction

A BPM tool provides visibility into business processes, making it easier to spot errors. This gives organizations a way to work more efficiently and save money. It also enables processes to work at a consistently high level so they’re executed right the first time, every time.

2. Better control of operations

No matter how good your business processes, you need to have a 360 degree view of who’s running what and where. With process management software you can access all this information in real time via an API dashboard – along with charts to help monitor progress and performance.

3. Improved collaboration

When you’re running a lot of tasks at the same time, good collaboration is essential. Collaboration tools including messages, file sharing systems, and notifications can make communication easier and ensure everyone is on the same page in real time. This helps to reduce data redundancy and fix business issues quickly.

4. Agility via automation

A key feature of business process management software is the ability to create smooth design processes so that changes can be made rapidly and easily to suit the needs of an organization.

5. Increased productivity

A process management solution can measure process performance when integrated with your business processes data storage systems. Then you can quickly see and identify endpoints that need improvement and maximize revenues. By getting rid of bottlenecks you can eliminate redundant processes and make improvements that will increase performance.

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How to successfully implement process management software in your business

It’s a good first step to be aware you need to streamline your business processes, but actually putting it into practice can be tricky. It’s not enough to simply have processes in place, they must be properly implemented.

Creating a process shouldn’t be static, or about presenting others with rigid documentation that doesn’t have their input. This won’t deliver the consistency and efficiency benefits that process management should be delivering.

To achieve optimum efficiency in processes, you need to integrate them with workflows and make process creation a team effort. Teams should be able to contribute and potentially own process. Here are a few ways to help you get things right – from the start.

1. Take an objective approach

If you want to implement robust processes, you need to step back and look at the big picture. It’s often difficult to see the things that made your business a success if you’re too involved. You need to hand over daily tasks to junior staff, and this won’t work if you store everything in your head. Ask yourself how you can remove yourself from every aspect of running your business.

If you deal with clients, how can that service be replicated? While you may be used to managing clients in a specific way, what’s obvious to you may not be obvious to other team members. You need to work out how to break things down into repeatable optimized processes.

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2. Be flexible

Don’t set business rules in stone or try to get others to do everything the way you do yourself. If your processes are too rigid you could create an inflexibility in the company that means you can’t respond to changes. Allow some leeway, and remember that people should be given the responsibility to make sensible decisions and modify changes if necessary.

As they carry out tasks, employees will begin to develop insights into the processes from close up, and they are therefore capable of identifying if and how processes could be improved.

3. Empower don’t control

Process should be seen as a way to empower rather than control your team. It’s important that everyone is onboard with the processes from the start, and understand how they will interact with them. Processes shouldn’t be looked at as a series of boxes to be ticked, but tools your employees need and appreciate, and that are in place so they can do their jobs better.

You need to determine which tasks can be automated via which systems – and what your team needs information-wise to be able to implement them.

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Must-have features of process management software

When you’re searching for process management software, make sure it has the following capabilities:

Be user-friendly with an intuitive user interface that allows you to utilize its functionalities code free. Then you can create processes and forms, as well as capture insightful information on how each process flows, so team members are on the same page.
Seamless integration with a variety of different tools to ensure good project management and that employees can share data and resources easily and efficiently.
Real-time analytics, to understand which processes are being used, and how successful they are. A BPM platform should be able to track both the success and failure of processes via metrics, and allow you to create visualizations, such as gantt charts, along with the ability to take steps to facilitate improvements and ensure compliance.
Be capable of process mapping with visual workflows and allow you to create an audit trail of any changes to process and workflows to support compliance.
Embrace mobile optimization so that team members can create their own working environment and access the software remotely from a smartphone.
Offer relevant process templates, but also give you the ability for customization so that processes are built around your company and its requirements.

When Does It Make Sense to Invest In Business Process Management Software?

#1 – Zoho Creator — Best For Most

Zoho Creator

Best For Most

Create custom applications to streamline and optimize your business processes using this low-code platform. Seven million users with more than six million apps created. 50+ pre-built templates with various industry-specific solutions available. Free plan with one application to try it out. Paid plans start at $10 per user per month, making it the most affordable option on this list.>> 15-Day Free Trial

Zoho Creator is the most affordable option on this list. And it’s also perfect for anyone interested in creating custom applications to streamline and optimize their business and why we have it best for most users on this list.

This low-code platform makes the process easy, regardless if you know how to code or not. And they’ve helped over seven million users create more than six million apps for everything you can imagine.

From simple applications to complex systems, Zoho Creator helps you amplify and streamline app development with features like:

An ecosystem of visual builders
Built-in code editors
50+ pre-built templates
Workflow automation creator
Pre-built connectors
Multi-device support
Advanced user access
Forms, analytics, and AI
Notifications and reminders
Online payments

Furthermore, you can publish and share entire apps or small pieces and decide who gets read, write, and edit access to everything. Plus, every app you create is fully customizable to match your brand for a white-glove experience which just another reason more and more users start and stay with this business process provider.

They also offer industry-specific solutions for education, logistics manufacturing, non-profit, and retail as well as remote work and digital workplaces to empower teams across industries working anywhere in the world.

You can create a free account to get started, ideal for any user looking to see what this is all about at no risk.

However, you can only build one application. And their paid plans are affordable for teams of all sizes. So, I highly recommend upgrading once you decide if Zoho’s right for you.

Pricing plans include:

Basic — $10 per user per month (up to three applications)
Premium — $20 per user per month (up to 50 applications)
Ultimate — $35 per user per month (unlimited apps and minimum of 10 users)
Enterprise — Custom pricing (starts at 200 users)

And if you need more functionality, their Plus Edition plan includes access to Zoho Creator, Flow, and Analytics for $40 per user per month with a minimum of ten users.

Start your 15-day free trial to take Zoho Creator for a test drive today!

#2 – Process Street — The Best BPM for Small Businesses

Process Street

Best for Small Businesses

Simple and powerful business process management software built specifically for non-technical users. Create recurring tasks, checklists, and automated workflows with the intuitive drag and drop process builder. Collaboration tools and pre-built templates included. Pricing starts at $12.50 per user per month.>> 14-Day Free Trial

Many BPM tools are complicated and explicitly built for tech-savvy teams. However, that’s not the case with Process Street. It’s simple, powerful, easy to use, and affordable, making it perfect for small businesses without dedicated IT support.

Plus, companies like Airbnb, Spotify, and Gap leverage Process Street to simplify and automate their business processes as well. So, it’s not reserved for small businesses by any means.

The software makes it easy to turn recurring tasks, checklists, and workflows into automated processes that run in the background while you focus on other aspects of running your business.

Furthermore, you get access to features like:

Drag and drop process building
Workflow and checklist assignees
Completion notifications
Conditional if/then logic
Advanced approval processes
1,000+ integrations
Form-based data collection
Rich media and content
Scheduled checklists
Internal conversation tool

You can use Process Street for processes like employee onboarding, monthly reporting, building maintenance, candidate screening, invoice generation, and more.

Plus, their pre-built template library can help you kickstart the setup process to get your workflows and automations going as quickly as possible.

You can use them as a baseline for your unique business processes, so you don’t have to start from scratch.

Process Street offers three different pricing plans, each of which comes with unlimited processes, templates, and checklists. Those plans include:

Basic — $12.50 per user per month
Standard — $25 per user per month
Enterprise — Custom pricing only

Snag your 14-day free trial to take Process Street for a test drive today.

#3 – Pipefy — The Best BPM for Customization and Flexibility

Pipefy

Best for Customization

Highly flexible business process management software trusted by IBM, Warner Brothers, and Volvo. All of the automation, communication, visualization, and organization tools you need to streamline and automate business processes in any department. Pre-built processes and a limited free plan are available. Paid plans start at $18 per user per month.>> Try it for Free

Pipefy is a workflow management software at its core. However, the flexibility level makes it the most customizable solution perfect for anyone interested in a flexible way to optimize and improve their business processes.

At least teams at companies like IBM, Warner Brothers, Toyota, and Volvo think so.

This solution works by combining all the organization, automation, and communication tools you need into one platform.

And they understand that processes look different from department to department and business to business. Because of that, you can customize every process you create phase by phase with conditional fields, integrations, and intuitive automation features.

However, Pipefy doesn’t just help optimize your processes. It enables you to visualize them too.

When you sign up, you can start:

Automating tasks and processes with triggers
Uploading info from anywhere (i.e., forms or emails)
Visualizing due dates, progress, and workloads
Creating approval flows
Connecting processes
Sending automated emails
And more

They also offer prebuilt process templates for specific teams, including finance, customer service, human resources, and marketing.

Pipefy offers a limited free plan that lets you create simple automations and workflows, use their prebuilt plug-and-play templates, and share public forms. However, I highly recommend upgrading to a paid plan once you decide it’s right for you.

Each paid plan comes with unlimited workflows, users, and cards, whereas the free plan significantly limits your usage. Paid plans include:

Business — $18 per user per month
Enterprise — $30 per user per month
Unlimited — Custom pricing only

#4 – Kissflow — The Best All-in-One Business Management Software

Kissflow

Best All-in-One Management Software

Kissflow’s Digital Workplace solution combines process, project, and case management with all the collaboration features you need. Kissflow Process is a powerful standalone BPM software built for non-technical users. Task management, dynamic routing, and visual workflow builder included. Trusted by Pepsi, Uber, Dominos, and Rockwell Collins. Process paid plans start at $360 per month for up to 30 users.>> Try it For Free

Kissflow is a bit different than the other options on our list. They offer various business management tools, one of which is a business process management software. You can pick and choose between their tools or opt for an all-in-one solution.

The Digital Workplace solution includes process management, project management, case management, and collaboration tools.

So, it’s an excellent choice if you’re looking for a robust, all-inclusive system to run your business.

However, if you don’t need all of those tools, their process management software is powerful on its own. It includes features like:

Completely customizable fluid forms
Drag and drop visual workflow builder
Advanced user access controls
Customizable reports and analytics
Process optimization options
Dynamic routing and business rules
In-depth task management
Internal activity feeds and doc sharing

You also get access to more advanced features, including SLA monitoring, dynamic task assignment, extensive rest APIs, and smart alerts.

Kissflow Process includes everything you need to create, visualize, automate, and optimize your business processes from day one. It’s easy to use, even for non-technical users, and you don’t need to know anything about coding to build a robust system.

Plus, it’s hard to go wrong with an impressive customer base including Pepsi, Uber, Dominos, and Rockwell Collins.

Process pricing plans include:

Starter — $360 per month for up to 30 users
Growing — $490 per month for up to 50 users
Enterprise — $1,000 per month and starts at 100 users

The all-inclusive Digital Workplace software starts at $480 per month for up to 30 users and includes four of Kissflow’s business management tools with a more robust set of features.

#5 – Kintone — The Best for Nonprofit Organizations

Kintone

Best for Nonprofits

Trusted by United Way, Alzheimer’s Association, and LiveWell Colorado. Specialized business process management solution for nonprofits at a highly discounted annual rate. Thousands of pre-built applications added daily. Task management, visual automation builder, and built-in collaboration tools included. Nonprofit plans start at $300 per year for up to 50 users, making it $0.50 per user per month with a free trial available.>> Try it For Free

If you’re a nonprofit organization looking for an affordable way to streamline, automate, and optimize your business processes, Kintone is a smart choice.

Today, they help empower nonprofits like United Way, The Locker Project, Alzheimer’s Association, and LiveWell Colorado.

Their specialized business process management solution is built exclusively for nonprofits, and it’s offered at a significantly discounted rate. From fundraising to automating routine tasks, the software exists to help you amplify your impact without breaking the bank.

With Kintone, you can manage your contact information, automate donor outreach, mobilize specific programs, and create custom workflows or applications to help you and your team save time while changing people’s lives.

Their other powerful features include:

1,000s of new pre-built applications added every day
Numerous integrations and add-ons
Advanced user-based permissions
Endless app customization
Intuitive task management
Completely custom automated workflows
Accessible on every device
Built-in conversation and collaboration tools
In-depth analytics and reporting

Plus, it’s all 100% code free and perfect for non-technical users—no IT support required.

There are tons of pre-built applications, including project management, recruitment, expense reporting, equipment management, travel, photo records, and more.

Alternatively, you can create your own from scratch with Kintone’s intuitive drag and drop application builder. Plus, you can integrate your apps with the tools you’re already using to run your organization.

Nonprofit pricing starts at $300 per year for up to 50 users. This breaks down to $.50 per user per month, making it incredibly affordable for nonprofit organizations of all sizes.

#6 – iGrafx — The Best Enterprise-Grade BPM

iGrafx

Best Enterprise-Grade BPM

Custom-fit business process management solutions for enterprise businesses interested in bringing their visions to operational reality. Cloud-based platform that adapts to meet your specific needs. Specialized solutions for seven different industries included. Custom pricing only with a 30-day free trial to test it out.>> 30-Day Free Trial

If you’re an enterprise business interested in bringing your visions to operational reality, iGrafx is the leading enterprise-grade business process management software on the market.

They understand that bringing your business ideas to life is much easier said than done.

So, they created a custom-fit solution to help you find clarity within your business processes to drive forward change.

With iGrafx, you can:

Digitally transform and automate essential processes
Optimize and personalize the customer buying experience
Systemize risk and compliance with legal regulations
Improve quality and information management processes
Manage and systemize fluid processes over time
Create department-to-department alignment

They don’t call themselves a business transformation platform for no reason. Their cloud-based platform lets you conquer modern challenges with strategic, optimized, and automated business processes across your entire business.

Plus, it’s designed to adapt to meet your needs rather than the other way around.

iGrafx offers products to help with capture and discovery, optimization, workflow automations, RPA acceleration, journey mapping, risk and compliance, and performance management.

On top of that, there are specialized solutions for seven different industries.

Because every deployment is custom-fit to match your business, you have to contact their sales team to learn more about pricing and finding the optimal solution. However, you can get started with a free 30-day trial to evaluate the product against your needs beforehand.

Snag your free trial to get started with iGrafx today!

#7 – Creatio Studio — The Best Free BPM Software

Creatio Studio

Best Free BPM Software

Powerful free plan that lets you build processes, store them in your own library, export and import from other tools, collaborate in real-time, and create extensive process documentation. Emphasis on collaboration tools and ease of use. Paid plan available if you outgrow the free plan, starting at $25 per user per month with a free 14-day trial to test it out.>> Get Started For Free

If automation and business processes are new to your business, or you’re on a tight budget, Creatio Studio offers an excellent free plan you can use to test the waters.

Studio is a low-code platform designed to turn everyone into a developer. It helps empower non-technical users to create full-scale applications and automated processes without writing a single line of code.

Furthermore, they emphasize collaboration and ease of use. And according to them, building processes is as easy as playing with Legos thanks to their drag-and-drop environment.

The software lets you quickly build user dashboards, set up machine learning algorithms, define dynamic structured and unstructured processes, automate workflows, and more.

More specifically, the free plan comes with an impressive set of features, including:

Intuitive drag and drop process builder
Your own process library
Export and import from other process tools
Collaboration and sharing features
Comprehensive process documentation

So, it includes everything you need to get your feet wet with business process automation and hands-on management before making any investments.

And if you outgrow the free plan, you can upgrade to the paid plan for $25 per user per month. It includes complete access to all of its powerful business process management features, including case management, mobile applications, core configuration, and more.

You can try the paid plan free for 14 days to see if the enterprise solution is right for you.

Methodology For Choosing The Best Business Process Management Software

Now that you know our top recommendations, it’s time to talk about how we chose these products and how you can make the right decision for your team and your business.

So, be sure to include the following considerations when making your final decision.

Number of Users

Most business process management tools charge per user per month.

Furthermore, some plans have a minimum or a maximum number of users. So, it’s crucial to understand how many user roles you need before making any decisions.

Your Use Cases

What do you hope to do with BPS software?

It may help to start by documenting and outlining your current business processes. From there, you can identify areas that need improvement, process bottlenecks, and specific use cases for your new software.

I highly recommend creating a comprehensive list of everything you want to automate and optimize. You can then use it when comparing different services and when you talk to each software’s sales team to make sure it does what you want it to do.

Furthermore, most options on this list come with pre-built templates you can start with.

So, keep your use cases in mind as you explore their templates since these can help you save tons of time and simplify the setup process.

Automation Features

Every option on this list includes a drag and drop visual process builder. However, the features beyond that vary from software to software.

And it’s essential to find a business process management solution that does everything you need it to. So, carefully consider which automation features you may need, including:

Automated task management and assignments
Dynamic optimization options
Routing and business rules/logic
Customizable fluid forms
Pre-built process connectors
Advanced modeling features
Integrations with other software
Real-time analytics
Machine learning

It’s also critical to understand what you don’t need, so you’re not stuck paying for advanced features you’re never going to use.

Collaboration Features

The best business process management software includes collaboration and communication tools that make working with coworkers and clients easy. Different tools offer different features, so it’s crucial to know what you need.

Do you need to collaborate in real-time? Maybe you need a comments section or extensive process documentation to share with stakeholders or other departments.

Perhaps you want to share processes while controlling who can read and write.

Make sure you carefully consider the collaboration and communication features you need before making any decisions.

Integrations

Make a list of every tool you already use to run your business. Why? Because it’s imperative that your BPM software seamlessly integrates with what you’re already using.

Otherwise, you’re making your life much harder than it needs it to be.

Be sure to consider:

Accounting software
Invoicing tools
Document management
Email platforms
Website builders
CRM solutions
Customer service tools
Project management
Client/vendor managment
Analytics software

Really dig deep and make sure the BPM software you choose plays well with everything you’re using today. It may help to bring your list to their sales team to make sure.

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