Business process automation: where to start
How to choose the first process to automate, describe data, exceptions and owners, and what a process audit costs
Business process automation starts with choosing repetitive work, describing the data and setting the rules for handing over tasks. In the AKORDO catalogue, a process audit costs $300-700 and automating a single process $500-1,600. Before launch, define the owners, the exceptions and the acceptance criteria.
Choose a process with repetitive work
Look for actions the team repeats every day and forgets without a reminder: moving an enquiry from the website into the CRM, a task for a manager, collecting a report. The business process automation service in the AKORDO catalogue is meant for these situations.
For each candidate, write down how often the action repeats, who performs it and what happens when it is skipped. Take first the process where a skipped step costs a client or creates a data error.
Enquiry flow: website, CRM, task
Describe the path of one enquiry from the website form to a manager's task. For each step, note which system receives the data, which fields are required and who is responsible for the next action.
| Step | What happens | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Website form | The client submits an enquiry | Which fields are required and where a copy of the enquiry goes |
| CRM | A record appears | Whether an existing client gets duplicated |
| Task | A manager receives a task | Who is responsible and the response deadline |
| Control | The business lead sees the status | Where enquiries without a reply are visible |
This flow shows which manual step automation removes and where a person's decision is needed.
Data, owners and exceptions
Automation follows rules, so describe the exceptions in advance: an enquiry without a phone number, a repeat enquiry, an enquiry outside working hours, spam.
For each exception, decide who gets notified and what they do next. Without this step, an error travels through the system before anyone notices it.
Automation or system integration
The AKORDO catalogue separates these jobs. Business process automation fits when simple but important actions get forgotten. Business system integration fits when the CRM, website, accounting, warehouse and delivery work separately.
The timeline depends on that choice: in the catalogue, automation takes an indicative 1-3 weeks and integration 2-8 weeks. If the business lead waits for spreadsheets and does not trust the numbers, the catalogue has a separate reports and management dashboard service.
What the cases show
In the case on internal sales and reporting automation, a Telegram bot collects managers' daily reports, data syncs to Google Sheets automatically, and KPIs, payroll and month-end close run as one controlled process. Automated collection and consolidation replaced reporting kept by hand.
The case on management analytics for e-commerce sales describes a regular reporting system, a leadership dashboard and standards for monitoring manager performance.
At a fintech company, AI Integration Bot automates repetitive technical integration steps. That is automation of technical operations with AI, while the list of work in the reporting case above includes no AI.
If you want to build a simple tool on your own first, read the article on vibe coding for business automation.
Budget and acceptance criteria
According to the AKORDO service catalogue:
| Service | Indicative cost | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Process and automation opportunity audit | $300-700 | 1-2 weeks |
| Business process automation | $500-1,600 | 1-3 weeks |
| Reports and management dashboard | $700-1,600 | 2-4 weeks |
| Business system integration | $1,100-3,300 | 2-8 weeks |
The automation and integrations package starts from $800 and includes the process audit and business process automation. AKORDO quotes the exact amount after a free consultation. The client pays for licences, API, hosting and telephony separately, and catalogue timelines are indicative and not contractual.
Phrase the acceptance criterion as a scenario: an enquiry from the website appears in the CRM, a manager gets a task, the business lead sees the status. Run this scenario with the team before you drop the manual routine.
Questions before you start
Do you always need AI?
No. The internal reporting case describes a Telegram bot and Google Sheets, and its list of work includes no AI.
How much does a process audit cost?
$300-700, an indicative 1-2 weeks according to the AKORDO catalogue.
Which external costs should you plan for?
The client pays for licences, API, hosting and telephony separately.
Discuss your first process through the process automation service or a free AKORDO consultation.