11 Tools To Consider For Your Workflow Automation

Businesses implement automated workflows to improve efficiency and save business hours. Automated workflows have the power to cut down on resources you spend in doing tasks on a loop. And this is exactly why workflow automation tools are gaining popularity.

Research shows that CEOs spend around 20% of their time automating tasks. This is because most people are not sure what they want to automate and why. So, the key here is to know what tasks you want to automate and how your automation workflow should look.

There are ample workflows that you can build using no-code tools.

Aren’t no-code tools and low-code tools alike?

There is a range of tools that offer quick integration between two or more apps. But, you must understand that no-code tools are a tad bit different from tools tagged as low-code.

There are two types of workflow automation tools - no-code and low-code. No-code tools, as the name suggests, need zero technical expertise. This means anyone and everyone can get started with a no-code automation tool with ease.

Low-code automation tools need a bit of coding knowledge. But no-code tools make it easy for businesses to create and run automated workflows. For instance, Nintex is a low-code tool while Automate.io is a no-code tool.

How to choose the right kind of tool?

Choosing the right automation tool enables you to scale your business. Each tool will have a set of unique features that may be ideal for you.

Here are a few things to keep in mind while choosing a workflow automation tool:

• The tool must have an easy-to-understand user interface (UI). If you need support at every step, that tool may not be right for you.
• It must fit your budget in the long run as well. Picking a tool that you can scale up with is important.
• If your tool doesn't integrate with your choice of apps, don't buy it.

And now for the most important question:

Should you go for a tool because everybody else uses it?

There are two ways of looking at it:

• If everyone trusts a tool, then by consensus, it is a good one.
• What suits everyone may not be right for you.

So, before you jump the gun, here are 10 automation workflow tools that are worth a try.

11 Best tools to build automation workflows for your business

1 - Mio

Looking to connect Slack and Microsoft Teams? Mio is your ideal choice. Of course, you can create automated workflows between these three apps and more.

Mio lets you chat with your colleagues and clients on Google Chat, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Webex, or Zoom. Why scatter your messages when you can send out cross-platform messages?

Not only chat, Mio allows cross-team collaboration between your different apps. Connect with your clients, irrespective of the apps they are using.

Unique features:

• Cross-platform direct messages
• Cross-platform channel messages

• Send emojis, GIFs, and reactjis cross-platform
• Edit and delete messages cross-platform
• Automated sync between chat apps
• Invite organizations to chat
• Assign roles and permissions for better collaboration
• Approve or disapprove channels
• Automated user sync

Ideal for: Small and large teams looking to sync chat apps and collaborate better.

Pricing: Free plan available. Paid plans start at $5/user/month.

2 – Automate.io

Looking to integrate your cloud apps and put your work on auto-pilot? Automate.io lets you do exactly that and more. Sync more than 200 cloud apps and set up automated workflows or as they call it, “bots”. You can create automated workflows in less than a few minutes with two or more apps.

The drag and drop feature makes it easy to create automation workflows. Choose your options, set up your bot, test it, and that’s it. You can now focus on other work while your bot does the hard work.

Unique features:

• Easy to understand interface
• Over 200 free and premium apps to integrate
• Easy drag and drop automation workflow builder
• Affordable for SMB who are looking to automate their marketing, sales, and business processes
• Follow the sun customer support to solve their queries

Ideal for:

• Martech companies
• Small and medium businesses
• Ecommerce, and businesses looking for Zapier alternatives.

Pricing: Automate.io has a completely free plan and lets you build single-action bots only. To add more action bots, buy a paid plan that starts at $9.99/month and includes one premium app.

3 – Microsoft Flow

Microsoft Flow is now rebranded as Power Automate. It’s a cloud-based system to create automated workflows. It’s powered by Microsoft and integrates with Microsoft Office 365 package with ease.

Power Automate is a classic example of a business process management platform. It is a low-code platform with power-packed features. You can use AI and smart recommendations to build your automation workflow.

Unique features:

• Pre-built connectors for quick access
• Drag and drop automation workflow builder
• Smart automation workflows with AI
• Smart ‘process advisor’ to help with workflow building

Ideal for: Small and medium businesses, and enterprises.

Pricing: Free trial is available for all paid plans.

Paid plans start at $15/per user/per month and allow users to build unlimited cloud flows. This pricing is valid from April 1, 2021, and is subject to change. You can buy extra workflows at $100 per-flow/month.

4 - LeadsBridge

LeadsBridge bridges the gap between your ads and sales funnel. It is designed to build automated workflows for sales and marketing specifically. If you are looking for a workflow automation tool to sync your marketing and sales apps, then LeadsBridge is your ideal choice.

With over 380 integrations in place, LeadsBridge syncs your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Google with your CRM effortlessly.

Unique features:

• Sync Facebook lead ads with CRM and email marketing tools
• Build unhindered customer experience workflows
• Ready-to-use bridges to get started with automated workflow building
• Online to offline tracking
• Explore eCommerce synchronisation

Ideal for: Agencies, financial services, enterprises, retailers, and solopreneurs. LeadsBridge is ideal to sync advertising platforms with CRM.

5 – API Fuse

API Fuse is an amalgamation of the app store and integration platform. It brands itself as an embedded integration platform for SaaS brands. API Fuse lets you build a marketplace of integrations that you and your users need, and monetize on that. You can integrate your SaaS product with a host of apps on API Fuse.

As a user of API Fuse, you get to build the app integrations that you need. It targets specific user personas like product managers and CTOs. There is scope to build integrations for engineering and partnerships as well.

Unique features:

• Create customized integration marketplace
• Attract customers by offering tailored integrations
• Enable customers to connect their apps
• Track integrations that are popular
• Monetize integration marketplace

Ideal for: SaaS businesses looking to build an integration marketplace.

Pricing: Complete free plan available. Paid plans start at $750/month on an annual contract basis.

6 – Decisions

Decisions is a simple yet powerful no-code platform for business process automation. You can create automated workflows that are rules-driven and align with business objectives.

The graphical interface makes it easy to build automation workflows. You can either use Decisions as a SaaS tool or host your solution on-site or on a cloud model. Whatever way you choose to use Decisions, it is the same for all models. In fact, if you want to migrate to or from the cloud, you can do so with minimal effort.

Decisions boasts an easy-to-understand UI, comprehensive reporting, and intuitive dashboard. Integrate and improve your business processes using in-built testing and debugging features. IT developers can extend applications by building unique user interfaces using their SDK.

Unique features:

• No-code visual designer
• Pre-built integrations
• Easy to scale up
• Build comprehensive business workflows
• Easy to build dynamic forms
• Comprehensive and intuitive dashboard
• Easy to set up integrations
• In-built testing and debugging
• End-User Portal to interact with apps and processes
• Flexible deployment options

Ideal for: Enterprises, looking to build workflows and automation to scale businesses.

Pricing plans:

• The standard plan starts at $4,839/month (you can request a quote for your requirements)
• Enterprise plan (need to request a quote)

7 – Timely

Timely is a time tracking tool that uses automation to solve the inaccuracy, inefficiency, and hassle of traditional manual time tracking.

It lets you work naturally and focus on your work, while Timely captures every second of your workday in the background.

Timely removes manual errors so you can invoice accurately for all billable hours. There’s no assumption, guesstimation, or oversight from trying to remember what you worked on. It even captures time spent on email, internal communication, and meetings.

Unique features include:

• User level privacy
• Automatic time tracking helps companies reduce timesheet admin
• Real-time dashboards and live reports
• 10-minute quick start
• Out of the box integrations

Ideal for: Small and Medium businesses

Pricing: Starts at $8 per user per month when billed annually.

8 – Omnisend

Omnisend is an email & SMS marketing automation platform that’s built specifically to help eCommerce stores sell more while doing less work.

It helps achieve this goal by giving eCommerce marketers — no
matter if they’re small, medium, or large — the essential tools they need for their success.

This includes an easy-to-use email editor with loads of pre-built templates, a variety of signup forms to capture new subscribers, and the use of multiple channels like SMS and web push notifications.

There are segmentation and automation capabilities that allow marketers to target and deliver automated
messages to build better customer relationships and get better conversions.

Unique features include:

• Easy-to-use content builder with a library of templates
• Automation workflows with the ability to add SMS, conditional splits, and more
• A/B testing for email content and subject lines
• In-depth tracking and reporting for better insights

Ideal for: eCommerce merchants looking for better sales through automation

Pricing: Free plan available with all features included. Paid plans start at $16/month.

9 – Coupler.io

Coupler.io is a data synchronization and automation service. With the help of this tool, you can automatically import data from platforms and services to Google Sheets, Google BigQuery, or Microsoft Excel. And then, you can automatically export it or use it for reporting and building live dashboards.

Coupler.io provides easy-to-configure integrations with popular tools and platforms like Shopify, HubSpot, Trello, and Slack. You can use the JSON API to set up a custom integration with any app you use. For example, you can automate exporting JSON data to Excel.

Ideal for: small and medium businesses, eCommerce, marketing, and product teams

Pricing: Coupler.io has a forever free plan. To unlock import size and run limits, you can choose a suitable paid plan, starting at $24/month.

10 – Comidor

Comidor is a low-code hyper-automation platform with an intuitive visual workflow builder. With this platform, users can learn the basics and begin their journey of creating new workflows and applications.

Comidor automates mundane tasks and frees up employees to do more important tasks. It provides a new digital workplace of employees and machines working together towards common operational goals.

You can develop advanced workflows in minutes without writing code and can utilize an easy-to-use interface to create your own custom workflows through a simple drag and drop interface. Comidor offers advanced automation tools like RPA and AI/ML services in order for you to automate your workflows end-to-end.

Managers can track workflow performance in real-time with advanced workflow reports and analytics. These reports provide a clear picture of how workflows are performing and what areas need improvement.

Unique features include:

• Drag-n-drop workflow designer
• Low-code form designer
• Workflow simulator
• RACI report and real-time workflow analytic

Pricing: Pricing plans start at $8 per month per user.

11 – Appy Pie Connect

Appy Pie Connect allows you to connect apps together without complex code so you can automate repetitive tasks and remove duplication.

MINDBODY integrations are classic examples of workflow automation Appy Pie provides. You can connect MINDBODY to a host of integrations in the Appy Pie library.

Ideal for: Small businesses that need to trigger actions in one app to another.

Pricing: Appy Pie Connect offers a free trial period and paid plans start at $12/month.

Final takeaways

Automated workflows help freelancers, solopreneurs, marketers, managers, or anybody running a business. Choose your ideal tool to create automated workflows. Our recommendation is to try out a tool before you buy it.

Before we wrap up, once again, keep these in mind before selecting a tool:

• Should suit your business needs
• Should fit your budget

Till then, happy automating!