Updated September 2026
Process automation tools help organizations replace repetitive manual work with automated workflows that move tasks, information, approvals, and decisions from one step to the next.
The best process automation tools do more than automate individual tasks. They help organizations build complete processes around forms, workflows, approvals, notifications, business rules, data, documents, and increasingly AI.
For organizations using Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams, the right process automation platform can also extend the Microsoft environment they already use instead of requiring teams to move their processes into a separate system.
This guide explains what process automation tools are, the different types available, what features to look for, common process automation use cases, and how to choose the right platform.
It also explains where NITRO Studio fits and how NITRO Help Desk uses process automation to streamline IT support.
What Are Process Automation Tools?
Process automation tools are software platforms that automate repeatable business processes by coordinating tasks, rules, approvals, notifications, data, and people.
Instead of relying on employees to manually move work from one step to another, an automation tool can trigger the next step automatically.
For example, a purchase request might work like this:
- An employee submits a purchase request form.
- The system validates the information.
- The request is routed to the appropriate manager.
- The manager approves or rejects the request.
- The requester receives an automatic notification.
- The approved purchase is sent to the appropriate team for processing.
- The system records the transaction and updates reporting.
Without automation, employees may have to send emails, update spreadsheets, remember follow-ups, and manually track the status of each request.
With process automation, the system manages the workflow according to predefined rules.
Process automation vs. task automation
Task automation typically automates one repetitive action.
Process automation coordinates multiple tasks and decisions as part of a larger workflow.
For example:
Task automation: Send an email when a form is submitted.
Process automation: Receive a request, validate it, assign it, obtain approval, notify the requester, escalate it if necessary, update the record, and report on the outcome.
That distinction matters when evaluating process automation tools. A platform that can automate individual tasks may not provide everything needed to manage an end-to-end business process.
What Can Process Automation Tools Automate?
Process automation can be applied to almost any repeatable process with defined steps, rules, or handoffs.
Common examples include:
- Employee onboarding and offboarding
- IT requests and help desk tickets
- Purchase requests and approvals
- Expense approvals
- Contract approvals
- HR requests
- Facilities requests
- Asset management
- Customer service requests
- Document approvals
- Compliance workflows
- Security access requests
- Leave requests
- Vendor onboarding
- Invoice processing
- Quality management
- Equipment requests
- Knowledge management
- Internal service requests
The best candidates for automation usually have three characteristics:
- They happen frequently.
- They involve repetitive steps or manual handoffs.
- They follow rules that can be defined and repeated.
Processes with frequent delays, duplicate data entry, email-based approvals, spreadsheets, or unclear ownership are also strong candidates.
What Are the Main Types of Process Automation Tools?
Not every automation platform solves the same problem. The term “process automation tools” covers several categories.
1. Workflow automation tools
Workflow automation tools move work through predefined steps.
They can trigger tasks, route information, send notifications, manage approvals, and execute business rules.
Workflow automation is particularly useful when a process has a predictable sequence of activities.
2. Business process automation software
Business process automation software is designed to automate broader business processes rather than isolated tasks.
These platforms may combine:
- Forms
- Workflows
- Approvals
- Business rules
- Notifications
- Dashboards
- Reporting
- Portals
- Integrations
- AI capabilities
This category is often the best fit when an organization wants to automate complete processes rather than simply connect two applications.
3. Robotic process automation tools
Robotic process automation, or RPA, uses software bots to perform repetitive actions through application interfaces.
RPA can be useful when an organization needs to automate work in applications that do not have convenient integrations or APIs.
Typical examples include copying information between systems, processing repetitive transactions, or interacting with legacy applications.
4. Low-code and no-code automation platforms
Low-code and no-code platforms allow organizations to create applications and workflows with little or no traditional programming.
No-code tools are particularly valuable for business teams and process owners who understand the work that needs to be automated but do not want every workflow change to require custom development.
Low-code capabilities can provide additional flexibility when more complex customization is required.
5. Document automation tools
Document automation tools automate processes involving documents and unstructured information.
Examples include:
- Document generation
- Document routing
- Approval workflows
- Data extraction
- Document classification
- Records management
AI can make these tools more capable by extracting information from documents and helping route or classify them.
6. Integration and orchestration platforms
Integration-focused automation tools connect different applications and systems.
For example, an automation might take information from one application, transform it, send it to another application, and notify a user in Microsoft Teams.
These platforms are particularly useful when processes span multiple systems.
7. IT process automation tools
IT process automation focuses on repetitive IT operations.
Examples include:
- User provisioning
- Access requests
- Software requests
- Incident routing
- Ticket assignment
- Escalations
- Asset workflows
- IT approvals
Some IT automation platforms focus heavily on infrastructure and system operations, while others focus on employee-facing IT processes and service requests.
8. AI-powered process automation tools
AI is increasingly becoming part of process automation.
AI can help with activities such as:
- Summarizing requests
- Classifying incoming work
- Extracting information
- Generating responses
- Finding relevant knowledge
- Recommending next steps
- Routing work
- Generating content
- Assisting users with forms and workflows
The important distinction is that AI does not replace the underlying process. It can make automated processes more intelligent and capable of handling information that previously required human interpretation.
9. Business process management platforms
Business process management, or BPM, platforms provide tools for modeling, managing, monitoring, and improving organizational processes.
These platforms are often used for complex, enterprise-wide processes involving multiple departments, systems, and business rules.
10. Application platforms with built-in automation
Some platforms combine application development with process automation.
Instead of purchasing a separate workflow tool, form builder, reporting platform, and application platform, organizations can use a unified platform to build complete process-based applications.
This approach can be especially useful when a process needs more than a simple workflow.
What Features Should You Look for in Process Automation Tools?
The right process automation tool depends on your organization’s needs, but several capabilities should be on your evaluation checklist.
1. Workflow automation
The platform should allow you to create multi-step workflows with triggers, conditions, actions, routing, approvals, notifications, and escalations.
A simple workflow builder may be sufficient for basic processes. More complex organizations should evaluate whether the platform can handle branching logic, timers, exceptions, dependencies, and multi-stage processes.
2. Forms and data capture
Many automated processes start with a form.
Look for a platform that can create forms with:
- Conditional fields
- Validation
- Required fields
- Lookup fields
- File attachments
- Role-based behavior
- Responsive layouts
- Automated routing
A powerful form designer can make a significant difference because poor data collection at the beginning of a process creates problems later.
3. Approvals and business rules
Automation should allow organizations to define how decisions are made.
For example:
- Requests below $1,000 require manager approval.
- Requests above $1,000 require department approval.
- Security requests require additional review.
- High-priority IT tickets are escalated automatically.
Business rules allow the system to apply these requirements consistently.
4. Notifications and escalations
Automated notifications help prevent work from getting stuck.
A good platform should be able to notify users when:
- A task is assigned
- Approval is required
- A deadline is approaching
- A request is overdue
- An SLA is at risk
- A process has been completed
5. Reporting and dashboards
Automation should not simply move work faster. It should make the process more measurable.
Look for reporting capabilities that help answer questions such as:
- How many requests are open?
- How long does each process take?
- Where are bottlenecks occurring?
- Which team handles the most work?
- How often are SLAs missed?
- How many requests are waiting for approval?
6. Integration with existing systems
An automation platform should fit into your existing technology environment.
For Microsoft organizations, that may include:
- Microsoft 365
- SharePoint
- Microsoft Teams
- Outlook
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Azure
- Other line-of-business applications
The fewer unnecessary systems employees have to switch between, the easier automation is to adopt.
7. No-code and low-code capabilities
The people closest to a process often understand it better than anyone else.
A no-code or low-code platform can allow those process owners to make changes without waiting for a traditional development cycle for every adjustment.
At the same time, organizations should evaluate whether developers can extend the platform when more advanced requirements arise.
8. Security and governance
Automation platforms can handle sensitive business information, so security should be part of the evaluation.
Consider:
- Authentication
- Role-based access
- Permissions
- Data ownership
- Auditability
- Deployment options
- Administrative controls
- Compliance requirements
For regulated organizations, deployment architecture can be just as important as workflow functionality.
9. Scalability
A platform that works for one workflow may not be the right platform for 50 or 500.
Consider how the platform handles:
- Multiple departments
- Multiple applications
- Large numbers of workflows
- Growing data volumes
- Additional users
- Governance
- Administration
10. AI capabilities
AI can make automation more useful, but it should solve real problems.
Look for practical capabilities such as AI-generated responses, summarization, knowledge retrieval, classification, document intelligence, and assistance with workflow creation.
Do not choose a platform simply because it has an “AI” label. Evaluate what the AI actually does inside the processes you need to automate.
How to Choose the Right Process Automation Tool
There is no single best process automation tool for every organization.
The right choice depends on the systems you already use, the processes you need to automate, your security requirements, the complexity of your workflows, and who will build and maintain them.
Start with your processes rather than starting with software.
Step 1: Identify repetitive processes
Make a list of processes that involve:
- Repetitive data entry
- Email-based requests
- Manual approvals
- Spreadsheets
- Frequent follow-ups
- Manual status updates
- Repetitive notifications
- Multiple handoffs
- Frequent errors
These are potential automation opportunities.
Step 2: Map the current process
Document what happens today.
Identify:
- The starting point
- People involved
- Systems involved
- Decisions
- Approvals
- Exceptions
- Notifications
- Final outcomes
This prevents organizations from simply automating a bad process.
Step 3: Define the desired process
Before choosing a tool, determine what you want the automated process to accomplish.
For example:
A request should be submitted through a standardized form, automatically routed to the correct team, escalated when necessary, and tracked through completion.
That gives you something concrete to evaluate against.
Step 4: Determine where your data already lives
This is one of the most important considerations.
If your organization already relies heavily on Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams, evaluate automation platforms that work naturally with that environment.
Moving data into a separate system simply to automate a process can introduce additional administration, integrations, permissions, and maintenance.
Step 5: Evaluate the total cost
Do not compare only the advertised starting price.
Consider:
- Licensing
- Implementation
- Development
- Administration
- Maintenance
- Connectors
- Additional users
- Additional workflows
- AI features
- Training
- Migration
A tool that looks inexpensive for one workflow may become significantly more expensive as automation expands.
Step 6: Consider who will maintain the automation
Ask an important question:
Who will change this process six months from now?
If every change requires a developer or outside consultant, the platform may become a bottleneck.
If business users can safely make common changes themselves, automation can scale more efficiently.
NITRO Studio: Process Automation for Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams
For organizations that already use Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams, NITRO Studio provides a no-code and low-code platform for building forms, workflows, and process-based applications.
Rather than treating automation as a collection of disconnected flows, NITRO Studio provides components for building complete business processes, including forms, workflows, reports, dashboards, alerts, portals, and AI capabilities.
NITRO Studio is designed to work within Microsoft environments and can be used to automate processes such as:
- Employee onboarding
- Purchase requests
- Asset management
- Facilities requests
- HR workflows
- Security access requests
- Document approvals
- Customer service
- IT support
- Compliance processes
- Equipment requests
This makes it useful for organizations that want to build process automation around the Microsoft technology they already have.
Why Microsoft 365 organizations consider NITRO Studio
NITRO Studio is particularly relevant when an organization wants:
No-code or low-code development
Business teams can build many forms and workflows without traditional programming, while low-code capabilities provide additional flexibility for more advanced requirements.
Microsoft 365 and SharePoint integration
Organizations can build process applications around their existing Microsoft environment rather than creating an entirely separate application ecosystem.
Forms plus workflows
Many business processes require both data collection and automation. NITRO Studio combines form creation with workflow capabilities so the two parts of the process can be designed together.
Process-based applications
Instead of automating only one action, organizations can build complete applications around processes such as purchasing, onboarding, asset management, and IT support.
AI-assisted automation
NITRO Studio includes AI capabilities designed to assist with workflow automation, knowledge, communications, forms, and other process activities.
Deployment flexibility
NITRO Studio supports Microsoft 365 environments as well as SharePoint Server environments, including organizations with specialized deployment and security requirements.
NITRO Help Desk: Process Automation Applied to IT Support
IT help desk operations are an excellent example of where process automation can have a measurable impact.
Without automation, a typical IT request may involve an employee sending an email, a technician manually creating a ticket, someone assigning the ticket, the technician searching for information, sending updates, waiting for a response, escalating the request, and eventually closing the ticket.
A process automation approach can coordinate many of those steps automatically.
NITRO Help Desk is designed for IT support organizations using Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams.
A request can enter the help desk through channels such as email, a self-service portal, or Teams. From there, automated processes can help with assignment, notifications, escalations, knowledge access, ticket updates, and resolution.
Example: an automated IT ticket process
Consider an employee who reports that they cannot access an application.
An automated help desk process could:
- Receive the request.
- Create a ticket.
- Identify the requester.
- Categorize or prioritize the request.
- Route it to the appropriate team.
- Check relevant knowledge.
- Provide an initial response.
- Track the ticket against service requirements.
- Escalate the request when necessary.
- Notify the requester about status changes.
- Record the resolution.
- Use the resulting information for reporting and future knowledge.
That is process automation applied to IT support.
The important point is that the help desk is not simply automating one task. It is coordinating an entire business process from request to resolution.
How AI Changes Process Automation
Traditional automation depends heavily on predefined rules.
For example:
If the request type is “hardware,” route it to the hardware team.
AI can extend that model.
An AI-enabled automation platform can potentially analyze the content of a request, identify relevant information, summarize it, find related knowledge, suggest a response, or help determine the appropriate next step.
This is particularly valuable when processes involve unstructured information such as emails, documents, and natural-language requests.
However, organizations should not assume that every process should be fully autonomous.
The strongest approach is often a combination of:
- Automation for predictable steps
- Business rules for controlled decisions
- AI for interpretation and assistance
- Humans for exceptions and decisions that require judgment
Process Automation vs. Workflow Automation
The terms “process automation” and “workflow automation” are often used interchangeably, but there is a useful distinction.
Workflow automation generally focuses on automating the movement of work through defined steps.
Process automation is broader. It can encompass the workflow plus forms, data, business rules, applications, integrations, reporting, people, and other components required to operate the complete process.
For a simple approval, workflow automation may be all you need.
For a complete purchasing application, employee onboarding system, or IT help desk, you may need a broader process automation platform.
Process Automation vs. RPA
Process automation and robotic process automation are also related but different.
RPA typically uses software bots to perform repetitive actions through an application’s user interface.
Process automation can coordinate an entire workflow involving forms, people, applications, approvals, business rules, and data.
RPA can therefore be one component of a broader automation strategy rather than a replacement for every type of process automation.
Process Automation vs. AI Automation
AI automation adds intelligence to automated processes.
Traditional automation might say:
If a request is submitted, assign it to Team A.
AI automation might analyze the request and help determine its category, summarize the issue, identify relevant knowledge, or generate an appropriate response.
The two approaches work well together.
Rules provide predictability and control. AI provides flexibility when information is more difficult to structure.
What Is the Best Process Automation Tool?
The best process automation tool depends on your organization’s requirements.
A company looking for simple application-to-application automation may prioritize integrations and ease of use.
A large enterprise may need process orchestration, advanced governance, RPA, or BPM capabilities.
A Microsoft 365 organization may prioritize deep SharePoint and Teams integration, no-code development, process applications, security, and deployment flexibility.
For organizations that want to build and automate business processes around Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams, NITRO Studio is one option worth evaluating.
For organizations specifically looking to automate IT support processes, NITRO Help Desk provides a purpose-built application that applies workflow automation, AI assistance, routing, notifications, and knowledge management to the help desk process.
Process Automation Tools: Quick Evaluation Checklist
Before selecting a platform, ask:
- Can it automate the complete process rather than only individual tasks?
- Can business users build and modify workflows?
- Does it provide no-code or low-code capabilities?
- Can it create the forms required to start the process?
- Can it automate approvals and routing?
- Can it send notifications and escalations?
- Can it provide dashboards and reports?
- Does it integrate with the systems we already use?
- Where does our data live?
- How is access controlled?
- What deployment options are available?
- How does the platform handle AI?
- What will it cost as automation expands?
- Who will maintain the workflows?
- Can the platform support additional processes as our automation program grows?
The answers to these questions are often more important than the number of features listed on a vendor’s website.
Frequently Asked Questions About Process Automation Tools
What are process automation tools?
Process automation tools are software platforms that automate repeatable business processes by coordinating tasks, workflows, approvals, business rules, notifications, data, and people.
What is an example of process automation?
An employee submitting a purchase request through a form, having the request automatically routed for approval, receiving notifications, and having the approved request sent to the purchasing team is an example of process automation.
An IT help desk is another example. A ticket can be automatically created, categorized, routed, escalated, updated, and closed through a defined process.
What is the difference between process automation and workflow automation?
Workflow automation generally automates the movement of work through a sequence of steps. Process automation is broader and can include the forms, applications, data, business rules, workflows, reporting, and people involved in the complete process.
What are the benefits of process automation?
Common benefits include reduced manual work, faster processing, fewer errors, more consistent processes, better visibility, improved accountability, and the ability to scale operations without increasing manual effort at the same rate.
What processes should a business automate first?
Start with processes that are repetitive, high-volume, time-consuming, error-prone, or dependent on frequent manual handoffs. Approval workflows, employee onboarding, purchase requests, IT requests, and document routing are common starting points.
Are process automation tools the same as RPA tools?
No. RPA focuses on automating repetitive actions performed through software interfaces. Process automation can coordinate broader workflows involving people, systems, forms, approvals, business rules, and data. RPA can be one component of a larger automation strategy.
Can process automation tools use AI?
Yes. Modern process automation platforms can use AI for activities such as classification, summarization, knowledge retrieval, document processing, response generation, routing assistance, and workflow development.
Can Microsoft 365 organizations use process automation tools?
Yes. Microsoft 365 organizations can use Microsoft’s own automation technologies as well as third-party platforms designed to work with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams.
NITRO Studio is one example of a third-party process automation platform designed around the Microsoft ecosystem.
What is NITRO Studio?
NITRO Studio is a no-code and low-code process automation and application platform for Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams. It provides tools for building forms, workflows, reports, dashboards, portals, alerts, and process-based applications.
Can NITRO Studio automate IT processes?
Yes. NITRO Studio can be used to build IT processes, while NITRO Help Desk provides a purpose-built IT help desk application for organizations that want a ready-made solution for managing and automating IT support.
The Bottom Line
The best process automation tools do more than eliminate a few repetitive clicks.
They provide a way to turn manual processes into consistent, measurable workflows that move work forward automatically.
When evaluating process automation tools, look beyond individual features. Consider how the platform handles forms, workflows, approvals, business rules, integrations, reporting, AI, security, deployment, scalability, and long-term maintenance.
For Microsoft 365 organizations, the technology environment you already have should also be a major consideration.
NITRO Studio provides a no-code and low-code foundation for building automated business processes around Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and Teams. Organizations can use it to automate processes across departments, while NITRO Help Desk applies those same automation principles to IT support.
The right automation platform is ultimately the one that fits your existing technology, your actual processes, your security requirements, and the way your organization needs to operate.
