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Managing complex projects manually soon becomes overwhelming. You make mistakes, miss necessary steps, and your team members get lost and confused in the resulting mess. That’s no way to run a business. Fortunately, workflow automation software is here to help. 

Workflow automation software uses rule-based logic to run sequences of tasks without human intervention. You set up the rules once, and then the software takes care of getting things done. All you have to do is sit back, monitor progress, and hope you didn't mess up any of the steps, or it will need your intervention.

How I Picked The Best Workflow Automation Software

In picking the best workflow automation tool, I first researched the most popular software on the market for its reviews and user interface. Then I shortlisted based on factors that make software a good automation tool for any team. Finally, I used my experience in project automation to select the criteria by which I would evaluate the tools and inform my overviews.

Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria: 

User Interface (UI)

I look for workflow management tools that are visually attractive. Building workflow automations requires concentration, and you don't need a tool that requires brain power to figure it out.

Usability

I focus on all the ways in which the software helps you automate a manual process. This includes the use of a drag-and-drop builder 

Integrations

I look for integrations with popular productivity apps and business tools. This includes built-in integrations with common apps like Google Drive or Slack, integrations through 3rd party software like Zapier, and custom integrations.

Pricing

I look for workflow automation that’s affordable, even for smaller organizations. Therefore, I include information on tool pricing based on monthly payments, free trials, demos and any information I find useful for you.

Overviews of the Best Workflow Automation Software

Here’s a brief description of each workflow automation system to showcase each tool’s best use case, some noteworthy features, and screenshots to give a snapshot of the user interface.

1

monday.com

Best for PMOs looking to standardize processes

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.7
8702 reviews

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats)

monday.com is a work management platform that has an automation module that helps you be more productive at work. The workflow automation features cut out repetitive tasks and ensure that your processes become standardized.

Why I picked monday.com: You've seen how many ads are out there talking about this tool. I have too. Luckily, they live up to the hype, as—in my opinion—the automations in this platform are exquisitely developed. I found the automations builder extremely easy to use, and it will let you build dozens of automations in minutes. You can either build automations from scratch or select one of the many automation templates available in the platform. These automations also go beyond the tool and extend to other tools it integrates with, like Slack or Clearbit.

What I like the most is that these automations are not exclusive to one of their products. You will find this in all three versions of monday.com (work, dev, and sales).

monday.com Standout Features & Integrations

Features like the notifications panel gather alerts triggered by automations so you can stay on top of the creation of a new project or an assignee changing within a task. I also like the way the no-code builder is programmed. This makes it very easy to select a trigger and use the drop down menu to select the conditions and the action that will result from it.

Integrations include project management apps like Slack, Google Drive, Gmail, Typeform, Trello, Twilio, Google Calendar, Jira, GitHub, Trello, Dropbox, and Typeform. There are also thousands of additional apps you can connect to using a paid Zapier account.

Pros

  • Easy to create notification flows
  • Long list of supported integrations
  • Easy to customize a workflow or board

Cons

  • May be too robust for small teams
  • Complex pricing rubric
2

Jira Software

Best workflow automation software for Agile teams

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.2
4683 reviews

7-day free trial

$10/user/month

Jira is an issue and project tracking software that helps teams move fast and stay aligned in Agile teams.

Why I picked Jira Software: I primarily chose Jira for this list because of its stellar reputation. I'm well aware that, in the world of Agile software development, Jira is considered a leading project management tool. Jira Automation is a no-code builder that helps you build 'if-this-then-that' rules based on events within the system. I especially love that any task or process can be automated with a few clicks. Hundreds of automation templates are available to get you up to speed faster. The global automation feature allows you to create one rule that automates across many or all projects.

Jira Software Standout Features & Integrations

Features include customizable workflows, a drag-and-drop automation builder, information sync, issue auto-assign, project roadmaps, advanced roadmaps, a sandbox, admin insights ,scrum boards, and reporting.

Integrations. Through the Atlassian marketplace, Jira integrates with platforms such as Slack, Zoom, GitHub, and Zendesk.

Jira costs from $7/user/month. A ‘forever free’ trial plan is also offered.

3

Integrify

Best workflow automation software that helps you scale easily

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.4
31 reviews

Free demo available

Pricing upon request

Integrify is a workflow management and automation software that helps you automate any business process without the use of code.

Why I picked Integrify: I chose Integrify for this list because it is a workflow solution that allows organizations to build automated processes, design dynamic forms, and create self-service portals. Integrify also helps track performance via reports and dashboards. I particularly love its audit trails feature, which makes it easy for teams to review activity and analyze problems.

This platform is designed for large and small businesses that need to implement rapidly and scale. Based on my research, I think the platform is especially suited to delivering better workflow process visibility in business areas such as IT, HR, sales, operations, and finance. The software is available in cloud, private cloud and on-premise configurations.

Integrify Standout Features & Integrations

Features include a process builder with a drag-and-drop environment, notes, comments, task dependency previews, multi-tiered approvals, reminders, and timeouts.

Integrations. Thanks to an open API, Integrify connects easily to ERP, CRM, and HRIS systems. This allows data to be moved freely between systems as part of any automated workflow.

4

Jotform

Best enterprise workflow automation with approval & e-signature tools

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.2
27 reviews

Free plan available

From $39/user/month

Jotform Enterprise provides a powerful, easy-to-use data collection process for businesses of all kinds who are looking to optimize their workflow automation processes. According to my research, Jotform gives businesses access to offline forms, surveys for product feedback and reviews, collaboration tools, approvals for automated workflows, and conditional logic for a personalized customer form experience. They specialize in B2B businesses but can be adapted to a wide range of customer markets and industries.

Why I picked Jotform Enterprise: One of the things I most admire about Jotform Enterprise is its flexibility, which allows you to build complex systems that are tailored specifically to your needs. I chose Jotform for this list, however, primarily because it offers an easy-to-use form builder that allows you to quickly create forms for any purpose, from collecting customer information to helping employees to track their progress on projects. The form builder includes hundreds of customizable templates that can be used as a starting point for creating your forms. You can create an order form that integrates with a payment processing service or set up an automated system that sends out email notifications when someone fills out a form.

Jotform Enterprise Standout Features & Integrations

Features include powerful analytics tools that allow users to monitor how customers interact with forms in real time. This includes tracking page views, submission times, and abandonment rates. With this data, users can identify areas where customers are dropping off or struggling with the form process so they can make improvements accordingly.

Another thing I really like about this tool is that you can host it in almost any place you can think of. The beauty of this is that you can easily comply with local regulations relating to data privacy.

Integrations include Google Drive, Google Sheets, Slack, Dropbox, PayPal, Stripe, Salesforce, Mailchimp, and Airtable. It also can integrate with Zapier to automate workflows and connect JotForm with over 1,000 other apps and services but this requires a Zapier account and may incur additional costs. 

5

Pneumatic Workflow

Best for building a workflow template library

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.6
4 reviews

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $99/month (unlimited users)

Pneumatic is a workflow management software that allows you to build and automate workflows for your business processes. You can organize your workflows into templates for easier reproduction and quicker creation in the future.

Why I picked Pneumatic Workflow: I selected Pneumatic Workflow for this list because its workflow builder can be used to create any task or workflow you need for your team. I'm particularly impressed by how users can establish pre-defined variables like names, assignees, descriptions, and required policies or standard operating procedures (SOPs) to apply to different workflows. Once you've built a workflow template, the dashboards help you track what's progress, started, and completed.

I also like how you can include external parties in your workflow, and easily invite guests by email. Admins can also use the workflow management software to configure role-based access permissions for individual staff members and teams. You can generate filtered and customized reports to understand your workflow performance, and receive weekly process summaries.

Pneumatic Workflow Standout Features & Integrations

Features include templates, unlimited workflows, external guests, kick-off forms that you can publicly share, conditional workflow logic, and granular access controls.

Integrations can be built with the system's API, or configured by connecting either Zapier or Make.

6

SysAid

Best workflow automation software for ITSM workflow automation

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.4
570 reviews

30-day free trial

$1,211 for 500 assets

SysAid is a service desk and IT service management (ITSM) software that is designed to help businesses streamline their IT services and manage workflows more efficiently. According to my research, the platform includes a fairly comprehensive set of tools, including incident and request management tools, problem and change management tools, and IT asset management tools.

Why I picked SysAid: I selected SysAid for this list because it is both extremely customizable and scalable, meaning you can customize it to fit your business needs, whether you're a small startup or a large corporation. Additionally, I admire how the tool's workflow automation system incorporates AI and machine learning features to help identify patterns and proactively take action, such as assigning tickets to the most appropriate support agent or escalate issues as needed. SysAid also allows you to manage your IT assets throughout their lifecycle using barcode scanning, streamlining the asset management process and improving accuracy.

SysAid standout features and integrations:

Features include self-service incident management and ticket tracking, which allows users to view the the status of their submitted service requests and incidents through a self-service portal. This transparency and real-time visibility into ticket status help users stay informed and ensure that their issues are being addressed in a timely manner. SysAid also incorporates gamification elements into its platform to enhance user engagement and increase productivity, foster teamwork, and create a sense of accomplishment among IT staff.

Integrations include Slack, Jira, Microsoft Teams, Nagios, SolarWinds, Zabbix, ServiceNow, TeamViewer, Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), and Active Directory (AD)

7

Kissflow Workflow

Best no-code workflow automation software with a template bank

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.3
539 reviews

Free demo available

From $15/user/monthly

Kissflow Workflow is a no-code workflow management and automation software that can help teams track and improve their processes and identify bottlenecks.

Why I picked Kissflow Workflow: I chose Kissflow Workflow for this list because the software's large bank of workflow templates that users can choose. You can can also opt to build your own. Additionally, the drag-and-drop form builder is accessible to people without coding experience, which I think makes it perfect for helping any type of team set up a standardized request process. Built with simplicity in mind, the software's visual workflows help give a high-level picture to spot opportunities to streamline or eliminate bottlenecks. I also like how Kissflow's pre-built reports can help teams track their productivity and efficiency over time.

Kissflow Workflow Standout Features & Integrations

Features include its workflow designer and SLA definitions you can create. The workflow designer makes it incredibly easy to diagram the flow of information and sequence of actions that lead to a specific outcome. The tool basically turns into a flowchart software that you can edit with conditions and multiple branches. Meanwhile, the SLAs caught my attention because you can establish fixed or formula-based SLAs that will make a step expire and push a user to take action.

Integrations includes many enterprise-friendly connectors like MailChimp, ActiveCampaign, DocuSign, Basecamp, Dropbox, Quickbooks, Google Workspace, and Slack. You can also build custom integrations using Kissflow APIs.

8

Qntrl

Best to establish accountability across processes

15-day free trial

$8/user/month

Qntrl is an advanced workflow orchestration software that improves productivity and efficiency in the workplace. At its core, it automates processes across different applications to reduce manual data entry and speed up workflows.

Why I picked Qntrl: I picked Qntrl for this list because it provides a unified platform that can integrate with existing systems, eliminating the need for multiple tools or applications to create automations. It allows you to create automated processes quickly and easily without extensive technical expertise or coding knowledge. You can create workflows that are triggered by events or conditions, which I believe should make it easier to customize the process based on preferences. You can even set up automated responses when certain conditions are met, or an event occurs.

Qntrl Standout Features & Integrations

Features that caught my attention were the ones related to the granular control over processes. I was especially surprised by the fact that I can assign who is responsible for each step of a process. Additionally, you can gain better insights into your operations via native data collection and analysis capabilities. The software collects data from various sources, such as web forms, customer feedback, and social media posts and then analyzes it using machine learning algorithms that automatically populate the system to use within workflows.

Integrations include applications such as Salesforce, Dropbox, MS Teams, Harvest, Google Sheets, and Slack. You can also create as many custom integrations as you want using Webhooks and its API.

9

DocuWare

Best to workflow automation tool to streamline document storage & management

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.5
218 reviews

30-day free trial + free demo

Pricing upon request

DocuWare is a powerful workflow automation software solution used to streamline business processes.

Why I picked DocuWare: I chose DocuWare for this list because it provides users with the tools they need to create automated workflows, helping them increase their efficiency and reduce costs. I additionally appreciate that this cloud-based document management system offers features like drag-and-drop functionality, real-time collaboration capabilities, and secure access control.

I also like how DocuWare does not just enable businesses to automate tedious tasks such as document routing, approvals, and notifications; it also helps eliminate manual errors associated with paper processing. Moreover, the platform’s mobile app allows employees to stay connected whenever they’re on the go – providing them access to all the essential documents needed for their job from any device or location. With its customizable options, users can easily create rules for specific types of documents and automate their entire workflow process in no time.

DocuWare Standout Features & Integrations

Features include intelligent indexing, forms for data capture, barcode recognition, file import, documents from MS Teams, and indexing data export.

Integrations include over 500 different applications across email, team portals, CRM, ERP, HR systems, including Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, QuickBooks, and SAP.

DocuWare offers pricing upon request. They have a 30-day free trial and free demo to get you started.

10

Camunda Platform

Best for modeling and deploying diagrams with BPMN & DMN

This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.
4.4
127 reviews

30-day free trial

From $49/month

Camunda is a process orchestration solution that is mainly designed for end-to-end automation. It is an open-source workflow automation software solution that provides users with a simple yet highly intuitive drag-and-drop process builder. This feature makes the platform flexible enough for a wide variety of use cases.

Why I picked Camunda: This software is used by different types of businesses, ranging from media and entertainment to financial services. I particularly selected Camunda for this list because it is robust enough to facilitate endpoint diversity, meaning it can be utilized to implement various automation solutions across multiple possible endpoints. This includes different devices and systems, as well as key human resources.

Camunda's ability to handle complex logic with branching also caught my attention. It features advanced workflow patterns that enable technical and non-technical users to collaborate and design complex business processes and automated workflows.

Camunda has dynamic parallel execution as well, which allows for the organization and optimization of multiple tasks simultaneously. Camunda is powered by Zeebe’s cloud-native workflow and decision engine. I especially like how this enables dev teams to automate workflows and processes at scale with efficiency and speed. Zeebe is the workflow and decision engine that powers the latest iteration of the software; i.e., the Camunda Platform 8.

Camunda Standout Features & Integrations

Features include workflow management, BPMN modeling, automations, task management, process monitoring, user management, and third-party integrations/add-ons. 

Integrations include Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft SharePoint, Alfresco, Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Signavio, Bizagi, and ProcesMaker.

Camunda is free for up to five modeling users.

The 10 Best Workflow Automation Software Comparison Chart

This comparison chart summarizes basic details about each of my top workflow automation software selections. You can view pricing details and the availability of free trials or demos side-by-side to help you find the best platform that works for your budget.

Tool Trial Info Price
1
monday.com

Best for PMOs looking to standardize processes

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $8/user/month (billed annually, min 3 seats) Website
2
Jira Software

Best workflow automation software for Agile teams

7-day free trial

$10/user/month Website
3
Integrify

Best workflow automation software that helps you scale easily

Free demo available

Pricing upon request Website
4
Jotform

Best enterprise workflow automation with approval & e-signature tools

Free plan available

From $39/user/month Website
5
Pneumatic Workflow

Best for building a workflow template library

14-day free trial + free plan available

From $99/month (unlimited users) Website
6
SysAid

Best workflow automation software for ITSM workflow automation

30-day free trial

$1,211 for 500 assets Website
7
Kissflow Workflow

Best no-code workflow automation software with a template bank

Free demo available

From $15/user/monthly Website
8
Qntrl

Best to establish accountability across processes

15-day free trial

$8/user/month Website
9
DocuWare

Best to workflow automation tool to streamline document storage & management

30-day free trial + free demo

Pricing upon request Website
10
Camunda Platform

Best for modeling and deploying diagrams with BPMN & DMN

30-day free trial

From $49/month Website

Other Tools

  1. Adobe Workfront

    Workflow automation built for enterprise-scale organizations

  2. Boomi Flow

    Best for low-code workflow automation

  3. Height

    Best for agencies to manage projects across different teams

  4. ClickUp

    Best to create shared workflows with external apps

  5. Assembly

    Best for customizable templates and real-time insights

  6. Smartsheet

    Best for a dynamic workspace with advanced workflow automation features

  7. Hive

    Best workflow automation software for beginners

  8. Kantata

    Workflow automation tools for professional services organizations

  9. Kissflow

    An end-to-end workflow platform offering painless inter-process integrations

Workflow Automation FAQs

Find answers to common questions about this topic.

What's Next?

If you want to dig deeper into the logic behind workflow automation tools, I suggest you read our ultimate guide on workflows and workflow diagrams for project managers.

Also, make sure you subscribe to the Digital Project Manager newsletter. You’ll get fascinating insights into this fast-moving world, together with the information you need to stay on top of your professional game. 

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