Thankless, repetitive tasks can make you lose motivation at work. When you’re unable to concentrate on what really matters, it’s normal to feel like you’re losing valuable time. Here are some tools to automate some of those repetitive work tasks!
Automating tasks : a major challenge for employers and employees alike
A study published this year by ServiceNow revealed that 1 in 2 French companies need a higher level of automation to cope with the volume of tasks generated from now until 2018. According to the study, this percentage will reach 86% by 2020.
If automation at work is a subject that inspires debate, it’s because the collective imagination on the subject has associated it with a terrible threat: that of robot replacing man. With this logic, an employee is no longer an active part of his company, he is completely erased. But today’s representations of automation forget that the salaried worker, no matter his job, can be a driver of this kind of automation. By simply getting rid of repetitive tasks, the employee can regain precious time and concentrate on tasks and missions that really matter. Automating thankless professional tasks isn’t just about enhancing productivity: it’s a real opportunity to improve employee experience in a company!
IFTTT, Zapier and Microsoft Flow: tools that automate all kinds of tasks
We use more and more mobile applications with multiple functions and their use is often time consuming. These tools use a language all their own, and it is possible to make them communicate by using dedicated services.
IFTTT to automate common tasks
IFTTT (If This Then That) is a tool that is popular in the task automation sector. Available on the web and in the form of mobile applications on Android et IOS, it allows users to create tiny programs called “applets.” Their role? To establish interactions between different digital tools that one uses daily to automate common tasks.
One can use IFTTT to boost web visibility by simultaneously sharing the same status on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. To simplify archival of data, the tool can also save all attached documents in your emails into a Dropbox. It can also be used to set up a daily alert related to a topic of your interest. Of course, you can also use it to program more fun things, like the time your coffee machine turns on in the morning!
Easy and simple to use, IFTTT allows users to gain valuable time without having to write a single line of code.
Zapier and Microsoft Flow for professional services
Zapier is another tool that offers the possibility of automating a large number of tasks.
Zapier is particularly adapted to companies and supports more professional applications than IFTTT, allowing users to manage more complex workflows. Thanks to the addition of filters, it is possible to define a larger number of conditions for the execution of tasks.
Similarly, Microsoft Flow invites its professional users to “enhance their activity and work less.” The best part? It is entirely compatible with all Microsoft applications and services!
Wappwolf and Wildfire to automate specific tasks
Wappwolf facilitates data archival
Contrary to services that can be used for just about any type of activity such as IFTTT, Zapier or Microsoft Flow, Wappwolf specializes in data archival. It allows users to automate their tasks in conjunction with Dropbox and GoogleDrive and thus automatically convert files to a predefined format, print them via Google Cloud print, or send them to another cloud. Wappwolf also gives users the ability to treat images and convert audio files.
Wildfire : the tool that works for you
Wildfire is an extension of Chrome and Firefox that allows users to save the actions they complete on the web in order to replicate them automatically. Wildfire is ideal for automating very repetitive tasks, allowing users to modify their saved tasks in a “workflow editor!”
The rise of virtual assistants
Virtual assistants are more and more present in companies and contribute to the automation of professional tasks. In our article: “The AI Virtual Assistant of tomorrow: A Global Mind,” we discuss an assistant called Astro, that allows users to quickly and easily sort through their emails, and Findo, that allows users to easily navigate their emails, files and personal clouds to find the information they’re looking for, and of course, we discuss automating your meetings with Julie Desk ?
Do you use other tools to automate your professional tasks? Tell us !
