Efficient business process management (BPM) is one of the golden keys to operational success. However, businesses often find it challenging to optimize workflows.
Business process management software solutions can help. These digital tools offer powerful capabilities for making processes more efficient. To do this, they streamline and automate processes to improve accuracy and efficiency.
In this post, we'll explore the top BPM software for 2024, go over what to look for in a BPM tool, and go over the basics of BPM.
Let’s dig in.
What is business process management?
Most businesses have a lot of moving parts (processes).
For example:
- Manufacturing and distribution
- HR and employee happiness
- Finances and payroll
- Software maintenance
- Customer service
BPM, short for business process management, is the management of all your businesses’ moving parts. It requires you to understand, design, implement, monitor, and continuously improve your business processes.
Here’s a deeper dive into the key elements:
- Identify and map out business processes in detail
- Analyze and optimize processes to boost business productivity
- Design and implement process improvements to achieve better outcomes
- Monitor and measure performance to check process effectiveness
- Automate processes to reduce manual work
- Manage and maintain processes for continuous improvement
What are BPM tools?
Business process management software automates business processes and workflows. This can simplify the management of complex processes, make them more efficient, and reduce (human) errors.
To use BPM tools:
- First, identify and understand all the existing processes within the organization.
- Then, analyze these processes to find areas for improvement (and make them more efficient).
- Finally, configure the optimized processes within the BPM tool to automate tasks where possible.
BPM tools often provide features like task tracking, reporting, and analytics, so you can use them to track performance and identify areas for further improvement.
When are BPM tools best used?
Beyond the obvious benefits of business process automation platforms, there are a few scenarios where they shine:
- An inefficient workflow is cumbersome, time-consuming, and prone to errors.
- BPM tools automate repetitive, manual tasks and introduce standardized procedures for efficiency and productivity.
- BPM tools can facilitate smoother handoffs and reduce miscommunications or delays in organizations where knowledge transfers and communication are manual. They do this by centralizing all project-related information and automating the flow of knowledge.
- When businesses struggle to gain insights into their complex business processes, BPM tools can give real-time visibility. They provide data-driven analytics, reports, and dashboards, which help identify areas for improvement.
- Bottlenecks can hold up an entire project or business workflow. BPM tools help to find bottlenecks so that you can proactively fix them.
How to choose a BPM tool?
Before we dive into the best BPM software tools out there, here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing one.
Define your objectives
To start:
- Define your objectives clearly.
- Envision the end game and outline what you want to achieve with the BPM tool.
- Jot down your goals and prioritize them based on their significance to your business.
For instance, let's say you aim to streamline task assignments and management. That'll be your key objective when evaluating the BPM tools.
Nail your requirements
Consider factors like scalability, flexibility, ease of use, security, and cost. These will have a significant impact on your choice.
Also, think about what integration you might need with your existing systems. Seamless integrations can make a world of difference in streamlining your workflows.
You can use a business requirements document (BRD) to help you identify your business requirements. A BRD is a great artifact for capturing exactly what your business needs and can help you focus on ones that align with your business objectives. For example, if your products follow strict compliance requirements, that'd be an important factor to focus on.
Evaluate your options
Finally, use what you gathered and evaluate the BPM tools thoroughly. Keep these steps in mind:
1) Get trial access to the BPM tools you're considering. The hands-on experience will tell you more than any research can.
2) If you can't get a trial, contact the BPM tool providers and ask for product demonstrations. See the tool in action and compare how it addresses your specific needs. Pay attention to its functionalities and whether they align with your objectives.
3) Review user testimonials (on unbiased sites). Look for feedback on performance, customer support, and overall satisfaction.
9 best BPM tools for 2024
Now that you know how to choose a BPM tool, let's dig into 9 of the best for 2024.
1. Motion
Motion is a leading BPM tool known for its comprehensive task management and scheduling automation. With this app, tasks are intelligently prioritized based on urgency, deadlines, and resource availability and then automatically assigned. Its AI calendar manager can optimize and schedule meetings for your whole team (and clients).
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Unique features:
- Agile project management functionalities
- Automate task management
- User-friendly interface and ease of implementation
- Extensive integrations capabilities with third-party systems
- Advanced analytics features and reporting functionalities
- Collaboration features for team-based process management
- Mobile accessibility and remote work capabilities
Pricing plans:
- Individual plan: $19 per month, billed annually or $34 billed monthly. Includes: task management, project management, automated scheduling and planning with A.I., calendar management, meeting booking pages, meeting booking templates, 1-click email assistant, desktop and mobile app, and dedicated customer support.
- Team plan: $12 per month per user, billed annually, or $20 per user billed monthly. Great for collaborating with your business users on projects and tasks. Includes everything in the individual plan, collaboration on projects and tasks (for your entire team), automated planning, prioritization of tasks for each team member, and central billing.
Best for:
Small to large businesses can benefit from Motion’s task and scheduling automation. For example, design agencies that juggle multiple creative tasks, multiple clients, and tight deadlines.
2. Kissflow Workflow
Kissflow Workflow is another great BPM tool known for its industry-specific templates and pre-built process models. No matter the industry—finance, healthcare, manufacturing, or more—Kissflow has ready-made solutions tailored to your needs. These templates can save you time and effort, and you can get a jumpstart on optimizing and automating your workflows.
Key features:
- Industry-specific templates or pre-built process models
- Extensibility and ability to add new functionalities
- Advanced process monitoring and real-time analytics
- User interface and user experience design
Pricing plans:
- Small business plan: $15 per business user, per month, for 20 to 100 employees.
- Corporate plan: $20 per business user, per month, for 100 to 500 employees.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing for companies with 500+ employees.
Best for:
Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) such as creative agencies can benefit from Kissflow to automate workflows.
3. Miro
Miro is an excellent BPM tool with pre-built templates and visual processing tools. The templates are a perfect starting point and can save valuable time setting up optimized workflows. Its process visualization tools provide an intuitive overview of your processes, making them easier to understand and improve.
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Key features:
- Industry-specific templates or pre-built process models
- Automation capabilities and workflow optimization features
- Process modeling and visualization tools
- Customization options to tailor the tool to specific business needs
Pricing plans:
- Free plan: $0 per month per user with task limitations, a single workspace with three editable boards, and access to 2500+ Miro templates.
- Starter plan: $8 per month per user billed annually (or $10 billed monthly) comes with unlimited boards in a single workspace.
- Business plan: $16 per user per month billed annually (or $20 monthly). Offers advanced features like unlimited private and secure workspaces and collaboration with unlimited guests.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing available.
Best for:
Miro's pre-built process models and process modeling features can help small to large project and product teams.
4. Wrike
Wrike shines in its workflow automation and process optimization features. It can automate repetitive tasks and free up valuable time while reducing the risk of human errors. Wrike also provides visual tools for process optimization to fine-tune your workflows easily.
Key features:
- Project management and task-tracking functionalities
- Collaboration features for teams working on business processes
- Workflow automation and process optimization capabilities
- Integration with other productivity tools and platforms
Pricing plans:
- Free plan: $0 per user per month with task limitation.
- Team plan: $9.80 per user per month for teams of 2-25.
- Business plan:$24.80 per user per month, intelligent platform for any use case.
- Enterprise plan: Enterprise-grade security and scalability (specific price).
- Pinnacle plan: Advanced tools and analytics for complex work needs (specific price).
Best for:
Wrike works for businesses of all sizes, but it works very well for project-based companies (such as construction).
5. Jira
Jira's Agile project management features are the cornerstone of its BPM capabilities. Its Scrum boards help structure tasks and projects, so you can quickly recognize potential blocks and adjust as needed. Jira can also integrate with other tools, facilitating the exchange and movement of data.
Key features:
- Agile project management functionalities
- Issue tracking and task management capabilities
- Integration with other development and collaboration tools
- Workflow automation and process customization options
Pricing plans:
- Free plan: $0 per user/month with task limitation, suitable for up to 10 users, includes unlimited project boards.
- Standard plan: $7.75 per user/month offers everything from the Free plan plus additional features like user roles and permissions, audit logs, and data residency.
- Premium plan: $15.25 per user/month, includes advanced roadmaps, sandbox & release tracks, project archiving, guaranteed uptime SLA, and unlimited storage.
- Enterprise plan: Custom pricing available.
Best for:
Jira works well for small startups aiming to simplify workflows and large businesses with complex projects. Its Agile features can help you make quick adjustments to ever-evolving projects.
6. Revver
Revver's workflow automation and process optimization can boost your BPM efforts. Teams can set transparent workflows and predefined approval processes for quicker (and improved) decision-making. With Revver, you can also prioritize, track and schedule work, which improves cycle times.
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Key features:
- Document management and version control functionalities
- Workflow automation and process optimization capabilities
- Collaboration features for teams involved in business processes
- Integration capabilities with other business tools and systems
Pricing plans:
- Based on request.
Best for:
Revver is the ideal BPM tool for businesses of all sizes that rely heavily on complex workflows. For example, legal firms that handle many case files at a time.
7. Process Street
Process Street is a business process management tool with a lot of time on the market. Top features of Process Street are its process mapping and documentation functionalities.
Key features:
- Vendor reputation and longevity for reliability and trustworthiness
- Process mapping and documentation for clear visualization of workflows
- Support for various process improvement methodologies
- Workflow automation and checklist-based process management for streamlined execution
Pricing options and available plans:
- Startup plan: $100 per month for a discounted version of the Pro plan.
- Pro plan: $415 per month with unlimited workflows and members
- Enterprise plan: Starting at $1,660 per month.
Best for:
Process Street works for many businesses but suits supporting service firms very well. It can help map out client engagement processes to deliver top-notch services.
8. Smartsheet
Smartsheet’s project management and task-tracking functions make it practical for BPM. With Smartsheet, you can create detailed project plans; it’ll then assign tasks to team members and set deadlines automatically. Its task manager feature also helps optimize resource allocation by showing the best time and team members for tasks.
Key Features:
- Project management and task tracking for efficient task execution
- Collaboration and team-based process management for seamless workflow
- Workflow automation to reduce manual efforts
Pricing plans:
- Free plan: $0 per user/month with up to 2 editors, two sheets, Gantt, grid, card, and calendar views.
- Pro plan: $7 per user/month comes with the same free plan features, plus up to 10 editors (paid license required to edit), unlimited sheets, unlimited free viewers, and unlimited dashboards.
- Business plan: $25 per user/month comes with Pro plan features, plus unlimited free editors, user, group, license management, baselines, forms with conditional logic, publish sheets, reports, and dashboards.
- Enterprise plan: Contact for specific pricing.
Best for:
Smartsheet works well for all businesses, especially for fast-growing startups and medium-sized enterprises. It can automate a lot of complex work and help plan complex projects.
9. Nintex
Nintex can help design, automate, and optimize workflows to drive business efficiency. Nintex also integrates with business software stacks, creating a unified ecosystem.
Key Features:
- Process automation and optimization for increased productivity
- Process mapping and design features
- Integration capabilities with existing business tools
- Collaboration features for effective teamwork and decision-making
Pricing plans:
- Pro Plan: $25,000 USD/year with unlimited users, unlimited workflows, and 2,000 document generations.
- Premium Plan: $50,000 USD/year with unlimited users, unlimited workflows, and over 10,000 document generations.
- Custom plan: Personalized pricing based on organization needs.
Best for:
Nintex is well-suited for enterprises with complex and intricate collaborative workflows. It can help streamline processes in industries like healthcare, finance, or manufacturing.
Get started on your BPM with Motion today
Now that we have reviewed how BPM tools can help you solve business process issues, it's time to start your own journey.
And to help you drive out inefficiencies, try Motion. With its powerful task automation capabilities, it can help push work through your workflows seamlessly.
Motion can also help streamline your meeting and scheduling process. Its intelligent AI calendar assistant integrates with other calendars like Google to find the best meeting times across your business's ecosystem.
Take control of your processes and propel your business forward with Motion – start your free 7-day trial.
