Service
Business Process Automation Services for UK Firms
Business process automation means a process that used to rely on emails and memory now runs by itself, with a person checking the exceptions. HAeX builds business process automation services for small, mid sized and enterprise UK teams. We map the process first, then automate the steps that follow a rule.
- We map your process before we build anything.
- A person approves every unusual case.
- You get a UK GDPR and data flow note with each build.
It means a repeatable job passes from step to step without someone nudging it along. A request comes in, the right person is told, the data moves and the record updates.
What does business process automation mean in plain terms?
Think of onboarding a new starter. Today it may need five emails and a checklist. Automated, one form starts the process and each team gets its task on time.
Which processes suit automation in a UK firm?
Choose processes that repeat, follow rules and cross two or more teams. Approvals, onboarding, quotes, purchase orders and month end checks are common examples.
Poor candidates are processes that change every time, or ones nobody can describe. We tell you which is which on the call. Firms in construction and trades often start with quotes and job paperwork. Firms in recruitment and HR start with onboarding and right to work checks.
How is this different from workflow automation?
Process automation covers the whole job and its owners. Workflow automation connects the tools. They overlap, so we scope both together.
Here is the split we use. A process is "a supplier invoice is approved and paid". A workflow is "the email attachment is read, matched and posted to Xero". If your problem is a join between two apps, see AI workflow automation. If it is a job that crosses people, you are in the right place.
It looks like a short list of steps, who owns each one, and which steps a rule can handle. Here is a worked example with assumed figures. It is not a client result.
What does a mapped process look like?
A new starter needs 12 tasks across HR, IT and payroll. Say each task takes 10 minutes and you hire 3 people a month. That is 12 × 10 × 3 = 360 minutes, or 6 hours a month of chasing. The automation creates every task, sets the due date and chases any task still open.
A one week time log comes first. See process optimisation for how that works.
We can work through this with your own details on a free call.
What stays with a person?
Anything that needs judgement, a relationship or a legal decision stays with a person. The automation prepares the facts and hands over.
We call these sign off points. An approval over a set value, a refund, a hire decision and a complaint all stay human. You choose the thresholds. We build them in and show you where each one sits.
How does a project run, step by step?
It runs in four steps and you approve each one.
- 1
Discovery call (30 minutes)
You describe the process in your own words.
- 2
Audit and quote
We map it, mark what can be automated and quote in writing.
- 3
Build (2 to 6 weeks)
We build, test with your data and walk you through every run.
- 4
Run and improve
We hand over with a plain guide. A care plan is optional.
Our free Workflow Automation Map gives you a first draft of the steps before we speak.
Do I need to change the systems I already use?
Usually not. We connect to what you have, such as Microsoft 365, Xero, HubSpot or your practice system, and add the missing links.
If a system has no way in, we say so early. Sometimes the answer is a small export that runs each night. Sometimes it is a reason to change the system, and we will not push that unless it saves you money.
Where a system has no connection at all, see our RPA consultant page. Factories can read how we approach AI for manufacturing.
A process can change and the automation can fall behind. People can also work around it. We plan for both.
What could go wrong?
Each run is logged and a failed step sends you an alert. We review the first weeks with you, then fix what real use shows. If your team is not ready to use it, we help with a short briefing rather than leave it to fail.
Is it safe under UK GDPR?
It can be. Every build comes with a UK GDPR and data flow note, a DPIA where it is needed, and named sign off points.
Processes such as onboarding hold personal data, so we limit what each tool can see. We state where it is processed and how long it is kept. For a full policy, see AI governance and compliance.
What do business process automation services cost, and what is next?
Price depends on how many steps and systems are involved. We scope it on a free call and quote in writing before we build.
Most builds take 2 to 6 weeks. If you are unsure which process to start with, the AI Automation Audit ranks the best candidates by hours saved. Related work includes invoice and document automation and CRM and sales automation.
Questions that come up
What is the difference between a process and a workflow?
A process is the whole job and the people in it. A workflow is the set of digital steps that carry it. We map the process first.
Can you act as our automation consultant?
Yes. We can advise, then build. You can also take our written plan to another supplier.
Do we need to document our processes first?
No. We do that in the audit, with the people who run the process.
How do you decide what to automate?
We rank steps by how often they happen, how much time they take and how safe they are to hand to a rule.
Will my team accept it?
Teams accept it when it removes the dull work and they can see the log. We involve them in the mapping.
Can you automate part of a process?
Yes. Many projects automate three or four steps and leave the rest as they are.
What happens on the call
- 1
You describe the process that costs you most time
- 2
We say which steps to automate and which to keep human
- 3
You leave with a short list of what to automate first and a rough idea of cost
Prefer to talk first? Ring 07435 708864.
What you now know
- What business process automation means
- Which processes suit it
- How it differs from workflow automation
- What a mapped process looks like
- What stays with a person
- How a project runs
- Whether your systems need to change
- What can go wrong
- How we handle UK GDPR
- What it costs and your next step
Start with one process
The first call is free. Tell us which process costs you most time, and we say what to automate first.