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Many companies are in the midst of a software revolution powered by AI, automation, and an increasing focus on solving large-scale operational challenges. Yet, for many employees, this transformation has not yet simplified their daily work. They still find themselves stuck in repetitive manual tasks—switching between tabs, filling out forms, chasing approvals, and trying to navigate complex systems across departments.
Meanwhile, internal service teams—such as procurement, HR, legal, and IT—are left managing processes that are cumbersome and slow. Despite the availability of various tools designed to help streamline operations, these teams often struggle with fragmented workflows and systems, especially when it comes to coordinating processes across departments.
For instance, initiating a procurement request might still require employees to log in to unfamiliar ERP platforms like SAP, dig for information, and collaborate with multiple stakeholders outside of their core workflow. And while AI is increasingly prevalent, many companies have only scratched the surface of its potential—often using AI for simpler tasks like chatbot assistance rather than the more transformative, complex workflows that could drive real change.
Inefficient technology usage hinders internal service teams from being proactive. Instead of driving innovation and value, teams are stuck in reactive roles, consumed by low-impact tasks. This leads to longer cycle times, reduced process adoption, and ultimately, a negative impact on the business's overall agility and performance.
Despite the promises of process automation and AI, the reality for many teams is that these tools have often made things more complicated by adding more layers of software, each with its own set of rules and interfaces. In procurement, for example, processes can span supplier catalogs, RFP tools, PO creation systems, and AP automation software—often on top of core ERP platforms like SAP or Oracle.
This is where process orchestration software comes in, offering a way to connect and streamline these scattered processes. By integrating and orchestrating workflows across different systems, teams can not only optimize their existing tech stack but also help their organizations scale more effectively.
What is Process Orchestration Software?
Process orchestration refers to the practice of coordinating automated business processes across teams and systems. AI-powered process orchestration software allows internal teams like procurement, IT, and legal to better manage their mix of people, processes, and technology investments, including ERP platforms like SAP.
With process orchestration, businesses can streamline workflows across teams and systems, with processes initiated through familiar channels like Slack, email, or Microsoft Teams. It manages the handoffs, automations, and approvals needed to fulfill requests, simplifying collaboration across the organization.
Think of process orchestration as the conductor of your organization’s operational symphony. It doesn’t perform the tasks but ensures that everything runs smoothly, with the right systems and people involved at the right time.
What Does Process Orchestration Look Like in Action?
Process orchestration software is designed to enhance efficiency by integrating with your existing technology. This means it can wrap around platforms like SAP and extend functionality, simplifying intake processes, automating workflows, and enabling AI-powered assistance throughout the lifecycle of internal requests.
For example, an employee can submit a procurement request through Microsoft Teams without ever logging into an ERP system. AI-enhanced forms can pre-populate fields with data from connected systems, eliminating manual steps and ensuring compliance with company policies. Meanwhile, the orchestration software handles approvals and escalations, automating routine tasks and allowing employees to focus on strategic work.
Benefits of Process Orchestration Software
Process orchestration software reduces the burden of repetitive administrative tasks for employees, allowing them to focus on more impactful work. For internal service teams, the benefits are even broader:
- Increased Efficiency: Process orchestration helps internal teams resolve requests faster by automating manual handoffs, approvals, and escalations across multiple systems.
- Improved Process Adoption: By allowing employees to initiate and complete processes in the tools they’re already using, like Slack or email, process orchestration ensures higher compliance with organizational policies and processes.
- Maximized Technology Investments: Process orchestration extends the capabilities of your existing tools by integrating them into a cohesive workflow, ensuring that no system works in isolation.
Ready to Transform Your Operations?
Rio Intake & Process Orchestration for SAP revolutionizes business operations by integrating SAP and non-SAP systems in real-time through a seamless orchestration layer. With features like SAP Ariba Intake Management Extended Edition, it brings advanced capabilities like cross-platform interaction, email and team integrations, and out-of-the-box non-SAP connectivity. This empowers ECC customers with enhanced compatibility, and its drag-and-drop workflow builder allows for customizable procurement processes without coding. Rio simplifies complex processes through conversational intake, automating routine tasks, ensuring compliance, and saving time while boosting adoption and reducing procurement cycle times by 50%.