When someone asks me about automation, I don’t start by talking about tools.

I start with a question:

What do you do multiple times a day that you don’t like doing and could write down as a process?

Because if you can write it down step-by-step, there’s a very good chance we can automate it (or at least make it much faster).

Automation isn’t about replacing people.
It’s about removing the repetitive, tedious tasks that drain time and attention so you and your team can focus on the work that actually moves the business forward.

The “write it down” test (the real secret)

Here’s the rule of thumb:

• If you can explain the task clearly
• If it happens often (daily or weekly)
• If it follows the same steps most of the time

…then it’s a strong automation candidate.

And if the process is “it depends” every single time, that’s not a dead end it just means we need to tidy the foundations first.

Which brings me onto how we actually approach automation at NW ERP.

Our automation process (how we make it work in the real world)

A lot of automation fails because people jump straight to “build” before the basics are clear.

So when we work with you, we follow a simple 4-step workflow. It keeps things practical, reduces risk, and makes sure you actually get time back at the end of it.

01) What can we automate?

First, we get clear on what’s happening in your business today.

We’ll look at:

• What your current process is
• What’s working well (we don’t want to break that)
• What’s taking too much time
• Where mistakes creep in
• Which tasks are repeated daily/weekly

This is where I’ll ask that question again:

What are you doing multiple times a day that you don’t like doing and could write down as a process?

Because that’s usually where the quickest wins are hiding.

02) Map out the process

Once we know what’s worth automating, we map it out properly.

That includes:

• Each step in the workflow (in plain English)
• Who does what
• What triggers the next step
• What systems are involved (ERP, accounting, CRM, email, spreadsheets, etc.)
• What “good” looks like (so we know when it’s working)

This part matters because you can only automate something if there’s a solid process behind it.

If the process isn’t clear yet, that’s fine, we’ll help you make it clear first. Then we automate.

03) We build and test

Before anything goes live, we build the automation and test it properly.

Not just “does it work once?” we test it like it will run in the real world:

• Different scenarios
• Edge cases
• Exceptions
• “What happens if…” situations

The aim is simple: no surprises, no missed steps, no half-working workflows.

04) Go live & start saving time

Once testing is complete, we roll it out.

And this is where the real value shows up because the time savings compound:

• Less admin
• Fewer mistakes
• Faster turnaround
• Better visibility
• Your team spending time on work that actually needs a human

Examples of tasks that are perfect for automation

Here are a few common ones I see in growing SMEs:

Invoice entry (and matching)

If someone is manually copying invoice details into your accounting system or ERP, that’s a classic time sink.

Automation can help with:

• Capturing invoice data automatically
• Matching invoices to POs / deliveries
• Flagging exceptions for review (instead of reviewing everything)

Trustpilot (or review) emails after fulfilment

Once an order is fulfilled (or delivered), you can trigger:

• A review request email
• A follow-up reminder
• A different route if there was a problem

Automatic reminders to stay top-of-mind

Automation can handle:

• Quote follow-ups
• Re-order reminders
• Service reminders
• “Checking in” messages after an order

Reporting that people actually read

Instead of manually pulling reports, you can automate:

• Weekly KPI snapshots
• Role-based reporting
• Exception reporting (only when something looks off)

When automation isn’t possible (yet)

Sometimes the honest answer is: we can’t automate it until the process exists.

Common blockers:

• Everyone does it differently
• The steps aren’t clear
• The data is messy
• The workflow changes constantly

In those cases, the best first step is simple:

Document the process. Standardise it. Then automate it.

Even just writing it down often reveals why it feels painful in the first place.

Want to find your quickest automation win?

If you want, send me:

• The systems you’re using (ERP/accounting/CRM)
• The top 3 repetitive tasks you’d happily never do again

And I’ll tell you what I’d automate first and what needs sorting before we can automate it.

No pressure. Just a clear plan and quick wins.