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01 Sep Bitrix24: Better Business Processes
Learn the fundamentals of workflows and their applications in various areas such as Sales, Project Management, and HR in Bitrix24. We will show how to create and customise the business processes in Bitrix24 CRM.
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What is Bitrix24?
It’s a collaboration suite of over 35 different tools, ranging from communication tools like internal chats or voice calls to a fully functioning CRM that comes with automation rules and business processes. Bitrix24 is an ever-growing software with over 12 million customers worldwide.
Types of business processes in Bitrix24
Business processes in CRM (Customer Relationship Management) refer to the automated workflows and rules that guide and optimize the way businesses manage their interactions with customers and potential customers. We’ll look at how we can design, manage, and execute business processes inside the Bitrix24 system. But before we delve into the actual business processes in detail, it’s essential to understand what a business process is.
Within Bitrix, there are different types of business processes:
- Sequential Business Process: This process performs a series of consecutive actions on an item from a predefined start point to a predefined endpoint. An example in Bitrix24 is the process for running leave requests through an organization.
- State-Driven Business Process: Unlike the sequential process, the state-driven business process doesn’t have defined start and end points. Instead, it operates based on a series of statuses. Each status has associated trigger child processes. For instance, in Bitrix24, a state-driven process might be used for document management, where documents can have statuses like “draft,” “publishing,” and “approval.” Each status can have child processes, such as sending a draft for approval.
- CRM Automations: Within the CRM system of Bitrix24, users can set up automation rules on any stages of leads or deals. These automations can be actions like sending emails to clients or setting up tasks for sales representatives. Triggers can also be used to automatically move leads to new stages based on specific actions, like clicking a link in an email campaign. For instance, if a lead clicks on a link in an email, they might be automatically moved to a more advanced stage in the lead process, indicating their interest.
- Smart Process Automation (SPA): A new feature in the CRM system, SPA allows users to create their own entities inside the CRM. For example, one might set up an “applicant tracking” entity to manage the stages of a job application process. Users can then set up automation rules on these custom entities. However, it’s worth noting that the SPA tool is only available from the professional cloud edition and above. Those on basic or standard cloud plans won’t have access to SPA features.
But let’s see how business processes can be initiated from various modules within Bitrix24:
- HR and Admin Sections: Processes can be triggered directly from the feed page, which is the home area of the Bitrix24 system. Common uses include leave requests and expense reports.
- CRM System: Business processes can be run on leads, deals, contacts, and companies.
- Documents: In the drive area, if business processes are enabled, they can be initiated directly on documents.
- Lists: Lists, especially within projects, can have automations directly on tasks.
- Custom Modules (Self-Hosted): For those with the self-hosted version of Bitrix24, it’s possible to create custom areas or modules to trigger business processes, such as on a user’s profile.
Setting Up the Process in Bitrix24:
- Navigate to CRM settings and select “automations.”
- Choose the “business processes” button to access the entities of the CRM system.
- Select the desired entity, such as “deal,” and click “add template” to open the template parameters form.
- Provide a title and description for the business process.
- Choose when the process should run, such as when any change is made to the deal.
The Business Process Editor provides a drag-and-drop interface with over 40 pre-built action blocks. Users can add conditions to check the stage of a deal.
Different action blocks can be added based on the deal’s stage, such as setting up a phone call for a new deal or conducting a credit check before sending a contract. For a new deal, an action block can be set up to initiate a phone call. When a contract is sent, a credit check action block can be added to ensure the client has sufficient credit.
Customising Business Processes:
Bitrix24’s Business Process Editor tool is user-friendly and allows for the customization of action blocks. For instance, users can easily set up email templates, which can be dynamically populated with information from the lead. The timing of actions can also be customized, allowing users to determine when specific actions are executed, such as immediately when a lead reaches a particular stage or after a set number of days.
For users who find the Business Process Designer tool complex, Bitrix24 introduced Robotic Process Automation (RPA). This tool simplifies the creation of workflows by using technology similar to leads and deals. Users can define stages for their workflow and set up automation rules for each stage. For instance, in a business trip workflow, stages like “create expense,” “approval by supervisor,” and “submit expense receipts” can be defined. Automation rules can then be set up for each stage, notifying relevant stakeholders and prompting necessary actions. RPA offers a more streamlined approach to creating workflows in Bitrix24.
Triggering Business Processes:
Business processes in Bitrix24 can be triggered in various ways:
- On Creation or Update: For example, a business process can be set to run automatically when a new lead is added to the CRM system. Additionally, the process can be triggered when specific fields in the lead are updated.
- Manually: Users can manually initiate a business process. For instance, if an employee wants to submit a holiday request, they can manually trigger the corresponding business process.
Conclusion:
Bitrix24 offers a comprehensive suite of tools for better business processes. From sequential to state-driven processes, automation rules, and more, businesses can streamline their operations and ensure consistency. The platform’s flexibility, combined with its user-friendly interface, makes it a go-to solution for businesses looking to optimize their workflows. Whether you’re managing CRM entities, documents, HR tasks, or custom processes, Bitrix24 has the tools to make it seamless.