Office automation systems help you produce better results, faster. But with over 25,000 providers, finding and choosing the best ones isn’t easy. You have to prioritize automations and wrestle with crossover services like budgeting software that doubles as cloud storage.
It’s like planning dinner for vegans and vikings.
That’s why we surveyed over 50 of the most popular systems and hand picked the best 13 options, as well as the top 3 priorities, so you can pick what’s best for your circumstances.
Best for Core Office Apps
Google Workspace
Price: $12/month/user
Setup Difficulty: Low
Department: All
Best Finance ERP
Sage
Price: $12.50/month/user
Setup Difficulty: Mid
Department: Finance
Best Cloud Infrastructure
Amazon S3
Price: min. $2,300/month
Setup Difficulty: High
Department: Back Office
What are the best office automation software?
| Name | Department | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Google Workspace Read review→ | All | Core Office Apps + ERP |
| Microsoft 365 Read review→ | All | Core Office Apps + ERP |
| Sage Intacct Read review→ | Finance (All for full ERP) | Budgeting and planning + ERP |
| Amazon S3 Read review→ | IT Back Office | Cloud storage |
| ChatGPT Read review→ | All | AI text generator |
| Kofax Control Suite Read review→ | All | Document processing software |
| Trello Read review→ | All | Task automation software |
| SpaceOS Read review→ | All | Desk booking tool for shared spaces |
| DocuSign Read review→ | All | Digital signature software |
| SmartVault Read review→ | All | File Sharing |
| Okta Read review→ | All | Single sign-on |
| Expensify Read review→ | Finance | Employee expensing |
| Bynder Read review→ | IT Back Office | Asset management software |
Core Office Apps + ERP
Office applications are the original office automation. And they’re the first automation you need to decide on because the implications are far reaching.
Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 provide most of the same services, but think carefully how attached you are to Excel. I’m a Google fan to the end, but I simply can’t get rid of my Excel shortcuts, and Google sheets is far behind.
Workspace gives you access to Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Meet, Chat, Docs, Sheets, and Slides.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $12.00/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Google has always put users at the forefront, and it’s still the case with workspace, so you can expect seamless updates and user interface
- Full cloud storage removes conflicts with sharing office files internally
- Easy connectivity between apps creates opportunities for improved workflows
Dislike
- Google Sheets is not optimized for advanced users and lacks many shortcuts that people like me (finance) depend on
The Bottom Line
Google Workshop is an easy, obvious, affordable choice for core office apps but lacks some advanced features like Excel shortcuts that Microsoft 365 is still a leader on.
Core Office Apps + ERP
The alternative to Google Workspace is of course Microsoft 365 (formerly Microsoft Office). In general Microsoft has a hard time updating its user interface and still today feels like a “lines and boxes” experience, but the core apps (Word, Excel, PPT, and Teams) are still the most popular options on the market.
I prefer Google except in two scenarios: (1) you need to share files with other companies very regularly, and (2) you have customized uses for Excel, Word, or PPT to the point where changing would hurt your performance.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $12.50/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Highly customizable
- Widespread use
- Soon to be updated with ChatGPT reinforced use
Dislike
- Poor user experience
- Customizability can create traceability issues within an organization
- Limited connectivity between apps (that don’t break easily)
The Bottom Line
Microsoft 365 is better than Google Workspace if you’re heavily attached to the Microsoft ecosystem, need to share files externally, or have built custom interactions (like shortcuts in Excel).
Budgeting and planning + ERP
Right after core apps and their storage comes good financial management. Cash flow issues, and not a lack of traction, is the leading killer of businesses. Sage is an enterprise resource management tool that focuses on cloud financial management for small businesses, and it will help with budgeting and planning in a much simpler way than SAP and Dynamics365.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| Finance | Quote | Mid |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Official partner of Major League Baseball
- Easy user interface
- Get started with key finance modules and grow into others as you learn
- Strong customer service
Dislike
- Can struggle to handle part-cloud, part-local storage, which is common in some industries due to regulatory environment
The Bottom Line
For budgeting and planning automation that can grow to a CRM, payroll, inventory, BI tool and more, Sage is our top pick as a “mini” ERP for small and mid-sized businesses. It’s not, however, appropriate for businesses that have to store data on local servers and not in the cloud.
Cloud storage
Alright, we’ve looked at core business apps and your financial management software (“mini” ERP in the case of Sage), but what if you want more control over how the data is actually stored in the cloud? Google workspace and Microsoft 365 provide their own cloud, and so does Sage, but you lack control. To get that control back, you can own cloud storage with AWS.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| IT Backoffice | Min $2300.00/mth | High |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Enhanced control over cloud storage
- More secured and monitored data
- Very reasonable price
Dislike
- May be overkill for small businesses who can lean on Google and Microsoft in-house solutions
The Bottom Line
Anyone who wants more control over where and how their data is stored in the cloud should consider Amazon S3 for small business.
AI Text Generator/Information Machine
Not everyone realizes how much ChatGPT can do for a team. For only $20/month, you can speed up virtually any content production, from emails to articles to training materials.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $20.00/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Makes virtually any writing task 1 tenth of the difficulty and time consumption
Dislike
- For now, it can’t use real time information on the web
- Can make mistakes
- Can be insulting from time to time
The Bottom Line
It takes some adjusting, but using ChatGPT (or an alternative) for text production and to source information will save you time and peace of mind so you can dedicate mental resources to other tasks.
Document Processing Software
Everyone wants to be digital, but the reality is printing is still a need in many businesses. Kofax Control Suite monitors your printing, optimizes the transfer to digital, and converts already-printed documents into digital versions of the highest quality (not just a simple scan).
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | Quote | Mid |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Extremely useful tool for businesses still attached to paper, such as schools, logistics, and tradesmen
Dislike
- Really only applied for a small number of industries and would be overkill for most
The Bottom Line
If printing is a cost and efficiency blocker in your business, consider a documents processing software like Kofax’s Control Suite.
Task Automation Software
Many task automation tools are nothing more than glorified to-do lists, but Trello did a good job converting all kinds of workflows into a very easy interface. In short, it uses, kanban-styled boards, lists, and cards (think an event in Google calendar), all of which are tagged and connected, to manage virtually any workflow.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $10.00/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Strong interface
- Limited options make the app a crutch and not something to learn
- “Simple” alternative to Atlassian’s complex JIRA ticketing program
Dislike
- New features have come out to keep Trello competitive with an ever-growing competitor base, but they’re not always useful
- For those completely new to software development-style task management, there’s a learning curve
The Bottom Line
Trello helps you block tasks like calendar meetings and track them like FaceBook events without fluff.
Desk Booking Tool (Shared Spaces)
Remote work is a commodity now, and many employees expect it. This is good news for small businesses because they can save money on office space by rotating employees. But you don’t want 1 person too many showing up, not have a desk, and lose time. That’s where software like SpaceOS come in. Employees can now book a spot in the office and avoid overlap.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | Quote | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Though not the only option, SpaceOS has done a good job fining tuning it’s solution and its now a trusted partner of Allianz and PepperHub
Dislike
- It’s heavily focused on coworking spaces, so optimizations for business desk booking are still to come
The Bottom Line
If you would like to save on office space, or you’re already planning to put some employees on full time remote, SpaceOS is a good choice to keep a rotating office schedule.
Digital Signature Software
Digital signatures are almost too obvious. Why would you ever print, sign, scan, and send a document when the whole process can be automated? DocuSign is a leader in this space, so if you’re tired of wrestling with signatures, check it out.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $25.00/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Legally binding solution
- Can be integrated with Google Drive and MS 365 and others
- Advanced encryption makes DocuSign highly secure
Dislike
- It’s features are somewhat limited compared to competitors such as AdobeSign
- Not every country recognizes digital signatures, and even in the US some documents must be signed by hand, such as pretty much anything requiring a notary (called remote ink-signed notarization)
The Bottom Line
To speed up signatures in your business, DocuSign is an ideal rapid solution.
File Sharing
SmartVault is a document management system that combines collection, cloud storage, signatures, and tracking. In short it’s basically an intuitive way to keep your paperwork in order because everyone gathers around the tool and trusts it. This makes file sharing much easier.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $40.00/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Very easy to use (that’s basically its value proposition)
- Targets small and medium sized businesses
- Integrates with MS 365
Dislike
- Limited features on basic plans makes upgrading likely
- Lacks and automated backup solution and you’ll have to export then save to a hard drive, which is slightly inconvenient
The Bottom Line
To securely store, sign, and share files in an increasingly hacking digital world, consider going with SmartVault.
Single Sign-In
Tired of having to enter your login info all the time? Okta removes this workflow friction with a single sign-in tool. So instead of spending your time remembering passwords, creating new ones, and clicking sign-in every other minute, just log in once to computer and work until your sign off.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| All | $2.00/mth/accnt | High |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Very secure
- Easy to use
- Integrates with many other third-party applications
Dislike
- Requires professional setup due to the nature of the service
- Though a huge plus, Okta may not be the right solution for small businesses wrestling to keep operating costs down
The Bottom Line
For a single sign-on experience with minimal friction while you work, try Okta.
Employee Expensing
Employee expensing is a mess. Between tracking receipts and issuing cards, it weighs on the finance department and often requires an FTE to run. Expensify automates most of that for you, and unless you have tens of thousands of employees, the $9/accnt will be a much cheaper option. Win win.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| Finance | $9.00/mth/accnt | Low |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Receipt scanning is a huge time save
- Integration with Quickbooks and other accounting software will make accounting a breeze
- Expense reporting is automated, so you’ll get a clear idea of where your money is going
Dislike
The Bottom Line
IT Asset Management Software
Office assets like computers and phones can get “lost,” and that’s frustrating. IT assets need to be labelled and tracked, especially for companies that scale. That’s what Bynder does.
Overview
| Department | Price | Implementation Difficulty |
| IT Backoffice | Quote | Mid |
What I Like & Dislike
Like
- Centralized management system
- Lot’s of customizability
- Collaborative interface to streamline operations for back office teams
- Strong user interface
Dislike
- Bynder isn’t what most would call “cheap”
- Can sometimes oversell as a solution for non-back office departments like marketing where asset tracking isn’t a core job
The Bottom Line
To seamlessly keep track of your IT assets, check out Bynder.
17 Other Options
We didn’t want this list to be too long, but there are tons of awesome automation solutions. Here are 17 others.
- Automation Anywhere – Robotic process automation
- QuickFMS – Maintenance management software
- LobbyGuard – Front desk automation
- goFMX – Facilities management
- Envoy – Visitor management
- Procurify – Real-time expense tracking + procurement
- deel – Onboarding automation
- Workable – Recruiting process software
- Intruder – Cybersecurity automation
- Torii – SaaS tools manager
- Versoly – Content management software / website builder
- Monday.com – Office productivity tool
- Airtable – Digital workflow management software
- Salesforce – Customer relationship manager
- ButterflyMX – Office security & access
- Arlo Pro 4 – Security Camera
- Vivint – Security System
How to Choose: 8 Steps
#1 Choose Google Workshop or Microsoft 365
Every business needs a suite of core applications, and today you have two choices. Microsoft 365 or Google Workshop. In general, Google is better for teamwork and usability, whereas Microsoft is better for external sharing. If you’re in a physical product industry like manufacturing, Google is a great option. If you’re in a consulting or “intellectual” industry, better go with Microsoft.
#2 Choose AWS or Step #1’s Native Storage
Google’s cloud hosing is Kubernetes, and Microsoft’s is Azure. There’s no problem going with either of these options, but if you want enhanced control and customization, consider going with AWS’s Amazon S3.
#3 Choose an Core ERP (Step #1 or Sage)
After core apps you need to think about finances and accounting. It’s find to go with Quickbooks or Freshbooks if you’re a really small company, but once you pick up a few employees and start to grow, a more robust solution with historical tracking, asset and liability customization, and advanced analytics will be necessary.
#4 Determine Priorities
With core apps and finances out of the way, you can start looking at other automations. You won’t get them all, so you need to prioritize. Consider which of the following automation categories are most important to you:
- Corss-departmental
- Finance
- IT Backoffice
- Facilities management
- HR
- IT Security
- Management
- Marketing
- Product
- Sales
- Security
#5 Eliminate Crossover
Some solutions will have features that cross over with others. Make sure you investigate your top priority options and are aware of all their functionalities.
#6 Pick & Choose
From there, it’s a question of picking and choosing from options like those on this list.
#7 Implement, Train, and Revise
Don’t forget, once you implement your choices you will have to train your employees to use them. Ensure you listen to what they have to say and adjust based on feedback. Not every solution will be the right one, and that’s ok. The goal is to revise.
#8 Optimize
Once you have a nice set of automations going, you’ll optimize. Your employees will learn how they work and explore advanced features. You’ll create custom modules to maximize the benefit to any workflow, ultimately saving you time and money.
Definition & Fundamentals
Office automation systems are hardware and software that reduce manual or redundant work so organizations can focus on service customers. They typically fall under department categories such as Finance, IT Back Office, Facilities Management, HR, IT Security, Management, Marketing, Product, Sales, and Security.
Prioritizing: 3 Types
You can think of automations in three categories:
- Communication and Collaboration
- Data and File Management
- Business Operations Management
The best way to prioritize is to consider these categories. Ask yourself,
- Where are the largest bottlenecks in my business?
- How important is data security and continuity?
- Do support teams like finance and HR hurt how fast we serve our clients, and how good our product/service is?
Pros & Cons
Automation doesn’t come without drawbacks, and not every business will benefit from them equally. Here are some common pros and cons you should consider when choosing solutions:
Pros
- Efficiency. Automations make your more efficient as a business, period. The best example of this is cloud storage. When you save a Google Doc, it’s immediately stored and you don’t need to worry about classifying or loosing anything.
- Accuracy. Especially for detailed jobs like accounting, automations such as ERPs have safe guards to improve the accuracy of your work.
- Collaboration. This one is obvious. Anyone who switched from email to chats during the pandemic has seen how much better ideas flow through improved channels.
- Expense Reduction. Automations reduce expenses by decreasing time spend on manual work and in some cases by eliminating headcount.
Cons
- Setup fees. Automations can have setup fees depending on how invasive they are. Setting up an ERP, for example, often requires bringing a professional on site and potentially upgrading local servers.
- Training lag. Training employees to use new tools can take time, and it may create an initial bottleneck that smooths out over time.
- Job redundancy. This one is tough. Some jobs can be entirely removed by automation. Task automation software can remove the need for project managers in some companies, for example.
- Tech dependency. Most automations are cloud-based, which means you depend on internet connectivity to work. This isn’t a big issue in most cases but for industries whose employees are on the move and don’t require much office work, automations may not be helpful. Moreover, tech eliminates the need for certain skills, so your employees may become less critical with tech.
Conclusion
Office automation systems are essential to healthy company growth, but there are a lot of them, so it’s not easy to choose. With planning and careful consideration of the options, you’ll implement, train, revise, and optimize for your business.
At AnalystAnswers, we review tech and financial products with a data-driven approach so you can make confident decisions based on all the facts. We also teach data and financial analytics so you stay competitive in an increasingly digital fast-paced economy. Read more on our home page.
