Business Process Integration (BPI) is a combination of a company’s internal operations – divisions and partners which connects them all in real-time. BPI is generally done by Business Analysts, because of their expertise with integration. They are subject matter experts that have the knowledge of processes.
The goal of BPI is to increase process speed, increase quality, and reduce costs – labor, materials, and capital costs. Management’s decision to invest in BPI is motivated by the need to document requirements for particular projects.
A business process is a collection of activities that ultimately produce a specific service or product.
There are three main types of business processes:
– Management processes; this usually includes strategic management and corporate regulations.
– Operational processes; focuses on core business processes such as purchasing, marketing, and sales.
– Supporting processes; examples are accounting and technical support.
A business process can further break down into sub-processes. These sub-processes contribute to achieving the overall goal. This includes mapping everything (processes and sub-processes) down to the activity level which reveals a work flow. A work flow is a sequence of operations for staff or machines to produce a product. it can be classified as actual hands-on work of different types of ordering.
In the past, only developers could use complex software to handle multiple protocols and convert documents and files to different formats. With BPI, anyone is able to format business processes through syntax. Anyone can map file formats with user-friendly drag-and-drop techniques.
Another distinction is that BPI uses a top-down approach, as opposed to a bottom-up approach. In any process, steps are made from reusable parts and can be designed by using past creations.. if business rules change, it is easy to make modifications without disrupting the complete operational process.
An advantage of BPI is that it maximizes open standards and lower costs connections. For example, a good BPI tool supports interfaces like X.12 and EDIFACT that are delivered on a private VAN network. It also saves time and money. BPI will automate manual processes and improve communication with different systems. In addition, it will lower operational costs.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a business software that is capable of integrating with a business process plan. It can track everything from raw materials to production. An ERP system can help businesses identify waste, get rid of inefficiencies, and improve customer service.
Regardless of the size of a company, ERP systems can give a business more insight into supply operations. Access to this information allows businesses to gain a competitive edge and make better decisions. For example, a business can use ERP software instead of Excel spreadsheets. They will be able to keep better track of the entire business and see drastic changes immediately.
A major benefit of integrating ERP wih BPI is that vendors can have better connections to the industries they serve, and have faster response times. Mobile solutions can also be implemented to have real-time date when out in the field. This allows businesses to keep running without skipping a beat.