Automation across your enterprise made easier with Box Relay
How can I help my teams get work done in this new normal?
Companies now grapple with this question as the world’s interactions go virtual. Whether it's changing the way customers submit applications, simplifying proof of identification for new hires, or transforming paper-based processes, the need to automate and digitize everyday processes has quickly become urgent in light of the global shift to remote work.
For too long, teams have managed repetitive, time-intensive and content-based processes manually over paper or email. No tool could provide easy support. Legacy workflow solutions are rigid and complex, and spreadsheets and kanban charts only get you so far.
It was these challenges that led to the launch of Box Relay one year ago, giving Box customers a single content management platform to both support internal/external collaboration and streamline processes. Users across hundreds of companies now use Relay to simplify day-to-day tasks and teamwork so they can focus on what matters most.
Now more than ever, it's critical that businesses find a simple way to quickly automate and digitize their processes across the entire enterprise. With that in mind, we're pleased to announce these three new capabilities in Box Relay:
- A library of workflow templates tailored to sales, marketing, HR, legal, finance, and more
- File Request integration
- Multi-file support in workflows and tasks
Drive productivity with pre-built templates for every department
Over the past year, we've seen trends that show each respective line of business has a fairly standard set of workflows. For instance, marketing teams often build workflows for review and approval of public-facing communications by brand, legal, executive, and public relations, and HR teams build workflows for onboarding new employees.
Pre-built templates in Box Relay enable users to create a workflow in minutes, saving time otherwise used on manually designing from scratch. Empowering business users — who are intimately familiar with their processes — to easily build workflows that suit their needs, frees up valuable and overloaded IT resources, driving higher productivity across the board.
To get started, users select from a library of Box-published, modifiable templates, which comprise 24 common line-of-business use cases. They can easily modify workflow steps, add pointers to related content, add in collaborators and task assignees, and kick off the workflow.
Templates enable users to fast-track the automation of simple and common business processes, while building in best practices for designing workflows. For example, a legal team can choose from templates to review and approve customer contracts, finalize patent submissions with external counsel, and handle review of sensitive customer communications. We are also looking to add the ability for users to build custom templates for standardizing and sharing workflows within an enterprise later this year.
Seamlessly extend workflows outsideyourbusiness
Content is at the heart of business processes, and the new Box File Request experience we launched last month made requesting files and information from outside your organization insanely simple. But we know the flow of content doesn't end there — and that completing the process often requires downstream actions.
With the new File Request integration in Box Relay, a workflow automatically kicks off when content is submitted. Conditions defined on submitted metadata then trigger specific actions, including assigning tasks to individuals and teams.
Consider the process of sourcing and reviewing vendor applications. Vendors simply drag-and-drop a completed application into a dedicated intake folder on Box and fill out requested fields, such as vendor name and region. Those details are then automatically attached as metadata to the application. The moment they hit 'Submit', a workflow kicks off, and a task and processing deadline are assigned to the appropriate regional manager. If approved, the application automatically moves to the 'Approved' folder.
What was previously a disjointed, paper-based process is now a streamlined and seamless digital workflow. From sourcing to approval, you get much faster turnaround times, minimal chance for errors, and a superior user experience for everyone.
Simplify workflows with multi-file support
What about processes that involve multiple files? We've got you covered on that, too. Think of the vendor application example, but imagine you need additional support for multiple files. With multi-file workflow support in Box Relay, you easily select and package multiple pieces of content together to move through a workflow as one entity. This includes assigning a single task for review and approval.
As another example, someone in human resources might kick off an approval workflow involving select documents, such as a completed application form, a note from a medical provider, or form of ID (perhaps for a leave of absence or an employee benefit claim). The addition of multi-file support simplifies this process by routing the package through a single workflow, so that HR can review and approve with one click.
Since its release, Box Relay has helped users automate everyday business processes, adding new capabilities every month to address the evolving needs of our customers. The capabilities announced today carry that momentum forward, enabling companies to get more done faster and thrive in this new normal.
For a sneak peek into these capabilities, check out our What’s New in Box Relay webinar.