Top 5 business process management software reviewed

Estimated reading time: 27 minutes

Selecting process management software is hard. This article scores five top business process management software solutions on 27 requirements from medium-sized businesses.

Not sure if you’re ready? Is your company ready for BPM software? Maybe there are still some steps to take internally.

Business process management is a comprehensive effort to visualise, execute, improve and manage your company’s recurring work across roles, on an ongoing basis and on one single platform. Consequently, we have written this article to help you find that platform.

How was this written?

We have written this guide for managers and executives in medium-sized businesses and organisations that want to succeed in business processes.

The guide is a result of our internal competitor research efforts. So Gluu is also in the vendor comparisons below. Consequently, we’re trying hard to be objective and we’ve had two independent reviews of this article to ensure that we’re fair. However, remember that the listed requirements are what we find important in this space. They represent what we have found during seven years of talks with hundreds of customers and prospects look for the best process management software solutions. If the criteria below don’t match your needs then this guide will not be able to help.

With this out for the way – let’s dig in!

Key requirements for top business process management software

The best business process management software solution will allow you to say a clear “yes!” to (almost all of these criteria):

1. Easy to implement and use for both administrators and end users.
2. Secondly, make the standard way of working easy to understand.
3. Enables ongoing communications and feedback so everyone is involved.
4. Makes processes easier to execute the right way.
5. Collects input and data to improve business processes.
6. Integrates with other systems to automate tasks.
7. Finally, to ensure solid governance around processes.

For an in-depth explanation of each requirement, you should read our guide to business process management software.

How we selected the tools to include

So how do you select five tools from hundreds? We’ve done this by:

• Focusing on SaaS and cloud-native solutions
• Also, focus on the needs of business people
• Looking at the numbers of user reviews at a variety of software selection portals (GetApp, Capterra, etc.)
• Eliminating old and “classic” BPM software made for a large enterprise
• Asking prospective customers about which other tools they’re looking at besides Gluu

We have excluded tools that were either too heavy and sophisticated or too light and focused on task management. Certainly, they may be good tools in their own right – just not suitable for medium-sized businesses.

Due to this, only Heflo, Tallyfy, Kissflow, Flokzu and Gluu met all of our criteria.

Even among the top business process management software, each program has a slightly different focus within the business process management space. We’ve illustrated it below:

#1 Easy to implement and use

Firstly, all of the top business process management software tools are easy to start with and put to use. Where workflow tools such as Kissflow and Tallyfy are easier when it comes to automating a process, Gluu is easier to use when it comes communicating processes to employees. (This is the key for the scores: 0 = Not available, 1 = doesn’t meet, 2 = meets, 3 = exceeds)

#2 Makes the standard way of working easy to understand

Once a workflow is set up inside any of the tools, then it is enforced well. The challenge arises when the process spans multiple departments, systems and roles, then visual process mapping and clear organisational roles are needed. This is where tools such as Tallyfy seem to miss the end-to-end process level.

#3 Enables ongoing communications and feedback

The main difference when it comes to communications is that where the other top business process management software is focused on communications around the specific case, Gluu is more focused on communications around the process and its activities.

So, if you plan to do most of the work using the tool only, then workflow-based tools are better. If you plan to use the tool to control and ensure that work happens in other systems, then Gluu is the choice for you.

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#4 Makes processes easier to execute the right way

When focusing is more on “doing the job” rather than “why and how to do the job” then Tallyfy and Kissflow comes out slightly ahead.

Gluu differentiates itself by enabling frontline and field service staff to report back with geolocation and photos when tasks are done.

#5 Collects input and data to improve business processes

Tallyfy falls short since it has no “meta-level” where you get an overview across. In contrast, Heflo, Kissflow and Flokzu offer more advanced reporting with process run data. While Gluu is focused on reporting on compliance in terms of task completion and documentation.

#6 Integrates with other systems to automate tasks

A Zapier integration offers easy integration with hundreds of cloud apps. For this reason, Tallyfy, Kissflow and Flokzu come out on top in this area. On the other hand, for companies that have a “Microsoft focused IT strategy” then only Gluu is hosted in Microsoft’s Azure cloud.

(At Gluu we have a Zapier integration in our product roadmap, so the gap will be closed with the other top business process management software.)

Ideally ready integrations to integration platforms such as Zapier.

#7 Ensures solid governance around processes

Medium-sized businesses require solid governance of their process portfolio. Therefore, they need advanced rights management, multiple editors and tools to manage hundreds of processes.

Here how Gluu’s capabilities within process portfolio management stack up against other top business process management software.

The final result

As a result, we can conclude that there are some great tools out there (and here ;-). Finally, to visualise our results we mapped each tools scores per main requirement area, which gave us this result:

So, if you’re looking to automate tasks across multiple cloud services then all of the top business process management software such as Tallyfy and Kissflow may be your best options.

On the other hand, if you’re looking for a tool that spans all the moving parts of process management – the process maps, work instructions, organisational roles and communications needed – then you should try Gluu.

… and lastly, if you’re looking for an entirely different type of process management software solution, then here are the tools which didn’t quite make our top business process management software:

The business process management software solutions that we didn’t cover

The ones that are too heavy

This includes “enterprise architecture” such as the ones described in this list by Gartner. Furthermore, the list also includes what we would call “classic” BPM tools that for a small group of well-trained and experienced experts can help deliver on all the disciplines of BPM as listed above.

Verj.io
Thinksmart – Mitratech
cDevWorkflow
Bpm-online
ProcessGene
Ninox
UI Path
Ultradox
Comidor
ValeurHR
Digital Business Transformation Suite
OptimumHQ
Cube Data management system
Mykosmost
AppBase DCM & BPM Platform
Camunda
Zoho Creator
Erwin
Engage process modeler
CWA SmartProcess
CANEA Process
Bizagi
Pega 7
BizFlow Plus BPM Suite
JBoss BPM Suite
Ultimus BPM Suite
Barium Live
Datapolis Process System
Edoras One
Mega
Abacus
BIZZDesign
QualiWare

The ones that are too light

Some top business process management software talks about processes when in fact they are mostly focused on automating low-level procedures and work instructions.

Process Street
Metatask.io

Conclusions

This article provides valuable insights into the selection of business process management software for medium-sized businesses. It offers a comprehensive comparison of the top tools, highlighting their strengths and focuses. Whether you prioritize automation, clear process visualization, ongoing communication, or governance, this article helps you make an informed choice tailored to your specific needs in the realm of business process management software.

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