The 80/20 Rule of Automation: Stop Wasting Time on Repetitive Tasks

Mar 12, 2025By Sundaresh Ramanathan

In every organization, a significant portion of time is spent on repetitive, manual tasks that add little strategic value. The Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) suggests that 80% of results come from 20% of efforts—yet too many businesses allocate valuable resources to low-impact activities. By leveraging automation with Workato, organizations can eliminate inefficiencies and refocus their workforce on high-value work.

The Hidden Cost of Repetitive Work

Employees spend hours every week on tasks that could be automated, including:

  • Manual approvals: Processing purchase orders, leave requests, and budget approvals often involves unnecessary back-and-forth emails.
  • Employee onboarding: HR teams manually enter data into multiple systems, leading to delays and errors.
  • Finance workflows: Invoice processing, expense approvals, and financial reconciliations require extensive data entry and verification.

Case Study: Automating Invoice Approvals

A global manufacturing firm streamlined its invoice approval process using Workato. Instead of relying on email chains and manual approvals, Workato integrated NetSuite and Slack, automatically routing invoices to the right approvers. This reduced approval times by 60% and eliminated errors from manual data entry.

How Workato Enables Smarter Workflows

By adopting low-code/no-code automation, organizations can simplify routine tasks across departments:

  1. Automating Approvals: Workato automates multi-step approval workflows by integrating tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, and ERP systems, ensuring seamless processing without unnecessary delays.
  2. Streamlining Employee Onboarding: With Workato, HR teams can integrate Workday, Greenhouse, and email systems to automatically create accounts, send welcome emails, and trigger IT provisioning—cutting onboarding time by 50%.
  3. Enhancing Finance Operations: Workato connects finance tools like QuickBooks, SAP, and Stripe, reducing manual data entry, ensuring compliance, and accelerating month-end close processes.

Maximizing Business Impact with Automation

By automating repetitive tasks, organizations can:

  • Improve employee productivity by reducing time spent on manual processes.
  • Increase accuracy and compliance by eliminating human error.
  • Enhance scalability by ensuring seamless workflows as the business grows.

Take the Next Step

Stop wasting time on repetitive tasks. Schedule an appointment with us today to explore how Workato can help you automate workflows and focus on what truly matters.