Do you have visions of endless paper stacks dancing in your head?  As a small business owner, sometimes it may seem that your business can run away like a train without a conductor. Many times, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with everything that goes into running a business.

It can be difficult for business owners to keep up with important corporate processes like payroll, billing, and order management.  As the leader of your company, it is important for you to implement these processes in a way that will help your business run smoothly and effectively, while allowing you to keep your sanity.  One great way to take a load off your shoulders is with automated processes.

Small business owners should strongly consider using automated processes for internal procedures, to allow more time for customer relations.  Here are some automated processes that will help you sleep like a baby and autopilot your business.

Automate Payroll

A black and white cartoon drawing of a person sitting at a payroll desk with a line of workers walking with their arms outstretched in front saying “ME WANT CHECK.”

Eliminate the zombie line of workers on payday by offering direct deposit through an automated payroll system.

Letting a computerized system handle payroll is a blessing for many business owners.  There are specialized software that keep track of employees’ hours, wages and salaries, bonuses, overtime, and reimbursements.  They can also keep track of wage deductions and other nitty-gritty details that are necessary for taxes. Save the ink in your pen, because with an automated payroll system it will generate paychecks and enable direct deposit.  Check out Biz Brain’s Top 10 Small Business Payroll Software Packages of 2014 for a review of the best payroll programs for small businesses.

Automated Billing

Setting up an automated billing system is great for busy business owners. Automated billing is usually done electronically, where the recipient receives the invoice via email.  The process is easy to use, as it only requires the recipient’s email and billing address and contact information.  Automated billing can keep track of accounts receivable and send pay reminders for outstanding bills, increasing the efficiency and organization of payment collections.  For more info on automated billing systems, see Software Advice’s recommendations: Top 10 Most Recommended Billing and Invoicing Software Systems.

Automated Builders

Companies that specialize in delivering customized products should consider investing in an automated builder.  These online builders allow the customer to design their desired product through the convenience of the business’s website.  For a great example, take a look at our sister company, Shirts For Anything’s, online shirt builder.

There are many automated processes out there that can help streamline the organization of your business and increase efficiency.  Choosing what automated processes are best for your business is something that business owners should seriously consider.   We encourage fellow small business owners to take advantage of automated processes that will save them time and money and help them sleep at night!