What workflow automation actually means

Workflow automation is the path of a piece of work: submitted, reviewed, returned, completed, exported. Today that path is often a person remembering who to nudge.

A useful system makes the path visible. The departmental head sees that their report is in. The pastor sees who has not submitted. The export is one action, not an evening of photocopying.

AI can sit inside that path later — summarising, classifying, drafting a reply. It is a poor substitute for the path itself. Get the queue right first.