Flows: Build Automated Document Processing Workflows with TableFlow
Create sophisticated document processing workflows with TableFlow's visual Flows builder. No-code automation for routing, approvals, and multi-document processes.
Your team handles countless documents daily—purchase orders that need matching with packing lists, invoices requiring multi-level approval, and contracts demanding specific routing based on value thresholds. Each document type follows its own path through your organization, leading to bottlenecks, errors, and frustrated employees.
What if you could design these workflows visually, without writing a single line of code? Flows, a feature in TableFlow, empowers business users to create sophisticated document processing workflows quickly and efficiently.
In this post, we'll explore how Flows in TableFlow transform chaotic document processes into streamlined automated workflows that reduce errors, accelerate processing, and free your team to focus on strategic work.
The Document Workflow Challenge
Most organizations deal with document workflow complexity that grows over time. A simple "send invoice to manager for approval" process evolves into a maze of conditional routes, exception handling, and manual interventions.
Common Workflow Problems
- Process Inconsistency: Different departments handle similar documents differently, creating confusion and compliance risks
- Manual Bottlenecks: Documents sit in email inboxes waiting for manual forwarding, with key approvers becoming bottlenecks
- Lost Visibility: Once documents enter the workflow, tracking progress becomes nearly impossible
Scaling Challenges
- Error-Prone Routing: Manual routing decisions lead to mistakes, with documents reaching wrong approvers or skipping steps
- Scaling Issues: Manual workflows that work for 50 documents per week break down at 500
- Administrative Overhead: Significant increases in manual management as volume grows
These challenges explain why organizations are turning to visual workflow tools like Flows in TableFlow to automate document processing.
Visual Workflow Design: Simplifying Process Automation with TableFlow
Flows in TableFlow shift automation from an IT-driven task to something business teams can create and manage themselves. Instead of relying on developers, subject matter experts can design and deploy workflows directly.
No-Code Configuration
Workflow components in Flows are configured through simple forms rather than code. Users can set up conditional routing by selecting data fields and defining rules like "If Amount > $5000, route to CFO approval."
Example Configuration:
This empowers business users to implement logic themselves without needing technical expertise.
Real-Time Testing
Flows in TableFlow include testing capabilities so users can validate their workflows before deployment. Sample documents can be uploaded to see how they move through the workflow, making it easy to identify and fix issues immediately.
Testing Process:
- 1. Upload sample documents
- 2. Watch them flow through your workflow
- 3. Identify bottlenecks or issues
- 4. Adjust configuration and test again
- 5. Deploy with confidence
This iterative process allows users to experiment and refine workflows based on real-world scenarios.
Conditional Routing: Intelligent and Adaptive Processes with Flows
Sophisticated workflows in TableFlow don't just move documents—they make decisions based on document content, business rules, and organizational needs.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Conditional routing evaluates document data to determine the next steps. For example, invoices might follow different approval paths depending on vendor, amount, or department, while purchase orders might route based on commodity type or supplier status.
Invoice Routing Example:
- • < $1,000: Auto-approve
- • $1,000 - $5,000: Manager approval
- • $5,000 - $25,000: Director approval
- • > $25,000: CFO approval
Purchase Order Routing:
- • IT Equipment: IT Manager
- • Office Supplies: Admin Team
- • Raw Materials: Operations
- • Services: Department Head
This automated logic handles complex business rules that would otherwise be challenging to manage manually.
Dynamic Approval Chains
Flows enable flexible approval chains that adapt to real-world circumstances. If a primary approver is unavailable, the system can route to a backup automatically. Additional approval levels can activate based on thresholds.
Smart Routing Features:
- • Automatic backup approver routing
- • Escalation based on time limits
- • Threshold-based additional approvals
- • Holiday and vacation coverage
Exception Handling
Flows can include exception handling for unusual scenarios. For example, documents that don't match standard patterns can be flagged and sent to a specialized queue for review.
Exception Scenarios:
- • Unrecognized vendor formats
- • Unusual payment terms
- • Missing required fields
- • Suspicious amounts or patterns
Multi-Document Processing: Streamlining Complex Workflows with Flows
Real-world processes often involve multiple related documents, like purchase orders paired with packing lists and invoices, or contracts requiring supplementary documentation.
Managing Document Relationships
Flows in TableFlow can link related document sets, ensuring they are processed together. For example, a purchase order workflow can track associated packing lists and invoices to ensure complete processing without missing critical steps.
Document Linking Example:
Sequential and Parallel Processing
Flows can enforce specific document sequences, such as ensuring invoices aren't approved before verifying packing lists. Alternatively, when tasks can occur simultaneously, Flows enable parallel processing to maximize efficiency.
Sequential Flow:
Parallel Flow:
Essential Workflow Components in TableFlow
Effective workflows rely on a comprehensive set of tools to handle every aspect of document processing. Flows in TableFlow include:
Document Ingestion
- • Document Upload and Classification: Documents via uploads, email attachments, or API integrations
- • Automatic Categorization: Classification systems route documents to correct workflows
Data Processing
- • Data Extraction and Validation: Validate against business rules for accuracy
- • Error Flagging: Automatic identification and routing of problematic documents
System Integration
- • ERP Integration: Connect to accounting platforms for seamless data flow
- • API Connectivity: Link with existing business systems
Reconciliation
- • Document Matching: Automatically match related documents
- • Discrepancy Detection: Flag differences for review and prevent errors
Real-World Workflow Examples with Flows
Purchase Order to Invoice Workflow
This workflow covers the full procure-to-pay process:
1. Purchase Order Processing
Documents are uploaded, classified, and routed for approval based on thresholds
2. Packing List Integration
Packing lists are matched to purchase orders, flagged for discrepancies, and updated in inventory
3. Invoice Processing
Invoices are matched against purchase orders and packing lists before being approved and sent to payment systems
Multi-Level Approval Routing
Dynamic workflows adapt to organizational rules, routing documents based on amount thresholds, approver availability, or required perspectives.
Approval Matrix Example:
This ensures approvals are comprehensive while avoiding bottlenecks or delays.
Real-Time Monitoring: Keeping Workflows Transparent with Flows
Flows in TableFlow provide real-time visibility into document status and performance. Dashboards show where documents are in the process, helping teams identify bottlenecks and improve efficiency.
Status Tracking
- • Document location in workflow
- • Processing stage timestamps
- • Approval status updates
- • Exception notifications
Performance Metrics
- • Average processing times
- • Bottleneck identification
- • Success/failure rates
- • Volume throughput
Optimization Insights
- • Workflow efficiency analysis
- • Resource utilization
- • Error pattern detection
- • Improvement recommendations
Key Takeaways
- • Flows enable visual, no-code workflow creation that empowers business users to automate complex document processes
- • Conditional routing and dynamic approval chains adapt automatically to business rules and organizational needs
- • Multi-document processing capabilities link related documents and enforce sequential or parallel processing requirements
- • Real-time testing and monitoring provide confidence in workflow deployment and ongoing optimization insights
- • Comprehensive integration capabilities connect with existing systems for seamless end-to-end automation
In Summary: By automating document workflows with Flows in TableFlow, your organization can eliminate manual errors, accelerate processing times, and free your team to focus on higher-value work. The visual, no-code approach puts the power of sophisticated automation directly in the hands of business users, transforming chaotic document processes into streamlined, intelligent workflows.
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About Mitch Patin
CEO & Co-Founder at TableFlow. Expert in operations automation, AI-powered document processing, and building scalable B2B software.
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