Zoom Video Communications has launched its new Workflow Automation tool in beta, designed to improve efficiency and reduce time spent on routine tasks. It also allows users to create complex workflows both in Zoom Workplace and in third-party applications, allowing them to focus on more meaningful tasks and improve collaboration with their colleagues.

This tool automates processes within Zoom Team Chat, Zoom’s AI-powered chat solution, which will soon include new capabilities.

“We built Workflow Automation to be easy to use for teams of all sizes and abilities. We launched the feature first with Team Chat because it’s an opportunity to strengthen collaboration with team members and get work done asynchronously,” says Wei Li, Head of Zoom Team Chat at Zoom.

Maximizing Efficiency

In a fast-paced work environment, efficiency is key, and Zoom Workplace helps users optimize their time. With Workflow Automation, users can set up automated messages in Team Chat to introduce new members in a channel, create recurring reminders for project updates, streamline time-off requests, and collect feedback using questionnaires in a chat channel.

These features save time and improve efficiency, and no technical knowledge is required to build these workflows. Users simply need to use the “drag and drop” feature, without any coding required.

Using Workflow Automation

Creating workflows on a platform can be tricky. With Zoom Workflow Automation, users have the option to choose from pre-built templates or design their own flows to automate daily tasks.

Zoom Workflow Automation makes it easy to automate tasks so users can focus more on strategic decision-making and increase their overall productivity. Tasks that can be automated include scheduling recurring project updates and sending reminders to the team to post status updates in a Team Chat channel, as well as efficiently collecting input, whether for feature requests, user feedback, or incident reports.

To simplify workflows, users can set them up sequentially, conditionally, or event-based, allowing for multiple paths and automated outcomes. For example, a user could set up a workflow in Team Chat where incoming comments are automatically categorized based on keywords. If the keyword is “billing,” the message is routed to the finance channel; if it’s “technical issues,” the IT support channel is alerted. This automation improves response times and ensures efficient handling of various queries within Team Chat.

Zoom has designed Workflow Automation to be accessible to teams of all skill levels, offering a no-code experience that enables anyone to build complex workflows. Pre-built templates are included for common tasks, such as onboarding new members to a channel or streamlining approval processes like time-off requests. Zoom will continue to add new templates to address a wide range of business needs.

Availability

During the beta period, Workflow Automation is available at no additional cost to paid Zoom users. Once generally available, paid plans will include unlimited standard workflow runs and specific allowances for premium workflow runs, with additional charges if these allowances are exceeded.