This white paper introduces Interactive Workflows and how using Surado CRM Interactive Workflows can increase efficiency, standardize processes, reduce costs and increase return on investment. The key is to understand your customer, your products and services, your business processes and how Interactive Workflow management tools can be used to maximize customer satisfaction. This paper will give you an overview of workflows, how Surado CRM Interactive Workflows differ from traditional workflows, options available and best practices to deploy workflows.

1. Interactive Workflows
White Paper
Benefits of CRM Interactive Workflows
A White Paper
Preface
This white paper introduces Interactive Workflows and how using Surado CRM Interactive Workflows can
increase efficiency, standardize processes, reduce costs and increase return on investment. The key is to under-
stand your customer, your products and services, your business processes and how Interactive Workflow man-
agement tools can be used to maximize customer satisfaction.This paper will give you an overview of workflows,
how Surado CRM Interactive Workflows differ from traditional workflows, options available and best practices
to deploy workflows.
Contents
• Overview ................................................................................................................ 2
• What are Surado CRM Interactive Workflows? ............................................ 3
• Benefits of Surado CRM Interactive Workflows ........................................... 4
• Workflow Planning & Deployment Best Practices ....................................... 5
• About Surado CRM Interactive Workflows and Surado CRM .................. 6
Copyright © 2005 Surado Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1

2. Interactive Workflows
White Paper
Overview
What is CRM?
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy and a cor-
porate philosophy that puts the customer at the center of business
operations so as to increase profits by improving customer acquisi-
tion and retention while automating processes to be more efficient
and effective. In its complete form, CRM provides a 360-degree view,
integrating customer information at every touch point.
With a CRM Software, you will be able to view all pertinent in-
formation from telephone numbers, address, e-mails, to scheduled
and historic activities to attached documents to customer service
communication to sales forecasting to back office financial informa-
tion about your contact (Customer,Vendor, Partner, etc.) in a single
cohesive view.
Why CRM?
Like other technologies that have profoundly impacted our lives, such as computers, e-mail, and the Internet —
CRM is here to stay. Organizations that seize the opportunity to implement an effective CRM strategy today will
gain a true competitive advantage.
What is Workflow Management?
Workflow Management consists of the automation of business procedures or “workflows” during which tasks
are carried out by following specific rules or procedures. These tasks can be accomplished by one individual in
one department or can span multiple individuals in one or multiple departments, and can be manual or automated.
Workflow software products offer diverse features and functionality; Some products have been developed as
pure workflow software while others have been integrated into other software product lines.
The evolution of workflow functionality into CRM software is a
Workflow Management
natural transition as CRM software continues to grow in func-
The computer assisted management of tionality to bring a single view of contacts to organizations.
business processes through the execution
of software whose order of execution is Now, you are able to use workflow management within your
controlled by a computerized representa- CRM software that controls not only processes and tasks re-
tion of the business processes.
lated to the CRM application but any other application that sits
on your desktop.
As defined by the Workflow Management Coalition
Copyright © 2005 Surado Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 2

3. Interactive Workflows
White Paper
What are Surado CRM Interactive Workflows?
Surado CRM Interactive Workflows include a Graphical User Interface designer that lets you easily “assemble”
various business processes graphically, to help guide users through tasks.
Surado CRM Interactive Workflows provide un-
precedented ease of use and features that will
continue to improve efficiencies throughout your
organization. Surado leads the CRM community
in never-before-seen workflow functionality.
Many vendors define Process Automation as
workflow. Surado CRM Interactive Workflows
are not simply process automation represented
in graphical user interfaces. Interactive actually
means interactive! Users can drag-and-drop ob-
jects, create links between multiple objects, and
then actually use objects to launch windows or
other applications.
Surado CRM Interactive Workflows allow you to:
• Create visual flowcharts that describe various processes and transform them into Interactive Workflows.
• Not only visually represent each process, but allow end-users to double-click each icon to take a specific action:
- Launch all major Surado CRM data-entry screens
- Launch and execute Automated Business Rules
- Launch Surado CRM Custom Screens
- Launch integrated Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, Project, etc.
- Launch the Knowledge Base
- Launch any third-party Windows application
- Launch back-office applications like financial applications, industry-specific databases and more
• Prevent an object to be executed unless the preceding object has been completed.
• Track Workflow status for specific records within all major CRM components – Contact, Account, Sales Op-
portunity, Customer Service and Marketing functions.
• Launch one Workflow from another Workflow.
• Create Workflows for a specific group of users – divisions, departments, user groups, etc.
• Individuals can create workflows for their personal use only.
• Select from a variety of included icons or load your own.
• View Workflows in Graphical Format or Standard Text Format.
• Easily toggle between development and run-time modes.
• Unlimited object creation for complex processes.
Copyright © 2005 Surado Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3

4. Interactive Workflows
White Paper
Benefits of Surado CRM Interactive Workflows
The benefits of flowcharts and workflows have been clearly documented over the years. Surado Interactive
Workflows simply take them one step further, to provide you with an easy-to-use design tool and interface for
your system users.
Here are just some of the benefits of Surado
CRM Interactive Workflows:
1. Improved efficiency – automation of many
business processes results in the elimination
of many unnecessary steps and enforces standard
operating processes across the organization.
2. Better process control – improved man-
agement of business processes achieved
through standardizing working methods and
the availability of audit trails.
3. Improved customer service – consistency
in the processes leads to greater predictability
in levels of response to customers.
4. Flexibility – software control over process-
es enables their re-design in line with chang-
ing business needs.
5. Business process improvement – focus
on business processes leads to their stream-
lining and simplification.
6. Improved Productivity – high employee
satisfaction will result in employees working
faster and smarter.
7. Simple Training Tool – utilize Workflows to train new employees. The GUI interface and checks and bal-
ances allow new employees to be trained faster and more efficiently.
8. Reduced operating costs – because of the efficiencies that come with a well designed Workflow, you will
realize significant reduction in training and operating costs.
9. Higher level of customer satisfaction – providing a high level consistent end-user experience, no matter
who in the organization touches them, will keep your customers coming back.
Copyright © 2005 Surado Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 4

5. Interactive Workflows
White Paper
Workflow Planning & Deployment Best Practices
Since workflows can be utilized within the entire organization, each department will need to assess the needs for
its workflow requirement by reviewing all processes that can be streamlined using workflows.
Surado CRM Interactive Workflow will allow business users to coordinate business activities, people and applica-
tions, and to model routing of work requests within a process and across processes. Workflow can depict vari-
ous aspects of a process, including automated and manual process activities, decision points and business rules,
parallel and sequential work routes, and how to manage exceptions to the normal business process.
The following points will help you plan departmental and organizations workflows that make business sense:
1. Since workflows can span more than one department, assign a Project Manager to oversee all workflow plan-
ning that might cross between departments.
2. Make sure you know the problem before starting on the project. Identify all “pain points” within the depart-
ment or organization.
3. Within each business process workflow, decide which processes will be handled by the system automatically
and which ones will be manually driven by end-users.
For example... The system may automatically create an activity for the Legal department to draft a Contract when
a client is interested in purchasing a product. This could be an automated activity that would be triggered when a sales
person updates the sales opportunity sales stage from “Demonstration” to “Contract Negotiations.” Another auto-
mated activity could also be created to remind the Sales Rep to follow-up with the Legal Department after two days.
4. Start with a simple departmental level business process that can be streamlined.
For example... A workflow depicting each step a Sales Rep must take when a new prospect calls in:
a. Enter record in Contact/Account Screen
b. Create Sales Opportunity record
c. Review Prospect Company information
d. Run Automated Business Rules:
i. Send Electronic Brochure
ii. Verify receipt of Electronic Brochure
iii. Schedule Follow-up Demonstration
iv. Schedule Follow-up Activity to close the deal
5. Deploy a pilot project with a team that has “buy-in” to the project before deploying the workflow to all users.
6. Once you have deployed workflows that utilize the interactive capabilities of Surado CRM functionality, ex-
plore utilizing workflows to launch other Windows-based applications from within Surado CRM.
7. Track Metrics – before and after deployment to realize the benefits of workflow. Tracking metrics will also
allow you to adjust processes as you see fit.
8. Review your workflows on an ongoing basis to ensure they are updated as your company’s business needs change.
Copyright © 2005 Surado Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 5

6. Interactive Workflows
White Paper
About Surado CRM Interactive Workflows and Surado CRM
Surado CRM Interactive Workflows functionality is included with the Surado CRM suite and the Surado Small
Business CRM suite.
Surado CRM software is the vehicle that enables a 360-degree view by connecting all your customer touch
points. Our integrated core product suite provides Account and Contact Management, Sales Automation, Mar-
keting Automation, Customer Service, Support and Help Desk.
Surado CRM then acts as “glue,” pulling other important information from front and back-office applications, into
one cohesive picture. Regardless of industry, a key concern is not the lack of information collected, but rather ac-
cessibility to that information. Surado CRM helps cut through information silos within an organization, leveraging
current technology investments to provide the right information to the right people at the right time.
For more information about Surado CRM Interactive Workflows or Surado CRM product lines, please call Surado
at 1.800.4 SURADO (1.800.478.7236) or 1.951.682.4895 or visit our website at www.SuradoCRM.com
Copyright © 2005 Surado Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This white paper is provided for informational purposes only. Features and functionality may be revised without prior notice.
Please contact your Surado Senior Solutions Manager for the most updated information. 6