Optimizing Administrative Processes: The Ultimate Guide

Are your files piling up, are your invoices still running on paper, and does every approval turn into an administrative marathon?

Behind these time-consuming tasks lies a treasure of time, resources and value that your company can unlock.

Optimizing administrative processes is not a luxury: it is a strategic mission!

Transforming a manual, fragmented, costly way of working into an administrative management that is digital, collaborative and secure.

In a few steps (diagnosis, automation, monitoring) you can reduce costs, streamline communication and make every team member responsible, motivated and autonomous.

The result?

An operational organization that produces the right information, at the right time, for the right decision.

In this guide, AirProcess will dissect each block, every action, every tool, to show how to move from a pressured secretariat to a support department that propels your projects.

Ready to discover how to simplify, coordinate, and improve?

Turn the page: the impact may exceed everything you imagine.

How to optimize administrative processes?

Because before tackling the mountain, you need to know where to place the first piton…

Optimizing administrative processes involves developing a strategy to design a solution to a performance problem within a company's administrative apparatus.

Incidentally, it is a professional subject specific to the BTS Support to Managerial Action (SAM).

The goal is to achieve process efficiency and effectiveness.

Poor management of administrative processes can have a negative impact on the company.

It is an approach that requires questioning existing processes and allows you to free yourself from administrative heaviness.

This implies finding solutions to optimize the management of these processes in order to gain productivity.

Improving administrative processes reduces time and improves ways of working in daily tasks, enabling work to be done more effectively.

a) Diagnose the current state to reveal blind spots

To start, it is important to analyze information flows, the actors and the tasks involved in activities in order to understand dysfunctions and propose improvements.

The diagnosis is a key step where the project manager interacts with collaborators to collect information, identify problems, frustrations and needs.

It is a collaborative method that requires a thorough understanding of the current state.

This analysis leads to the creation of a scoping file including needs and various operational maps.

Map each workflow, from the paper form to the CRM — nothing should be hidden

Tools such as flowcharts or post-document diagrams can be used to represent the different actors and documents involved in a standardized administrative process.

This makes it possible to view the process and spot anomalies.

The post-document diagram schematically represents the different actors and documents.

It allows for easy and standardized reading of document movements and linkages.

Solid arrows indicate information flows, and dashed arrows show that one document is used as the basis to create another.

The diagnosis highlights dysfunctions, for example if document archiving is not centralized or if a document is filed across several departments.

Measure costs, lead times and error rates: set objective numbers to prepare the action plan

Measuring the performance of administrative work is a major pillar.

You must measure different operational indicators such as resources, inventory levels, lead times, customer satisfaction and error reporting.

Accurately evaluating process efficiency helps identify areas needing improvement and provides reliable data for informed strategic decisions.

It helps identify resource waste and problems such as long processing times or unstable service levels.

b) Simplify before digitalizing

The main objective is to simplify processes and make them more effective.

Optimization includes eliminating redundancies or unnecessary steps and removing tasks that add no value, which are often tedious and time-consuming.

Eliminate non-value-added tasks (the “Lean office” principle)

The value-added management principle (VAM) or Lean Management/Office aims to eliminate waste.

Among the wastes in the Lean sense are:

• unnecessary transportation,
• excessive inventory,
• unnecessary movements,
• waiting,
• unnecessary complexity or defects.

Freeing yourself from this administrative burden allows teams to focus on higher value-added missions.

The orchestration of flows can also help reduce time spent on non-value-added tasks.

Standardize forms and nomenclatures to avoid parasitic variants

Standardizing processes, notably through formalizing procedures, helps improve data quality and ensures process compliance and excellence.

Data standardization is facilitated by automation.

c) Automate smartly, not blindly

Automating administrative processes is an effective way to optimize them.

Select micro-processes eligible for RPA or no-code (high repeatability, few exceptions)

Automation is particularly suited to repetitive tasks and reducing manual data entry.

Software like AirProcess, ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solutions or no-code platforms can automate certain steps.

Automation reduces human errors and increases efficiency.

It allows employees to focus on more strategic, value-added tasks.

Orchestrate workflows and bots to keep a human eye on sensitive cases

Flow and workflow orchestration is made possible by tools like BPM software.

It accelerates flows and the transmission of information and alerts.

This enables administrative teams to dedicate more time to handling more complex and valuable cases.

d) Deploy collaborative tools and a solid data governance

Digitalization and dematerialization are major axes of optimization.

Centralize documents and data (DMS / MDM) to establish “a single source of truth”

This involves centralizing information and managing documents electronically.

ERP solutions consolidate all activities into a single database.

Advanced platforms can integrate master data management (MDM) and document management systems (DMS).

Centralization makes essential information instantly accessible, wherever you are.

Moving to a paperless approach saves time and reduces the costs of physical storage.

Define roles, rights and responsibilities to secure access and data quality

Securing data access, ensuring its durability and tracing operations are objectives of optimization, as is protecting sensitive data and complying with archiving standards.

Defining new tasks and responsibilities contributes to improvement. Automation helps ensure data quality in real time.

e) Manage by data and continuous improvement

Continuous process improvement is a fundamental aspect of optimization.

Install real-time KPIs, dashboards and proactive alerts

Management relies on performance indicators (KPIs) to measure, steer and control results.

Dashboards are useful for data-driven management.

Automation enables real-time data verification and the sending of alerts for deadlines.

Effective administrative process management makes the company more responsive.

Accurate and reliable data enable better-informed decisions.

Implement Kaizen loops: small adjustments, big impacts

Continuous improvement is based on precise measurements. The approach integrates the continuous improvement cycle (PDCA).

Constantly eliminating waste is part of this approach, allowing better use of resources and increasing capacity.

Analysis of data from optimized processes provides valuable insights to guide innovation.

2) What are the steps of optimization?

Spoiler: you don’t go straight to automation, and that’s where many get it wrong…

Optimizing administrative processes is a strategic approach aimed at solving performance problems within companies to achieve better efficiency.

It is an integral part of Block 1 Optimizing Administrative Processes in BTS SAM, teaching future Office Managers how to perform administrative tasks and propose improvements.

This approach requires questioning existing processes.

To carry out this implementation of optimization, several steps are essential, because if the administrative process is not right, nothing else will be.

a) Quick audit and strategic alignment

Understand the current state and ensure optimization supports the company’s vision.

Field interviews, document review, sector benchmark

The first step is decisive: it consists of auditing the relevant business process.

This involves acting like a detective, interacting with as many collaborators as possible to gather:

• precise information on operations,
• identify problems,
• frustrations and needs.

The audit must be exhaustive and include a representative sample of stakeholders, using questionnaires or surveys to collect quantitative data.

It is often more useful to meet operational employees to understand the precise workings.

This analysis of information flows, actors and tasks makes it possible to understand dysfunctions.

The audit is also a major tool for change management; it requires benevolence, listening and pedagogy.

At the same time, it is important to ensure that process optimization aligns with the organization's strategic directions and the company’s strategic objectives.

b) Scoping and prioritizing initiatives

Structure the identified needs and decide where to focus initial efforts.

Impact / effort matrix to decide where to invest first

Following the audit, analysis of the collected information makes it possible to consolidate results.

This step results in a scoping file that lists the various needs to be covered and proposes various maps of the company's operations.

Once needs are identified, you must prioritize them. Addressing all needs simultaneously would be counterproductive.

To determine the most urgent needs and decide where to invest first, you can use an evaluation matrix, which can be inspired by the impact/effort model.

c) Prototype and proof of concept

Test proposed solutions on a small scale before a full rollout.

Design sprint workshop to test in 5 days what normally takes 3 months

After prioritization, the step is to find solutions adapted to the identified needs.

These solutions may involve:

• improving working methods,
• using effective digital tools (collaborative, accessible),
• dematerializing documents and flows,
• or automating repetitive, non-value-added tasks.

Automation frees up time for higher value-added missions and helps reduce errors and increase quality and productivity.

Although sources do not explicitly mention prototypes or “design sprints”, the idea of testing new methods and tools before full adoption is implicit in the improvement approach.

d) Gradual deployment and change management

Implement new solutions and support the teams involved.

Pilot phase, just-in-time training, internal communication kit

Transitioning to optimized new processes requires careful implementation.

It may be relevant to ensure a smooth transition by progressively moving from old methods to new ones.

Change management is fundamental at this stage.

Communicating with collaborators, valuing their contribution and explaining the optimizations is essential to avoid negative reactions and ensure their buy-in.

Team support is necessary, which often includes training sessions to become familiar with new tools and methods.

Improving internal communication, potentially facilitated by integrated tools, also contributes to the rollout.

e) Post-launch measurement and improvement loop

Evaluate the effectiveness of changes, gather feedback and adjust continuously.

Review KPIs, lessons learned, iteration (Plan-Do-Check-Act)

Once optimized processes are in place, you must measure how they operate and evaluate their performance.

Performance indicators (KPIs) should be defined and tracked to measure, steer and control results and identify areas still requiring improvement.

Precise measurement makes it possible to understand strengths and weaknesses and to make strategic decisions based on reliable data. This step feeds the continuous improvement loop.

Optimization is a constant process that requires revisiting and reworking the foundations.

This cyclical approach, sometimes associated with the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check, Act), makes it possible to continuously improve quality and productivity and to constantly eliminate waste.

3) What tools to optimize processes?

Using BPM software is essential for good administrative organization and management, but it must follow a rigorous analysis to be relevant.

a) Mapping and modeling

AirProcess: visualize to better convince.

Process analysis involves understanding their precise operation, identifying steps and interactions.

Modeling and mapping the company's operations are important for this diagnostic step.

Visually representing processes makes them easier to analyze, spot anomalies and propose solutions.

b) Document management and dematerialization

SharePoint, DocuWare or open-source DMS: the foundation to eliminate paper.

Administrative management often involves a high volume of documents.

Optimization involves document management, dematerialization and rational archiving to facilitate access, secure data and eliminate paper.

The use of document management software (DMS) is a key component to automate document handling in companies and maximize performance.

c) Automation and RPA

Make, Zapier for quick low-code wins. UiPath, Power Automate for heavy processes.

Automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks is a major axis of administrative optimization.

It saves time, reduces human errors, improves productivity and frees employees for higher value-added missions.

Whether automating simple actions or more complex processes, automation is an effective solution to transform administrative activities.

d) Integrated business platforms

Modular ERP/CRM to avoid a jungle of tools.

Integrating administrative processes within a global information system is essential.

Integrated management solutions, such as ERPs (Enterprise Resource Planning), allow you to:

• consolidate all company activities in a single database,
• harmonize processes,
• eliminate dysfunctions and achieve considerable time savings.

These systems facilitate coordination between departments and provide a single interface to access data.

Customer relationship management (CRM) software is also mentioned among information systems.

The objective is to structure the organization for maximum efficiency by aligning resources and skills.

e) Monitoring and analytics

Power BI, Metabase: see in real time what is blocking.

Measuring the performance of administrative processes is a pillar of effective management.

Using performance indicators (KPIs) is necessary to:

• measure,
• steer and control results,
• track process progress,
• identify potential problems
• and make data-driven decisions.

These tools allow you to see in real time what works and what requires continuous improvement.

4) How to improve administrative productivity?

Here, we put on seven-league boots to go faster…

a) Distribute work intelligently

“Swimlane” method and role specialization

A thorough understanding of the current state is necessary.

Analyzing administrative processes makes it possible to understand information flows and the different actors involved to identify dysfunctions.

Tools can be used to present and analyze them.

Analysis and consolidation of the audit lead to a scoping file including needs and operational maps.

Although the “swimlane” method is not explicitly named in the sources, the idea of modeling processes at their business level is an optimization axis.

This approach reduces time spent on non-value-added tasks and allows more focus on handling more complex and useful cases for company performance.

It also aims to identify and eliminate waste and better identify and manage bottlenecks.

b) Automate data entry and control

OCR + AI for invoices, automatic dual validation

Automating repetitive tasks like manual data entry is a key lever to gain productivity.

Automated entry speeds up data processing and reduces human errors, making data more accurate and reliable.

It also helps reduce costs and improve data quality.

Common processes such as invoice management can be optimized through automation.

Using BPM software (Business Process Management), such as AirProcess, facilitates:

• analysis,
• design,
• execution
• and monitoring of processes, enabling automation of repetitive tasks and streamlining processes.

IT technologies make it easier to collect, store and analyze large amounts of data, and software can track process progress, automate certain steps and smooth interactions.

Automation ensures better data quality by standardizing processes and limiting manual handling.

c) Value the teams

Digital and data skills development plan

Optimizing administrative processes is not only a matter of methods and tools, but also of the human factor.

It positively affects organizational culture and can lead to greater employee satisfaction.

By making processes smoother and less time-consuming, optimization frees up time for more strategic and creative activities, enriching employees' daily work.

Performance measures can be used to recognize and reward employee efficiency.

Training is an important element, whether to become familiar with new tools or to upskill.

Knowledge of digital tools and data management is essential.

Analysis of data from optimized processes can provide valuable information to guide efforts and decision-making.

Valuing administrative staff and their skills is a managerial innovation choice that increases quality and productivity.

Employee engagement should never be underestimated.

d) Build a frictionless environment

Single Sign-On, API integrations: one password to do it all. (promise: no more “Oops, I don’t have access”)

Integrating administrative processes into the company's global information system is a major optimization axis.

An integrated information system harmonizes processes, eliminates many dysfunctions and offers considerable time savings.

Using software solutions, like an ERP, consolidates all activities into a single database and achieves more effective coordination between services thanks to better communication.

Digital tools improve communication and collaboration between departments, enabling more effective coordination and faster decision-making.

Digital technology ensures secure and easy access to information.

A frictionless environment, where access to information is easy and secure, contributes to efficiency and to reducing waste related to waiting.

Using good digital collaborative tools, accessible from anywhere and on any device, is recommended.

5) What are the stakes of optimization?

We lift the hood: what are the risks if nothing is done?

What are the gains if you get started?

Optimizing administrative processes is a key strategy for companies, because not reacting can lead to risks of losing competitive advantage or market share in the face of environmental changes.

Conversely, engaging in this approach improves overall performance, gains in efficiency, and frees the company from administrative burden to focus on its core business.

a) Economic stakes: direct cost and opportunity cost

One of the main economic stakes is to reduce operational costs and increase profitability by identifying and eliminating redundant or unnecessary tasks, as well as wastes that add no value.

This makes it possible to save time and allocate it to higher value-added missions.

Optimization improves productivity and efficiency by rationalizing the use of the entity's resources, including monitoring operating budgets and managing supply chains.

b) Quality and compliance stakes

Optimizing administrative processes aims to improve quality and ensure compliance with legal obligations.

By reducing manual data entry and standardizing processes, the risk of errors is decreased, which improves the reliability of information.

Dematerialization and the use of appropriate tools help secure access and the durability of data, while ensuring traceability.

This leads to consistent service quality.

c) User experience stakes (employee and customer)

Optimization has a positive impact on the experience of employees and customers.

For employees, it frees up time for more strategic and creative activities, improves the work environment by reducing frustrations related to time-consuming tasks, and strengthens team cohesion and company culture by facilitating internal communication and collaboration.

For customers, optimized processes speed up request handling, improve responsiveness, ensure uniform service quality, facilitate personalization, and increase transparency and communication, which contributes to better customer satisfaction and reduces dissatisfaction.

Optimization helps value administrative staff and their skills.

d) Resilience and scalability stakes

Organizations face multiple changes in their environment, requiring the ability to adapt quickly to economic and technological changes.

Optimizing administrative processes, notably through integration into the global information system and the use of scalable solutions, brings the necessary flexibility and agility.

It contributes to the sustainability of processes, ensuring the company's ability to proactively manage risks and opportunities and to follow regulatory and technological changes.

e) ESG stakes: digital sobriety and social responsibility

Compliance with legal obligations is a mentioned compliance issue. Rationalizing the use of the entity's resources includes managing equipment procurement and recycling, which can be linked to environmental responsibility.

Improving the employee experience and valuing personnel touch on social aspects.

The use of digital tools and dematerialization are at the heart of optimization, which can raise the question of digital sobriety, although the sources do not go into depth on this specific aspect.

6) How to manage administrative processes?

Because a process must be managed like a living product, not like a file you put away in a cabinet…

Managing administrative processes does not end with their initial optimization; it requires a dynamic and continuous approach to ensure their organization and lasting effectiveness.

Rigorous management is essential for the company's daily operation and to improve its productivity and performance.

a) Implement BPM governance (Business Process Management)

Business Process Management (BPM) is a key tool to manage administrative processes, enabling their:

• analysis,
• design,
• execution
• and monitoring.

BPM governance establishes how these activities are managed, defining clear roles and responsibilities. (Note: original had a typo in French 'responsabilités')

It implies organizing efforts and coordination between the different departments or entities of the company involved in processes.

b) Use lifecycle frameworks

Managing an administrative process follows a continuous lifecycle.

This cycle includes:

• the discovery or audit stage (analysis of the current state, identification of problems and needs),
• design (modeling, process mapping),
• execution (implementation of solutions,
• use of tools),
• and optimization or continuous improvement (monitoring, adjustment).

This structured organization enables effective monitoring of process performance and feeds the data-driven decision-making needed for adjustments.

c) Maintain a living process repository

A repository, such as a “procedure sheet” or a “process sheet”, is a primary tool to document how processes work.

It must be kept "living", i.e. regularly updated, to ensure its relevance and facilitate continuous improvement.

This promotes better internal communication by centralizing and sharing information, helping with knowledge transfer.

Establishing an organization for tracking documentation, with clear ownership and a versioning system, is essential for this repository to remain an effective tool and not become obsolete.

d) Audit and review periodically

Periodic auditing and revision of processes are indispensable to their continuous optimization.

They rely on monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), which signal potential dysfunctions, wastes, or bottlenecks within the different departments.

Analyzing these elements makes it possible to identify problems and plan corrective measures (remediation plan).

This approach requires coordination of efforts and data-driven decision-making to ensure that organizational processes adapt to changes and continue to aim for efficiency.

Optimizing human resources processes, for example (absence management, expense reports), greatly benefits from this monitoring and regular review approach.

7) What benefits come from optimization?

We finally reveal the treasure and it is often much larger than imagined…

a) Cost and lead time reduction; the quantified promise

Optimizing administrative processes makes it possible to achieve savings and gain productivity.

Its aim is to minimize operational costs and reduce processing times.

Up to 90% time saved on repetitive tasks thanks to digitalization

Administrative tasks are often repetitive and time-consuming.

Automation and digitalization of processes free up time, notably by reducing manual data entry and eliminating unnecessary actions.

Digitalization can reduce up to 90% of the time spent on repetitive administrative tasks.

This allows employees to focus on higher value-added activities.

b) Improved quality and fewer errors

Optimization aims for better productivity and optimal use of resources.

It helps improve administrative management.

Reduction of human errors and consistent service quality

Automation and process standardization reduce human errors and ensure tasks are performed uniformly.

This makes it possible to:

• facilitate and make tracking more reliable,
• improve the quality of collected data,
• reduce errors and duplicates,
• and ensure a consistent and reliable service quality.

A well-designed process allows collection of data on its operation, contributing to compliance and traceability.

c) Amplified employee and customer experience

Optimizing administrative processes can positively affect organizational culture.

It is also an opportunity to value administrative staff and their skills.

Increased satisfaction for employees and customers

It encourages an approach oriented towards efficiency and continuous improvement, which can lead to greater employee satisfaction.

By freeing time for more strategic activities, it enriches daily work and strengthens belonging and engagement.

Using performance measures allows recognition and reward for employee efficiency.

Individual contribution is valued and recognized, fostering a motivating work environment.

Every administrative process aims to satisfy a need expressed by an internal or external customer.

Optimization accelerates customer request processing, enabling a faster and more effective response.

It improves operational transparency and communication.

Ultimately, it translates into better overall customer satisfaction.

Service quality, traceability and statistics allow better adaptation and a more proactive stance toward customer needs.

One of the key stakes is the added value for the end customer.

d) Agility and sustainable competitive advantage

Optimizing administrative processes is a considered strategy to design a solution to performance problems.

It is an approach that requires questioning existing processes.

Rapid adaptation to change and facilitated innovation

Optimization makes the company more agile and responsive to market changes.

It enables better adaptability and the ability to cope with change.

By freeing time and resources, it allows employees to focus on creativity and developing new ideas, thereby fostering innovation.

This flexibility is essential to innovate and quickly adapt to new opportunities.

Analysis of data from optimized processes can provide valuable information to guide innovation efforts.

Having a useful process sheet ensures the sustainability of an activity and guarantees simplified improvement when necessary.

The ability to make data-driven decisions provides a competitive advantage by enabling rapid adaptation and strategic orientation.

Want to see how? See the next article…

8) Process Mining & Digital Twin: X-ray your administrative flows in real time

Traditionally, optimizing administrative processes involves audits and manual mappings to identify problems.

a) Why is this differentiating?

An advanced approach consists of using techniques such as Process Mining and creating a Digital Twin to x-ray administrative flows in real time.

This method stands out by extracting event logs automatically (such as those from ERPs, CRMs or email systems), allowing the actual path of a file to be reconstructed.

This makes it easier to detect loops or waste that do not bring value to the customer and to create a faithful Digital Twin of the process.

b) What is developed

Developing this approach would involve steps such as exporting and cleaning data from information systems, then the key phases of Process Mining:

• Discovery (discover the real process),
• Conformance (check if the real process follows the intended model)
• and Enhancement (improve the process).

The advantage of a Digital Twin would lie in the ability to simulate different potential improvements to predict gains (in terms of time, costs, etc.) before implementing any change.

Concrete tools such as Celonis, UiPath Process Mining, or the open-source tool ProM exist for Process Mining.

Integrating new performance indicators (KPIs) such as the conformance rate or the percentage of rework (rework%) into a dashboard would enable precise and factual monitoring.

The success of this approach also relies on the engagement and contribution of collaborators, who are at the heart of daily processes.

Here is a proposed paragraph for your blog article, written in English and based on the available information and provided keywords.

9) Nudge Management: behavioral economics serving administrative tasks

Why is it differentiating?

Optimization is a collaborative method requiring a thorough understanding of the current state and must be perceived positively by employees.

Business transformation is above all a collective project, and it is essential to meet a representative range of stakeholders to understand their problems, frustrations and needs.

The importance of listening and pedagogy is beneficial for change management.

Underestimating employee engagement can be problematic, because even removing a non-value-added task can create emotional attachment.

Optimization thus aims to improve efficiency while taking humans into account, and valuing administrative staff and their skills is a managerial innovation choice.

10) RACI 2.0 model: governance and performance contracts on administrative processes.

a) Map roles in the same diagram

Process Owner

They are the pilot.

They chart the course, arbitrate when two paths cross and make decisions about the process as a whole.

Data Steward

The guardian of data: they secure quality, GDPR compliance and up-to-date access to administrative information.

Service Manager

The voice of the customer.

They follow the end-to-end experience, listen to pain points and orchestrate service adjustments.

💡 Visual tip: represent these three roles on the same flow diagram. Decision arrows start from the Process Owner, quality control points return to the Data Steward, and the satisfaction loop closes with the Service Manager.

At a glance, everyone sees where they come in and why.

b) Forge the performance contract: OKR + SLA.

c) Heat-map: the dashboard that speaks in colors.

d) Ready-to-use RACI matrices

Example 1: Supplier onboarding

Example 2: Contract management

(R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed)