Streamlining Backend Processes

“Don’t show me the system. Show me that you understand my plant.” That’s what the Operations Head of a heavy machinery manufacturing plant told me when I walked into the workshop room. He wasn’t interested in SAP screens. He was interested in outcomes. Downtime. Technicians. Spares. Cost leaks. Response time. ⸻ The Business Speaks. The Consultant Maps. He began: “We have around 200 assets—press machines, conveyor belts, CNC machines—and they’re spread across 5 sections. Each section has a floor in-charge. Breakdown in one machine affects the entire line.” In my mind: → Functional Location → Area-based hierarchy → Equipment Master → Tag each machine individually → Work Centers → Section-wise (for capacity + cost capture) → Hierarchy Levels → Plant > Section > Line > Equipment ⸻ Then he says: “We don’t want the technician to call the planner. He should just raise a complaint from the app.” I note silently: → Notification Type: M1 (Breakdown) → Enable Fiori App: Create Maintenance Request (F1511A) → Notification → Order auto-conversion based on rules ⸻ He continues: “Right now, breakdown logging is inconsistent. Some people say ‘motor failed,’ some say ‘machine not working.’ I want standardization.” In my backend brain: → Create Catalog Profiles (Cause, Damage, Object Parts) → Design Coding Keys for drop-down guided entry → Avoid free text—enable Analytics later ⸻ He points at a table: “This grinder? We’ve changed its motor 3 times in 6 months. But no one knows why. No logs.” In my head: → We’ll link the equipment BOM to this machine → Enable serial number for spares → Activate History recording → Push Refurbishment process for high-value parts ⸻ Then he drops the gold: “One planner is reactive. One is proactive. The system should force preventive maintenance discipline.” I smile. Here’s the sweet spot: → Build Maintenance Strategy Plans → Assign Task Lists with cycles, counters → Use Fiori App: Monitor Maintenance Plans (F2130) → Make Preventive Plans visible + escalated if skipped ⸻ Now comes the tightrope walk. He ends: “But don’t make this too complex. My team won’t use SAP if it needs a PhD to raise a ticket.” This is where good consultants shine. Listen more. Configure less. Map what matters. In my final notes: • Minimal fields in request screen • Auto default values based on equipment • Role-based UI for technician vs planner • Alerts only when relevant • Reports that tell a story, not just numbers ⸻ Moral of the Story: Great SAP PM design isn’t born in configuration. It’s born on the shop floor—in silent observation, active listening, and mapping every spoken and unspoken word into SAP logic. The art is not in showing the power of SAP. The art is in showing the plant its own power—through SAP. ‘!! Comment to Connect !! Let’s read and understand SAP in a storyline with real projects learnings- Follow Avnikant Singh 🇮🇳

“We redesigned the UI twice. Still, users kept leaving.” It’s something I’ve heard often. Products like SaaS platforms or web apps looked great. Clean interface, modern design, intuitive flow. But the numbers didn’t increase. Users kept dropping off halfway through. So their team kept fixing the visuals. But the real problem wasn’t visual at all. Here’s what was really happening: → Every time a user clicked “Next,” there was a delay → Backend responses were slow  around 1.8 seconds → It felt like the app was stuck, even though it wasn’t Users didn’t complain directly. They just… left. And this is what people forget: UX isn’t just how your product looks, it's how it feels to use. And that “feel” depends heavily on your tech stack. Here’s what actually needed fixing: → Removed backend processes slowing down responses → Switched key flows to async to avoid blocking → Added caching so repeat data loaded instantly → Improved infrastructure to handle real traffic load Results: • Page load time dropped 58% • Signup drop-off fell 41% → And we didn’t touch the UI again To Founders: If your product looks great but still isn’t converting... It might not be your designer. It might be your architecture. Here’s what to check: → How fast is your backend responding under pressure? → Is your infrastructure built for scale or just MVP? → Can it handle 1,000 users at once without lag? Great UX = Design + Speed + Stability If even one of those is weak, your users will feel it. They won’t say “the database is slow.” They’ll just say: “It didn’t feel right.” And they’ll leave. I help business owners fix the hidden tech issues hurting their UX. Let’s connect if you want your product to feel faster, scale better, and convert more. #ux #startups #digitalproduct #saas #webapps #entrepreneurship #userexperience #scalability #productdesign #backendengineering #b2b #softwareperformance #founderlife #techstack #bilalmalik

At Process Street, we’re always on the lookout for innovative methods to refine and enhance our approach to process management. Inspired by Elon Musk's 5 Step Design Process at SpaceX, we’ve adapted these groundbreaking principles to revolutionize how we manage and optimize processes with our customers. Here’s how we apply these steps: Rethink Requirements: Often, the initial requirements for a process might seem set in stone, but are they really the most efficient or necessary? We challenge and question every requirement, stripping back to what’s truly essential, ensuring we're not just replicating outdated practices. Eliminate Redundancies: In process optimization, less is often more. We aim to streamline by removing unnecessary steps and simplifying workflows. This not only speeds up execution but also reduces potential errors. Remember, if you’re not occasionally adding something back because it was missed, you’re probably not cutting enough. Simplify and Optimize: Before diving into optimization, we ensure the process itself is necessary and then make it as efficient as possible. This step is crucial; it’s not just about making a process faster but also smarter. Accelerate Cycle Times: With the leaner, smarter process in place, we focus on speed. How quickly can a task move from initiation to completion without sacrificing quality? This is where we push the boundaries, ensuring our customers’ processes are as agile as they are robust. Automate Strategically: Automation is powerful, but only when applied wisely. We integrate automation into processes that are already optimized manually to ensure they enhance productivity without introducing complexity. Applying these principles has allowed us to not just meet but exceed expectations, crafting bespoke, efficient workflows that drive business success. Whether redefining user onboarding or streamlining document approvals, our approach is about more than just incremental improvement; it’s about transformative change. If you’re looking to revamp your process management strategies, let’s connect! I’d love to share how these principles can be tailored to your business needs. #ProcessManagement #BusinessOptimization #ElonMusk #Innovation #ProcessStreet

We automated 60% of our back-office operations using AI agents. We saved $2M/year. Now we’re open-sourcing how. Why? Because traditional “automation” is broken. RPA scripts crack with the smallest change. One UI shift, and you’re back to square one. That’s why 50% of RPA projects fail quietly. We needed a system that adapts. Learns. Self-heals. So we built one. With real agentic AI. What changed? → Repetitive ops didn’t just disappear — they evolved → Agents now read data, act on it, and adjust in real-time → Every Slack ping, CRM task, and internal update — handled, end-to-end This isn't a slide deck or a blog. It’s the actual blueprint that runs our business. And we’re opening it up. Here’s what you’ll get: ▪️Full backend system map (how agents flow across infra) ▪️Security + DevOps stack (audited for enterprise) ▪️Real prompt templates, fallback logic, error flows ▪️Screenshots from our own playbooks + dashboards This is the stuff we charged $100K for. You’re getting it free. 👇 Want the blueprint? Comment “Ops” and I’ll send it to you. 🔁 Repost to help more teams automate the boring stuff. Follow Gaurav Bhattacharya for more no-fluff GTM + AI system drops.

Master Process Improvement in 12 Simple Steps! Often, it is a lightbulb moment when you begin connecting the dots. You start to discover the improvement areas you may have not considered before. With over 20 years of corporate experience and a current focus on helping SMEs establish and improve processes, I've witnessed the transformative power of streamlining processes. From enhancing efficiency to boosting productivity, the results speak for themselves. Once you learn to document your processes, you will see how easy it becomes to improve them. Here are some of the benefits: - Enhances quality and consistency. - Increases efficiency and reduces waste. - Helps bring everyone on the same page. - Supports compliance and risk management. - Facilitates better communication and collaboration. - Promotes continuous improvement and innovation. Here are some examples of processes across the organization: - Accounting & Finance: Customer Invoicing - Human Resources: Employee onboarding process - Operations: Manufacturing workflow optimization - Customer Service: Customer support ticket resolution - Information Technology: Software deployment and update process - Supply Chain Management: Inventory management and replenishment Here's how you can follow the systematic approach to improve any process within your organization: 1- Understand the Current Process 2- Define the Current Process 3- Identify Pain Points and Bottlenecks 4- Set Objectives 5- Engage Stakeholders 6- Research Best Practices 7- Design the Future State 8- Document the Improved Process 9- Implement Changes Incrementally 10- Provide Training 11- Monitor and Measure 12- Iterate and Refine 📌 Tip: When documenting processes, ask these questions: - Why do we do this step? - What value does this step add? - Can it be delegated or automated? - Are the resources being used effectively? - Can we do it differently to increase efficiency? - Is there any duplication or redundancy in this step? Do you have any other tips that you can give? #MAKAlpha ----------------------------- - Follow Abdul Khaliq + 🔔 - Sharing 20+ years of journey. - Providing Fractional CFO/Controller services to SMEs. - Download my work by visiting my profile.

Running your agency or online business like a game of whack-a-mole? Let’s fix that. The secret sauce to building a streamlined business is the Trigger → Action model. Miss this, and your processes will feel messier than your nephew’s smash cake party. Here’s the cold, hard truth: No one will ever care about your business as much as you do. So your job? Simplify. Streamline. Reduce errors. Translation: For every process, you need to nail down two things: 1. The Trigger – What kicks off the process? 2. The Action(s) – What happens next? Step by step. Let me give you an example. I was chatting with a client earlier this week, dissecting their onboarding process. It looked like a DIY furniture instruction manual – very chaotic: - create a statement of work - create a shared workspace - send an invoice - and about 8 other random tasks floating in limbo That kind of setup makes it impossible to automate, delegate, or even stay sane. What they really needed was a clean, logical flow… Something like this: 1. CRM stage updated to “Needs Contract” → Contract is created and sent 2. Contract signed → CRM updated → Invoice created and sent 3. Payment received → CRM updated → Onboarding Email sent See the difference? You’re not winging it anymore. You’re running a tight ship. This is why process maps are your new BFF. They force you to think in Trigger → Action mode, step by step, cutting out randomness. The less guesswork in your business, the more: - predictable - scalable - valuable it becomes Think of it like baking a cake: You follow the recipe (steps in order), and voilà – you get the result every time. But if you’re doing 47 things at once, in no particular order, hoping it all comes together? Yeah, that doesn’t scale. And you won’t have success delegating. So here’s the deal: If your processes feel like a tangled ball of yarn, start small. Create a process map. Or at least jot down a list of steps. Trigger → Action Happy Friday.

According to the MACH Alliance reference architecture presented in the Interoperability Standards, there is a need for an orchestration layer and is called out quite explicitly.  However, when I look around at the various composable implementations in the field, this isn't happening. Instead, many of us are building point to point integrations with the backend APIs. Here is why you need to consider an orchestration layer: The reason for this is as follows: 1️⃣ Prevents Tight Coupling – When the frontend connects directly to multiple backend systems (CMS, PIM, Commerce, CDP, etc.), it creates fragile dependencies. If any API changes or fails, the entire experience can break. 2️⃣ Simplifies Frontend Development – The frontend should focus on delivering the experience, not managing business logic, data transformation, or API orchestration. Moving complexity to the frontend slows development and adds unnecessary overhead. 3️⃣ Improves Performance & Scalability – A single frontend request shouldn’t trigger multiple API calls to various backend systems, which can increase latency and load times. Instead, an orchestration layer aggregates and optimizes the response. 4️⃣ Centralizes Business & Personalization Logic – Business rules, personalization, and decisioning logic should live outside the frontend so they can be applied consistently across all touchpoints (website, mobile, kiosk, chatbot, etc.). 5️⃣ Future-Proofs the Architecture – If the frontend is tightly coupled to backend APIs, swapping out vendors becomes a nightmare. An orchestration layer abstracts this complexity, allowing enterprises to replace or add new backends without frontend disruption. 6️⃣ Accelerate your composable deployment - With zero code API orchestration capabilities, you can cut down your backend integration cost and timelines by up to 5X. In the architecture diagram on the right, we’ve mapped out what the orchestration engine should consist of. We call this a Digital Experience Orchestration engine. These elements are as follows: - Data Stitching – Unifies and merges data from multiple sources to create a single, structured response. - Data Transformation – Converts, formats, and normalizes data to ensure compatibility across systems. - Read/Write from/to APIs – Enables seamless data retrieval and updates across connected backend systems. - Zero-Code Connectivity to Any Backend – Connects to any system without custom development, reducing integration complexity. - Observability and Analytics – Provides real-time insights into API performance, data flows, and system health. - Decision Engine to apply business rules, personalization logic, and real-time conditions - Dynamic, contextual caching instead of replicating your data stores - API Chaining – Sequences multiple API calls to orchestrate complex workflows and dependencies. - Marketing Tools to Configure Business and Experience Logic Do you have an orchestration engine in your composable stack??

No gatekeeping! Here’s how my friend Kyle closed more roofing deals by ignoring his CRM. He’s a sales machine. Top performer. Walks into a neighborhood after a storm and walks out with three signed contracts. ⛈️ 💰 But… His backend was chaos. “I know I should log notes and move deals through the pipeline, but I never get to it.” That disorganization? It was costing him tens of thousands. Here’s the exact system I helped him build — and you can steal it: 🔧 The Setup: -Hired a virtual assistant in the Philippines -Pays her $1,100/month full-time -She’s trained on JobNimbus (his CRM) 🎯 The Workflow: 1. After every sales appointment, he sends a voice memo through WhatsApp 2. She listens + updates the CRM with full notes, photos, next steps 3. Moves the deal to the correct pipeline stage 4. Triggers any tasks, reminders, or quote follow-ups 5. Sends him a daily summary of hot leads and flagged accounts 💡 Bonus: She also preps his next day’s appointments so he walks in ready. He spends way less time behind a keyboard. And now his follow-up game is tighter than ever. No more dropped deals. No more forgotten notes. Just high leverage selling all day. You actually don’t need more discipline. You need a system. And someone to help you run it. If you’re great at selling but struggle with the backend, copy this setup. Hire offshore. Build the workflow. Win your time back. This is what we do every day at Elevate and Delegate. But you don’t need to hire us to start using this system. Just… don’t say no one ever told you how to do it.

My workflow automation strategy for streamlining operations: 1. Define the essential workflow components 2. Gather inputs from all team members involved 3. Create a clear map using a user-friendly visual tool 4. Integrate necessary systems, apps, and tools 5. Document every handoff point to avoid miscommunication 6. Compile a detailed list of potential automation enhancements 7. Develop the optimized workflow with an automation platform 8. Conduct thorough testing to confirm functionality and efficiency 9. Educate the team on utilizing the new automated processes 10. Implement, monitor, and fine-tune to maintain optimal performance I'll employ this plan consistently for my clients for each major workflow. Want to ensure comprehensive automation? Here’s my biggest tips: - Include feedback mechanisms in your workflow - Use analytics tools to track performance and identify bottlenecks - Set regular review points to adapt and evolve processes - Ensure all team members are on board with changes Every business is a world in itself. That’s why it’s so important for workflows to be created personalized to specific needs. There will never be a one size fits all.

How do you optimise backend performance? The real answer is: “It depends.” (Like everything else in software engineering—LOL) However, in a typical application, the bottleneck is almost always the database (DB) calls. In most cases, we underestimate the cost of DB calls. While a 5ms DB call may seem inexpensive in isolation, just imagine if we are doing some form of bulk operation—it will multiply significantly. E.g. – If you're looping through a list of 100K employees, that means 100K DB calls. Which means: 5ms * 100K = 500K ms = 500 seconds = ~8.3 minutes. So, what’s the solution? Should we load everything into memory? Well, not really—because at the end of the day, memory is limited. (If you have enough memory, go for it—but in many cases, we don’t.) A better solution could be to process data in batches. Try processing 10 employees at a time—this alone will reduce the number of DB calls by 10x, which is a significant improvement. You'll need to experiment with the batch size based on your hardware, but I hope you get the point. So at the end of the day, whenever your backend is slow, it’s almost always the database. Here are some practical ways to improve performance: Improve your queries. 1. Use native SQL queries instead of ORMs for anything complex. Reduce unnecessary DB calls. 2. Avoid making repeated calls inside loops. 3. Process in batches if loading all data into memory isn’t feasible. There are many more techniques depending on the situation, but these are some very common and effective methods to improve backend performance. Would you like to add something? Do you disagree or have a different opinion? Share your thoughts in the comments—I love learning from others beyond my own experiences!