Module 4: Automate Handoffs Between People

How do you automate a handoff between team members?

Notify the next owner the instant the prior step completes, assign work to a role so it always has an owner, and carry context forward. Automated handoffs are the single biggest reliability win for most processes.

This is Module 4 of the free Process Automation Course. It applies the principles from Part 3 of the Implementation Playbook.

The anatomy of an automated handoff

1. Completion detected — the prior step is marked done.
2. Next owner notified — automatically, with a due date.
3. Context attached — the next person sees inputs and prior outputs.
4. Visibility — managers can see the work is in motion.

Why this matters so much

Manual handoffs ("I'll ping them when it's ready") rely on memory and goodwill. Automated handoffs rely on the system. Work stops waiting in the gaps between people.

Do this in ProcessKit

Assign steps to roles, and ProcessKit's next-step indicators and notifications handle the rest. You can also notify project members automatically when a process changes.

Continue the course

⬅️ Previous: Module 3 — Triggers, rules & forms ➡️ Next: Module 5 — Scale automation