Financial reviews conducted across many organizations continue to highlight a recurring issue: the efficiency envisioned during ERP system design does not always fully translate into day-to-day business operations. In an environment characterized by cost pressure and the need for tighter financial control, companies are paying closer attention to tools that help them understand how their operations actually run.
Within this context, SAP Signavio and process mining are increasingly used as instruments to improve operational visibility, identify inefficiencies, and support decision-making in key areas of the business.
Process visibility beyond technical migration
Traditionally, process mining has been used primarily as a supporting tool in technology transformation initiatives, particularly in SAP S/4HANA adoption projects. Its application, however, is expanding to scenarios where the main objective is not limited to system migration, but rather the ongoing analysis of how business processes operate in practice.
SAP Signavio enables organizations to reconstruct business processes based on event logs generated by their information systems. This approach makes it possible to compare defined processes with their actual execution, providing detailed insights into deviations, variations, and unexpected behaviors.
Analyzing these differences helps identify situations that may lead to operational inefficiencies, such as duplicate activities, delays at specific process stages, or recurring manual interventions.
Identifying bottlenecks in financial processes
Process mining provides a level of detail that complements the information typically obtained through traditional financial reporting. By analyzing cash flow–related processes such as Procure-to-Pay, organizations can identify friction points that affect operational performance.
Common patterns identified through this type of analysis include:
- Administrative rework, resulting from redundant steps or repeated validations
- Deviations from established procedures, which may increase operational or compliance risk
- Working capital inefficiencies, linked to delays in payments, collections, or inventory movements
These findings help place financial results in context by connecting them to how processes are actually executed.
From observation to continuous process monitoring
The use of process mining tools is not limited to retrospective analysis. When combined with execution systems, SAP Signavio can be used to define indicators, set thresholds, and continuously monitor selected processes.
This approach supports early detection of relevant deviations and provides information that business and IT leaders can use to assess potential corrective actions, in line with internal governance and operating models.
Process mining as support for operational and financial management
Process mining is increasingly being established as a tool that supports both operational and financial management by providing detailed visibility into real process execution. Its contribution goes beyond the technology domain, supporting cost analysis, operational control, and continuous process improvement.
In organizations with complex structures, having access to execution-based process insights makes it possible to identify improvement opportunities and reduce the impact of inefficiencies that build up over time. The ability to systematically observe and analyze processes thus becomes a relevant component of effective organizational management and control.
