There are plenty of use cases for Workato. We have a vendor management system, which is a different SaaS product, where Atlassian as a company onboards our vendors. We put a purchase order, they address that purchase order, and then they raise invoices, all on the vendor management system. We need to sync this information to our ERP system, as we use a different ERP for financial management. We sync the data of vendors getting onboarded and raising invoices into our financial system for payments. To sync the data from the vendor management system to ERP, we use Workato for integration. This includes invoices, credit memos, supplier onboarding, and changes to supplier bank details for payments. Internally, we also have an employee expense management system where employees submit expense details for reimbursement. Since this financial information needs to be synced, we sync employee details and expense claims into our financial system, which is again an Oracle product.

I have utilized Workato's real-time data synchronization feature for managing vendor invoices sync to Fusion, which is our ERP application. Previously, we did batch syncing, meaning data synced weekly or daily, causing finance team members to have to review a bunch of invoices at once. With Workato, as soon as an invoice is put in our vendor management system, we sync it within two to three minutes, providing a real-time experience. This process improves vendor relations as it prevents delays in payments that could lead to breaches of payment terms or dissatisfaction.

I find the automation building in Workato quite easy, which is a general feature I appreciate. Unlike other automation iPaaS tools I've used that require installations on my laptop, with Workato, I only need a browser and an account to build automations. They also provide an easy way to parse XML, CSV, and JSON files without needing to know any programming language. If you're familiar with these data formats, you can navigate through building automation easily. Additionally, there's something called SQL queries; it's not a database but an app where developers can parse a collection of data using SQL, which many in IT are familiar with. If a transaction fails, I can replay that transaction with just a click of a button, making it much easier compared to other systems requiring additional setups for failed transactions. Workato is also rolling out amazing features such as workflow apps, allowing easy building of UI-based forms that operate within business processes requiring manual interventions, such as approvals or rejections.

I can assess that Workato's recipe-driven automation has saved the finance AP team around 780 hours of their time in just the last year through a couple of automations for vendor management. That's a quantifiable number focused on just vendor management that I've recently presented to the business.

In my opinion, Workato's licensing model could be enhanced. They have evolved from a recipe-based licensing system to a task-based one, which can be limiting for productivity. An open licensing option would allow for unlimited usage, which would simplify management, although there could be downsides such as paying for unused capacity. Additionally, Workato currently cannot handle huge loads of transactions, which is a significant drawback.

I have been working with Workato for roughly four years, predominantly three and a half, and three to four months on exploring the platform. Overall, it has been roughly four years in total.

Before Workato, we used MuleSoft and custom integrations developed on a Java framework and Spring Boot. The leadership team decided to switch because MuleSoft was becoming costly and lacked the innovation expected following its acquisition by Salesforce.

Workato defaults to AWS for its cloud infrastructure, and we don't have options to deploy it on-premise or on other cloud providers such as Azure or Google, as we do with MuleSoft.

I would rate Workato's stability at 99.999%. I haven't faced downtime, but the open agent component that connects Workato cloud to secure networks shows instability. This component is about 95% reliable, requiring occasional restarts. Workato manages its upgrades efficiently, providing advance notifications and guidance.

As for scalability, if there is a sudden burst of transactions, Workato struggles to handle it efficiently. While I can adjust configurations easily to manage expected loads, it's not ideal for sudden spikes.

I would rate Workato's technical support a 10 out of 10. The customer service has improved significantly over the last two years, making it easy to approach them without ticketing. They provide immediate assistance through a chat option on the platform.

Positive

Before Workato, we used MuleSoft and custom integrations developed on a Java framework and Spring Boot. The leadership team decided to switch because MuleSoft was becoming costly and lacked the innovation expected following its acquisition by Salesforce.

I work for a company which uses Workato to build our automation, and I use the platform to develop certain automations. I am a Senior Integration Engineer at the current position, and as an individual contributor, I write certain automations on the platform itself.

I don't know how Workato was purchased, but not through AWS. To give context, we had MuleSoft with us, and the prices of MuleSoft were increasing, which is one of the iPaaS platforms. The leadership team wanted to see what other emerging iPaaS platform was coming at a lower cost, and if it solved our problems, we would use it. That's when the interest to look out has come in, and I believe it's through the leadership team who knows somebody at Workato that pitched in that idea. It took two to three months of assessment, and then we decided to go with Workato.

Onboarding new resources into our development team is easy due to Workato's usability, enabling them to start delivering projects within a week if they have a couple of years of experience in the integration domain. This is much quicker compared to other tools I've used, which required thorough training and hands-on experience that could take much longer.

I use many of Workato's pre-built connectors including Fusion, Salesforce, SFTP, HTTP, Database, File, S3, SQS, and DynamoDB—probably more than 10 connectors. We even built a custom connector with support from Workato to meet specific needs. The pre-built connectors facilitate real-time sync, helping developers who don't need to know the system behind the connector. They can efficiently deliver automations, enhancing overall developer productivity.

I have experienced Workato's AI-driven insights, particularly for data mappings and document processing features using OpenAI LLM. We also utilize the Insights API to track how many recipes are consumed and our total task assignments under our license. Through custom-built integrations, we receive notifications about sudden bursts of traffic flowing into Workato, thus allowing the operational team to review potential causes for these spikes. We use metrics related to our task budget from Workato to ensure effective resource management.

I consider Workato's pricing to be mid-range, not too expensive but not too cheap either. As they release more features, such as workflow apps and the document processor, these come at extra costs. Currently, I would categorize Workato as moderate in pricing. My overall rating for Workato is 8 out of 10.

As part of the integration team, we use Workato for integrating systems such as NetSuite and Oracle ARCS. Specifically, we design recipes in Workato using both connections to collect data from NetSuite based on saved searches. This includes accounts and GL balances, which we refer to as amounts. We gather these from saved searches in NetSuite, perform some transformations in the Workato recipe, and then transfer that data to Oracle ARCS. In Oracle ARCS, we create profiles for the specific data and transfer the amounts from NetSuite to the corresponding profiles, allowing clients to perform their monthly or quarterly reports based on this data.

I have worked with Workato's real-time data synchronization feature, such as collecting data from NetSuite and updating Oracle ARCS. This process is a real-time sync; every day at 6:00 a.m. PST, the recipe runs, executing saved searches in NetSuite to pull data and transfer it to Oracle ARCS. Additionally, I have worked on other projects involving real-time synchronization, such as from Salesforce to NetSuite, where we update account, brand, and country information in Salesforce. The recipe triggers in Workato based on specific conditions, and we pick up record details from Salesforce to update the same records in NetSuite.

Currently, we primarily utilize the NetSuite SOAP connector for many projects in my company. By using this connector, the NetSuite team internally creates some saved searches and provides REST API calls. We then utilize the HTTP pre-built connector in Workato to make API calls, process the information, and send it to the destination system. Using the pre-built NetSuite SOAP connector enables us to execute saved searches or SQL queries, allowing us to search for data cost-effectively for clients without requiring new connector purchases.

The best feature of Workato that I especially appreciate is its low-code, no-code platform. Many candidates find coding hard to grasp, so with this Workato platform, we primarily use low-code, no-code methods. In cases where a client's requirement is atypical and cannot be met using Workato connectors, we create a custom connector using SDK. Aside from that, we do not utilize any technical coding in Workato while developing recipes; we mostly leverage the platform. This is the main aspect of Workato that appeals to me.

The main benefits I have seen from using Workato include its ease of use and low complexity. For example, tasks such as data field mappings or data verification can be managed by clients themselves without needing to reach out to a Workato developer.

Regarding assessing the impact of recipe-driven automation on task management efficiency, we use a real-time approach. Instead of applying condition logics, we implement batch processing, where each batch contains around 50,000 or 30,000 records. We process those records in batches and utilize conditional statements, which reduces task utilization in this complex integration system.

From my point of view, a few improvements regarding Workato could include the notification system, which should inform clients or businesses quickly and be accessible through a mobile app. For example, Salesforce has a mobile app that provides notifications about errors or changes in business strategies. If Workato could develop a similar mobile app, it would be a great advantage for businesses and clients.

Apart from the mobile app, I believe incorporating AI would be a significant improvement for Workato. Furthermore, the recently used AI agents in Workato's chat support would be a great feature as well.

I have basic knowledge of MuleSoft. Initially, at the start of my career, I built some projects on MuleSoft, connecting Salesforce and NetSuite using MuleSoft Studio. Additionally, I have industrial experience with Salesforce Admin tasks for Sales Cloud and Service Cloud and some knowledge in CPQ from Salesforce. Currently, I work as a member of the integration and data teams, managing tasks related to both areas, including Power BI reporting.

In terms of comparing Workato to MuleSoft or other iPaaS products, I find that Workato has a user-friendly interface compared to MuleSoft. MuleSoft includes many versions, while building recipes or programs in MuleSoft feels more complex compared to Workato. While MuleSoft is stronger in terms of available connectors and systems, I believe Workato has potential to be widely adopted as confidence in its use grows, similar to MuleSoft's current standing.

In terms of ROI, or return on investment, they mentioned that they charge for recipes based on time consumption. If we build callable recipes, those do not incur charges. For main recipes, there are charges, so by focusing on creating as many callable recipes as possible based on requirements, we can improve cost efficiency for the business.

Regarding pricing, my core team members, including my senior member and manager, handle the licensing and setup costs. As I lead a few team members, they take care of the yearly costs associated with licensing and other financial aspects.

As an integration team member, we mostly utilize the Workato platform over MuleSoft and Dell Boomi. However, in the future, there may be considerations to adopt one of those platforms in conjunction with Workato.

From my experience, I highly recommend using Workato because it offers cost efficiency compared to other iPaaS technologies. The training process for newcomers is easier compared to using Dell Boomi or MuleSoft. Workato is simple enough to train individuals on, and its tool efficiency is enhanced when an experienced person manages it. Overall, I suggest businesses adopt Workato over alternatives such as MuleSoft and Dell Boomi.

Currently, we primarily utilize the NetSuite SOAP connector for many projects in my company. By using this connector, the NetSuite team internally creates some saved searches and provides REST API calls. We then utilize the HTTP pre-built connector in Workato to make API calls, process the information, and send it to the destination system. Using the pre-built NetSuite SOAP connector enables us to execute saved searches or SQL queries, allowing us to search for data cost-effectively for clients without requiring new connector purchases. I rate Workato a nine out of ten.