Triaster vs Visio and SharePoint

Microsoft Visio and SharePoint vs the Triaster Platform

Triaster has been working in the Business Process Management (BPM) space for the past 20 years. As Microsoft Gold Competency Partners, we have developed a unique BPM system that is built on the Microsoft platform harnessing Microsoft Visio's graphics engine. We are in the business of making processes more visible within the organisation easier by making processes Useful, Usable and Used, in line with our process approach.

Over the years, we have listened to the challenges faced by people (quality managers, business analysts, continual improvement specialists) who are trying to manage processes effectively and easily, and we are often asked what purpose-built BPM systems offer over Microsoft SharePoint and Visio. This article is a collation of some of the challenges experienced by people across all sectors who have attempted to use Microsoft Visio and SharePoint for process management.

Overall, the main complaint about using Visio and SharePoint is the manual aspect of drawing and maintaining processes and how time-consuming it is. This is exactly why purpose built BPM systems are thriving in the marketplace - they take the pain out of process mapping and process management.

Below is a comparison table of how Triaster tackle the Visio and SharePoint challenges:

User Requirement	Visio & SharePoint	Triaster
I want to automatically drill-down to lower levels of detail (Drill-down is a method of decomposing the activity into smaller steps)	Drill-down can be created in a Visio diagram but this must be done manually. For example: you must create a new page within the existing file or create a new file and save it; then draw the lower level process and save it; create a hyperlink from the parent activity to the page/file you just created; then you will need to somehow annotate the parent activity with a shadow or something else to indicate another level of detail resides under the parent activity; it is likely you will want to be able to create a link from the child map to the parent map so another hyperlink will need to be added perhaps via another shape such as a back button. It takes approximately 2-3 minutes to create a hyperlink therefore it is very difficult to scale.	Triaster has an integral drill-down capability. Simply by double clicking on an activity shape, will create a child process (even dropping attached inputs and outputs on the lower level). A shadow is automatically added and hyperlinks between parent/child processes are created automatically.
I want to quickly and easily maintain cross-file hyperlinks	Visio does have the capability of creating hyperlinks to other Visio diagrams (off-page link references). However, the manual creation and maintenance of these hyperlinks can become laborious.	Triaster creates cross-file hyperlinks automatically using off-page connectors. Off page connectors are hyperlink objects that match inputs to outputs across end-to-end processes.
When I publish processes to html, I want the hyperlinks to convert to html too.	This one is a big one! Maintaining inter-file hyperlinks to html equivalents is also a manual task. For example, when a Visio file is converted to HTML, the hyperlinks within the Visio diagram are not converted to HTML. This means that the user will need to manually change each hyperlink file extension to .html.	Triaster also converts the file extension of hyperlinks when published to html automatically.
I want the tool to automatically draw a process hierarchy, understanding the relationship between higher and lower level maps (parent and child maps)	Hierarchy diagrams and Node tree diagrams cannot be drawn automatically. Visio does not recognise the parent/child relationship.	Triaster generates process hierarchy diagrams automatically and can generate next diagrams from multiple Visio files. All hyperlinks are maintained across the hierarchy.
Store data against shapes quickly and extract data to be used in various reports. Ideally I want to store data in one place (e.g. an Excel spreadsheet) and manage the data from that single source.	Skilled Visio users can set up custom properties per Visio file, but this step will need to be recreated for each Visio file. Excel files can be linked to Visio diagrams but data synchronisation is not possible.	Triaster supplies a customisable data properties file that attaches to all Visio diagrams within a file or across multiple Visio files (process maps). Data can be synchronised with Triaster Data Manager (Microsoft Excel) spreadsheet.
I want to report across multiple Visio files.	Reports can be created within Visio only on single files and the data is held in each of the shapes.	Triaster enables reporting across multiple Visio files. Triaster exposes process data in a clearly structured XML format and can export data to Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Project.
I want to store data against the activity steps in a process as well as likelihood of following certain pathways. I want to aggregate and simulate the data across the process model to understand the end-to-end process time and cost.	Visio cannot aggregate data across a process model nor simulate the data. Visio does not contain a probabilistic element of rework therefore it assumes perfect execution of processes.	Triaster can aggregate data across the process model and simulate the data. Triaster provides comparison reports across AS IS and TO BE variants.
I want the tool to generate an end-to-end view of all the processes.	Visio cannot see cross-file relationships nor build an end-to-end diagram.	Triaster can create an end-to-end diagram of multiple processes including the hierarchy.
I want a web-based approval workflow that enables designated approvers to approve, reject processes and build an audit history report. I want to alert users of changes to processes and notify process owners when reviews of the processes are due.	SharePoint does provide custom workflow capability for approval, alerts and reviews; however, these workflows will need to be manually set.	Triaster contains embedded approval workflow which includes web-based approval/rejection, movement of files through controlled areas, alerts to end users of what's changed, review prompts at set timed intervals, web-based review capability, a complete audit trail and archived processes, file-locking until files are out of the approval cycle.
I want to publish all my processes to html in a click of a button without involving the IT department.	Visio publishes a single file at a time and then the html must be uploaded to a webserver. As mentioned before, the cross-file hyperlinks are not converted to html. Also, typically you will need to involve IT to place the HTML files on the designated webserver.	Triaster publishes the entire process model with a click of a button to the webserver. All cross-file hyperlinks are converted to html.
I want to batch update across all my processes (e.g. edit a job role)	Edits can only be applied to single files.	Triaster enables batch updates of data, hyperlinks and even shapes across multiple Visio files.
I want to see who is responsible for performing specific activities across the process and want this displayed on the shape. I also want to produce a RACI (responsibility, accountability, consulted, informed) matrix.	Shapes must be customised to enable responsibility to be visible. Reporting on this data can be done but not across multiple files.	Triaster delivers a RACI (Responsibility, Accountability, Consulted, Informed) matrix developed from the RACI data held within the activity steps across all the processes held within the Process Library. End-Users can search for processes based on their job role.
I want to brand my process maps with our corporate logo and colours.	Master shapes must be customised in Visio to add colour and brand. This is not an easy job and must be performed by a skilled Visio user.	Triaster create a bespoke stencil and template with your corporate logo and colours as standard.
I want an engaging entry point to my process repository so that end users can find information quickly.	SharePoint can be customised so that end users can find process information; however, typically you do require a SharePoint expert to help set this up for you.	Triaster also displays process information via a customised home page design allowing end users to find process information quickly. Take a look at Triaster's example customer home page designs.
I want some structure and governance in place to guide users on how to map processes.	Visio comes with a vast amount of stencils (shapes) that can be used. There are no business rules within Visio to guide users how to map processes. Often, a myriad of shapes are used in an inconsistent manner which makes understanding processes difficult.	Triaster has embedded business rules that support the noun-verb methodology of mapping processes; however, this can be turned off if not required.
I want to ring-fence processes for specific audiences (internal and external) and be able to manage changes to those processes from a single source.	SharePoint can be used to create specific libraries for processes. However, access to that content from external suppliers/customers can be difficult.	Triaster's cloning mechanism, we can create multiple Process Libraries containing specific processes for different audiences. For example, a Process Library can be used for a specific project, for a supplier, a client, or for a separate business area. The cloned library containing non-sensitive content can be placed on a read-only disconnected server outside of your firewall if necessary for external viewing.

If you are interested in learning more about how the Triaster Platform can make process management within your business easier, please get in touch to register for one of our 30 minute Why Triaster? webinars.