Remove a step before you automate it
Choose one recurring task and write down every handoff. Ask why each step exists. Is it required, useful, duplicated, or left over from a problem you no longer have?
Fictional example: a team copies a weekly status report into a slide deck, then reads the same information aloud in a meeting. A shared view and a shorter exception-focused discussion may solve the problem without a new app.
Check what your existing tools already do
Look for saved views, reusable templates, required fields, assignment rules, reminders, and supported exports. Confirm that a feature is included in your plan and that the people using it have the right permissions. A feature nobody configured can look a lot like a missing product.
Agree on where the information belongs
If the same customer detail is retyped in several places, decide which record is authoritative. Link to it where possible. Make it clear who changes it and who needs to know when it changes.
Run a small comparison
Time several normal runs before changing the process. Try the simpler version on a limited, appropriate set of work. Include review, correction, and upkeep in the comparison. Keep the old path available while you check that necessary steps were not lost.
If the task still requires an important manual handoff, a connection or custom tool may be justified. But first establish what you cannot solve with a clearer rule, a better template, or a setting you already pay for.