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AI-Powered Process Automation

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Eliminate repetitive work, invoicing, follow-ups, reports, notifications, lead qualification, document processing.

Our automation platform orchestrates your repetitive administrative tasks by connecting your applications (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SQL, CRM, ERP) with AI agents that execute complex decisions. Under the hood, we recommend self-hosted n8n operated by Hilo Tech, open source, no SaaS lock-in, wired into our AI router. Save 10-20 hours per employee per month on no-value-add tasks.

Overview

Your employees shouldn't be doing what a machine can do

How many hours does your team spend copy-pasting emails into Excel, manually creating monthly reports, qualifying leads in the CRM, classifying invoices? These tasks are perfect for automation, especially now that AI can make nuanced decisions (categorize an email by urgency, extract fields from a PDF invoice, draft a templated response based on context). By default we build on self-hosted n8n, operated by Hilo Tech, with Claude/GPT AI agents for judgment steps. Power Automate remains an option when your stack is deeply anchored in Microsoft 365, see the FAQ for the nuances.

What we deliver

01

Self-hosted n8n orchestration (recommended)

Open-source n8n deployed on your server, operated by Hilo Tech. No per-operation billing, no per-workflow caps, your data under your jurisdiction. Power Automate available on request.

02

AI agents for complex decisions

Where simple rules aren't enough (contextual categorization, unstructured information extraction, response drafting), a Claude or GPT agent makes the decision via the Hilo Intelligence router.

03

Native Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace integration

Read Outlook, write to SharePoint, read Gmail, update Drive, trigger from Teams or Slack.

04

CRM and ERP connectors

HubSpot, Salesforce, Dynamics, Zoho, Acomba, Sage, SAP, the platform connects to your existing systems without migration.

05

AI document processing

Automatic field extraction (invoices, contracts, forms), intelligent classification, indexing for search.

06

Monitoring and alerts

Real-time dashboard: workflows executed, errors, measured time savings. Slack or email alerts on failure.

Our approach

How we build an automation

1

Use case identification

One-hour workshop with your team: which tasks are repetitive, time-consuming, error-prone? Prioritization by ROI.

2

Quick prototype

Functional mockup delivered in 1-2 weeks for validation. You see the workflow run before any long commitment.

3

Production and training

Production deployment with your team, documentation, training on editing and maintaining workflows.

4

Continuous iteration

Quarterly reviews: adjustments, addition of adjacent use cases, AI cost optimization.

Why Hilo Tech

Why our automations actually deliver

  • Concrete use case approach, no abstract platform to explore, we start with one specific painful task.
  • Measurable ROI from month one, we document hours saved per workflow.
  • Open-source stack by default (n8n): no SaaS caps, no vendor lock-in, your workflows as portable JSON.
  • Workflows editable by your team without calling us for every adjustment.
  • Pragmatic AI integration, AI only where it adds value, otherwise more reliable deterministic rules.
  • Maintenance included, when a vendor changes their API, we fix it without extra charges.

Frequently asked questions

Which platform do you recommend for automation?
Self-hosted n8n, operated by Hilo Tech. This is our strong recommendation for most SMBs: no caps, no SaaS lock-in, real code when the logic demands it, your data at home. Power Automate remains legitimate when you're deeply anchored in Microsoft 365 or Dynamics and you accept the license stacking, we support it too. Make and Zapier are acceptable only for lightweight SaaS-to-SaaS integrations, not for a critical business process.
Why do you discourage Make and Zapier for critical processes?
Make and Zapier are handy for quick integrations between two SaaS apps (e.g., append a Google Sheets row when a Typeform is submitted). For a critical business process, they stack several risks: (1) per-operation/task pricing that drifts as volume grows; (2) unilateral T&C and price changes by the vendor, without your consent; (3) data residency outside Canada, with third-party SaaS, with Law 25 implications; (4) execution caps and throttling imposed by the vendor that can choke your workflow at the worst moments; (5) no way to write raw code (JavaScript/Python): you're capped by what their low-code allows; (6) if the vendor pivots or shuts down, your business process falls with it. Self-hosted n8n has none of these risks: open source, on your server, JSON workflows that are Git-versionable.
And Power Automate? Why is it often more expensive than n8n?
Power Automate is excellent when your world is Microsoft. The real cost comes from Microsoft's licensing logic, which stacks several meters when you want to add AI. In short: a flow that uses a 'premium' connector (SQL, Dataverse, HTTP, custom connectors) must be covered by Power Automate Premium per user or Power Automate Process per flow. Add an AI step and you consume AI Builder credits, being replaced by Copilot Credits. If the flow drives a conversational or autonomous agent, you additionally need a Copilot Studio tenant capacity and a per-maker user license. Each interaction consumes Copilot Credits at a rate table per message type. Microsoft regularly renames and repackages these SKUs (per-flow became Process, messages became Copilot Credits, AI Builder credits are being sunset per the official deprecation calendar): that's a stability level that's hard to plan around. Official details: Power Automate pricing, licensing FAQ, standard vs premium connectors. In practice, for most SMBs, self-hosted n8n delivers the same outcome at a fraction of the cost and without dependency on shifting license SKUs.
How does Hilo Tech manage n8n?
n8n runs on your infrastructure, in Canada or on your own servers. Hilo Tech operates the infrastructure layer: n8n updates, 24/7 workflow monitoring, automated backups, incident recovery, security (SSO, MFA, environment isolation). Your team keeps ownership of the business logic (editing workflows in the visual UI): we step in for API fixes, new use cases, and optimizations.
How much does a typical automation cost?
Varies with complexity. A simple workflow (e.g., auto-routing emails by category): a few hours of development + shared hosting on your existing n8n. A complex project (e.g., invoice extraction and classification via AI): several days of development + AI consumption metered at the token via the router. Since n8n is self-hosted, there's no per-operation fee, your marginal cost to run one more workflow is near zero. Free initial consultation to quote.
What happens if an application's API changes?
Maintenance included. When Microsoft, Google, or another vendor changes their API, we fix the affected workflows. This is the main reason DIY automations fail long-term, maintenance isn't planned. With open-source n8n, we have full code and debug access, making fixes much faster than with a closed SaaS connector.
Will my employees be replaced by automation?
No. The goal is to free their time from no-value-add tasks so they can focus on high-impact work (client relations, strategy, creativity). In our deployments, employee satisfaction INCREASES, no one likes copy-pasting for 4 hours a day.
Can we start with a single use case?
Recommended. Many clients start with 1-2 simple workflows, measure ROI, then expand. Since n8n is self-hosted with no per-operation fees, the marginal cost to add a workflow is very low.

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