The automation and strategic use of data are the next objective to boost the competitiveness of companies in Spain. But according to the consulting firm Excelia, the majority still do not have the adequate level of automation to improve their competitiveness. In fact, only 7.4% of Spanish companies have achieved an advanced level of data-based process automation.
Meanwhile, 44.5% of companies in Spain continue to combine manual and automated processes, according to the report Digital Pulse 2025: Digital Maturity Barometer by Excelia. This study, based on the opinion of more than 400 professionals from Spanish companies, shows that digitalization is advancing progressively, with increasing adoption of technological tools. But many organizations have not yet moved towards more advanced models based on automation and strategic use of data, which limits their ability to improve efficiency and anticipate changes.
Although the basic digitalization of these companies has advanced in recent years, the automation of key processes, such as those related to finance, human resources and operations; It is still in an intermediate phase. In fact, 24.7% of companies still operate mostly with manual processes, which limits their efficiency and scalability.
Despite this, the use of data shows a more advanced evolution in the Spanish company. 53.1% of professionals surveyed say that data is essential for decision-making in their company, while 35.8% usually use it, even in a moderate way. Only 11.1% recognize that data has a limited or almost non-existent role in their strategic and operational decisions.
The Excelia report also points out that progress in digitalization no longer depends only on adopting tools. Also the ability of companies to integrate automation and the use of data in their operations. Organizations that go in this direction manage to improve efficiency, optimize resources and strengthen their capacity to adapt.
Antonio Cerdán, Hyperautomation Managing Director of Exceliaadds to this that «Spanish companies have made progress in digitalization, but the real competitive leap is not in incorporating more technology, but in transforming the way in which they operate. Automating processes and using data as a basis for decision-making is no longer an option, it is a requirement to improve efficiency, reduce costs and gain agility. Many organizations have taken an important first step by digitizing their operations, but they have not yet evolved towards truly intelligent models. The challenge now is to integrate automation and data analytics in a coherent way, to move from operational digitalization to strategic digitalization that directly impacts the business.”
