This study explores the challenges and opportunities that come with the adoption of business process automation (BPA) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The research is based on an integrative systematic review using the PRISMA framework to synthesize existing literature and gathers qualitative insights through focus group interviews with 25 purposively sampled participants, including SME owners, managers, and automation consultants. Data were analyzed using NVivo to identify key themes related to BPA adoption. These findings showed that financial constraints, lack of technical know-how, and aversion to change are some major barriers, while efficiency gains, scalability, and competitive advantage remain key enablers. Other important facilitators are government incentives and cloud-based automation solutions. From here, the study went on to proffer practical suggestions: a staged approach to automating, employee training programs, and policy intervention as support in overcoming these impediments to the implementation of BPA for SMEs. The results contribute to the growing discussion of digital transformation, while at the same time providing practical ways in which SMEs can pursue automation for their processes.