Robotic process automation

Through automation, RPA changes the nature of how work gets done within a business and can greatly streamline its processes. Think of all the repetitive, manual, non-value-adding tasks that employees perform every day. RPA can handle these activities at a lower cost, with greater accuracy, and with more efficiency.

Advanced software bots are capable of complicated text interpretation, conversational abilities, and even more complex decision-making through machine learning models. This frees employees of the burden of needing to perform low-value, repetitive tasks, so they can focus on more important, more enjoyable, more value-creating work.

According to Gartner, the core capabilities of RPA are automation development, integration features, control dashboards, identification of change impacts, error recovery and security, and integration with business rules / process automation. To receive the most value from RPA implementation, the technology must be implemented with an approach that considers the holistic, end-to-end processes that deliver value to customers.

Combining RPA with Process Intelligence technology supports enterprises in implementing robots strategically, where they can deliver the most value. RPA can handle thousands of simultaneous, varied business processes. Process mining, analysis, and reporting reinforce best practices to ensure continuous improvement from RPA.

Most significantly, RPA can rapidly yield a high return on investment by automating repetitive, manual tasks with small upfront investment costs. Since RPA analyzes and works with existing systems, RPA will not disrupt existing IT infrastructure. RPA also has high ease of use through low-code environments and enterprise-wide scalability capabilities. RPA can quickly provide high returns for minimal costs and easier implementation compared to competing technologies. RPA can be utilized in a multitude of different business processes across a vast array of industries.

Through RPA’s process improvements, businesses can see rapid increases in process capacity, quicker throughput times, and a vast reduction in process errors and deviations. RPA can work with legacy systems and will not disrupt existing IT infrastructure. Finally, RPA enables employees to spend more time completing valuable work and even to create their own automations.

Artificial intelligence and robotic processes automation are not the same thing, although they complement each other. AI is the application of machines “learning” how to independently “think” and operate like humans. RPA, in contrast, is the emulation of specific actions: the pushes of key on the keyboard, a click of the mouse.

Without AI, RPA could not understand the reasons as to why these actions are done. The combination of AI and RPA creates a powerful tool which can understand rather than emulate actions, leading to intelligent automation.