What is Robotic Process Automation

You’ve probably heard the statement, “Robots are taking over our Jobs!” Well, it proves that what we once saw only in sci-fi movies is now reality. We have come to a time where human-related tasks are being heavily delegated to robots, especially in the manufacturing, banking, financial services and retail industries, seemingly threatening the human workforce.

However, how true is this statement? According to Dr. Yosef Seffi, the future is hard to predict, nevertheless, new technology always causes workplace worry at the same time also creates jobs. This means that jobs will change, some may disappear but the overall impact of technology is to assist.

In this modern time, we have seen and heard of robots being integrated into industries to automate and speed up processes. These robots do not take the traditional physical forms we are familiar with; instead, they exist as software or virtual entities, which we refer to as “bots”.

In this article, we will discuss robotic process automation to understand what it is and its impact across industries.

What is Robotic Process Automation?

Robotic process automation is a system that uses software robots to execute tedious and time-consuming business and IT tasks. Let’s break down this term into:

Robotic: The field of robotics involves the use of robots. These machines are programmed to perform complex actions automatically or to mimic human actions.

Process: A process is a sequence of steps that is followed in a particular order to perform tasks.

Automation: Automation is the execution of tasks without human intervention using software.

It is also defined as software robotics that use automation technology to perform the repetitive tasks typically carried out by human workers, such as:

• Managing inventory and supply chain processes

• Managing billing and invoicing

• Handling customer requests and fulfilment and so on.

These tasks are usually performed in GUI (Graphics User Interface), and require little or no coding.

Businesses deal with a significant amount of digital paperwork, and many processes are usually repeated. For instance, consider a business that receives invoices daily from various channels.

These invoices require manual data extraction to be registered and processed through different channels. This process can be time-consuming and tedious.

Implementing Robotic Process Automation can streamline operations such as:

• Monitoring incoming invoices

• Extracting data from invoices

• Inputting necessary data into the accounting software

The Robotic Process Automation [RPA] systems work via software scripts, also called software robots, or bots that follow rule-based tasks such as extracting data, filling forms, or transferring information.

To build a robotic process automation [RPA], users create bots by observing human interaction and actions. These observations are used to design processes and workflows. Triggers are then set within the bots to automate tasks, allowing them to perform tasks autonomously.

These bots can work 24/7, working faster than humans while being reliable and precise.

Applications of RPA include:

• Banking and Finance: Automating Invoices, Financial Reporting, etc.

• Human Resources: Automating payroll processes, Administration Processes, etc

• Customer Service: Automating complaint response, processing product requests, etc

• Retail: Automating customer orders, supply inventory, etc

Robotics process automation can be categorised into:

• Unattended Robotics Process Automation: This type of RPA involves bots that are designed to execute tasks without human intervention.

  This approach can help reduce tasks like data processing, which can be performed in the background based on triggers. For example, a bot is programmed to start a specific task during a particular time of the day, etc.

• Attended Robotics Process Automation: Attended RPA are triggered by the user through the UI. RPA operates in real-time by executing tasks based on the user's actions.

• Hybrid Robotics Process Automation: Hybrid RPA combines attended and unattended process automation. Attended RPA involves using bots that are activated by humans while an unattended process runs on scheduled events. The combination of the two improves flexibility and efficiency in tasks.

How RPA Works in a Nutshell

Robotic process automation operates by:

API (Application Programming Interface): RPA uses API to link software tools such as productivity software and enterprise applications.

User Interface: The user interface allows users to define the connection they want and describe processes the RPA needs to follow.

Software Script: A script and set of rules outline what the RPA system needs to do, following the steps that humans typically take. It usually starts with a trigger and chains together several tasks, often long sequences of repetitive actions.

Core Capabilities of RPA

RPA Tools have three core capabilities:

• No-code / Low-code (minimal programming): The ability to build automation scripts with limited or no formal software programming.

• Wide-ranging Integration: Promotes integration with a wide variety of enterprise applications and productivity tools.

• Administration Software: Includes tools that monitor output, adjust configurations, and ensure data security.

Benefits and Limitations of Robotics Process Automation

Benefits of Robotics Process Automation

Automation: Working on repeated tasks or with repetitive processes can cause errors due to fatigue or oversight. A bot can automate repetitive tasks, reducing errors and increasing efficiency.

Improved Productivity: Employees can focus their energy on performing more productive tasks and less repetitive and tedious ones.

Improved Efficiency: RPA software can perform business process tasks quickly and reliably at high volume, so workers can pay more attention to complex tasks that cannot yet be automated.

Cost Saving: RPA tools are cost-effective because they perform tedious tasks faster, and operate 24/7, which reduces the need to hire more individuals to perform manual-intensive work.

Accuracy and Consistency: Human beings are prone to errors, especially when compared to bots, which tend to perform tasks more accurately. Also, because they work around the clock, bots are more consistent in handling tasks.

Low or No Coding Required: RPA tools are designed to reduce or completely eliminate the need to code. These processes can be a drag-and-drop interface to design a workflow or a library with predefined functions that can be customised and configured easily.

Limitations of Robotic Process Automation Tools

Complex Task Constraints: RPA is great at automating simple repetitive tasks but struggles with more complex tasks that require decision-making and advanced cognitive capabilities.

UI Dependent: RPA relies on UI significantly to perform tasks e.g. (fields, menus), etc. If there are frequent changes or updates, they can disrupt the RPA processes, and affect the way the RPA performs tasks, causing errors and inefficiencies.

Inability to Adapt to Process Changes: RPA tools are rule-based, that is, they are designed to execute specific, predefined rules and tasks. This makes RPA tools inflexible in handling unexpected changes within processes.

Robotic Process Automation Tools

When selecting an RPA tool, certain criteria should be looked at:

• Intelligence: The RPA tool must be intelligent.

• Low Code: The automation process has to be easy and user-friendly.

• Concurrent: The RPA tool must be able to run multiple bots simultaneously.

Examples of robotic process automation tools include:

• UiPath: UiPath was designed to digitise the primary operations of enterprises. UiPath software helps users automate manual-intensive tasks, it has an innate library function to automate emails, data entry, and web scraping. It also automates authentication, notifications, etc.

  UiPath AI-powered auto-pilot was introduced recently to help automate tedious tasks. The UiPath Auto-pilot can plan and organise activities like booking tickets, sending reminder messages, preparing presentations, onboarding new staff, etc.

  Autopilot understands work contexts across different apps and systems and lets users get guidance and automate tasks.

• Blue Prism: Blue Prism is a multinational software corporation that makes enterprise robotic process automation software, and provides a digital workforce designed to automate complex, end-to-end operational activities.

  Blue Prism RPA tool is robust and can be used to develop virtual employees for automating manual and repetitive tasks. Thus, the tool is user-friendly, it provides an interface for designing and managing automation workflow. However, having a basic understanding of programming can also be helpful to perform more advanced tasks.

• Power Automate: Microsoft's Power Automate helps users automate business operations like data entry, email management, document processing, etc. It also integrates with other Microsoft services further amplifying its use.

  It is a user-friendly tool and can be used by small or large size businesses or organisations. There are also new AI features that can be used to optimise process automation,

• Automation Anywhere: Automation Anywhere is a global software company that develops robotic process automation software.

  Automation Anywhere tool is an end-to-end that provides machine learning, artificial intelligence, data processing, natural language processing, and data mining features to develop, deploy and manage bots.

  The latest features of automation involve the collaboration of AI and Automation enterprise systems.

  With Automation Anywhere you can build custom AI agents for cognitive tasks and embed them in an automation workflow, and also accelerate the automation lifecycle with generative AI to create complex automation.

RPA bots can also deploy automation, machine learning, computer vision, and natural language processing, making it more intelligent. In other words, robotic process automation utilises these technologies to perform tasks efficiently.

This moves RPA from simple software that performs human tasks to more intelligent automation, which is a subset of a more advanced concept which allows the automation of more complex tasks such as identifying complex patterns or data within a business.

Future of RPA

The future of RPA will introduce more intelligent processes. Here are a few examples of how RPA will drive better business decisions and enhance process efficiency:

Integrating with artificial intelligence and machine learning: RPA would become more intelligent as the capabilities of AI and ML increase, enhancing its capabilities to further influence usage in more industries, going beyond the typical use in tedious business tasks. 90% of RPA tools will be able to offer Generative AI-assisted automation by 2025.

RPAaaS (RPA as a Service): A cloud-based RPA solution that makes automation accessible to small and large-scale businesses.

SPA (Smart Process Automation): This focuses on AI and ML to automate complex business processes that require decision-making introducing a more cognitive and adaptable automation process.

Hyper Automation: Involves integrating RPA with AL, ML, and NLP technologies to automate processes from start to finish, for instance, reading orders, processing, and making decisions by themselves.

Summary

Robotics process automation is faster and more consistent than human operators when performing repetitive rule-based tasks. Before automating processes, the business has to first map its processes to understand and improve them.

After understanding what needs to be improved, the right RPA tool can be chosen based on different factors like cost, complexity, user-friendliness, compliance, and so on to automate their processes and workflow.

Frequently Asked Questions