Snap into a RPA!

Robotic Process Automation(RPA) - as the name suggests, it is the automation of processes by a robot.

Is it just that? No, not completely. Its much more than that!

What is RPA?

RPA is a computer software which can mimic actions typically performed by humans interacting with digital systems to execute business processes. It is a software which allows humans to automate the manual, boring, repetitive tasks which else done by humans, is done by robots, so that can do something which is more efficient or productive.

How is it different from traditional automation?

Traditional automation involves programming APIs and integrating tools to integrate different systems where as RPA mimics the actions of a user at the User Interface Level.

In traditional automation, the developer needs to have a good understanding of the target system, but in case of RPA, as long as the bot can exactly follow the steps, the developer need not worry about the underlying complexities.  

What all can RPA do?

Well, RPA can do a lot of stuffs from capturing data to triggering responses and communicate.

Processes can be divided into 4 categories based on what section of the process can be automated-

1. No RPA - There no possibility of automating the process.

2. Semi Automation - Here, some of the steps of the process can be automated while the others are manual.

3. High Cost RPA - these processes can be automated but require advanced programming skills. 

4. Zero Touch Automation - These are processes which can be completely automated.  

RPA basically targets processes which have/are -

•  highly manual - processes which require human to push it through every step and know whom to send it.
•  repetitive - processes which require the same set of steps to be repeated again and again.
•  rule based - processes which have a standard work flow. 
•  low exception rate - processes which rarely deviate from the normal work flow.
•  standard electronic readable input - processes which take input in the form of user keyboard input or in the form of files.

What are the benefits of RPA?

• Reduces cost
• Reduces operational risk
• Increases quality and accuracy
• Scalable

What all problems can it solve?

1. Payroll processing - process of keeping track of presence of employees,of their salaries, bonuses and taxes.

2. Customer complaint processing - Based on keywords and other criterias, possible solutions to the questions may be suggested.

3. Renewal process - the robots can do the process of contact renewal.

and many more...

How to implement RPA?

The implementation of RPA can be divided into the following steps:

1. Discover - Discover those processes and the steps in the process that can be automated.

2. Build - Build the automation.

3. Manage -  Automations built need to be deployed and updated.

4. Run - Automations are run through robots.

5. Engage - There should be humans in the loop for validating and for encountering exceptions.

6. Measure - Check for errors/miscalculations and improve the automation and check for the positive effect of the automation.

What is not RPA?

• RPA is not a something like a  humanoid robot.
• It is not something that can entirely replace humans.
• It cannot replicate human cognitive functions.

Why is it in the trend?

One of the major reasons why RPA is really popular is it doesn't require any major architectural changes in the underlying systems. RPA is easy to scale and it is future proof too.  

Leading RPA platforms -

UiPath - UiPath is a Robotic Process Automation tool which is used for Windows desktop automation. It is used to automate repetitive and redundant tasks and eliminates the human intervention. UiPath is the top tool to learn RPA and it does not require any knowledge of programming languages to use it to implement RPA.

Blue Prism - Blue Prism is an RPA Tool which holds the capability of virtual workforce powered by software robots. This helps the enterprises to automate the business operations in an agile and cost-effective manner. The tool is based on Java Programming Language and offers a visual designer with drag and drop functionalities.

Automation Anywhere - Automation Anywhere allows organizations to automate the processes which are performed by the humans. It is a Web-Based Management System which uses a Control Room to run the Automated Tasks. 

Pega - PEGA is a Business Process Management tool (BPM). It is developed on Java and uses OOP and java concepts. The main use of PEGA technology is to reduce cost and is used in improving business purpose.