What is robotic process automation? RPA definition and benefits
According to McKinsey, RPA( Robotic Process Automation) and robot integration are set for strong growth between now and 2025. With digital transformation, companies now have the opportunity to automate some of their business processes using technology. Time savings and lower error rates are just two of the obvious benefits.
What are the objectives of RPA, how does it work, its advantages and disadvantages? That's what we're going to explore in this article. 👇
What is RPA?
RPA: what it means
RPA stands for Robotic Process Automation. But what exactly is RPA?
Definition of RPA, Robotic Process Automation
RPA is the automation of a company's business processes. It involves using a machine's computational capabilities to :
- observe,
- analyze,
- dissect,
- classify,
- categorize,
- and reproduce human actions.
Of course, this work and these analyses could be done by another human mind: that of a programmer, for example. This was the norm for many years.
RPA explained in video :
For CIOs, the use of RPA is not simply a question of productivity or performance, but also of IT governance in the broadest sense.
Types of RPA
Traditional RPA can be divided into two branches: attended automation and unattended automation.
Attended automation
Attended automation represents the first level of automation. Software robots function as virtual assistants, partially automating repetitive, low-value-added tasks. Activated by a human, they perform tasks in real time on a computer. This type of RPA is mainly used for front-office processes.
Unattended RPA (unattended automation)
Unattended RPA, or unattended automation, enables a task to be fully automated without human intervention. This frees up staff for higher value-added activities. Robots execute instructions according to predefined rules without supervision. If a robot encounters an unknown instruction, it suspends its activity until a collaborator intervenes. This type of RPA is mainly used for back-office tasks.
Low-code RPA
Low-code RPA solutions use very little computer coding. Low Code platforms offer a graphical user interface, facilitating the creation of reliable databases and reducing the risk of error associated with manual coding.
Low Code allows users to develop their own applications without the help of experienced developers, thus democratizing process automation. It is particularly well-suited to the processing of unstructured data, and integrates easily with existing systems, avoiding complex upgrades or the creation of new structures.
RPA combined with Low Code offers a more complete automation solution, with more autonomous software robots. However, it requires appropriate governance for effective implementation within the organization.
Cognitive RPA
Cognitive RPA combines traditional RPA with artificial intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning technologies. It can process structured data, recognize images (OCR), understand speech recognition and process natural language (NLP).
Thanks to artificial intelligence, cognitive RPA enables intelligent process automation, known by the acronym IPA (Intelligent Process Automation). This technology represents the most advanced level of process automation.
RPA applications
6 business sectors that can benefit from RPA
- Human resources: for updating employee databases or automated recruitment communications, for example,
- healthcare: for patient file management or billing, for example,
- retail and logistics: for supply chain and order processing, for example,
- accounting: for automated financial reporting, for example,
- customer service: for automatic responses to customers or document verification, for example.
- Finance and accounting are also typical areas where RPA can bring great efficiency, due to the standardized, repetitive nature of certain tasks.
Customer service will also benefit, as will marketing to a certain extent, to automate responses or email campaigns (marketing automation).
Case in point
Even before programmed automation such as RPA, which requires coding and programming work in the strict sense of the term, there were other, more basic but effective means.
Few will remember, but some powerful and complex software programs, such as image processing tools like Photoshop, have almost from the outset been able to automate certain combinations of even complex tasks. All that was needed was to activate a "record" mode to perform this combination once, and then it was possible to reproduce this script as many times as desired.
RPA is the culmination of this approach. Rather than using a human mind to perform this sorting and recording, we now use Artificial Intelligence. With considerable benefits.
The 6 main benefits of RPA for the company
Robotic Process Automation remains fundamentally linked to the idea of producing more and better with fewer resources. It's important to keep this in mind.
In this sense, it is highly efficient, and the first benefit that a company or organization can derive from it is in terms of ROI and productivity.
However, there are related benefits too:
- RPA can improve employees' working conditions or workload, by transferring certain tedious or repetitive tasks to the technology;
- as a direct consequence, it contributes to the well-being of employees and the company;
- it can also reduce error rates, thus improving reliability and customer satisfaction;
- customer satisfaction will also be enhanced by more relevant, faster responses;
- RPA guarantees greater compliance with standards and regulations, if we consider that artificial intelligence is more reliable than human intelligence;
- RPA is also conceivable without the use of AI, making it a technology within the very practical reach of many companies.
How does RPA work?
Where human programming or scripting used to reproduce an unchanging, well-defined task identically, RPA adds an extra dimension.
Firstly, Artificial Intelligence can take over the analysis of human actions, through direct observation of the people performing these tasks. Employees will simply go about their usual business, using conventional tools and interfaces. But the data concerning these actions will be stored and analyzed, so that they can be reproduced if necessary.
Then it's possible to take optimization a step further. If we involve Artificial Intelligence at this stage, and build on this technology throughout the use of RPA, it becomes possible to optimize the resulting actions according to context.
We no longer propose a precise response natively linked to a specific request or action. Instead, we offer an adaptive response in line with the request or action.
Software for your IT automation
Today's IT automation tools and systems make it possible to lighten teams' workloads and save them time, thanks to RPA.
The current leaders in RPA solutions are few in number, and include UiPath, BluePrism and AutomationAnywhere.
When it comes to process automation, BPM software is also proving a valuable support for medium-sized and large companies.
The reality of RPA
The limits of RPA are essentially those of Artificial Intelligence. It remains illusory, and perhaps even risky, to try and automate certain processes 100%, without human intervention.
For example, in the case of a customer service department, backed by a chatbot, it is possible to handle up to 80% of requests with RPA technology. But it will be necessary to maintain a 100% human interaction channel to handle the remaining 20%, the more complex or less frequent cases.
If we stick to an RPA process in the strict sense of the term, i.e. without any recourse to Artificial Intelligence, this technology must be considered as an assistance, an augmentation of a stakeholder's capabilities. However, the human hand must be given back to finalize and/or validate tasks.
Today, RPA editors' automata can analyze the user's actual activity. This is known as " process mining", which consists in optimizing an employee's work by measuring the time spent on certain applications, the number of clicks, and providing the appropriate response.
Now it's your turn to robotize 😉
Article translated from French