When one thinks of robotics, in most cases one associates it with the idea of physical machinery, hence hardware, capable of performing tasks of greater complexity, and in some cases with greater flexibility, than traditional types of machinery. In the case of Robotic Process Automation, however, we are referring to a different, and in many ways new, category: that of the software robots. Conceptually, it involves applying the same principles of automation already used in industrial processes to areas where objects and materials are not moved, but bits and information are.
The principle behind Robotic Process Automation
As in many cases related to automation, the founding principle is to Limit the input of operators on low value-added activities. In other words, automate all repetitive tasks and allow people to devote themselves to more skilled activities. Generally, RPA (short for Robotic Process Automation) is used in all cases where software or applications of a certain complexity are needed, which in many cases are called software robot or software robot as we have already indicated.
In this sense, there are several commonalities with robotics: artificial intelligence and its applications, for example. Not coincidentally, one of the main reference points for this discipline is theInstitute for Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence. Robotics and artificial intelligence, as is almost always the case, move on close paths, even when it comes to software.
In more operational terms, RPA is a discipline that covers the entire span of process automation, from needs analysis to the creation of the necessary software and its deployment.
The Benefits of Robotic Process Automation
Wanting to summarize the purposes of RPA in a simplified concept, we can say that it is about applying the principles behind the use of industrial robots to information handling rather than material handling. This means that, from a certain point of view, companies in the manufacturing sector, which are already familiar with the concept of automation, will be able to extend it to other departments and processes. But the benefits can extend to all businesses.
Let us clarify with the most cross-cutting example possible, that of the document management. Even today, especially in the Italian business fabric, companies are forced, for different reasons, to make use of paper documents or digitized versions of them. Often these are presented as unstructured data, thus impossible to manage with first-level automation. For its part, properly programmed and trained robotic software may be able to extract and structure data from these sources.
The same principle can be applied to any process, from quality control to marketing automation, via advanced analysis of the business processes themselves. Although in reality there are many uses, for example implementing a series of operations when specific conditions occur, to date the most widespread use of Robotic Process Automation concerns data entry, but other areas such as flow controls and report generation and communication automation are emerging prominently. We have already mentioned this, but it is worth reiterating: the foundational theme is always that of allow business professionals to express themselves to the fullest by delegating repetitive or automatable tasks as much as possible to machines, whether actual hardware machinery or software.
Automation in the enterprise
To be used successfully, an RPA solution must be able to apply to business models and procedures in a flexible and integrated manner. Within the SAP ecosystem we find a dedicated product, SAP Intelligent Robotic Process Automation, which not only offers APIs and integration tools, including for third-party processes, but also provides an extensive library of prebuilt bots that can be used for business needs or leveraged as a starting point for later customization.
The system provides a step-by-step design tool in which processes and dependencies can be entered and the ability to use many types of triggers for activating bots, which can be fully autonomous or supervised. The possibility of API linkage and the use of machine learning finally provide all the tools for making truly intelligent and functional software.
Contact us to find out how Robotic Process Automation can benefit your business!
