In 2018, the term RPA (robotic process automation) blew up and everyone wanted to know how it worked and what they could use it for. Today, RPA is a vital part of most business process solutions, whether we actively built it for that or not.
RPA isn’t just another technical buzzword. It brings real, tangible value to organizations. If this season of business has taught us anything, it’s that having a strong IT structure is vital to supporting agile business initiatives.
So how does RPA work and how can it be used across different industries?
What is RPA?
Robotic Process Automation is the technology that allows users to configure software, or a “bot” to emulate the actions of a human interacting within digital systems to execute a business process.
RPA robots utilize the user interface to capture data and manipulate applications just like humans do. Bots can interpret, trigger responses, and communicate with other systems in order to perform a vast variety of repetitive tasks. When trained correctly, RPA software bots make zero mistakes and can free up an employee from doing repetitive tasks, allowing them to work on items with a higher impact on the company.
What are the benefits of RPA?
In contrast to other, costly IT solutions, RPA allows organizations to automate their processes at a fraction of the cost and time previously needed to accomplish the same solutions.
RPA is non-intrusive and will leverage the company’s current infrastructure without causing any interruptions or needing to replace these systems. Using RPA, efficiency and compliance are no longer an issue but simply a part of the automation process.
Types of RPA
One of the most compelling benefits of RPA is the flexibility to mold it to fit your needs. Once you identify the use case you are trying to solve, it’s just a matter of designing it.
Here are some of the most common types of RPA you can implement:
- Assisted: Automated process triggered by a human.
- Benefits: Allow the replacement of complex processes using one click, reduces time to train new employees.
- Drawback: typically runs on a desktop or laptop which might slow completion times due to lack of computing power.
- Unassisted: Scheduled, or bots triggered without needing human interaction.
- Benefits: Can operate autonomously 24 hours a day, only alerting when there is an issue.
- Drawback: The process needs to be structured and clearly defined in order to run without employee intervention.
How We Can Help
Bot flows don’t necessarily have to be created by IT. With some training, Business Analysts and Process Owners can create their own both flows using intuitive drag and drop interfaces. Due to this no-code approach, time to implement is much quicker than other RPA tools. Nintex RPA Central allows for centrally located control and orchestration of the organization’s RPA Bots.
For the first time in, rapid and robotic processes are available with just a few clicks and conversations. Once you understand what you need, getting started is easier than ever.
Learn more about our RPA solutions and connect with an expert today.
