In today’s business world, adopting RPA is not enough on its own. If you want to harness the full potential of RPA and achieve the efficiency it promises, it is crucial to lay a solid foundation on which RPA can build and evolve. In the upcoming posts, we’ll talk more about the foundation and structure of the RPA team, its position in the corporate environment… This post will focus on selecting the perfect process for automation.
How to Unlock the Full Potential of RPA?
RPA stands out when it comes to rule-based processes, repetitive tasks that involve structured data and a large number of transactions. Identifying processes that meet these criteria is crucial for an easy and stable RPA implementation.
1. Rule-Based Tasks
The fundamental efficiency of RPA lies in automating rule-based processes. When choosing the ideal candidate for automation, the first thing to ask is whether the execution rules of the process are clearly defined. As I mentioned in previous posts, RPA is not the best solution for decision-making within the process itself, so we choose tasks with clearly defined steps.
Tip: Start your selection process by identifying tasks within your operations that are rule-based and involve a series of repetitive actions.
2. High Transaction Volume
The second aspect to consider when choosing the ideal candidate for RPA is the volume of transactions. Ideally, automate processes that handle a large number of transactions, for example, if you have:
Process A with 5 transactions per week
Process B with 10 transactions per day
Process C with 1500 transactions per day
we would choose Process C because it will have the greatest impact, pay off the fastest, and relieve the team the most.
Tip: Prioritize processes that contribute to high transaction volumes, as the impact of automation is most pronounced in these scenarios.
3. Repetitive Nature of Tasks
Another tool for selecting the ideal candidate for automation is repetitiveness—how often this process is executed, whether it’s data entry, validation, file management, calculations, or anything else. If the nature of the task is repetitive with little or minimal variations, RPA can handle it without succumbing to monotony.
Tip: Look for processes where employees spend a significant portion of their time on repetitive tasks that contribute little to the strategic value of the organization.
Importance of Processes for Maximum Impact
Choosing processes for RPA implementation is not just about using the tools mentioned earlier; it’s about strategically aligning automation with business goals. Consider the following tips for prioritizing processes based on their impact:
a. Alignment with Business Goals
Prioritize processes that directly contribute to achieving overall business goals. Whether it’s improving customer satisfaction, reducing operational costs, or enhancing data accuracy, aligning RPA with strategic goals ensures significant impact.
b. Gain from Efficiency
Evaluate processes based on the potential for efficiency gains. Identify tasks where automation can lead to a significant reduction in processing time, allowing employees to redirect their time to higher-value activities.
c. Quick Wins
Consider starting with processes that offer quick wins. Choosing processes with a smaller scope and complexity allows for faster implementation, providing early successes that build momentum for broader automation initiatives. What I often suggest, even for advanced teams, is to divide large processes into several smaller ones for easier and faster implementation and maintenance.
This table can help you choose the ideal RPA candidate. Enter points for each field and add up the result. The process with the highest result should be placed at the top of the automation list.
| Process Name | Repetition | Volume | Rules | Time Consumption | Error-Prone | Significance | Priority Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Process A | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Result] |
| Process B | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Result] |
| Process C | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Result] |
| Process D | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Low-High] | [Result] |
Scoring Criteria:
- Repetition: How often the process is repeated. [Low: 1, Medium: 2, High: 3]
- Volume: Amount of data or transactions involved in the process. [Low: 1, Medium: 2, High: 3]
- Rules: Complexity of the rules involved. [Low: 1, Medium: 2, High: 3]
- Time Consumption: [Low: 1, Medium: 2, High: 3]
- Error-Prone: [Low: 1, Medium: 2, High: 3]
- Significance: Business importance. [Low: 1, Medium: 2, High: 3]
Calculating Priority Result:
[ Priority Result = (Repetition + Volume + Rules) \times (Time Consumption + Error-Prone + Significance) ]
The higher the Priority Result, the higher the priority for automation.
Fill in the appropriate values for each process, and the Priority Result will be automatically calculated.
What’s Next?: Strategic RPA Implementation
As you embark on the journey of RPA implementation, careful process selection sets the foundation for success. By focusing on rule-based tasks, high transaction volumes, and the repetitive nature of activities, you pave the way for seamlessly integrating RPA into the organization. The key lies not only in which processes you automate but also in how strategically and purposefully you align them with business goals.
