A good portion of those born before 2000 imagined the 21st century as a future filled with crazy things like flying cars and robots. While we wait for Musk to truly launch a flying Tesla, robots have indeed conquered the world, although not quite in the way we expected.
In the world today, they are part of every major company, and it’s time for them to take center stage here as well. So, let’s begin – what is RPA, and what kind of robots are we talking about?
What is RPA? Where do robots fit in?
RPA stands for Robotic Process Automation. In simple terms, these are virtual robots whose main (and only) task is to perform all those tasks, digital processes that persistently and boringly repeat. If a process always follows the same rules, there’s no reason to waste time and leave room for human error when a robot can do it faster, better, and easier, utilizing resources (time, money, and people) in a much better way. It’s about process automation that leads to the improvement of an employee’s entire workflow or even an entire sector and company.
For example, RPA robots can mimic everything users do on a computer: click through digital systems, read, input, copy various data, merge in different formats, save files, send emails, and perform all the other actions users do on a computer.
Why is RPA the future of business?
In a world where time is money and accuracy is essential, and mistakes and steps backward are a luxury and a risk, RPA is the perfect collaborator. RPA revolves around the automation of repetitive tasks – the very tasks that are fertile ground for errors and lead to the greatest fatigue among employees.
The robot is like an assistant coming to make the workflow smooth and increase productivity. Additionally, RPA robots don’t take lunch breaks, don’t need annual leave, and can work 24 hours a day. So, do you need fewer employees now? No, of course not. You can now employ your valuable staff for more intelligent processes that require what RPA robots can’t do – problem-solving and thinking. RPA is here to free up the human team to deal with significant, creative tasks and tasks where the decision needs to be made by the human factor.
Basic division in RPA: Robots and Processes Robot:
- Robots are the main tool of RPA. These digital “minions” perform various tasks – from handling applications to data manipulation and report generation. Whether it’s data entry, validation, or report creation, robots are there to do it. A robot is software that can be located locally on one computer or in the cloud, completely freeing the user’s computer. One robot can perform multiple different processes, just like a human; a robot can work in the background so as not to disturb the user, work in parallel with the user waiting for the right moment to (e.g., fill in the table the user opened), or actively work so that the user only controls and supervises the robot.
- Process: Each user has specific processes they perform throughout their workday. When we digitize and automate that process, we can tell the robot which processes to execute (e.g., Process 1: fill in the report, Process 2: send an email with the attached report), how many times a day, and at what time. Automation or the process is a set of steps that the RPA programmer inputs into the robot (programs). By automating repetitive tasks, businesses gain accuracy and speed, and errors in the process itself are minimized because the robot will never misread or mistype something. RPA helps create a dream team where virtual workers (robots) collaborate with users (human team or individual user) to execute tasks with maximum speed and precision.
What does my business gain from this? RPA Benefits for Businesses
- Efficiency: RPA enables tasks to be executed without errors, reducing processing time and increasing overall efficiency.
- Savings: Automating routine tasks saves money, allowing budgets for additional projects.
- Accuracy and Compliance: Robots adhere to predefined rules, ensuring a high level of accuracy and compliance with regulatory requirements.
- Flexibility: RPA allows businesses to easily expand their virtual workforce, adapting to changes and business needs. Processes can be supplemented with additional steps or reduced over time, depending on the need. Partial or complete changes in processes are possible.
Conclusion: The RPA Adventure Begins!
I hope we’ve managed to clarify the basics of RPA. This blog should have sparked your imagination about the significance and basic concepts of using robots to enhance all business sectors.
Expect the next blog in just 7 days. We’re going beneath the surface, deep into the core of automation through robots, from how to implement it in a real environment to the challenges businesses may face on their automation journey.
