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Robotic Process Automation: All You Need to Know

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How to Automate Your Business Processes with Robotics

Ever since the dawn of the industry, the idea of automating manufacturing processes has become a huge concern. Technology has advanced to the point where some factories are completely automated. This sort of automation is trending in white-collar industries. Just like the large robots in factories, robotic process automation or RPA is a tool that takes the load off workers when carrying out certain tasks.

RPA reduces the time of back-office tasks such as document fulfillment, order processing, approvals, request confirmation, etc. These tasks are vital but time-consuming, and errors thereof may cause the company to lose money and reputation. In order to increase productivity and to reduce the total workload on employees, companies are seeking out robotic process automation software.

As the name suggests, RPA software automates the various redundant tasks that are encountered in the corporate workspace. RPA programs can be scaled up greatly and can even use AIs and machine learning to make jobs easier and to relieve the pressure off employees.

Let’s learn about RPA, where and how it is used, and how to approach RPA in order to use it in your company.

What is RPA?

In the simplest of terms, it is software that is able to carry out various manual processes that are time-consuming and often associated with some degree of error. One of the tasks where RPA shines is repetitive, rule-based, and structured processes. It starts by recording the worker’s steps and then later replicating them.

It can do tasks such as transaction processing, the creation of invoices based on customer data, data entry from multiple files to a spreadsheet or other programs; its applications are endless. A benefit of RPA is that it is non-invasive, and companies with internal software don’t need to reengineer their programs in order to implement RPA in their operation. It can work in line with people or without them and even make decisions based on data given using machine learning.

RPA is becoming more and more popular with banks, healthcare services, insurance agencies, and many more white-collar workplaces as it reduces the total processing time needed for data entry.

How RPA Works

RPA implementation comes with three main steps:

1. Training:
As its name states, an RPA program is a robot and will not work unless given orders. In the case of most RPA software, it allows the user to configure the robot without any programming knowledge. RPA software often uses screen recording to record the actions of the worker and, when in use, the recorded steps are replicated – at least for rule-based tasks.

2. Operation:
Once trained, the bot can work in one of 2 ways: attended or unattended RPA.

Attended RPA: This type requires the user to start the program in order to carry out its automated function, such as copying data from a document and entering it into a form. Usually, a worker monitors this and makes minor changes, if necessary.

Unattended RPA: This sort of RPA works in the background and carries out functions such as entering received information into spreadsheets, emailing them to relevant sources, etc. In order to work, this type of RPA uses a trigger action, such as receiving an email or a file being uploaded to a certain folder.

3. Orchestration
Sometimes, multiple RPA bots may be used in order to carry out work, and in order for everything to run smoothly, a control panel or orchestration is required. It simply allows the user to monitor the bots’ functions and turn them on or off depending on the situation.

Types of RPA

There are two types of RPA programs that businesses use:

Traditional RPA:
This type of RPA carries out simple, straightforward tasks. It has no cognitive or decision-making capabilities and is mostly used for rule-based processes. Given specific information, the bot is able to handle large-scale work of a similar type.

As it stands, traditional RPA is able to do almost any business task right out of the box. Despite its versatility, traditional RPA does have its drawbacks. It is unable to handle human speech and UI changes unless directly programmed for it.

Cognitive RPA:
This RPA is more advanced than the former and can perceive images, handwriting, and even human speech. Unlike traditional RPA, it can be used to automate communication with clients. Another boon of cognitive RPA is optical character recognition or OCR.

To a machine, most text, unless in a specific format, is seen as unstructured data. OCR allows the machine to take this unstructured data and convert it into machine-readable text.

Machine learning is another part of this RPA. By using sample data, the machine is able to construct a decision-making model, which it then uses to make specific decisions without any preprogramming.

The only drawback to this is that cognitive RPA programs have to be developed for a specific use and need a specialized team to develop and troubleshoot them.

Where is RPA Most Commonly Used?

RPA is used in almost every white-collar job. There are far too many to list, but here are a few examples where RPA is most seen and utilized.

Banking:
Within the retail banking industry exists tons of manual data entry requirements. Whether it’s for a simple account-to-account transfer, loan approval, or opening a bank account, there is always some tedious work to be done. With the advent of virtual banking, there has never been a bigger precedent for using RPA software.

Customer service is a place where cognitive RPA is most prevalent. Queries can be answered quickly and efficiently. Chatbot, a type of AI that uses NLP or natural language processing, is able to respond to customers just like another person and even make decisions based on the customer’s questions.

Recording accounts payable is quite a dreary task that follows a set of specific steps, making it perfect for traditional RPA. The use of OCR allows the bot to take the data from digital copies of physical forms and validate it against the bank’s database before processing it. Of course, any errors in the form are sent to an executive to be resolved.

Banks are no stranger to fraud, and with digital systems on the rise, fraudulent transactions are also on the rise. Using machine learning, a bot can be taught the patterns of fraudulent behavior and can verify if a transaction is fraudulent or not in real-time. This real-time verification reduces the response time to fraud and, in some cases, block the account outright.

Healthcare:
The healthcare industry is no stranger to paper forms and data entry. With the help of OCR, RPA programs can digitize paper forms and accurately enter them into the electronic health record system. It gives doctors more time with patients and, thus, increases the standard of healthcare in that hospital.

Scheduling is another process where RPA is prevalent. With online scheduling on the rise, a bot can collect a patient’s relevant information and enter them into available slots of a doctor’s schedule; it can even combine the doctor’s offline schedule with the online one with efficiency.

RPA can also be used for discharge instructions, prescription pickup, and upcoming test notifications.

Approaching Robotic Process Automation for Use

RPA software is quite popular and makes tedious work a piece of cake. If you are considering using it but don’t know where to start, here are a few basic steps to consider.

Learning about and documenting repetitive processes

Not all processes are right for automation. The ones that are structured, have clear steps and don’t require any decision-making are most suited for RPA software.

Understanding whether cognitive automation is needed or not

Tasks that require digitizing documents, speech recognition, and natural processing are where cognitive RPA shines the most. Cognitive RPA has to be developed for a specific task and workflow software providers that have worked with or make AIs are your best bet with it.

Search for out-of-the-box RPA solutions and find a bot for your specific needs

Certain companies provide direct, no-code solutions for traditional RPA. UiPath, Blue Prism, and Pega are examples of some trusted sources.

Start small and slowly scale up

As with anything new, it’s important to start small before scaling it up. If the tasks are small, errors and problems are quickly routed out before large-scale implementation.

Make an estimation of the total integration costs before adoption

The implementation of anything new comes with its own costs. For one, a single RPA bot is priced based on its task; there are also licensing fees associated with it. Understanding all the costs before calculating ROI is paramount. Without a strategy or proper tools, an RPA implementation may get caught in unnecessary costs and fail to deliver ROI.

Conclusion

RPA is something that will soon be common in its sector. Its uses are seemingly limitless, as are its benefits – especially when it comes to employee satisfaction, workload, data quality, and departmental focus. If scaled correctly, RPA will improve the workflow of a company whilst giving great ROI. With the promise of reduced running costs, improved workflow, and employee satisfaction, who wouldn’t want to use RPA software?

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