Is Robotic Process Automation (RPA) a viable solution?

Yes! It is.
Robotic Process Automation is a simple “software” or “robot” or “bot” that takes set of instructions to automate human-computer-based tasks, for example copying data or moving files from source to another system, especially into legacy system.

Engaging humans to do the robotic work? Why don’t you go for Robotic Process Automation?

Few examples of potential candidate for RPA :

1. If accounts department receives invoices from vendors over email frequently and needs frequent updation of the required fields into SAP FI accounts payable system.
2. When a customer support team receives huge number of emails on daily basis and replying them takes huge time & efforts.
3. A product sales analyst and his team regularly web scrapes data from different eCommerce websites and copies to excel sheet, and then imports into analytics database to identify the trends.

Ever since computers are invented, out of many day-to-day repetitive tasks computers are performing to sustain business processes like HR onboarding, finance department making invoices and payments, IT user provisioning etc. where all these business functions attract RPA.

Goods purchased online when returned, processing consumes manual effort, time and money which is a costly endeavor. When a company implements RPA that can manage goods returns without adding to the cost or causing a delay. Also, it saves time and reduces errors in the process of sending a message confirming receipt of the return, updating the inventory system, making the payment adjustment to the customer, invoice processing, ensuring that the internal billing system is updated.

Company staff who is handling repetitive tasks, mundane tasks, bridge system and data integration can automate tasks by providing simple instructions like commands to RPA robot to let their task done, so that staff can take care of other tasks that results job satisfaction.

Even though RPA is complex to implement, it is a viable solution for organizations and when it is implemented properly, with a process having robots and relevant people in place shows successful results by reducing the cost to the company.

If Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning (ML) implemented with RPA, ML improves robot performance and decision making and hence results in ROI.

The sectors attract RPA are:

Supply Chain Management (SCM), Customer Service, Accounting, Financial services, Health Care, Hospitality, Government, Human Resources, Insurance, e-Commerce, Retail, Transportation, Communication service providers, Media and Entertainment, Energy and Utilities, Manufacturing.

Gartner is the world’s leading research and advisory company, for example, has predicted that 73% of corporate controllers will implement some form of RPA in their finance departments by 2020.

Author: Srirama Murala, Director, GRhombus Technologies