Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology that allows computer software to be configured to emulate a wide range of computer-centric processes or interact with applications the way humans do in day-to-day business. It can be programmed to mimic almost any action that a human does on a computer, such as log into applications, interact with data, files and folders (e.g. open, write, move, delete, copy and paste), fill in forms, extract content from documents, scrape data from web browsers, perform calculations, and lots more. Once configured, the processes can be executed automatically without human interaction.
RPA takes advantage of the main strengths of computers, namely speed, accuracy, reliability, and consistency, therefore it works best for dealing with clearly-defined, rules-based, predictable, and replicable processes that require handling high volumes of structured data.
The technology, designed to orchestrate, execute and enhance business workflows through automation, can deliver benefits in functional business areas which include Human Resources, Finance, Accounting and Customer Service. What’s great about RPA is that it can be integrated into any industry where processes that are rule-based and highly repetitive are frequently performed without disrupting existing IT systems.
Among the biggest benefits of employing RPA to replace these routine human processes is that it can work round the clock at relatively low cost and takes human error out of the equation.
