SLM3
SLM3
STRUCTURE
3.1 Introduction to Robotic Process Automation
3.1.1 What is RPA?
3.2 Applications of RPA across Business Functions
3.3 RPA Tools
3.4 Case Study
3.5 Summary
3.6 Keywords
3.7 Self-Assessment Questions
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Understand the basics of Robotic Process Automation
2. Identify the applications of RPA across Business Function
3. Identify different RPA tools
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• Process: A process is a series of steps that leads to important work. For example, the tea
technique or your favorite dish.
• Automation: Any method done by a robot without human intervention is considered
automation.
As a result, when all of these concepts are combined, we also refer to it as robotic process
automation, which simulates human action by taking a sequence of actions that result in
significant activity. It is a piece of technology that automates business procedures using
structured data and enterprise logic. Using RPA tools, the company can set up software or
"robotic" software to manipulate information, set off reactions, and interact with other digital
devices while capturing and understanding apps for transaction treatment. Following are the
types of RPA:
1. Attended Automation: These tools use human assistance when executing automation
techniques.
2. Unattended Automation: These tools are intelligent and capable of making decisions.
3. Hybrid Automation: This category of tools has both attended and unattended capability.
How does it Function?
The debate has centered on whether physical robots are used or if real robots can perform the
duties that need to be automated. Well, let me state that it is not the replacement of actual robots
for people. However, there is software available that enables you to set up workflows for
automating your company operations. Unfortunately, according to our experts, the dearth of
market knowledge will cause a 130 percent rise in demand for RPA certification.
How Do You Start Robotic Process Automation?
Learn everything you can about the background of RPA. Learn everything you can
about conventional technology, in other words.
Learn RPA and various RPA applications.
Thirdly, pick the procedure you want to automate and consider its dependencies. This
is a way to ensure your business does not lose while automating the mission.
Fourth, learn everything there is to know about RPA technologies like UiPath, Blue
Prism, and Anywhere in Automation.
Advantages of RPA:
Deloitte LP managing director David Schatsky cites banks' experience using RPA, where 85
bots have been implemented, 13 procedures have been revised, and 1.5 million applications are
processed annually.
Ensuring that business practices and processes comply with applicable laws and
standards.
Robot process automation can help businesses travel the digital path.
Robot process automation allows companies to decrease the expense of staffing and
human error.
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To enable much faster completion of processes.
A boost in efficiency brought on by digitization and process data monitoring.
Write a manual and automate repetitive chores to save money.
Make employees more efficient.
Robotic process automation (RPA) applications are commercial use cases that can be
implemented. RPA uses robotic software and configurations to automate and speed up business
application handling. RPA applications automate tasks that are related to rules-based processes
and are recurring in nature to guarantee consistent business productivity. It is possible to apply
RPA in a number of sectors, including banking and finance, insurance, healthcare, retail,
telecom, and educational business domains. RPA relies on the steps of business applications
and employs software-based bots to handle workflows. Software providers include Pega
Robotic Automation, OpenRPA, and Blueprism.
There are several RPA applications used in the industry to automate the business processes.
We will discuss some of the popular applications and uses of the RPA technology. Following
is a pictorial representation of RPA applications.
One of the main applications of RPA in marketing and sales is the automation of the processes
involved in lead generation, prospecting, and campaign administration. For sales forecasting,
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RPA can work in tandem with cognitive tools and artificial intelligence (AI). Applications for
RPA are also used in customer relationship management (CRM), such as the customer
onboarding process, market and client study, and brand monitoring. The RPA application helps
to increase sales productivity and patron happiness. Additionally, managed governance and
data security are provided by RPA applications, allowing continuous business.
RPA technologies are widely used in the finance and retail sectors and are in high demand.
Software bots are used to gather information from various systems and sources for a variety of
competing products, compare price data, and then automatically produce reports and alert
alerts based on the pricing business rules. Through the automated monitoring and comparison
method, the RPA bots can determine the optimal and best pricing. RPA application
implementation allows enterprises to accomplish competitive intelligence and price
monitoring that resulting in growth in market share by real-time competitor web monitoring.
3. Procure to Pay
Procure to Pay applications can be utilized to streamline and expedite the purchasing of
products and services. Settlement of Accounts Payable Invoices by integrating different
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Accounting Systems with RPA Technologies to
Automate the Business Workflow. Automation of the clearance and notification processes for
procurement is made possible by some RPA applications. The majority of manual processes
are eliminated by RPA bots, along with gaps in data and process interaction between related
systems.
RPA is frequently used in the data management process to help automate the process of data
transfer and extraction. Most businesses employ their own employees or contract labor to
perform manual data processing duties like data entry, data format conversion, and data
replication. The procedure of transferring data from one system to another can be made
possible by RPA. With the aid of RPA agents, such CRM system data can be transferred to an
ERP system.
The process of checking data and business validation standards validations that are automated
using RPA bots is known as data quality check. These are extremely beneficial to quality and
lower the risk of data inconsistencies and mismatch issues across systems. RPA also aids in
some aspects of software testing and quality assurance, such as rule-based testing and the
provision of an appropriate testing environment as well as test data.
6. Invoice Generation
Every business employs the process of invoice generation as part of their financial operations.
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The procedure of creating invoices can be automated with the help of RPA. It efficiently
guarantees the accuracy and quality of the invoices that are distributed to customers and
vendors. RPA bots link to various CRM, SRM, and sales systems to gather data and promptly
produce invoices according to business houses' specifications.
7. Automated Email
Several automated bulk email implementations are currently being used for email marketing
or digital promotions. The RPA application makes use of email-based software to automate
the bulk email posting process quickly and error-free. Additionally, RPA can be used for email,
helpdesk requests, order entry, invoices, bills, recurring statements, and reminder letters related
to a number of service and product sectors. Email RPA can be linked with the most popular
email service engines, including Outlook, Google Mail, and other email exchange services, as
well as Active Directories, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, SharePoint, Google Sheets, and
Microsoft Word.
8. Reconciliation of Accounts
The accounting and finance industries frequently face the challenging job of reconciling
accounts. The company processes account reconciliation by comparing various records,
including statements, balance sheets, cash books, and receipts, using RPA bots and automation
tools.
9. Creation of Reports
The process of creating reports and reusing it within the organization to monitor and compare
business performance is another common application of RPA technologies. Popular reports
include those that monitor opportunities and sales and revenue. RPA bots are integrated with
several business applications and Business intelligence (BI) systems to produce the report in
on-demand or a recurring basis.
RPA can be used for the majority of HRM process automation, including hiring new
employees, creating payrolls, determining compensation and handling payments, creating and
sharing payslips, and creating other documents. RPA uses automated workflows and clearance
procedures to speed up the process.
RPA can be used in in addition to compliance management in the healthcare sector. Digital
banking, digital finance, the pharmaceutical industry, and insurance companies today all
generate massive amounts of data. The audit and compliance validation procedure, which is
essential for business governance, is made easier by RPA bots.
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3.3 RPA TOOLS
RPA, which means Robotic Process Automation in the present industry RPA (Robotic Process
Automation) is a new Technology. So the technology is new, but we have to implement that
but how, So basically we need RPA Tool to implement RPA. Following are the top Robotic
Process Automation Tools:
Blue Prism
Any platform and any program can use it. Although you need programming skills to use this
instrument, designers will find it easy to use. This tool is perfect for tiny and medium-sized
businesses. Blue Prism backs a paradigm for use across multiple environments. Software and
network login details are secure.
Inflectra Rapise
Rapise provides help for hybrid business scenarios. The system is capable of automating
desktop, web, or mobile applications. Both programmers and people who aren't designers are
cordial. Rapise is an immediate fix. This tool is perfect for tiny and medium-sized businesses.
Inflectra Rapise features playback and recording capabilities. REST and SOAP call and email
handling (Gmail, MS Office 365, private mail servers).
2. Inflectra Rapise costs $1,599 and comes with an unlimited development license, unrestricted
support, and a 1-year warranty on upgrades.
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UiPath
UiPath includes all necessary features. It provides Citrix support. It is also user-friendly for
non-developers. It has complicated processes to manage. And this tool is appropriate for
companies of all sizes. They can be mechanized faster. Automation via Citrix is also 8 to 10
times quicker. UiPath only offers one application.
UiPath Advantages:
Automation Anywhere
Automation Anywhere provides all essential functionalities. It provides both on-site and online
services. This user-friendly tool is perfect for medium-sized and large companies. provides
credentials, encryption, and authentication to guarantee security. Analytics and real-time
reporting are provided by Automation Anywhere.
1. It is easy to use.
Pega
A tool for managing business operations is Pega. It can be used on platforms of the desktop. It
only provides cloud-based options or services. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
This tool is perfect for large and medium-sized businesses. Everything is kept in memory, not
in a database where the processing data is kept. You can assign your task to employees, servers,
and desktops using this tool.
Benefits of Pega:
Nice Systems
Mice Systems RPA tools are referred to as Virtual Advisors for NEVA-Nice workers. It is a
resourceful and consistent instrument for staff. An monitored and unattended automation
server is provided by the nice system. The back office, finance, HR, office employees, etc. are
all intended users of this system.
The Nice system offers sophisticated analytics, which is one of its advantages.
Kryon
It offers three automation options. Hybrid, unexpected, included. A smart tool and decision
can be the unguarded answer. Participating instrument gives you speed, precise work and
efficiency. Kryon has a scalable system. It offers storage space. This contributes to improved
productivity.
The advantage of Kryon is Repetitive and time-consuming tasks are completed efficiently.
Linx
With the no-code platform, Linx enables quick creation and deployment of automated
processes and tasks. Additionally, it offers drag-and-drop IDE programmers, which speeds up
development. Utilization is simple. It has built-in components for programming and service
tasks. Linx can be incorporated into any OLEDB, any ODBC, NoSQL Databases, SaaS
Automation tools. It is best known for automating tasks at a rate that is five times quicker than
that of conventional software development tools.
Background: Company XYZ is a medium-sized manufacturing company that has been facing
challenges in its manual invoice processing system. The company receives a large volume of
invoices from suppliers, which are currently being processed by a team of employees. This
manual process is time-consuming, error-prone, and requires significant human effort. The
company is looking to streamline its invoice processing operations and improve efficiency.
Objectives:
Streamline the invoice processing workflow to reduce processing time and minimize errors.
1. Process Analysis:
The company conducts a thorough analysis of its current invoice processing workflow,
identifying manual steps, data entry points, and potential bottlenecks.
After evaluating different RPA tools, the company selects an RPA software that best aligns
with its requirements, scalability, and integration capabilities.
RPA developers create software robots (bots) that mimic the actions of human operators. The
bots are programmed to perform tasks such as data extraction from invoices, data validation,
and updating the company's financial systems.
The RPA bots are integrated with the company's existing software systems, including the
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, document management system, and email server.
The RPA solution undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that the bots perform tasks accurately,
handle exceptions, and comply with predefined business rules.
Employees are trained to oversee the RPA bots and manage exceptions that may arise during
the automation process.
Results: Company XYZ successfully implements RPA for its invoice processing workflow,
achieving the following outcomes:
Reduced Processing Time: The RPA solution significantly reduces the time required to process
invoices, leading to faster payments to suppliers and improved cash flow.
Minimized Errors: The automation process eliminates the potential for manual data entry
errors, ensuring accuracy in invoice processing.
Cost Savings: The company reduces labor costs associated with manual invoice processing, as
employees are now able to focus on more strategic tasks.
Scalability: The RPA solution is designed to handle a growing volume of invoices, making it
easy for the company to scale its operations without a linear increase in labor requirements.
Improved Compliance: The RPA bots ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and
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internal business rules, reducing the risk of errors and audit findings.
1. How did the company select the specific RPA tool for its needs?
2. What were some of the challenges faced during the development and implementation
of the RPA solution?
3. Could you provide more details about the training process for employees to work with
the RPA bots?
3.5 SUMMARY
In this module, we have seen RPA, how it functions, how to start the RPA, and its
application and advantages.
By saving time and lowering the costs connected with manual dependency, RPA
applications assist the workforce involved in other profitable business tasks. It lowers
the possibility of manual mistakes and contributes to process quality improvement.
RPA apps are developing with more sophisticated features and incorporating new
business domains.
We have seen different RPA tools which are used to automate tasks at a higher speed;
with that, we also have seen types of Robotic Process Tool.
3.6 KEYWORDS
RPA (Robotic Process Automation) refers to the use of software robots or "bots" to
automate repetitive, rule-based tasks within business processes, improving efficiency
and accuracy.
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from data and improve their performance over time without being explicitly
programmed, often used for tasks like prediction and classification.
BPA (Business Process Automation) involves the use of technology to automate and
streamline business processes, reducing manual intervention and improving efficiency.
API (Application Programming Interface) defines a set of rules and protocols for
building and interacting with software applications, enabling different software
components to communicate and share data.
GUI (Graphical User Interface) is a visual interface that allows users to interact with
software applications through graphical elements such as buttons, menus, and
windows.
CSV (Comma-Separated Values) is a plain text file format used to store tabular data,
where each line represents a row and fields are separated by commas.
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a protocol used for transmitting data over
the internet, commonly used for fetching web pages and interacting with web services.
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3.7 SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS
Long questions
Short questions
5. The first step in an RPA project is _______________ suitable processes for automation.
6. RPA bots can perform tasks such as data _______________, validation, and entry.
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True/ False
4. RPA can interact with both graphical user interfaces (GUI) and command-line interfaces
(CLI).
a) Complex and non-repetitive b) Simple and creative c) Simple and repetitive d) Strategic
and analytical
a) Automating only complex tasks b) Eliminating the need for human employees c)
Enhancing operational efficiency through automation d) Replacing all manual processes
with robots
a) Graphical User Interfaces (GUI) only b) Command-Line Interfaces (CLI) only c) Both
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GUI and CLI d) Only physical objects
9. Which type of RPA requires minimal human intervention during the automation
process?
Question 1: Arrange the following stages of an RPA project in the correct order:
Question 2: Arrange the steps for implementing RPA in the correct order:
a) Identify suitable processes for automation b) Develop and program RPA bots c) Integrate
RPA with existing systems d) Test the bots' functionality and handling of exceptions e)
Deploy the bots in the production environment f) Monitor and optimize the RPA
performance
Question 3: Arrange the following RPA benefits in the correct order of their impact:
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Answer keys
Fill in the blanks
Answer: improving.
Answer: applications.
5. The first step in an RPA project is _______________ suitable processes for automation.
Answer: identifying.
6. RPA bots can perform tasks such as data _______________, validation, and entry.
Answer: extraction.
True / False
Answer: False.
Answer: False.
Answer: False.
10. RPA can interact with both graphical user interfaces (GUI) and command-line interfaces
(CLI).
Answer: True.
Answer: False.
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12. Unattended RPA requires human intervention during the automation process.
Answer: False.
Multiple Choice :
9. Which type of RPA requires minimal human intervention during the automation
process?
Question 1: Arrange the following stages of an RPA project in the correct order:
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Validation, f) Training, e) Deployment, g) Monitoring and Maintenance
Question 2: Arrange the steps for implementing RPA in the correct order:
Answer: a) Identify suitable processes for automation, b) Develop and program RPA bots,
c) Integrate RPA with existing systems, d) Test the bots' functionality and handling of
exceptions, e) Deploy the bots in the production environment, f) Monitor and optimize the
RPA performance
Question 3: Arrange the following RPA benefits in the correct order of their impact:
Long answers
Short questions
Suggested reading
https://www.educba.com/rpa-tools/?source=leftnav
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