What Is RPA and How Does It Work?

Robotic process automation

Did you know that 47% of occupations in the United States are predicted to be automated within the next 20 years? If you have heard the term RPA and are wondering “what is RPA and how does it work?” you are in the right place.

Keep reading to learn the ins and outs of RPA. 

What Is RPA?

RPA stands for robotic process automation. RPA is when computer software that is also known as “robots” handle repetitive, digital tasks. Tasks such as copying, pasting, filling in information in multiple places, and reentering data. 

RPA allows an organization to streamline processes and enhance its accuracy by using robotics. This means fewer human errors, which in turn, also saves any business money. Human workers are prone to small mistakes which can cost a business a lot of money in the long run. 

At the same time, it allows humans to focus on work that requires creativity, judgment, and interpersonal skills while the RPA is taking care of routine processes. This post goes into further nitty-gritty details about robotic process automation. 

How Does It Work With Existing Systems?

The way that RPA works is by accessing the information from your current IT systems and there are different ways that it can integrate with your applications. You can opt to integrate it through front end connections or with desktop connections. You can also choose to connect through enterprise web services in the backend or with databases. 

There is no best option, it all depends on your needs and your current enterprise. If you opt for backend connectivity, your automation will access systems and services under the control of a process automation server. 

Usually, this option is used for automation that will be unattended. The software robots will carry out the back office tasks at scale with very little human and employee intervention. 

You can also opt for front-end integrations where your automation connects with desktop apps like PeopleSoft, SAP, etc. to get the job done. With front-end automation, it is able to read and write data, and capture events from the user interface of the target application very much like a human operator can. 

Costs

Believe it or not, RPA is usually cheaper than traditional automation because it is capable of working alongside IT infrastructures that your company already has in place. With RPA automation you and your managers will not have to think about all the costs associated with remodeling infrastructures and outsourcing manual processing. 

Feeling Like an RPA Pro?

Now that we went over what is RPA and how it works with other systems, you can make an informed decision whether or not you want to take advantage of this automation. As technology increases, there is no doubt that automation will be adopted by more businesses. 

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