What is RPA Implementation and how does it work?

What is RPA?  

RPA stands for Robotic Process Automation. In simple terms, it is software that allows your business to build, deploy, and manage robots that take care of simple and repetitive tasks by interacting with digital systems.  

RPA implementation is commonly used to simulate time-consuming human tasks and allow employees to focus on more strategic activities. Instead of your employee interacting with digital systems, there will be a robot in his or her place.  

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"RPA to us, is defined as our ability to interact with legacy applications and extract useful information out of them and communicate different systems within an organization." - explained Alfonso Quijano, CTO of Lean Solutions Group.  

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Many companies have started to accept and implement Robotic Process Automation within their workflows. Most of them view RPA implementation as a way to save some time on repetitive tasks and save money by redeploying their human resources to other more strategic activities.  

According to Gartner, the "RPA market forecast to grow at double-digit rates through 2024 despite economic pressures from COVID-19." Meaning more and more companies are welcoming tech and will continue to do so for the years to come.  

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RPA Implementation  

Even though COVID-19 hit the global economy hard, it also accelerated many processes, including the need to digitize company workflows because of remote work.  

The pandemic also increased the need for cost containment and reduction, driving companies to view RPA as an effective way to meet these new operational goals.  

To this effect, Gartner foresees that "90% of large organizations globally will have adopted RPA in some form by 2022 as they look to digitally empower critical business processes through resilience and scalability while recalibrating human labor and manual effort."  

With RPA's more of a mainstream trend, it's now something not just tech or IT companies are looking for. Companies from every industry, even some traditional ones, are starting to see its benefits and implement simple automation and, depending on results, scaling up.  

How does RPA work?  

One of RPA's features is that it's composed of preconfigured software, meaning, when you implement it, it already has built-in functionalities that don't require coding, creating a smooth and relatively simple implementation process. Even though there are preconfigured features, you'll be able to customize the software depending on the tasks you need it to take care of.  

When the RPA implementation begins, you may choose to maintain the "human touch" and still have some more cognitive tasks taken care of by your employees. But for other more straightforward tasks, the software can work completely by itself.  

The software is created with a set of rules that align specifically with your front-end applications to mimic how humans work and tackle repetitive tasks capturing and interpreting data, navigating systems, extracting data, trigger responses, and many others. A significant advantage of having software installed to take care of these tasks is that, unlike humans, "bots" don't need to stand up, walk around, or have breaks, making the entire process more effective.  

How to start with RPA Implementation?  

Even though it may seem simple, there are many things to consider before thinking about RPA implementation. As with other implementations, planning is a crucial element for success.  

RPA is not just about taking care of repetitive tasks, and if executed correctly, it will transform entire companies and shift their approach into a more tech-driven enterprise. This holistic change will convert your specific enhancement project into a continuously improving program that aligns with company goals and generates tangible results in time.  

The next step is to analyze what specific tasks your software will take care of; the tasks you consider are more time-consuming.  

Common RPA Uses  

These are some of the most common RPA uses in various industries:  

• Extracting data from PDFs or scanned documents  
• Invoice processing  
• Data migration, entry, update, and validation
• Mass emails  
• Preparing reports  
• Updating scorecards  

Deciding to implement RPA within business processes will allow your business to stay ahead of the game. At a time where technology is taking over, staying updated is essential since companies will now have installed software that will require compatibility. If your business is not compatible, you may lose a valuable work opportunity.  

Being resilient and adapting to market conditions are the main elements companies must strive for during these unprecedented and competitive times.  

With RPA's incredible growth, organizations must now think about their processes and find ways to implement automation to stay ahead of the game and become even more competitive. Having an edge and a differentiating factor for your business is a must. With RPA, companies will bring innovation and quality, as well as time and cost reductions to the table.  

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