What is Robotic Process Automation?
In simple terms, Robotic Process Automation can be defined as computer code or scripts which act like “digital robots” that can perform actions on digital systems and platforms to complete processes. No actual robots are involved, so none were harmed, but the phrase has been coined and has stuck. Robotic Process Automation is mostly referred to as “RPA” and/or “Bots”.
What does it mean for me or my business?
All businesses have processes. What is becoming increasingly apparent is that the volume of processes humans have to perform on a daily basis to ensure businesses can function, are grossly underestimated.
If you consider the sheer volume of digital systems we as modern workers have to interact with on a daily basis to conduct our business, is it any wonder that our most precious commodity, TIME, is frittered away? Remembering passwords and logins, remembering what steps to follow in what system, attaching documents, extracting data, collating data, re-submitting data, getting hard-copy formats into digital formats, managing calendars, counting our steps, measuring everything, keeping you insurance updated…you get the picture…these all involve processes we have to go through BEFORE we’ve even started doing any work.
“Modern life, both personal and in the workplace, is becoming increasingly more complex, yet creating tools to help with our mental limitations are often misunderstood and ignored. Companies need to design processes and work environments in a way that takes our mental and attentional limitations into account. Doing so can reduce errors and provide a lot of benefits for the company, while also improving the well-being of employees”…NICE Ltd and Prof. Dan Ariely, Duke University
We often think of processes as something for which you find a manual with step by step instructions to achieve an outcome…well that is correct…but we forget how many “micro processes” humans complete to do simple tasks to enable them to function in the work environment. For example, starting your computer could be defined as a process (sounds silly, but it’s a micro process). There are logical steps you have to take to ensure your computer will work. Connect it to power, turn it on, and enter your password. If you don’t complete these steps, you cannot work on your computer.
Companies should recognize that employees need mechanisms to help protect them against their very human tendencies. When we have a lot of tasks competing for our attention, it’s quite easy to let our standards slip. And if companies create work environments that let it happen, it will harm them in the long run”. NICE Ltd and Prof. Dan Ariely, Duke University
Now IMAGINE you had a tool at your disposal that could help you take care of some of those many, small, time consuming actions, that would put time back in your day, so you could either get time to do your actual work, or give you more free time…would that not be helpful? That is where we at Torch believe RPA and Bots can add value to you and your business.
“Instead of asking people to fill in for gaps in machine performance, we should require machines to fill in for gaps in human performance” Don Norman
Examples are endless, but let’s take an easy one. Some workers have to login to multiple systems every day just so they can do their work. A Bot could that for them when they turn on their computer and logon to their profile. One logon and then the Bot does the rest (security experts, take a breath, it’s just an example).
Although we have listed very simple examples, one should not underestimate the power of RPA. Make no mistake, RPA can accurately handle complex rules and instructions, and can do so at very high speeds. Bots can follow rules consistently without making mistakes, so complex processes become far, far less error prone.
RPA can remove the mundane, yes, but it can also remove painful and time-consuming data collation, checking, double checking, sending for approval, submissions, and so on.