RPA (Robotic Process Automation) Explained for Beginners

You may have heard the term Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, but what does it actually mean? Despite the name, it has nothing to do with physical robots. RPA is a type of software that can be programmed to perform the same repetitive, rule-based tasks that humans do on a computer. Think of it as a "software bot" or a digital employee.

What Can RPA Bots Do?

An RPA bot can interact with applications and systems in the same way a human does. It can:

• Log in to applications
• Copy and paste data
• Move files and folders
• Fill in forms
• Extract data from documents (like invoices or PDFs)
• Scrape data from websites
• Send emails

RPA vs. Traditional Automation

The key difference is that RPA works at the user interface (UI) level—the same level a human works at. It mimics human actions. This means it can automate processes that involve legacy systems that don't have modern APIs for integration. You don't need to change your underlying systems to use RPA.

A Simple Example: Invoice Processing

Imagine a common business process: an employee receives an invoice as a PDF attachment in an email. Their job is to:

1. Open the email and download the PDF.
2. Open the PDF and find the invoice number, date, and amount.
3. Log in to the company's accounting software.
4. Manually enter the invoice data into the system.
5. Save the record and archive the PDF.

This is a tedious, repetitive, and error-prone task. An RPA bot can be programmed to do this entire sequence automatically, 24/7, without making mistakes.

What are the Benefits of RPA?

• Increased Efficiency and Productivity: Bots can work faster and longer than humans without getting tired.
• Improved Accuracy: RPA eliminates human error in data entry and other repetitive tasks.
• Cost Savings: By automating manual tasks, you free up your employees to focus on higher-value, strategic work.
• Better Compliance: RPA bots follow the rules perfectly every time, which can help with audit trails and compliance.
• Non-Invasive: It can be implemented without changing your existing IT infrastructure.

Is RPA the Same as AI?

No, but they are often used together. Basic RPA is "dumb"—it just follows a set of pre-programmed rules. However, when you combine RPA with AI and machine learning (a combination sometimes called "Intelligent Automation"), the bots can handle more complex tasks that require judgment, such as reading unstructured documents or understanding the sentiment of a customer email.

RPA is a powerful tool for any business looking to improve efficiency and reduce costs. At NovaTask, our Workflow Automation (RPA) services can help you identify processes that are ripe for automation and build the software bots to handle them. Contact us for a free automation assessment.