"Robotic process automation (RPA) is a form of business process automation that is based on software robots (bots) or artificial intelligence (AI) agents."
Automating processes using software robots and automation tools.
Programming Languages: Knowledge of programming languages like Python, C++, Java, etc. is essential for developing scripts that automate processes in RPA.
Workflow Automation: Understanding the concepts and techniques of workflow automation is the key to developing efficient RPA solutions.
Data Handling: RPA involves processing large volumes of data, so knowledge of data handling techniques and tools such as SQL, XML, and JSON is critical.
Business Process Mapping: Familiarity with the methods of business process mapping, such as process flowcharts, process diagrams, and process models, is essential for optimizing and automating business processes.
Process Mining: Understanding how to analyze event logs to identify and transform inefficient business processes into automated workflows is essential for successful RPA.
Machine Learning: Machine learning is an important aspect of RPA, as it enables the automation of tasks that require human-like cognitive abilities such as decision making, natural language processing, and image recognition.
Artificial Intelligence: RPA applications are enhanced by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like neural networks, deep learning, and cognitive computing.
Robotic Process Automation Tools: Familiarity with RPA tools such as UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere, and WorkFusion is essential for building robot processes.
Robotics Hardware: Knowledge of robotics hardware and peripherals such as sensors, actuators, and robotic arms is necessary for building robots that can interact with the physical world.
Business Analysis: Business analysis skills enable the identification and validation of tasks and processes that are suitable for automation and optimization using RPA.
Change Management: Understanding the principles of change management is critical for effective implementation and maintenance of RPA systems within an organization.
Computer Vision: Knowledge of computer vision technologies, such as optical character recognition (OCR), barcode scanners, and facial recognition, is critical for automating tasks that rely on visual data.
Attended RPA: This type of RPA requires human intervention to start and run tasks. It is a type of robotic process automation that runs on an employee's workstation and provides assistance or support for their workflow.
Unattended RPA: This type of RPA operates automatically without human intervention, functioning across multiple machines and managing complex workflows. It is designed to work in the background, performing tasks and processes while employees perform other duties.
Hybrid RPA: This form of RPA is a blend of attended and unattended RPA. It is designed to incorporate assistance from human operators when necessary, yet can perform autonomously if and when possible.
Robotic Desktop Automation (RDA): This type of RPA automates processes at the desktop level. It works by accessing graphical user interfaces (GUI) and simulating computer clicks and keystrokes.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)-Based RPA: This type of RPA uses artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cognitive computing capabilities to handle complex processes, learning from experience while providing human-like decision-making abilities.
Rule-Based RPA: This type of RPA automation relies on the use of rules and pre-established decision-making procedures to execute repetitive business processes.
Cognitive RPA: This RPA form uses natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and computer vision to interact with humans, understand and process human speech, and automate tasks requiring judgment and decision-making.
"In contrast, RPA systems develop the action list by watching the user perform that task in the application's graphical user interface (GUI), and then perform the automation by repeating those tasks directly in the GUI."
"This can lower the barrier to the use of automation in products that might not otherwise feature APIs for this purpose."
"RPA tools have strong technical similarities to graphical user interface testing tools."
"RPA tools allow data to be handled in and between multiple applications."
"In traditional workflow automation tools, a software developer produces a list of actions to automate a task and interface to the back-end system using internal application programming interfaces (APIs) or dedicated scripting language."
"RPA systems develop the action list by watching the user perform that task in the application's graphical user interface (GUI)."
"...and then perform the automation by repeating those tasks directly in the GUI."
"RPA tools automate interactions with the GUI, and often do so by repeating a set of demonstration actions performed by a user."
"RPA tools allow data to be handled in and between multiple applications, for instance, receiving email containing an invoice."
"RPA tools allow data to be handled in and between multiple applications, for instance, extracting the data."
"RPA tools allow data to be handled in and between multiple applications, for instance, receiving email containing an invoice, extracting the data..."
"...and then typing that into a bookkeeping system."
"Robotic process automation (RPA) is a form of business process automation that is based on software robots (bots) or artificial intelligence (AI) agents."
"It is sometimes referred to as software robotics (not to be confused with robot software)."
"RPA systems develop the action list by watching the user perform that task..."
"...and then perform the automation by repeating those tasks directly in the GUI."
"RPA tools allow data to be handled in and between multiple applications."
"RPA tools allow data to be handled in and between multiple applications, for instance, receiving email containing an invoice..."
"In contrast, RPA systems develop the action list by watching the user perform that task in the application's graphical user interface (GUI), and then perform the automation by repeating those tasks directly in the GUI. This can lower the barrier to the use of automation in products that might not otherwise feature APIs for this purpose."