- And now, what you've all been waiting for, what is RPA?
Well, lucky for us, the concept's been around long enough
and some very good definitions have been developed.
I myself have used several definitions
but for this course, I've chosen a more comprehensive one
to help illustrate several critical points.
Here we go!
RPA is a configurable software tool
that uses business rules and sequences of actions
to automatically complete processes
in any number of different applications
the same way a human would,
with the help of people for exception management.
If you understood that, then you're set.
But there is a lot covered in that definition
so let's unpack it a bit and take a closer look
at some of the elements.
I'll be focusing on the bolded terms
as they're the key to this concept.
First, configurable software.
Configurable software is out-of-the-box software
that comes with built-in functionality
and doesn't involve writing lines of raw code.
Think of Microsoft Excel.
You don't write a spreadsheet application
every time you need it, you just build macros and models
using the existing features that come out-of-the-box.
Second, business rules.
Business rules are the decision criteria
or constraints that determine
how a process is to be executed.
These are the bread and butter
of getting your complex processes done right.
For instance, in accounts payable,
if the product you ordered is received,
then the firm pays for it.
The rules are pretty simple.
Third, sequences of actions.
This consists of a series of steps taken
to complete actions across multiple systems.
RPA can handle sequences of actions
ranging from simple tasks such as creating
and updating reports to more complex tasks
such as managing work absences
or balancing taxes on erroneous invoices.
This concept is fundamental to identifying
the right processes to automate.
I'll cover this topic in more detail in a later lesson.
Fourth, automatic means that the completion of tasks
is done independently.
Once the rules are programmed,
the processes are just carried out.
Fifth, the definition references
operating across different software systems.
I'm willing to bet that your organization
is running on thousands of systems.
In fact, this is the inside joke
almost every firm makes to me when I'm supporting them.
That's a reality that's not changing anytime soon.
Teams interact with and integrate across these systems
to get work done.
The key is that RPA mostly operates
on the front end of applications,
similar to the way that people use them.
Like I said, there are thousands of these
but for illustration, think of mainframe terminals or SAP,
Oracle, BlackLine, Internet Explorer, Windows, and so on.
Finally, exception management.
As capable as RPA is, there will be times
when a person needs to step in.
Exception management is when employees
are tasked with resolving unforeseen events,
or contributing their judgment or discretion.
Sometimes this is a full intervention
in which a person takes over a transaction.
Sometimes this is just a small request for input,
after which the automation continues on its merry way.
Okay, we've spent a lot of time on this definition
but it's time well spent.
Now let's revisit the whole definition one more time
and put all the pieces together.
RPA is a configurable software tool
that uses business rules and sequences of actions
to automatically complete processes
in any number of different applications
the same way a human would,
with the help of people for exception management.
In summary, RPA is a versatile form of software automation
that allows businesses to relieve teams
from many of the repetitive, rule-based actions,
and processes that might otherwise exist
as pinpoints within the operation.