The term "Robotic Process Automation" (RPA) refers to the use of software robots ("bots") to automate repetitive, rule-based business processes. The goal is to reduce manual work steps, increase process speed, and minimize error rates. RPA solutions are often used in areas where large volumes of data are processed or where interfaces between different IT systems are lacking.
Task Automation: Execution of repetitive processes such as data entry, form processing, or system queries.
Workflow Orchestration: Controlling and coordinating multiple automated sequences within a process.
Data Extraction: Automated reading and processing of data from structured and unstructured sources (e.g., Excel files, PDF documents, emails).
System Integration: Connecting applications without direct API interfaces by simulating user interactions.
Error Detection & Logging: Recording and documenting process deviations or technical issues.
Scheduling & Triggers: Starting automated processes at defined times or based on specific events.
Reporting & Analytics: Providing evaluations of execution times, success rates, and process optimization potential.
An insurance company automates claims processing by reading submitted forms and transferring the data into the ERP system.
A financial services provider uses RPA to consolidate daily transaction data from various banking systems and generate reports.
An e-commerce company automates the collection of product information from supplier portals.
A human resources department uses RPA to transfer applicant data from emails into an HR management system.
A logistics company automatically updates shipment tracking data in a customer system.