Explore the Unique Strengths of Each Automation Technology And Use Them in Tandem or Independently
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
RPA uses software bots to automate monotonous, high-volume, and rules-based tasks within or between computer systems. Responding to customer inquiries, generating and processing invoices, lead qualification for the sales team, and sourcing and transcribing data from one system to another are a few examples of RPA use cases. RPA bots work faster, 24x7, and produce accurate results as they help reduce costs, improve efficiency, and free up human resources. Given the benefits of this type of automation, the demand for RPA continues to grow. According to Gartner, the global RPA software market is expected to experience double-digit growth in 2023, increasing by 17.5% annually.
Discover more about RPA and its industry-wide applicationsArtificial Intelligence (AI)
AI technologies help you automate more complex processes with minimal human interventions. When AI is used alongside RPA bots, businesses can achieve a broader scope of automation which can include processes requiring human-like intelligence. Machine learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NPL), Intelligent Optical Character Recognition (iOCR), and many such intelligent automation technologies come under the umbrella of AI. They allow computers to read, learn and comprehend data just like humans making it possible to automate more tasks within a given process. Aside from automating tasks, they can also be used to predict scenarios; for example, you could use machine learning to predict how customers will respond to a new marketing campaign.
Discover how RPA and AI can be used togetherBusiness Process Management
BPM is a set of best practices and tools that allow you to manage and orchestrate the activities involved in your business processes. For example, BPM can help you automate orders or process invoices. BPM also enables you to track the status of your processes so that you can quickly identify any potential issues. BPM tools are often integrated with other automation technologies, so they can help you to achieve your digital transformation goals.
Intelligent Document Processing
Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) utilizes AI-assisted technologies to extract, collate, and comprehend data from various documents. It allows for a fast and efficient way to read documents, take note of relevant information, transcribe it elsewhere, and organize it for future use – all in much less time than a human would take. It is expected that IDP will experience rapid growth in the coming five years, enabling workers to focus their efforts on tasks requiring more specialized skills. Investing the time and resources into developing an IDP solution now can help businesses remain a step ahead of the competitive landscape and equip themselves to meet any surge in the demand for document processing.
Discover more about IDP use cases and benefitsIntelligent Automation (IA)
Intelligent Automation is a holistic approach towards automation that combines several technologies such as RPA, BPM, and various forms of AI for the end-to-end automation of a wide range of business processes. A comprehensive intelligent automation system serves as a link between multiple systems to coordinate and automate the entire workflow process, including both automated tasks and those completed by humans. Enhanced productivity, higher employee engagement, greater accuracy, rapid scalability, and end-to-end insights into your processes are some of the critical benefits of IA.
Learn more about Intelligent Automation and its use casesHyperautomation
Hyperautomation, sometimes used interchangeably with Intelligent Automation, is the same approach of using a set of automation technologies to eliminate as many manual tasks as possible and free up employees to focus on tasks requiring human intelligence. Hyperautomation, the term coined by Gartner, was ranked #1 on Gartner’s top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2020* and was defined as an approach to move beyond RPA by combining complementary technologies to augment business processes and achieve end-to-end automation.
*Smarter With Gartner, “Gartner Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2020,” October 21, 2019.
Discover more about key components of Hyperautomation and its benefitsBusiness Process Automation (BPA)
BPA is often referred to as Intelligent Automation and Hyperautomation. BPA also focuses on automating a process in its entirety. For example, BPA could be used to streamline invoice processing. A bot extracts pertinent information from invoices, which an accountant would then assess for accuracy before the bot stores that information in the appropriate digital folder. A BPA platform enables the integration of automated and manual tasks, allowing bots to act as co-workers instead of simple computer programs.
Download a guide detailing a 6 steps strategy for successful BPA implementationFAQs
Automation is the process of automating tasks or processes using a single or a combination of advanced technologies. Automation can help you make your business more efficient and effective by offloading work from employees to software robots that work around the clock producing accurate results more quickly.
When combined, IDP, AI, BPM, and other automation technologies can help you automate as many processes as possible from beginning to end. The work can be orchestrated between humans and bots to achieve an effective balance and let humans intervene wherever necessary for critical decision-making.
There are several benefits of automation including:
- Reduced time spent on manual tasks: Automation eliminates employees' need to perform repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Automation frees up valuable time for them to focus on more challenging and innovative work.
- Increased accuracy: As tasks are automated, there is a reduced risk of human error creeping into the process, resulting in greater accuracy and reliability.
- Improved efficiency: Automation allows businesses to streamline operations and significantly reduce costs.