Everything You Need to Know About Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

5 min readApr 12, 2022

Automation is the future. This article would educate you about Robotic Process Automation, and everything that’s there to it. It’s high time, the success secret got out!

We live and breathe in a digital world; A world where digital transformation isn’t a choice but a necessity.

And that’s not a plain blatant fact.

The digital world is sprawling and unfolding in front of our eyes- from cars to enterprises, and even the healthcare sector is leveraging the benefits of automation.

Here’s a data test-point:

According to IDC, global enterprises are expected to spend an unprecedented amount of up to $2.3 Trillion on Digital transformation in 2023!

But that poses an interesting question:

Why would companies spend such a radical amount on digital transformation?

The answer, however, is simple: To stay ahead of the competition curve, serve the customers well, and cut corners in regards to operational costs, wherever possible.

Automation is enticing for corporations, for it’s the key to increasing profits and promoting efficiency. Though, not knowing which technology to adopt and setting an astronomical automation budget will definitely disrupt your business operations.

So, let’s start with the basics.

What is the best automation ecosystem for enterprises?

Robotic Process Automation, aka RPA- without a hint of doubt.

Why though? Well, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) requires no-to-minimal code, offers an intuitive interface, is relatively easy to set up, and offers a high return on investment to businesses.

But that’s just the tip of an iceberg! Let’s have a closer look at robotic process automation.

What is Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

Let’s take a scenario: There’s a part of your job that yields the most productive outcomes.

What would you rather prefer- working on mundane, repetitive tasks, or focusing on the tasks that spark your interest, and yields a higher ROI?

The later- for obvious reason. Right?

Robotic Process Automation, in the simplest sense, makes that possible.

RPA software bots mimic and integrate human interactions with digital systems, automating work processes to optimize business operations.

These RPA bots can be trained to follow a series of specified steps, such as entering data, updating user permissions, creating and sending an invoice, updating spreadsheets, and the like.

Let’s see what the leaders have to say about Robotic Process Automation;

According to the UiPath (the leading Robotic process automation (RPA) tools provider), RPA bots capture data, run applications, trigger responses, and communicate with the set of legacy/digital systems in place to conduct a myriad of repetitive tasks.

Sounds great. What do you think?

Robotic process automation (RPA) Bot Types

There are two common Robotic Process Automation bots types available in the automation market:

Programmable Bots

As the name suggests, programmable bots work by the set rules and instructions. That is, these bots need to map our the set processes, programmed for specific functions, and maintained throughout the process.

Intelligent Bots

These bots benefit from AI and ML capabilities to identify and learn how employees interact with different applications. After analyzing huge piles of data, these bots can perform these actions themselves- freeing employees to focus on high-priority tasks.

Understanding Robotic Process Automation- Layman Terms

Robots and automation can come across as tricky terms, and not having a strong understanding of these concepts will hinder your growth and productivity.

If we were to talk about Robotic Process Automation (RPA) in layman terms, it is a process specifically designed to carry out functions that ask an employee to perform multiple tasks, but in a very specific order.

And since the ‘thing’ being automated, and manipulated here is anything but data, a physical robot isn’t needed. The ‘bots’ in question refer to software programs that manipulate data across multiple platforms.

How is Robotic Process Automation (RPA) different from other traditional automation processes?

In spirit, both RPA bots and traditional automation methods strive to enhance business operations- either by combining the human potential with legacy systems or automating individual processes.

But the difference between Robotic Process Automation and other automation processes is slightly more than just a hairline. Here are some key pain points:

Unlike traditional automation, which could revamp the entire system, RPA bots work on the level of front-end UI and interact with systems just as any human would.
RPA bots are system agnostic- meaning, they can simultaneously automate processes across multiple applications.
Traditional Automation can’t be updated once set. Robotic Process Automation, on the other hand, is scalable and offers instant upgrades as opposed to traditional systems.

Consider it this way:

RPA works exceptionally well to automate complex processes, and requires seamless inputs from a host of other applications and systems in place.

How Robotic process automation (RPA) Works?

Here’s an interesting proposition that always pops up in regards to RPA bots workflow:

Whether RPA uses actual physical robots to automate business tasks?

Well, the short answer is no. Robotic Process Automation does not employ physical robots to automate and streamline business processes.

RPA uses software robots, commonly referred to as ‘bots’ to automate business processes. These bots are implemented using various RPA tools and software.

But how to gain access to these RPA tools and software?

Through RPA vendors. Although the market is flooded with RPA implementation experts, there are only a handful of businesses that dominate the RPA automation market, namely UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism.

To have better insights on different RPA vendors, check out this blog where we compared the features and services offered by these three leading RPA Vendors.

Brief Comparison: Market Trend for the leading RPA Vendors

The graph clearly shows that the demand for UiPath is significantly more than that of the other two Robotic process automation vendors. But why?

Here’s a quick analysis that indicates why UiPath dominates the Robotic process automation RPA automation market:

With several options available in the market, it is crucial to assess your business needs first & then figure out what RPA solutions would work best for your business.