Instituting an RPA program can be a challenging decision, but you must look at the proper process for your organization. Below are some critical things you need to remember to identify which processes qualify for ROA.
Should you generate Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?
Your automation journey starts with a walk through the business departments, searching for potential RPA use cases. Take a look at your company’s processes from this perspective: “If you are looking to automate tasks that take up hours of manual work, then there may be some good candidate opportunities.” -Dennis Gannon, VP Of Research At Gartner
These boring or stressful tasks take up valuable time and stress qualified employees. They are also prone to human error, which makes it difficult for the worker to complete it again if something goes wrong with their first attempt at completing this work assignment.
Check your departments for monotonous tasks that can be done with RPA. For example, payroll is an obvious candidate in this category because it doesn’t require much creativity or insight on behalf of employees to complete these actions efficiently as opposed to doing so manually through human means – but remember time recording?
Personnel file management might also qualify, given how many people have access (and what they’re allowed) at any given moment; while administrative work such as offboarding would include removing all unnecessary processes step-by step until only those necessary remain before finally shutting down shop completely.
With the potential for automation everywhere, it makes sense to implement an RPA solution quickly and let bots take some work off your employees’ shoulders. It may be appealing at first glance, but this approach will only result in the sub-optimization of processes.
Analyze what happens if you apply RPA
The company-driven processes that are prevalent in today’s business world were not always there.
They evolved over time as companies tried to make their workflows more efficient and effective by using automation technologies. Still, this was often difficult because some departments did not want these changes happening at all, or else they would be left behind without an updated process for handling customer service requests, which leads us back to our original point.
If you digitize a shitty process (with RPA), then it ends up getting created out of it anyway!
Make sure you take a mindful step back and use the introduction of RPA as an opportunity for process reengineering. Don’t just give your employees low-code tools. Instead, focus on changing how tasks get completed within specific systems or processes so they can be automated more effectively!
Map the current process landscape
The first step to improving your company’s process is to identify what they are. It may be difficult because there could be only one workflow description or any other type of documentation available, but with some effort, you can find all the current processes within a single organization that need improvement, as well as their strengths and weaknesses based on when it was last updated.
If at all! The next thing would then involve mapping out where these improved versions come into play, so everyone knows which steps have been changed from before to let them work optimally again following optimization from both sides: customers and employees alike.
It is important to map the entire core process of a company. This includes all activities that directly add value, such as manufacturing or providing services–it could even span different departments like sales and accounting!
To do this we should first assemble our team, including managers from each relevant role (e.g., production).
From there, they can work with other critical stakeholders on creating maps at higher levels than just individual tasks, looking across their jobs’ responsibilities instead of generalizing about “the whole” while understanding how every piece fits into place.
How does a process work? It starts with the core and extends outwards. The sub-processes are related to these departments: sales order processing, accounting invoicing, etc. They all have their own set of actors that interact within them for a specific task or result (order creation/fulfillment).
In workshops where managers from different areas come together, you should document everything about these individual steps, so there’s no confusion on what needs doing and when!
With RPA, tasks such as invoicing can be completed by bots with little human supervision.
By looking at the individual process steps in detail and zooming-in to the task level, you will better understand what employees do when completing these same types on work for yourself or your company’s clients; this should help ensure there are no errors occurring during future bot runs!
Model the processes
Workflow visualization is the process of visually modeling how work gets done. It’s a way for people who don’t know each step in your workflow, but want an idea about what you’re doing all together, so they can help out if needed, or just understand why something happened at any point during their workday when it comes down to certain tasks, instead of others.
Optimize the processes
Businesses need to be efficient and save money. One way they can do this is through process optimization, which involves analyzing the current processes in place and any weaknesses or opportunities for improvement so that you make adjustments before it’s too late! The following aspects will teach how analysis works on both a technical side (optimization) but also financially:
- Reduce: The perfect task would have no steps, be completed in a single step, and require little time to complete.
- Simplify: Could we simplify this process?
- Standardize: Standardize on one uniform procedure for all defined tasks, so everyone works together towards the same goal, without having different sets of rules or guidelines depending on who does them first!
Optimized processes can increase efficiency and reduce costs. Moreover, optimized RPA projects will help you be more profitable while being sustainable simultaneously! If your company doesn’t have enough professionals for preliminary process optimization- call in external assistance from a reputable consultant who knows what they are doing.
Risk assessment is an integral part of deciding how much effort should go into improving current practices, or starting new ones altogether, so that there isn’t any unnecessary risk involved with either option; unless this step has already been done beforehand by another organization.
Evaluate each candidate
The automated process optimization is complete, and the correct criteria have been applied to evaluate tasks. You should now consider whether each task may be suitable for RPA from a technological or business perspective by looking at possible use cases from both points of view:
Can this task be automatable? And does it make sense in the context given what we already know about our company’s current operations/state of healthcare etc.?
Identify paper-based jobs
Aspect 1:
RPA bots work on graphical user interfaces of digital applications. Only tasks your employees do manually with a PC can be automated through this process, so you should identify any remaining paper-based jobs in processes and digitize them instead!
For instance, generate proposals or contracts using signature capture technology instead of handwritten ones; maintain electronic employee files by taking advantage of time recording tools, while analog mail is still accessible for reaching customers at their convenience via e dispatch letters, allowing more efficient customer service than ever before!
Aspect 2:
Structured data input is key to developing an RPA bot that can process the information efficiently.
For example, format them into standardized fields and pre-defined values instead of sending your customers’ requests through an email inbox full of unstructured data.
You can automate customer service responses much more efficiently by utilizing structured input for automated bots like those used in credit card processing or order fulfillment applications.
Aspect 3:
A specific event should trigger the automated invoice process. For example, an email informing you about the successful shipment of goods to your customer is what starts this whole thing off!
Aspect 4:
The stability of digital systems is a major concern for businesses who want to avoid introducing new applications or making changes that could disrupt their working environment.
The automation process should withstand any change, as this will help ensure system functionality and security when needed most – such as during emergencies due to an alert being raised by some external source (such as the government).
Aspect 5:
The stability of the processes is essential to ensuring that nothing needs changing in RPA bots. That’s why preliminary process optimization should be carried out before making any changes, which will ensure their success!
Aspect 6:
The bot can automate rules-based processes with logical decision trees. However, if no precise rule or decision tree exists for a particular step in the process, then it will need human judgment to determine what happens next.
These decisions should be delegated to employees with manual processing tools so they may complete those tasks more efficiently than ever before!
Aspect 7:
Create a standard process with few variations, so bot development doesn’t require additional effort. Exceptional cases should be automated only when necessary, and humans will need to handle other aspects of the job if needed manually.
Don’t waste time on automating every little thing; focus your resources where they’ll do the most good for business success!
Consider profitability
Aspect 1:
Even with a high manual effort, there are still some tasks that can only be done by hand. These types don’t really benefit much from automation because one click will accomplish what needs to happen in these cases anyways- saving time isn’t worth it if all you’re doing is replacing humans with machines.
Aspect 2:
If a company’s processes are largely repetitive, it may indicate that they’re not as profitable. It also means there needs to be more attention paid to these areas so the business can sustain itself and grow further without feeling overburdened by unnecessary work.
Aspect 3:
If you find your organization has many routine tasks which must get done daily or weekly, then this could mean one thing: The operation is not profitable enough! We need better management techniques to make sure we aren’t wasting resources on things like data entry when machines can do them automatically.
Processes that require high volumes of work in specialized departments, such as monthly payroll for HR or annual financial statements generated by accounting professionals can be relieved using RPA. The same goes for orders during the holiday season when retailers need more products quickly than usual to meet demand.
Aspect 4:
By identifying the process costs and personnel hours spent on certain tasks, you can determine if automation might be worth it for your business.
For example: if an employee is fulfilling 10 roles that each require 3-5 hrs of their time but only generate $50-$150 per month in revenue while they are working (which may include designing tutorials or answering customer emails).
Then this would mean there are little potential savings from replacing them with bots since these low-profit margins don’t outweigh what humans currently do well enough yet.
Top business processes you can automate with RPA
Let’s explore what those processes are!
1. Invoicing
Invoicing is an essential part of running any company. It’s something that every finance department has to deal with, no matter what size or industry they’re in!
Invoice processing can be a time-consuming and error-prone task regarding invoicing accuracy. Since there are so many different formats that vendors use for submitting their invoices, finance analysts must manually transfer the data from various sources into the company’s financial database system, making this process difficult and susceptible to human errors.
Solution:
With RPA, organizations can set up robots to process invoices automatically. The software will automate data input, and even some decision-making required throughout the invoice processing, reducing the need for human intervention by eliminating any risk of mistakes or exceptions happening!
The end-to-end process takes minutes, and everything from receipt to payment is seamless.
2. Sales operations
Sales operations are an integral part of any company, and can be anything from data entry to CRM systems.
These tasks must get done efficiently not to burden your staff or overburden them with too much work at once.
The data consistency problem has been a major headache for many organizations. Sales reps spend much time entering their transactions into the CRM and ERP systems, but there’s no end to how they’re hindered by trying to get all three platforms talking together properly, or even just one application that can connect them.
Financial analysts would then have duplicate entries from different sources, which doesn’t help with productivity. This process also generates errors as well, so it makes sense why people are becoming frustrated about having too much work on their plates sometimes.
Solution:
Imagine a world where your sales staff has more time for prospecting and generating business. Software robots could perfectly perform operational tasks from end-to-end, automating things like invoicing or order entry.
These awesome bots can also help maintain clean databases, which means less work on behalf of human employees as they focus their efforts on being creative instead.
Bots can also help increase customer experience through fast turnaround times without compromising quality standards – you guessed it: all this leads towards increased satisfaction (and revenue)
3. Reconciliation
The accounting department is responsible for reconciliation, which means they ensure all the different sets of documents from various formats and sources match up.
Reconciliation can be the most tedious yet essential task for accounting employees. The process is often manual and requires a great deal of precision; however, it’s critical to make sure that your records are accurate, so they don’t get anyone in trouble!
Solution:
RPA bots are an excellent way to increase accuracy when matching orders with deliveries. They can automatically extract data from various sources, such as bank statements or bills, and even reconcile purchase orders against delivery notes to guarantee compatibility!
4. ERP data entry
The back-office staff of any company spends a good portion of their day entering data into an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Whether you’re a business analyst, finance and accounting professional, or human resources person, there’s likely at least one task requiring entry into this software type for most companies today.
Many problems can arise from entering data incorrectly. For example, if an analyst updates a wrong row in the ERP system, it might cause other related information to be displayed inaccurately, or even lead down unproductive paths. This prevents users from doing their job effectively and efficiently!
Solution:
The use of robots to automate entire workflows in an organization’s ERP data entry process has many benefits. From reducing transaction times to freeing up valuable time for analysts.
Software robots also help ensure that the information being entered is accurate, while maintaining cleanliness across all records within a system, which results in greater business intelligence capabilities, and compliance responsibilities when needed most
5. Data queries
A lot of data needs to be collected for each transaction, and it’s difficult, if not impossible, without an automated solution.
There are a lot of different systems that organizations maintain, from commercial enterprise applications to legacy custom-developed ones. These can be cloud-based, or on-premise and lack integration with each other, making it very time-consuming for your staff when completing this task manually!
Solution:
RPA is an excellent option when you need to extract data from one place and write it into another. It also allows for rapid access by combining information across your portal, application, or system with software robots that automate these processes, making them more efficient.
6. Payroll
HR is always busy with tasks that take their time and rely heavily on manual-driven processes. Payroll, like so many other things in life, can be tedious when it’s done by hand! The best way for them to get through all this work quickly? Automation, of course!
The payroll process is full of potential pitfalls that can cause major delays in payment, employee dissatisfaction, and more. These include local regulatory requirements for standardization and data accuracy issues, which often arise from inaccurate databases, or old information entered inaccurately before processing was completed.
And this might lead to late paychecks!
Solution:
RPA uses artificial intelligence to automate payroll transactions, saving business owners time and money. It can easily verify employee data across multiple systems while also loading earning deductions or running batch extracts for new hires to ensure they are accurately compensated every week without any delays – all from one simple interface!
7. Onboarding process
The onboarding process for new hires can be a daunting one. It involves setting up their user accounts, email addresses, and profiles with appropriate access rights, providing them with mailing lists so that they can receive company updates, or communicating externally through our systems if necessary.
The time it takes to onboard new employees can be exhausting and overwhelming. From the moment they walk in, every party involved needs their input so that everyone is on board with what’s going on from day one.
This includes systems administrators who may need extra training, or reminders about how things work beforehand, because there was no previous history of these processes happening.
Solution:
The onboarding process can be made much more efficient with the help of RPA. Once a new employee is set up, their profile will trigger an automated workflow that alerts them about relevant information, and sends over any documentation they may need for the first days on board.
8. User deactivation
When an employee leaves the company, it is important for management to ensure that they are removing all accesses and records. This includes deactivating credentials and gathering termination documents to remove any trace of them from your system.
The exit process is complicated, requiring many parties and systems to come together to ensure it is not only consistent but also error-free. As with other manual procedures, errors can never really rule out to avoid audit flags or security leaks!
Solution:
RPA can help organizations provide a smooth exit for employees by automating the process of ERP user termination. This includes inputting staff members’ information into downstream systems, conducting surveys, and record-keeping on their behalf, while they’re still employed by your company–allowing you to send out notifications or make final payments as necessary once it’s time!
Conclusion
To automate a workflow, you need an automated process to help maximize efficiency and cut costs. RPA is one way for businesses of all sizes across industries, including healthcare providers like hospitals, or clinics, with high volumes of paperwork.
RPA makes these improvements easier on staff, while still meeting strict regulatory guidelines about data privacy protection from exfiltration attacks by outside forces looking into your network ports at any given time!
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