Introduction to Robotic Process Automation (RPA): Concept and Applications

Section 1: What is RPA?

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a technology that uses software robots (or 'bots') to automate repetitive, rule-based tasks performed by humans on a computer.

The term "Robotic" implies AI (Artificial Intelligence) or machine learning capabilities, "Process" refers to sequence of operations, while "Automation" means making systems operate automatically. Essentially, RPA simulates human interactions with software systems and automates various operational processes.

RPA can handle tasks like data entry, customer service, calculations, transactions, and sending emails without the need for human intervention. By doing so, it improves operational efficiency, reduces errors, and frees up human employees to focus on tasks that require critical thinking, creativity and decision-making.

For example, imagine a financial institution that manually processes loan applications. Employees might have to retrieve data from various sources and systems, perform eligibility calculations, and input data into a loan management system. With RPA, this process can be automated and run 24/7 without errors, boosting efficiency and productivity.

Section 2: Core Components of RPA

RPA systems are primarily composed of three core components:

1. RPA Bot: A software that carries out the automated tasks.
2. RPA Platform/Software: It hosts the RPA bots and manages their activities. The platform also provides capabilities to build, test, and deploy the bots.
3. Task Rules: These are the algorithms or scripts that guide the bot's actions. These can be simple if-then statements or complex algorithms.

Section 3: Types of RPA

There are typically three types of RPA:

1. Attended RPA: Attended RPA operates on the user's machine and is triggered by specific events or actions. The user and the bot work side by side.
2. Unattended RPA: Unattended RPA bots operate without human intervention. They can be scheduled to perform tasks and can operate on any machine in the network. They are often used for tasks such as data processing, batch processing, or auditing.
3. Hybrid RPA: As the name suggests, hybrid RPA is a combination of attended and unattended RPA. The user and bot interact and share tasks and control in performing certain operations.

Section 4: Applications of RPA

RPA has a broad range of applications across various sectors. Here are few examples:

1. Finance and Banking: For automating processes like account opening/closing, loan processing, compliance reporting etc.
2. Healthcare: Patient record update, appointment scheduling, billing, claims management etc. can be automated using RPA.
3. Human Resources: Onboarding/offboarding, updating employee information, payroll processing are some of the tasks RPA bots usually handle.
4. Supply Chain Management: RPA can streamline order processing, shipment tracking, inventory management and much more.

Section 5: Benefits of RPA

RPA offers several benefits including:

1. Cost Reduction: RPA can help to reduce labor costs as robots can work 24/7 without breaks.
2. Accuracy: Bots can perform tasks with optimum accuracy eliminating human error.
3. Productivity: With RPA, employees can focus on strategic tasks while bots handle the monotonous work, thus boosting productivity.
4. Scalability: RPA bots are scalable according to the business needs. You can deploy additional bots during peak operational hours and reduce during non-peak times.

From this session, it is evident that RPA is not just a buzzword, but a vital tool that is reshaping the workflow of various sectors by providing improved accuracy and efficiency. As we move through this course, learners will delve deeper into the workings applications of RPA, thus gaining the necessary skills to implement RPA solutions.

Lesson 2: Understanding Different RPA Tools

Introduction

In this lesson, we'll delve deeper into the understanding of the various RPA (Robotic Process Automation) tools available in the market. It's crucial to understand that different RPA tools have different features, capabilities and thus, serve diverse needs.

Outline

• What are RPA Tools
• Different Types of RPA Tools
• Key Features of RPA Tools
• Comparison of Popular RPA Tools
• Real-life Examples

What are RPA Tools

RPA tools, often termed as RPA software, are the computer programs that are developed to reduce the burden of repetitive and monotonous tasks within an organisation by deploying bots. The primary aim of these RPA software is to automate high-volume, repeatable tasks that a human worker was previously required to perform.

Different Types of RPA Tools

While numerous RPA tools are available in the market, they can be broadly segregated into the following categories based on their functionality:

1. Programming-based RPA Tools: These tools require coding proficiency and scripting to automate tasks.
2. Model-based RPA Tools: These are more user-friendly as they allow end-users to map and set up workflows in a graphical way, without the need for extensive programming knowledge.
3. Self-learning RPA Tools: Leveraging technologies like AI and ML, these tools can learn independently and adapt themselves by observing the repetitive tasks performed by human users.

Key Features of RPA Tools

While different tools might have different features, a good RPA tool generally has the following features:

• Easy process designing: Drag-and-drop features, recorders and process wizards are essential features.
• Scalability: It should be able to manage a large number of operations and bot instances.
• Security: RPA tools should be able to manage permissions, control access, and provide an audit trail.
• Interoperability: Ability to work alongside different software and systems is crucial.
• Exception handling: The tool should be able to effectively manage and report errors during the automation process.

Comparison of Popular RPA Tools

To ease the selection process, we will be comparing some of the most popular RPA tools available in the market:

1. UiPath: UiPath is a top choice for many organisations due to its advanced features and ease of use. It provides both programming and model-based tools, which allows developers and non-developers alike to automate processes effectively.

2. Blue Prism: Blue Prism is known for its secure and reliable back-office automation and is often favoured in sectors like banking and healthcare where data security is paramount.

3. Automation Anywhere: Automation Anywhere provides cloud-native and web-based automation. Its use of smart bots makes it a popular choice for automating complex business processes.

4. Pega: Pega is known for its advanced decision-making capabilities and is widely used in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Business Process Management (BPM).

Each of these tools have their unique strengths and the choice of the tool will depend on specific business needs and requirements.

Real-life Examples

Let's take an example where RPA can boost productivity:

• Invoice Processing: Invoices often arrive in different formats, leading to a plethora of manual tasks including data extraction, validation, registration in the ERP system, etc. With model-based RPA tools like UiPath or Automation Anywhere, bots can automate these mundane tasks. They can extract information, validate it, and put it into the ERP system without any human intervention.

In this example, we're not incorporating any programming language or code, just the pseudocode to give some insights:

start
Read Invoice Document
Extract Invoice Details
    If Validation of details is successful Then
        Register Invoice in the ERP
        Notify the User
    Else 
        Send the Invoice for Manual Checking
    End If
end

Voila! Tasks that could previously take hours can be done within a few minutes with RPA tools.

Conclusion

From this lesson, it is clear that different RPA tools have their unique capabilities and are selected based on the requirements of the organisation and the tasks that need to be automated. In the next lesson, we'll dig deeper into these tools and explore how to implement RPA workflows using them.

Stay tuned for more on the Robotic Process Automation journey!

Lesson 3: Designing Simple RPA Solutions: A Practical Approach

Building upon the prior lessons on the concept, applications, and tools of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), this lesson will focus on how to design simple RPA solutions. In this lesson, we will dig deeper into the core elements, key steps, and best practices involved in creating an efficient RPA solution.

Table of Contents

1. Understanding RPA Solution Design
2. Key Steps in RPA Solution Design
3. Application of RPA Solution Design
4. Example Solution

1. Understanding RPA Solution Design

The design of RPA solutions involves creating an automation blueprint that identifies the tasks to be automated, specifies the RPA tool to be used, and defines the sequence of tasks to achieve the desired automation.

The design process begins with a clear understanding of the business process that needs to be automated. Every little detail, exception, and decision point within the process needs to be considered to ensure the effectiveness of the automation.

2. Key Steps in RPA Solution Design

The RPA solution design follows three key steps: assess, design, and validate:

• Assess: This is the initial stage where the process is identified for automation. Consideration is given to factors like the process complexity, the frequency of the process, the impact of automation on business, etc.

• Design: In this stage, the process flow is mapped out in detail with the aid of flowcharts or diagrams, and the tasks and sub-tasks are defined. The business rules that govern the process are spelled out, and any exceptions or error scenarios are identified.

• Validate: After the design stage, the RPA solution is validated to ensure that it captures all of the requirements. This may involve reviewing the design with stakeholders, verifying that all tasks and rules are included, and that all possible error scenarios and exceptions have been considered.

3. Application of RPA Solution Design

In the world of business, RPA design principles can be applied in a variety of instances such as:

• Invoice Processing: A repetitive task that involves invoice receipt, data extraction, validation, and entry into an ERP system.

• Data Migration: RPA can be used to automate the process of migrating data from one system to another.

• Customer Service: RPA can be used to automate the process of attending to customer inquiries, complaints, etc.

4. Example Solution

Now, let's walk through a hypothetical RPA solution design for automating a simple task: Employee Onboarding process in an organization.

1. Assess: The Employee Onboarding process is identified. The process involves steps like capturing employee data, creating new employee records in various systems, initiating training processes, etc. This is a good candidate for automation as it is a repetitive process that involves interacting with multiple systems.

2. Design: The process flow of employee onboarding is mapped out. The steps include:

   • Capture employee data from HR request
   • Create a record in the employee database
   • Initialize email creation request to IT
   • Send login credentials to new employee
   • Initiate training cycle

   Factors like business rules, possible exceptions (like system unavailability), and error scenarios (invalid data entry) are defined.

3. Validate: The designed RPA solution undergoes validation. Stakeholders validate the process completeness, and process exceptions.

This brings us to the conclusion of our lesson on designing RPA solutions. By adhering to these principles and steps, you can ensure that you create effective and efficient RPA solutions. In the next lesson, we will be discussing the implementation of an RPA solution. So stay tuned!

[Next Lesson: Implementing an RPA Solution]

Lesson 4: Advanced Concepts in RPA and Their Implementations

In the last few lessons, we have gathered foundational knowledge on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), available tools, and we even embarked on designing our first simple RPA solutions. Now, it's time to take a step further and delve into some more advanced concepts in RPA and explore how we can implement them.

Section 1: Advanced RPA Features

1.1 Exception Handling

A crucial part of any automation process is handling exceptions—unexpected events or errors that occur during execution. RPA tools typically have built-in mechanisms for handling exceptions. They can capture the error entirely or take a screenshot of the state when an error occurred. This allows the bot to resume work on other tasks that are independent of the one generating the error.

1.2 Recorders

This advanced feature allows one to record a series of steps that are then converted into a process script. Recorders are excellent for automating repetitive tasks quickly, though the resulting scripts often need fine-tuning.

1.3 Schedulers

Schedulers are a crucial feature for any advanced RPA implementation. They enable tasks to be launched at specific times without human intervention. Schedulers are designed for regular tasks that are to be automated, like monthly financial reporting or daily data back up.

1.4 Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR capabilities in RPA can convert different types of documents, such as scanned paper documents, PDF files, or images captured by a digital camera into editable and searchable data. OCR is incredibly valuable when automated processes require data extraction from non-editable file formats.

1.5 Cognitive automation

RPA combined with machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) makes it possible for the software robots to learn from its previous runs or specific data patterns, hence creating cognitive automation. It makes the automation process smarter and more efficient.

Section 2: Implementing Advanced RPA Features

Given the nature of RPA, implementing these advanced features is highly dependent on the tools you're using, as implementation instructions can radically differ. However, we can construct a general workflow to apply these features.

2.1 Implementing Exception Handling

In RPA tools, look for an error management or exception handling functionality. While defining a workflow:

• Identify the points in the process where exceptions might occur.
• In the exception handling section/module of your RPA tool, select these points and define what occurs in the event of an exception.

Remember, this is a critical component of a production-level RPA solution as it makes your bot resilient and less dependent on perfect input data.

2.2 Using Recorders

For repetitive tasks, recorders can be used as follows:

• Start the recording feature.
• Execute the series of steps manually.
• End the recording, and the tool will generate a script.
• Review and fine-tune this automatically generated script.

2.3 Setting Up Schedulers

Schedulers can be typically found in the administrative or operating environment of your RPA tool. To implement schedulers:

• Find the process you want to schedule.
• Set up the time and frequency of execution.
• Make sure that the environments required for running the process are available at schedule times.

2.4 Utilizing OCR

Most RPA tools have inbuilt OCR capabilities, and they can be employed as follows:

• Find the OCR module in your RPA tool.
• Use this module at the stage in your process where OCR is required.
• Fine-tune the module to accurately read your documents of interest. This might involve playing around with the features of the OCR module to reduce errors.

2.5 Creating Cognitive Automation

To implement cognitive automation:

• Find the machine learning or AI module in your RPA tool.
• Train the model on your data set (this usually involves providing the module with input and expected output pairs so that it can 'learn').
• Implement the module in your process, allowing it to make decisions based on its training.

Keep in mind that not all RPA tools come equipped with these advanced AI and machine learning capabilities.

Utilizing these advanced RPA concepts will allow you to create more complex, efficient, and flexible bots. Be sure to use them prudently to drive your automation to greater heights.

Lesson 5: Solving Real-life Problems with RPA: Case Studies and Lab Sessions

In our previous lessons, we have understood the basic and advanced concepts of Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Now, it's time to put this knowledge to use as we delve into hands-on lab sessions. This lesson will help us understand how RPA solves real-world problems.

Section 1: Case Study 1 - Invoice Processing

The Problem: In many organizations, invoice processing is typically a tedious task involving manual data entry, validation, and record update. This time-consuming process can lead to data errors and inefficiencies.

How RPA Can Help: An efficient RPA solution can automatically read and extract information from the invoices, validate them against predetermined rules, and update them in an ERP system.

Pseudocode:

1. Create a bot with OCR capabilities to read invoices.
2. Bot extracts information from invoice such as supplier name, invoice number, date, total amount, line item details, etc.
3. Stipulate rules to validate this information.
4. If invoice passes validation, bot updates information into ERP system.
5. If invoice fails validation, bot sends it for manual review.

Section 2: Case Study 2 - Customer Onboarding

The Problem: Another common area where RPA can be a game-changer is the customer onboarding process. This often involves manual data entry, validation, and sometimes, repetitive tasks that aren't cost-effective.

How RPA Can Help: RPA automates customer onboarding, reducing the time and effort spent on data entry, validation, and performing time-consuming repetitive tasks.

Pseudocode:

1. Create a bot to retrieve necessary documents and forms from customers.
2. Bot checks if all obligatory fields are filled.
3. Bot validates data against set rules.
4. If customer details are validated, bot updates details in Customer Management System.
5. If validation fails, bot sends back to customer or escalates for review.

Section 3: Hands-on Lab Session

The best way to understand the utility of RPA in solving real-life problems is through hands-on experience. Here's a lab session where we create a bot to automate a basic task. This will help in solidifying your understanding of the theoretical concepts.

Task: Automate emails to customers whose queries have not been solved within 48 hours.

Pseudocode:

1. Create a bot to access the customer query database.
2. Bot identifies queries that have been unanswered for more than 48 hours.
3. Bot extracts necessary information such as customer's email address, ticket number etc.
4. Bot auto-generates emails to customers with the respective details and an assurance of getting back promptly.
5. The Bot sends the emails.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we saw how RPA can be used to simplify complex, time-inefficient real-life problems. We hope these examples enlighten you on the immense possibilities of RPA and that they help you in creating your own automation solutions. The best way to gain mastery is, of course, through practice. So, keep experimenting with different tasks for your bots. See you in the next lesson!