By revolutionising business processes and workflows, robotic process automation (RPA) offers a multitude of benefits. Sascha Cutura, the chief executive officer of transformation specialist convedo, walks through the nine steps to harness its power. 

The world today is changing rapidly in ways that no-one could have imagined at the beginning of the 21st century. The business arena is being bombarded with technological advancements that often cause conflict, disrupt the status quo or alter conventional processes. Yet, as we’re learning all the time, with change comes new opportunities.

Like machines in industrial factories in previous decades, robots have the potential to dramatically change how businesses work in the coming years. Robotic process automation uses software, to create an agile “digital workforce” which mimics human processing of repetitive labour-intensive tasks. It follows rule-based business processes and interacts with systems in the same way that people do.

Once RPA software understands how to behave by studying existing processes and applications, it can apply what it has learned to new situations and even communicate with other systems of its own accord. RPA is designed to help firms automate a wide range of business processes for reduced costs, improved compliance and increased productivity. 

According to McKinsey & Company, between 110 and 140 million FTEs could be replaced by automation tools and software by 2020. No matter the industry or the number of employees on your payroll, implementing RPA within your own organisation has the potential to radically change your processes for the better. However, to be successful, any attempt to use RPA must be carefully planned, with clear-cut goals, stages and metrics. 

Just like you would draw up a blueprint for a house before purchasing building materials, you need to chart a course for how RPA will be part of your digital transformation. The following nine steps below provide a guide for organisations looking to harness the power of RPA for their business processes. Read On: