Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Automation of administrative work by a software robot. It is highly effective when applied to routine tasks on a computer such as data transfer and tabulation.
- Automating routine manual tasks, especially in the financial industry, is accelerating
- Doing work that is creative rather than routine
Automating routine manual tasks, especially in the financial industry, is accelerating
At manufacturing sites, robotic automation (factory automation) has progressed, and some factories are now manufacturing unattended. Since the 1980s, office automation using computers has become widespread in offices. The creation of documents and account books is now done by computer, freeing people from writing by hand and completely changing the office environment.
However, even if office automation has expanded, tasks that require manual work, such as data entry, still remain. If anything, the amount of data to be handled and the related work are currently increasing due to the creation of new business along with progress in IT.
Robotic process automation (RPA) can automate routine manual work on a computer. Although the word “robot” is used, RPA does not mean that a mechanical robot arm or humanoid robot operates the computer. It refers to a software robot, also known as a bot, that runs on the computer and does the work. RPA is also called digital labor (or a virtual worker).
By using RPA, routine manual work can be done efficiently, and human error can be reduced. While bots are working, people can do other work. What’s more, a bot doesn’t get tired or make mistakes like a person, and it can keep working all day long.
Doing work that is creative rather than routine
Currently, a bot is created using dedicated RPA software. Once it has been created, the bot can repeat the specified task. For example, to transfer data from a database to a specific website, every single task, such as entering the URL, ID, and password in order to display the website, and selecting and transferring only the necessary lines of the database, islearned by the bot.
When a task is being automated, specifying and analyzing the task is more important than the method of using the RPA tool. To promote the use of RPA, it is essential to prepare by “visualizing” the workflow, identifying, and eliminating unnecessary work, standardizing work procedures, and creating a proper manual. You must be careful, because if the bot learns the wrong procedure, it can only repeat the same wrong procedure that was input.
RPA aims to reduce routine manual work and allow more creative work to increase, while helping to ease the labor shortage.
By improving your work efficiency you may be able to spend more time learning, enjoying hobbies, and being with your family. In this way, everyone can have some time for personal fulfillment, creating a space where new ideas can be born. It seems that RPA bots will become encouraging assistants, helping us to realize better ways of working.