Code-Free

RPA does not require programming skills: Business operations employees – people with process and subject matter expertise but no programing experience – can be trained to independently automate processes using RPA tools within a few weeks.

Many RPA platforms present a flowchart designer, much like Microsoft Visio: process definitions are created graphically by dragging, dropping and linking icons that represent steps in a process.

Non-disruptive

One of the challenges of traditional IT deployments is that the transformation or change of existing systems is complex and risky. Thus, many large organisations are reluctant to redesign, replace or even to enhance existing systems through the creation of new IT interfaces (or APIs). For this reason, the philosophy behind RPA is to avoid the complexity and risk of such changes where they are not warranted, (or indeed to enable such changes to be prototyped and tested, simply by simulating equivalent input/output via the user interface in lieu of APIs).

RPA tools therefore lean towards “light” IT requirements and do not, for example, disturb underlying computer systems. The robots access end user computer systems exactly as a human does – via the user interface with an established access control mechanism (e.g. logon ID and password) – so no underlying systems programming need be required. This is an important point because, from a security, quality and data integrity perspective, the UI of many applications encapsulates many years of requirements and testing for error prevention, data integrity and security access control. To bypass a UI by creating a new API is a risky undertaking and requires extensive testing in order that the same levels of functionality and protection are maintained.

Business user friendly

RPA’s ease of use and low requirement for technical support perhaps explains why adoption typically originates inside business operations and not inside Information Technology (IT) departments. Because RPA projects do not require expensive IT skills and investment in new platforms, the economic threshold of processes with a viable business case for automation is substantially lowered.

RPA software vendors

Notable RPA software vendors includ e:

• Automation Anywhere

• BlackLine

Industry: Software
Founded: 2001; 17 years ago
Headquarters: Los Angeles
Key people:
Therese Tucker, CEO and founder
Mark Partin, CFO
Products: Financial software

• Blue Prism

Industry: Robotic Process Automation Software Information technology
Founded: July 26, 2001; 16 years ago
Founders: David Moss and Alastair Bathgate
Headquarters: U.K.

• Datamatics

Industry: IT services, IT consulting
Founded: 1975
Founder: Dr. Lalit.S.Kanodia (Chairman)
Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Key people: Rahul Kanodia (Vice Chairman & CEO)

• EdgeVerve

a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infosys, develops innovative software products and offers them on premise or as cloud-hosted business platforms. Our products help businesses develop deeper connections with stakeholders, power continuous innovation and accelerate growth in the digital world. We power our clients’ growth in rapidly evolving areas like banking, distributive trade, credit servicing, customer service and enterprise buying. Today, global corporations across financial services, insurance, retail and CPG, life sciences, manufacturing, and telecommunications use EdgeVerve products

• HelpSystems

Founded: Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. (1982)
Headquarters: 6455 City West Parkway Eden Prairie, MN
Key people: Christopher D. Heim, CEO
Products: IT infrastructure software for systems and network management, business intelligence, security and compliance

• Kofax

Industry: Computer software
Founded: 1985
Founders: David Silver, Dean Hough, Craig Bufton (1985)
Headquarters: Irvine, California
Key people:
Greg Lock, (Chairman)
Reynolds C. Bish, (CEO)
Products: Multichannel Information Capture, Process Management, Data Integration, Customer Communications Management, Analytics

• NICE

Industry: Software, Business Intelligence, Speech Analytics, Video Analytics, Business consulting, IT consulting
Founded: 1986; 32 years ago
Headquarters: Ra’anana, Israel
Key people:
David Kostman (Chairman),
Barak Eilam (President & CEO)

• Pegasystems

Industry: Software
Founded: 1983
Headquarters: Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Key people: Alan Trefler (CEO)
Products: Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Business Process Management (BPM), customer service, marketing, sales, and robot process automation

• Verint

Industry: Software, Business Intelligence, Speech Analytics, Video Analytics, Business consulting, IT consulting
Founded: 2002
Headquarters: Melville, New York, US
Key people: Dan Bodner, President and CEO
Revenue: $848 million