E-guide

What is RPA?
Everything You
Need to Know
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

In this e-guide:
Know
Robotic process automation (RPA) is here to stay.
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses? Named the fasted-growing software segment last year by
How is RPA different from Gartner, this hot tech is helping just about every industry,
automation?
across every business department automate mundane tasks
Three different types of RPA
formerly done by humans.
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?

What business processes are

But where is the RPA market heading to next? What can
automated by RPA?
undermine RPA's upsides? What are some misconceptions?
What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA? This comprehensive guide answers these questions and more.
What are the risks of RPA? Why do You’ll explore:
RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use • RPA vs. automation

RPA?
• 3 different types of RPA
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost? • What are the associated costs?
C-level decision-making around RPA • What RPA is used for and its key benefits
What to look for in RPA software • Why RPA projects fail and how to prevent failure
Where the RPA market is heading
• And more
Further reading

Page 1 of 32
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In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Know What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
Know
by businesses?
Margaret Rouse, WhatIs.com
How is RPA different from
automation?
Robotic process automation technology is software that can be trained to
Three different types of RPA
mimic routine, labor-intensive tasks performed by humans.
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
The technology is a hot commodity in today's enterprises. In just about every
What business processes are
automated by RPA? industry and across business units -- from finance and HR to IT and
What is RPA used for?
marketing -- RPA's software robots are automating routine and often mind-
numbing work formerly done by humans. Its impact has been described as
What are the benefits of RPA?
transformational and disruptive.
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
Still, RPA -- named the fastest-growing software segment last year by
What companies and industries use
RPA? Gartner -- is not without risks. For starters, not every work task lends itself
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
to RPA. Technical problems, security issues and vendor volatility, for
What is the cost? example, can undermine RPA's vaunted upsides -- or worse, cause
C-level decision-making around RPA implementations to fail. And, as with any fast-growing, wildly popular
What to look for in RPA software technology, misconceptions about RPA are legion.
Where the RPA market is heading
Our comprehensive guide to robotic process automation software is here to
Further reading
help, explaining everything from the basics to analysis of where this rapidly

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evolving market is headed. For a deeper dive, be sure to click through the
In this e-guide
hyperlinks on this page to access expertly curated industry tips and analysis,
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know including this in-depth report on how to harness RPA software.
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
What is robotic process automation (RPA)
technology, and how is it used by businesses?
How is RPA different from
automation?

Three different types of RPA

RPA software automates repetitive, rules-based work tasks that rely on
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0? digital data. These tasks include queries, calculations, creating and updating
What business processes are
records, filling out forms, producing reports, cutting and pasting and
automated by RPA? performing other high-volume transactional tasks that require moving data
What is RPA used for? within and between applications.
What are the benefits of RPA?
Broadly defined as software scripts that automate other software, RPA
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? "robots" work at the surface and user-interface level, mimicking the
What companies and industries use
keystrokes and mouse clicks made by human workers and completing the
RPA? task in much the way workers do by logging in to applications, entering data,
RPA software: Who are the vendors? performing calculations and logging out. Unlike a human worker, however,
What is the cost?
the bot doesn't need a physical screen to complete the task, instead
C-level decision-making around RPA
executing the task's process steps in a virtual environment. Moreover, unlike
What to look for in RPA software most software applications, humans can develop these bots without the
Where the RPA market is heading specialized knowledge of coding, making business units the target customer
Further reading for RPA.

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RPA software is used by many business units. HR departments, for example,

In this e-guide
are using RPA to automate aspects of employee onboarding and
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know offboarding. In financial services, RPA bots are configured to handle credit
What is robotic process automation
card authorization disputes. IT teams are implementing RPA to automate
(RPA) technology, and how is it used routine help desk services (See the section below on "What business
by businesses?
processes are automated by RPA?")
How is RPA different from
automation?
Although still a relatively small slice of the enterprise software market, RPA
Three different types of RPA
revenue has grown rapidly, increasing 63% in 2018 to $850 million over the
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
prior year and on track to do $1.3 billion in revenue in 2019, according to
Gartner. Forrester Research forecast that RPA software platform revenue
What business processes are
automated by RPA? will reach $2.9 billion by 2021, and the market for RPA services (deployment
What is RPA used for? and support) will climb to $12 billion by 2023.
What are the benefits of RPA?
Interest in this emerging technology is not surprising. RPA aims to improve
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
efficiency, boost productivity and save money by assisting with -- or entirely
replacing -- the routine and error-prone digital processing tasks still done
What companies and industries use
RPA? with human labor at many companies. First-year returns on investment for
RPA software: Who are the vendors? RPA implementations can be in the double and even triple digits, according
What is the cost?
to industry analysts. Done right, RPA not only saves companies time and
C-level decision-making around RPA money but also frees up employees to focus on higher value work.
What to look for in RPA software
As important, RPA offers traditional companies a pathway to digital
Where the RPA market is heading
transformation. That's because by working at the user-interface level, RPA
Further reading
provides companies a way to automate parts of critical business processes

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without ripping out and replacing the costly legacy systems that support
In this e-guide
them. (See the section below, "How is RPA different from automation?")
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know
Moreover, as RPA tools are combined with artificial intelligence (AI)
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used technologies such as natural language generation, optical character
by businesses?
recognition, intelligent character recognition and machine learning, RPA's
How is RPA different from virtual agents are poised to take on higher-level and longer tasks, including
automation?
whole job roles, becoming what some envision as a 21st century self-
Three different types of RPA
improving digital workforce. (See the section below, "The evolution of RPA:
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
What is RPA 2.0?")

What business processes are

automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for? How is RPA different from automation?

What are the benefits of RPA?
Automation encompasses a very broad and diverse set of technologies
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
ranging from continuous delivery and continuous integration tools to hybrid
cloud management to the machine vision tools deployed in autonomous
What companies and industries use
RPA? vehicles.
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost? Robotic process automation software is a subset of business process
C-level decision-making around RPA automation (BPA), an umbrella term for the use of technology to execute the
What to look for in RPA software
activities and workflows that make up a business task with minimal human
intervention.
Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

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The most important differentiator between RPA and traditional workflow

In this e-guide
automation tools is the skill set needed to accomplish the automation task.
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know In traditional workflow automation, an experienced software engineer writes
What is robotic process automation
code to create a set of actions that automates the task and connects the
(RPA) technology, and how is it used software to the underlying compute infrastructure by the use of application
by businesses?
programming interfaces (APIs) written in Python, JAVA or other software
How is RPA different from
automation? languages. In contrast, RPA systems typically develop the action list simply
Three different types of RPA
by recording the users' actions as they perform a task in an application's
graphical user interface (GUI). Once recorded, the system repeats those
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0? tasks directly in the GUI without human effort required.
What business processes are
automated by RPA? RPA differs from business process management, or BPM, which uses a
What is RPA used for? variety of methods to discover, model, analyze, change and optimize
What are the benefits of RPA?
business processes. While RPA is best suited for automating a discrete
number of tasks, BPM, which may or may not include automation, is
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? designed to orchestrate complex business processes from end to end. In
What companies and industries use BPM, business processes are managed collectively to not only reduce error
RPA?
rates and improve workflow efficiency -- which RPA does -- but also, for
RPA software: Who are the vendors? example, to clarify job roles and responsibilities associated with the process
What is the cost?
and to improve the process over time.
C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software RPA software and BPMS (business process management software) are not
Where the RPA market is heading mutually exclusive, but can work in tandem. This expert tip digs into how
Further reading
BPMS and RPA can be used together to drive digital transformation.

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DPA vs. RPA vs. IPA

In this e-guide
Forrester Research further dissects the business process automation field
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know by renaming BPM digital process automation (DPA) and dividing DPA into
What is robotic process automation
two types: DPA-deep (the BPM approach described above) and DPA-wide (a
(RPA) technology, and how is it used business-friendly automation approach using low-code and no-code
by businesses?
platforms and Agile methodology to extend process redesign to business
How is RPA different from
automation? users). DPA-wide is closely related to RPA. Find out more about RPA vs.
Three different types of RPA
BPA vs. DPA in our other coverage.

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?
Finally, RPA differs from IPA, or intelligent process automation. IPA
combines RPA with traditional BPM software, machine learning and
What business processes are
automated by RPA? emerging AI tools to automate more -- and bigger portions of -- enterprise
What is RPA used for? jobs, enabling RPA's tactical bots to pass along intelligence from AI and
What are the benefits of RPA?
respond to process changes. Executives estimate intelligent automation will
provide an average cost reduction of 22% and an increase in revenue of 11%
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? over the next three years, according to a 2019 global robotics survey by
What companies and industries use Deloitte.
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 7 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Know

What is robotic process automation

(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?

How is RPA different from

automation?

Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?

What business processes are

automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 8 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Three different types of RPA
Know

What is robotic process automation

RPA automation tools offer two distinct modes of deployment: assisted
(RPA) technology, and how is it used automation and unassisted automation, also referred to as attended and
by businesses?
unattended RPA. Hybrid RPA combines the two models.
How is RPA different from
automation?
RPA experts David Brain, co-founder of the RPA consultancy Symphony,
Three different types of RPA
and analyst Phil Fersht, co-founder and CEO of HFS Research Ltd.,
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
explained in their foundational article on creating RPA architecture that each
RPA model has its benefits and limitations. It's important that companies
What business processes are
automated by RPA? determine which model best meets the organization's needs before
What is RPA used for? deploying RPA.
What are the benefits of RPA?
Assisted (aka attended) automation: In assisted automation, the RPA is
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
automating applications running on a user's desktop typically for the
purpose of helping the user complete an involved process in less time. This
What companies and industries use
RPA? usually generates cost savings and helps deliver a better user and customer
RPA software: Who are the vendors? experience. Drawbacks to assisted automation, explained Fersht and Brain,
What is the cost?
is that inconsistencies on the desktop setting, such as changing graphics or
C-level decision-making around RPA display settings, can cause the RPA to fail. In addition, sometimes the user's
What to look for in RPA software desktop is locked when the automated steps are being executed.
Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

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Unassisted (aka unattended) automation: Unassisted automation requires

In this e-guide
no human agent. The RPA software performs on its own, notifying the user
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know only when something goes wrong. Unassisted automation can work 24/7 --
What is robotic process automation
"an ideal scenario for optimizing a process," Fersht and Brain said. But they
(RPA) technology, and how is it used added that, in order to work, unassisted automation requires structured data
by businesses?
and clearly defined rules, which may not exist in every case.
How is RPA different from
automation?
Hybrid RPA: In hybrid RPA, the employee and bot essentially work as a
Three different types of RPA
team, passing tasks back and forth. Hybrid RPA automates the work that
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
can be completed solely by the bot (unassisted) as well as work that that
involves unstructured data or requires decisions by an employee (assisted).
What business processes are
automated by RPA? In hybrid RPA, the software bots and employee can work on different tasks
What is RPA used for? at the same time for optimal efficiency. The Institute for Robotic Process
What are the benefits of RPA?
Automation and Artificial Intelligence (IRPA AI), an association for
automation professionals, touts hybrid RPA as helping "companies leverage
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? the power of automation in a more diverse range of processes and
What companies and industries use scenarios." Learn more about the three types of RPA here.
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 10 of 32
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In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA 2.0?
Know

What is robotic process automation

The term RPA entered the tech lexicon in 2012, but its roots go back to
(RPA) technology, and how is it used mainframe-era screen scraping. With screen scraping, a software tool would
by businesses?
take legacy application data formatted to appear on an IBM 3270 -- or a
How is RPA different from
automation? similar old-style terminal -- and reformat the data for use on a client-server
Three different types of RPA
or web-based system. This approach provided an inexpensive and
noninvasive way to link systems.
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
Present-day RPA also provides an unobtrusive approach to integrating
What business processes are
automated by RPA? systems by emulating the steps humans take when interacting with an
What is RPA used for? application's user interface. It remains a relatively inexpensive way to
What are the benefits of RPA?
connect disparate systems where APIs don't exist and there is not the time
or budget for recoding applications or heavy-duty systems integration. But
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? RPA has evolved well beyond screen scraping. It can handle more complex
What companies and industries use processes, adjust to changes in the underlying systems and scale beyond
RPA?
localized deployments.
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost?
RPA 2.0
C-level decision-making around RPA RPA 2.0 refers to the fact that RPA platforms continue to evolve, pairing up
What to look for in RPA software with technologies such as process mining to identify the right automation
Where the RPA market is heading candidates for RPA and incorporating machine learning, which enables
Further reading
platforms to automate longer and more complex tasks, including whole job

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roles. "The fact that RPA has advanced so quickly beyond task automation
In this e-guide
as to replicate whole job functions is fascinating, from both a positive and
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know negative perspective," noted Pankaj Chowdry, founder and CEO of the AI
What is robotic process automation
and RPA startup FortressIQ, in a report on the evolution of the robot
(RPA) technology, and how is it used workforce.
by businesses?

How is RPA different from Read more on the evolution of RPA in this in-depth look at RPA's transition
automation?
from screen scraping to AI-assisted process automation.
Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?

What business processes are

What business processes are automated by RPA?
automated by RPA?
RPA is not appropriate for every business process. Automating a mission-
What is RPA used for?
critical, long-running and complex business process is typically a job for IT
What are the benefits of RPA?
using API-based automation. (Indeed, Gartner stated in its July 2019 Magic
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
Quadrant on RPA that the word task would be more accurate than process
in the RPA acronym.) Here are some characteristics that make a process
What companies and industries use
RPA? suitable for RPA:
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost? • is high volume and repetitive;
C-level decision-making around RPA
• relies on structured digital data;
• has clear business rules and low or no exception rates;
What to look for in RPA software
• is prone to error when using human labor; and
Where the RPA market is heading • is time-sensitive or highly seasonal.
Further reading

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Business processes and their associated applications should be stable

In this e-guide
before applying RPA. For companies embarking on RPA, Forrester Research
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know analyst and RPA expert Craig Le Clair has recommended they heed the "rule
What is robotic process automation
of five" when determining which processes are suitable for RPA:
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
• Five decisions: RPA works well for simple applications that operate in
How is RPA different from high volume. Applications involving more than five decisions will
automation?
require a BPM rules engine, Le Clair said.
Three different types of RPA • Five apps: Because RPA doesn't rely on APIs, bots are sensitive to
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
changes in applications. "When applications change, they often break
2.0? the bot" and cause companies to give up on RPA, Le Clair said.
What business processes are
Limiting the number of applications involved to five or less will help
automated by RPA? companies keep on top of changes.
What is RPA used for? • 500 clicks: Keep the number of keystrokes a bot has to master to
500 or less.
What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

What is RPA used for?
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

RPA is used by business functions across the enterprise. Top RPA use
What is the cost? cases include the following:
C-level decision-making around RPA
Customer service: RPA can improve customer service by automating
What to look for in RPA software
contact center tasks, including verifying e-signatures, uploading scanned
Where the RPA market is heading
documents and verifying information for automatic approvals or rejections.
Further reading
In addition to standardizing and speeding up rote tasks, RPA frees up agents

Page 13 of 32
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to focus on solving customer problems and strengthening brand

In this e-guide
relationships.
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know
Finance and accounting: Finance and accounting processes that lend
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used themselves to RPA include procure to pay, accounts receivable, general
by businesses?
accounting, tax accounting and compliance, financial planning and reporting.
How is RPA different from Gartner predicted that by 2020, 88% of corporate controllers will use RPA.
automation?
Read this article on the benefits of using RPA in finance for more examples.
Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA Human resources: HR tasks being automated by RPA include payroll, time
2.0?
and attendance management, onboarding and offboarding, compliance and
What business processes are
automated by RPA?
recruiting new hires.

What is RPA used for?

IT management and services: Examples of how RPA can be applied to IT
What are the benefits of RPA? include automating software audits, managing source-code control, handling
What are the risks of RPA? Why do incident resolutions such as password resets and server restarts, and
RPA projects fail?
optimizing email notifications.
What companies and industries use
RPA?
Supply chain management: RPA can be used for procurement, automating
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost?
order processing and payments, monitoring inventory levels and tracking
shipments.
C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 14 of 32
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In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

What are the benefits of RPA?
Know

What is robotic process automation

Hard data on the benefits -- as well as drawbacks -- of RPA by industry not
(RPA) technology, and how is it used only varies from study to study but also is often contradictory. In a fast-
by businesses?
moving market where the research is colored by vendor interest, the
How is RPA different from
automation? absence of agreed-upon statistics is perhaps not surprising.
Three different types of RPA
The following benefits are widely cited by companies that have deployed
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
RPA:

What business processes are

automated by RPA?
• Accuracy: Set up correctly, bots complete the process the same way
every time and don't get fatigued, reducing error rates and
What is RPA used for?
inconsistency.
What are the benefits of RPA? • Compliance: RPA tracks bot performance and stores the data for
What are the risks of RPA? Why do auditing compliance with regulatory and governance requirements. It
RPA projects fail? also reduces human interaction with sensitive data, reducing the
What companies and industries use potential for fraud.
RPA? • Cost savings: Job loss due to automation is a sensitive topic, and
RPA software: Who are the vendors? companies are circumspect about using RPA to eliminate jobs,
What is the cost? preferring instead to tout the revenue and business benefits
C-level decision-making around RPA generated by a 24/7 bot operation with no downtime. Companies that
hire seasonal workers for data transcription work, such as retailers
What to look for in RPA software
during the holidays and accounting firms during tax time, have
Where the RPA market is heading reported that RPA has allowed them to handle peak times with far
Further reading fewer seasonal hires.

Page 15 of 32
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• Employee productivity and morale: Automation of repetitive, mind-

In this e-guide
numbing tasks allows employees to be more productive and frees
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to them up for higher-value work.
Know
• Digital transformation: Using RPA, companies can automate parts of
What is robotic process automation processes without making changes to legacy systems or investing in
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses? costly and time-consuming back-end integration with existing
systems, allowing them to move forward on digital transformation.
How is RPA different from
automation?
For firsthand accounts of the benefit RPA is providing companies, check out
Three different types of RPA
this panel discussion with executives at TTI, Suncor Energy and Keppel
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0? Corp. on how to succeed with RPA. One tip: It's important to get a few quick,
What business processes are easy wins.
automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 16 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Know

What is robotic process automation

(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?

How is RPA different from

automation?

Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?

What business processes are

automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 17 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

What are the risks of RPA? Why do RPA projects
Know
fail?
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
EY, a provider of RPA services, reported that as many as 30% to 50% of
initial RPA projects fail.
How is RPA different from
automation?
One common mistake companies make, according to the study, is assuming
Three different types of RPA
that RPA is an IT project. Because RPA mimics how humans complete the
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0? various tasks associated with a business process, it is important that RPA
What business processes are
implementations be driven by the subject matter experts and employees
automated by RPA? who understand the steps of the as-is process and have informed opinions
What is RPA used for? about how it could be improved with automation.
What are the benefits of RPA?
Underestimating human capital, implementation failure
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? That said, it is critical IT be involved in full-scale RPA deployments.
What companies and industries use
Companies often underestimate the IT expertise and infrastructure required
RPA? to maintain and fine-tune the RPA bots. While it's the case that most
RPA software: Who are the vendors? business users can automate a simple process themselves using the drag
What is the cost?
and drop menus RPA vendors typically provide, launching and maintaining a
C-level decision-making around RPA
full-scale enterprise RPA implementation requires administrative and IT
What to look for in RPA software oversight.
Where the RPA market is heading
Indeed, the ease of getting RPA up and running -- one of the automaton
Further reading
tool's big selling points -- is also a major risk and can result in bots run

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amuck. Simply automating the work flows of employees who are not doing
In this e-guide
the task correctly, or each doing it in a different way, is bad practice,
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know explained Bob De Caux, vice president of AI and RPA at enterprise software
What is robotic process automation
provider IFS, in his primer on the benefits and downsides of RPA. Without a
(RPA) technology, and how is it used strong governance plan for RPA bots, companies can end up with a
by businesses?
hodgepodge of redundant bots instead of the end-to-end process
How is RPA different from
automation? automation that brings measurable economic impact.
Three different types of RPA
Security risks
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
RPA also introduces security risks, but not the ones you might expect.
Saurabh Gupta, chief research officer with HFS Research Ltd., and Martin
What business processes are
automated by RPA? Sokalski, principal in KPMG's Emerging Technology Risk services division,
What is RPA used for? explained in an in-depth interview on security risks and remedies that big
What are the benefits of RPA?
data breaches have not thus far been seen in RPA implementations. They
said that's in large part because the technology works as a top layer and is
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? not integrated into the under layers where the data is. However, RPA
What companies and industries use security risks do exist: They include fraud, inappropriate access to sensitive
RPA?
data, being able to affect system availability and continuity, and abuse of
RPA software: Who are the vendors? administration privileges. "Data privacy can be in that bucket as well,"
What is the cost?
Sokalski said.
C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 19 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Know

What is robotic process automation

(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?

How is RPA different from

automation?

Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?

What business processes are

automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 20 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

What companies and industries use RPA?
Know

What is robotic process automation

Industries that are computer-dependent and have large volumes of rules-
(RPA) technology, and how is it used based processes currently handled by full-time employees stand the most to
by businesses?
gain from RPA. The finance sector led the way in RPA adoption, followed
How is RPA different from
automation? quickly by insurance, government, manufacturing, retail and utilities. Click on
Three different types of RPA
the hyperlinks below to get the details on how companies are using RPA:

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?
Banks and insurance providers were among the first to see the value in
using RPA for automating data transcription tasks. Read about how
What business processes are
automated by RPA? executives at John Hancock and Citizens Group are using RPA to automate
What is RPA used for? business processes here.
What are the benefits of RPA?
Government: Federal agencies are under mandate to modernize their
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
operations, including automating the manual processing of data and
documents. The Trump administration's 2020 budget calls on agencies to
What companies and industries use
RPA? upgrade the consumer experience with RPA.
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost? Healthcare: Use cases for RPA in healthcare range from handling patient
C-level decision-making around RPA records and claims to customer support, account management, billing,
What to look for in RPA software
reporting and analytics. A.J Hanna, former head of Ascension Health
Alliance's digitization strategy and now an executive at RPA vendor
Where the RPA market is heading
Symphony Ventures, lays out the potential benefits of RPA in healthcare in
Further reading
this interview.

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Manufacturing: Shibaji Das, global director of finance and accounting and

In this e-guide
supply chain management for UiPath, discusses the role of RPA in
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know manufacturing and how it can help improve efficiency in organizations.
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used Retail: Read about how UK retail group John Lewis Partnership has
by businesses?
automated 40 business processes using 60 software robots with
How is RPA different from technology from Blue Prism.
automation?

Three different types of RPA Utilities (electricity oil, gas, etc.) use RPA for accounts and billing, meter-
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA reading exceptions, customer service queries and debt recovery. Read
2.0?
about Schneider Electric's ambitious, multivendor rollout of RPA in its
What business processes are
automated by RPA?
customer care, finance, HR and supply chain divisions.

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 22 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Know

What is robotic process automation

(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?

How is RPA different from

automation?

Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?

What business processes are

automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 23 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

RPA software: Who are the vendors? What is the
Know
cost?
What is robotic process automation
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
Below is a brief description of the three leading enterprise RPA vendors --
Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism and UiPath -- along with a select group of
How is RPA different from
automation? up-and-coming and niche players. For more information on RPA vendors,
Three different types of RPA including pricing and licensing information, click on "Consider these 12 RPA
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
software vendors for deployment."
2.0?

What business processes are

• Automation Anywhere provides a "wide array of integration
automated by RPA? components that users can string together to create automation
What is RPA used for?
scripts," according to Gartner, as well as a well-developed partner
ecosystem. Recent updates include a mobile phone app for managing
What are the benefits of RPA?
bots and more ability to automate unstructured data.
What are the risks of RPA? Why do • Blue Prism focuses on providing organizations in regulated industries,
RPA projects fail?
in particular financial services, desktop-aligned robots that are
What companies and industries use defined and managed centrally. The publicly traded company
RPA?
maintains its focus on IT-led enterprise deployments and has a strong
RPA software: Who are the vendors? innovation road map, according to Forrester Research. This includes
What is the cost?
its Blue Prisms Lab, an AI lab "targeting document-centric use cases,
C-level decision-making around RPA computer vision and attended [aka assisted RPA] scenarios."
What to look for in RPA software • UiPath offers a "well-structured partner ecosystem … that enables it
to support integrations with major products and applications covering
Where the RPA market is heading
BPM, process mining and AI," according to Gartner. Its new "AI
Further reading integration fabric" is touted as adding the cognitive power of AI to

Page 24 of 32
 E-guide

software automated by RPA. Developers looking for a Windows-

In this e-guide
oriented environment "will be comfortable," according to Forrester
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to Research.
Know
• EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of business process
What is robotic process automation outsourcing (BPO) vendor Infosys Limited, is an example of how the
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
BPO industry -- thought to be a casualty of RPA -- has become a
major user of the technology. Forrester Research noted that
How is RPA different from
automation? EdgeVerve "blends services expertise with platform features." The
product includes frameworks for an automation center of excellence,
Three different types of RPA
governance and process discovery as part of an overarching vision
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA for converging AI and automation, the consultancy said.
2.0?
• HelpSystems enables companies to streamline IT and business
What business processes are operations by automating tasks and workflows without the need to
automated by RPA?
write code.
What is RPA used for? • NICE established an RPA line of business in 2016. The product
What are the benefits of RPA? focuses on enterprise-grade implementations and, according to
Forrester, includes both attended and unattended RPA workloads.
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? Specialized attended bots "augment [NICE's] workforce management
functionality across a range of vertical industries, including finance,
What companies and industries use
RPA? banking, telecom and manufacturing," Gartner said. Customers are
attracted to the vendor's expertise in using RPA to automate contact
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost? centers.
• Softomotive, which recently moved its headquarters from Greece to
C-level decision-making around RPA
the U.K., historically has focused on the small to midsize sector,
What to look for in RPA software Gartner noted, and aims to be a market leader in the midmarket
Where the RPA market is heading segment, as well as help large enterprises speed up deployment of
Further reading
RPA. Forrester Research deemed this user-friendly product a

Page 25 of 32
 E-guide

contender for individuals and companies that want to start small and
In this e-guide
see immediate ROI.
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to • WorkFusion combines robotics, AI-powered cognitive automation and
Know
workforce orchestration to automate enterprise business processes.
What is robotic process automation Forrester Research noted its strength in AI, stating that the vendor
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
"continues to have the strongest embedded ML [machine learning]
and insight for how AI can enhance RPA beyond task automation."
How is RPA different from
automation?

Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

C-level decision-making around RPA
2.0?

What business processes are

Buoyed by high RPA adoption rates, more than 3 million attended and
automated by RPA? unattended bots will be running in enterprises in 2020, according to a
What is RPA used for? September 2019 report from the Everest Group. As companies increase
What are the benefits of RPA? investments in RPA, however, lack of leadership and IT expertise threaten to
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
undermine the benefits of RPA and magnify its drawbacks, the report
RPA projects fail? stressed. (See chart: "Five RPA pain points C-level leadership needs to
What companies and industries use address")
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors? To capitalize on RPA, strong C-level leadership is required to ensure that
What is the cost?
business outcomes are achieved, new governance policies are met, and the
C-level decision-making around RPA
people whose jobs have changed due to RPA are trained to take on new
What to look for in RPA software responsibilities (See section "What are the risks of RPA? Why do RPA
Where the RPA market is heading projects fail?")
Further reading

Page 26 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to

Know

What is robotic process automation

(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?

How is RPA different from

automation?

Three different types of RPA

The evolution of RPA: What is RPA

2.0?

What business processes are

automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

What are the risks of RPA? Why do

RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost?

C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 27 of 32
 E-guide

To take RPA use cases to the next level, experts recommend companies
In this e-guide
establish an automation center of excellence, or control center. "From this
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know center, administrators are provided with the operational agility to properly
What is robotic process automation
launch, maintain and upgrade their RPA systems," explained Fersht and
(RPA) technology, and how is it used Brain. An enterprise center of excellence (CoE) team often includes C-level
by businesses?
"champions," change management experts, solution architects, business
How is RPA different from
automation? analysts, software developers, engineers and support staff. But CoEs can
Three different types of RPA
also "crumble under their own weight," warned Gina Schaefer, managing
director and intelligent automation leader at Deloitte Consulting LLP. A
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0? detailed look at how C-level execs can direct and support RPA projects is
What business processes are laid out in this expert tip on RPA guidance for C-level decision makers.
automated by RPA?

What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA? What to look for in RPA software
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? Enterprise leaders should consider a number of features when vetting RPA
What companies and industries use software, including the following:
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors? • Scalability: Organizations should look for RPA platforms that can be
What is the cost? centrally managed and scale massively.
C-level decision-making around RPA • Speed: Enterprises should be able to design and test new robotic
processes in a few hours or less, as well as optimize the bots to work
What to look for in RPA software
quickly.
Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 28 of 32
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• Reliability: As companies launch robots to automate hundreds or even

In this e-guide
thousands of tasks, they should look for tools with built-in monitoring
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to and analytics that enable them to monitor the health of their systems.
Know
• Simplicity: Organizations should look for products that are simple
What is robotic process automation enough that any employee in the business can build and use them to
(RPA) technology, and how is it used
by businesses?
handle various kinds of work, including collecting data and turning
content into information that enables leaders to make the best
How is RPA different from
automation? business decisions.
• Intelligence: The best RPA tools can support simple task-based
Three different types of RPA
activities, read and write to any data source, and take advantage of
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA more advanced learning to further improve automation. RPA
2.0?
combined with AI capabilities is still a developing field. Read more
What business processes are about intelligent process automation in this expert tip.
automated by RPA?
• Enterprise-class: Companies should look for tools that are built from
What is RPA used for? the ground up for enterprise-grade scalability, reliability and
What are the benefits of RPA? manageability.
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use Where the RPA market is heading
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors? The RPA market is a fast-moving target, propelled in part by the large
What is the cost?
amounts of venture capital pouring into this field. Gartner's July 2019 Magic
C-level decision-making around RPA
Quadrant on RPA calculated that the "Big Three" RPA vendors --
What to look for in RPA software Automation Anywhere Inc., Blue Prism and UiPath -- have a combined
Where the RPA market is heading market value of $11 billion. The consultancy also expects to see more mega-
Further reading vendors get into the RPA market through acquisitions; more vendors from

Page 29 of 32
 E-guide

"adjacent product sectors," such as intelligent business process

In this e-guide
management suites and low-code application platforms, enter the RPA
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know market; and more BPO vendors to develop RPA offerings. "With this level of
What is robotic process automation
volatility in the vendor landscape, buyers should be wary of committing to
(RPA) technology, and how is it used long-term sales contracts," Gartner warned.
by businesses?

How is RPA different from As the Gartner report also noted, the RPA market is complicated due to the
automation?
"diverse range of vendors, each with different histories and approaches."
Three different types of RPA
Making matters more confusing, RPA vendors often define the salient
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0?
features of RPA differently, for example, whether the term bot refers to the
script itself or the software that runs the script. Vendor claims need to be
What business processes are
automated by RPA? vetted carefully.
What is RPA used for?
The torrid growth of RPA spending shows no signs of cooling in the
What are the benefits of RPA?
immediate future, but questions about the longevity of the RPA market are
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail?
beginning to surface. BPM vendor Pegasystems, for example, has argued
that the value of a technology that automates rules-based, existing
What companies and industries use
RPA? processes will hit a wall in an era when businesses must transform their
RPA software: Who are the vendors? business models and underlying processes in order to succeed. This
What is the cost?
assumes, however, that RPA technology will stop evolving -- counter to
C-level decision-making around RPA prevailing views on RPA.
What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 30 of 32
 E-guide

RPA services market

In this e-guide
Forrester Research's view about RPA's future growth is more typical: In its
What Is RPA? Everything You Need to
Know July 2019 report on the explosion of the RPA services market, the
What is robotic process automation
consultancy stated that RPA's hypergrowth should continue as the
(RPA) technology, and how is it used technology is integrated with machine learning tools that can handle
by businesses?
process exceptions, with chatbots that serve customers and with text
How is RPA different from
automation? analytics that make unstructured data actionable. But accompanying the
Three different types of RPA
anticipated growth in RPA software and services are some worrisome signs,
Forrester warned: A 3.4 to 1 ratio of spending on RPA professional services
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA
2.0? to spending on RPA software licenses points to the difficulty businesses
What business processes are have in implementing RPA and to "poorly packaged software requiring
automated by RPA?
customization."
What is RPA used for?

What are the benefits of RPA?

That ratio of services to software spending is expected to come down, as
more vendors offer RPA as a service. RPA as a service will also broaden the
What are the risks of RPA? Why do
RPA projects fail? market by making the technology affordable to smaller businesses through
What companies and industries use subscription pricing.
RPA?

RPA software: Who are the vendors?

What is the cost? Next Article
C-level decision-making around RPA

What to look for in RPA software

Where the RPA market is heading

Further reading

Page 31 of 32
 E-guide

In this e-guide

What Is RPA? Everything You Need to About IoTAgenda

Know

What is robotic process automation IoT Agenda covers all aspects of Internet of Things technology and strategy
(RPA) technology, and how is it used as it relates to enterprise IT, including the technologies that enhance and
by businesses?
enable internal business processes, and the resulting IoT products
How is RPA different from themselves -- the "things" that the business produces.
automation?

Three different types of RPA Our coverage from award-winning editors and leading industry experts
The evolution of RPA: What is RPA readies businesses looking to deploy monitors in the field, embed sensors to
2.0? help them improve products, manage their inventories and supply chains,
What business processes are and distribute intelligence to improve their work environments and
automated by RPA? production floors.
What is RPA used for?
This is new territory, and IT and business professionals need expert
What are the benefits of RPA?
assistance to make the leap. IoT Agenda is the leading site focused on the
What are the risks of RPA? Why do needs of enterprises grappling with IoT.
RPA projects fail?

What companies and industries use

RPA?
For further reading, visit us at
RPA software: Who are the vendors?
What is the cost? https://InternetofThingsAgenda.com
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