Surfing the next wave of digital transformation

The robot revolution is ushering in a new era of efficiency, speed and accuracy, and is freeing human workers from the burdens of tedious, repetitive work.

The transformative new technology which makes workplace automation possible is known as robotic process automation (RPA). This provides the software, algorithms and analysis of processes which enable the automation of business tasks to go ahead.

RPA is a huge growth area. A range of new techniques in machine-learning and artificial intelligence, combined with advances in robotic technology, have created a shift in attitudes towards automated working. Businesses are looking to work with experts in the field of RPA to get the most out of the new science of automation and boost the efficiency of their operations. Tricentis RPA offers organisations high-value, business-friendly programmes to help them on their automation journey.

An industry leader in software test automation, Tricentis helps leading companies such as HBO, Whole Foods, Toyota, Allianz, BMW, Starbucks, Orange and UBS achieve high test automation rates. Tricentis is applying this expertise in software testing to the RPA revolution. This will help drive the automation revolution among major organisations and companies.

For most businesses, the journey to automating simple but essential repetitive tasks will be a defining factor in their profitability and efficiency in years to come.

Most organisations still rely on routine processes where employees manually manipulate data or perform repetitive IT tasks. These activities require no judgment on the part of the employees and create little extra value for the business. Examples include document audit trails, manual calculations and operations that trigger activities in other parts of the organisation. Such processes have escaped automation, partly because these traditional ways of working are deeply embedded into business culture. Furthermore, the costs of integrating new systems needed to change working practices have always been thought too high.

But the time is ripe for automation. The costs of automated systems have come crashing down with improvements in computing power. The advances in technology are delivering huge increases in efficiency. The Institute for Robotic Process Automation estimates that RPA can deliver potential savings on labour costs of between 25 and 40 per cent.

Tricentis RPA offers organisations high-value, business-friendly programmes to help them on their automation journey

Many businesses are looking to cut labour costs by reducing headcount. However, they are failing to pay attention to improving business outcomes. The beauty of RPA is that it both frees up employees to carry out more interesting and rewarding work, while also ensuring that the processes are carried out efficiently and accurately.

Robots typically have lower error rates than humans and their work does not need redoing. They operate 24 hours a day, all week long and leave a log of their activities. This gives transparency and makes the work process easy to monitor.

Another attractive feature of implementing an RPA programme is the effects are often visible on the bottom line within three months. Implementation is simple and leads to little disturbance to existing systems. A further benefit is automation can be introduced gradually, with minimal disruption. There is no need to automate all the processes and systems at once. RPA allows businesses to automate one step at a time.

Business users familiar with Tricentis Tosca automated software testing will already understand how to work with the RPA tasks. These can be triggered on demand or automatically, using a variety of possible trigger events. The business can monitor the process status through messages detailing progress, the execution state and the outcome.

Tricentis RPA is engineered to help users take advantage of the vast potential of RPA. It will be an invaluable aid to businesses as they move beyond IT automation towards business process optimisation. In the process, Tricentis RPA is helping businesses to surf the next wave of digital transformation.