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Process Automation

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Table of Contents

Process automation speeds up or simplifies manual activities, making the output more accessible to users. Typically, automation reduces the need for human thought or labor while executing a task. Automated actions react promptly to a previous action. Automatic elements in technology have been programmed so that actions activate other related activities.

What Is Process Automation?

Technology is used in process automation to automate complicated corporate operations. It generally serves three purposes: automating operations, centralizing information, and eliminating the need for human input. It is intended to eliminate bottlenecks, decrease mistakes and data loss, and increase transparency, collaboration between departments, and processing speed.

Consider a vehicle wash. The completely automated procedure looks something like this:

  • The consumer chooses the sort of wash they desire.
  • The system requests that the consumer pay.
  • Customer payment is taken.
  • Approves purchase and directs customers to the carwash.
  • Using a sensor, it determines whether the automobile is in the proper position and urges the driver to stop.
  • A variety of sensors are used to determine the height and size of the vehicle.
  • Executes a pre-selected and paid programme. This covers several elements like rinsing, cleaning with soap and brushes, applying wax, and blow-drying the automobile.
  • When finished, the customer leaves the carwash.

 

While a fairly simple automation, this procedure is one that most people are acquainted with. It effortlessly merges a digital transaction and customer input and converts it into a mechanical series of automations utilizing software, hardware, and communication to an accounting system.

Process automation streamlines a system by eliminating human inputs, which reduces mistakes, enhances delivery speed, improves quality, reduces costs, and simplifies the business process. It combines software, people, and procedures to produce a fully automated workflow.

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History Of Process Automation

The Antikythera mechanism was a device used to estimate the locations of celestial bodies mathematically. The machine, known as the first analogue computer, conducted astronomical computations without requiring the prior degree of human attention (writing or drawing predictions, for example).

Gutenberg created the printing press in the 15th century, which mechanized the book creation process. Previously, scribes would meticulously copy pages by hand. People didn’t have to hand-copy all books when they used the printing press since the machine put ink to the paper. Because books were now more readily available, their prices fell, making them more broadly available.

Machines from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, such as the cotton gin, also made laborious manual jobs easier. Cotton gin extracted seeds from cotton fibers. Stream engines of all kinds powered businesses, mills and machines such as trains and factory equipment. 

During the Industrial Revolution, factory automation put employees in peril. Many manufacturing workers were wounded by equipment because there were no good techniques to halt out-of-control machines. Automation has helped to safeguard individuals in recent decades by completely disconnecting them from unsafe gear. In dangerous settings, for example, software- and robot-controlled assembly line procedures can replace human labor.

Applications Of Process Automation

Invoicing, sales orders, financial reconciliation, data input, system inquiries, payroll, employee or vendor onboarding, and staff terminations are all common activities that may be automated.

In a service organization, for example, process automation might be quite advantageous. They may begin by looking for a present process that has bottlenecks, is prone to mistakes, or has system gaps. For example, a refrigeration repair firm that wants to automate their service sheet process would look something like this:

  • A phone call is received from a consumer. Details are recorded, and a job is manually entered into a work system.
  • An engineer returns to base and picks up a tangible piece of paper with the details written on it.
  • The engineer arrives on the project and records the parts used, the time it took, the distance traveled, and any other pertinent information on the task sheet.
  • The engineer retires for the day. They return to the office the next day and drop off their documents.
  • The administrative crew prepares paperwork by hand, maintains the system, orders components as needed, and charges mileage and consumables.
  • If the task is completed, the instance on the invoicing system is closed and the invoice is issued to the client. If parts are in order or the work needs a significant amount of labor, this cycle can go on indefinitely.

There are several points in the process when information might be lost, deadlines missed, papers left on site, or any other error can occur. Process automation takes away all of the opportunity for variance and problems. 

Engineers may enter and receive data electronically thanks to the incorporation of gear such as smart phones. Actual mileage may be gathered from daily use and automatically applied to the task using fleet monitoring systems.

In this, software plays a significant role. For example, the engineer entering what parts they used may set off an automated alert to purchase extra sensors or a certain type of wire, or it may even send an alert straight to the supplier. There is no need for manual purchase order approval because the process is totally automated and created by the system. Once the job is completed, the information is already in the system, saving data entry and mistakes in the office.

These process automations can occur in any business and for any activity with several phases. Consider business operations that are repetitive and prone to delays, such as loan processing and approvals, customer service, and approval management.

Implementing Process Automation

Every company is unique, but the five fundamental processes stay the same.

  • Identify Automatable Tasks and Processes

Not every work is amenable to automation. However, there are certain quick wins where some procedures can be quickly automated using current technologies. Consider the following duties inside an organization:

  • Are they repeated?
  • Are they time-sensitive?
  • Include a variety of individuals and objects.
  • Auditing or compliance trails are required.
  • Influence other business processes and systems
  • Are they rule-based and standardized?
  • Have a great potential for return on investment

  • Establish Organizational Goals

Changes may not result in positive, long-term transformation unless you have a clear vision of where you want to go. The organization must determine its goals and how automation will help it accomplish them. It’s also critical to consider how success will be measured: fewer customer complaints, a shorter turnaround time, or an increase in profitability?

  1. Select the Appropriate Tools

This is where research comes into play in order to uncover the finest answers. This might benefit from the involvement of specialists who have created successful process automation systems in the past. The ideal system is straightforward and easy to use, with intuitive interfaces and excellent usability. It should be scalable, allowing room for future expansion and modification within the business. It should also be able to interface with other programmes and integrate with current software and tools. It should also include a data management system.

  • Management of Change

This is likely the most crucial stage in implementing the new automation. Obtaining staff buy-in and teaching employees on how to use the software helps to guarantee that it is used successfully and with a good attitude.

Involving the team in the planning phase, obtaining open-ended input from both sides, and continuous education all contribute to a seamless transition to the new procedure.

  • Measure and monitor

Our new method and the technologies we’re using aren’t meant to be static, therefore we’ll be measuring and monitoring them as we go. As the demands of the business evolve, so should the system. Monitor key performance indicators on a regular basis, and if performance deteriorates, examine the process and re-evaluate critical system demands.

Process Automation Versus Robotic Process Automation

These two names are sometimes used interchangeably. However, there are some significant distinctions and similarities between robotic process automation (RPA) and process automation. They share the ability to automate corporate operations, but that is where the similarities end.

Traditional process automation has many more applications and connections. It encompasses the utilization of machinery to do tasks, as well as software, data and storage systems, and integration operations. However, robotic process automation focuses on front-end operations and mimics labor in a manner similar to that of a person.

Process automation frequently necessitates a significant amount of input from IT experts and developers, whereas robotic process automation employs robots that can be trained or are self-trained. RPA is commonly used in IT services such as email responses, data extraction, and other fundamental system tasks that a human would otherwise perform. 

Business process automation encompasses a wide range of activities, including:

  • Organizing and collecting data files
  • Automating routine activities
  • Data sources and services must be linked and integrated.

Process Automation In Business

Though process automation is a wide term that may relate to any form of streamlining, it is most commonly associated with business process automation, or BPA. Among the business technologies that automate common company processes are:

  • Project management software that digitizes and monitors all project processes, establishes clear expectations for team members, and streamlines paperwork.
  • Office productivity software, which not only comprises task-completion programmes but also frequently integrates with other software.
  • Accounting software that converts previously laborious calculations into a programme. Even the most basic spreadsheet software automates equations by instantly calculating values and modifying cells in response to other changes.
  • Human resources software that automates the storage of personnel data, job application forms, organizational charts, billing information, and benefits data.

Process Automation In Tech Focused Enterprise

Storage automation offloads repetitive, time-consuming storage management chores from IT workers to software, which may preconfigure and deploy storage devices as well as automatically move storage to the most efficient place. Data centers require adaptable storage solutions, and the more storage that software can manage, the more resources a business has to tackle other IT operations.

Intelligent software is used in data analytics to detect and evaluate trends in company data. Businesses may make faster judgments by using this context.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are two of the most important process automation applications in current technology. In general, artificial intelligence educates computers to make human-like observations and conclusions. Similarly, machine learning teaches computers to recognise patterns, generally in pictures, and progressively develops the capacity to make intelligent decisions, such as optimizing workload and storage transfer in data centers. AI and machine learning help corporate applications such as sending emails to prospective customers and informing staff of responsibilities.

The transition to software-defined data centers and software-defined storage demonstrates the need for automation. Software-defined infrastructures use programmes rather than hardware to control technological resources such as computing, networking, and data storage.

Security is primarily reliant on automation. When attempting to hack a computer system, device, or network, attackers frequently have the upper hand. Automated systems sift through computer and network data, looking for abnormalities that might indicate the presence or work of an attacker. Intelligence is used by platforms such as endpoint detection and response and intrusion detection and prevention systems to monitor and prevent attacks and data theft.

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Benefits Of Process Automation

With such a customized, all-encompassing solution, process automation should provide a slew of benefits to any firm that deploys it appropriately.

Management Transparency

The minutiae of operating the company can soon become all that management observes; the larger strategy and process can become buried in the detail of running the organization. Sitting down, reviewing process processes, and applying process automation enables business leaders to properly see and understand their operations. Clearly defined systems enable deeper insights into the business and the prospect of future upgrades.

Increase Productivity

Business process automation remains the key to increasing organizational productivity. RPA alone has increased corporate productivity by 86 percent. Removing bottlenecks, offloading manual, time-consuming processes from employees, and smoothly integrating everything into a single automated workflow boosts company productivity substantially.

Boost Compliance

Process automation solutions improve compliance, whether with internal policies and standards or with external regulatory bodies and agencies. Because all processes occur automatically, there are no shortcuts, missing steps, or forgotten steps in a process. If a company is concerned about governance, risk, or compliance, process automation should be an important component of their daily operations.

Reduce Your Spending

One of the most appealing advantages of process automation is cost savings. Businesses have reported a 59 percent decrease in costs, allowing them to generate more cash, reinvest in the firm, or develop. According to reports, the return on investment was obtained in less than a year.

This is attributable to a variety of reasons, including: 

  • Accelerated processing
  • There are fewer bottlenecks and delays.
  • There are fewer mistakes.
  • Freeing up time for employees to work on other projects

Improved Staff Utilization

Staff are not being used to their maximum ability because they are occupied with tiresome, repetitive activities. Staff will be more happy if these activities are removed and employees are assigned to more valuable and exciting portions of the organization, increasing favorable business results.

Errors are reduced

Errors may be disruptive and cause issues in the workplace. While having an inaccurate order or address is a problem that may be remedied, it takes up important time. If those issues begin to influence consumers, it may have a negative impact on the overall firm, lead to churn, and create additional work for employees in the long run. Automation implies that there is considerably less room for error.

Challenges Of Process Automation

Automation, like any other process or programme, has a variety of problems.

Scaling Is Difficult

This issue may be broken down into many relevant factors:

  • Employees’ resistance to adoption
  • Tools’ limitations (such as not handling unstructured data)
  • Process variations or unforeseen complexity
  • Management’s lack of strategic direction
  • Changes in interfaces or breakdowns in automation

Because of these obstacles, many organizations have not adopted process automation.

Solution: Many difficulties are solved if the research process is performed appropriately and the new system is well-accepted by the workforce. However, due to the changing nature of business and software, the system must be reviewed for issues on a regular basis and upgraded as needed. To guarantee that procedures do not break down, automated software testing should be conducted and regular oversight from senior IT or management is needed to keep processes in place or advise when upgrades or changes need to be made. 

Errors in implementation

Breaking down all of the phases of a process is one of the most crucial tasks in designing a process automation. While ‘give file to Sarah’ may be a step in the process, it is possible that there are numerous phases in that section of the procedure. Is the file then cleaned of irrelevant documents? Is that when the employee puts the file number manually into the system? The system will not function if any stages are skipped.

Solution: Each minor incremental step in the process must be broken down during the research phase. There can be no ambiguity or assumptions; the procedure must be extremely precise.

Attempting to Implement Everything All at Once

Attempting to revamp a big system all at once will fail. It necessitates the training of all employees at the same time, the availability of all software and hardware, and the potential for employee misunderstanding, disillusionment, and pushback.

Solution: Focus on one task at a time. It can even be a minor component of the process; for example, if a business is updating its accounts payable process, begin by automating the statements before going on to debt collection. This enables minor, gradual adjustments, improved training, and increased chances of success. Complex corporate procedures and more dynamic solutions are more likely to succeed if modest jobs are accomplished.

There is no goal management

Goals and key performance indicators established at the outset of the project are frequently abandoned. Checking up on those procedures and ensuring continuing goal attainment becomes a duty that may be neglected or disregarded once the system is up and operating. However, this is the point at which procedures become un-automated. When an employee learns a step has been skipped, he or she decides to manually step in each day to finish a function. Or the job grows so sluggish that a two-day procedure slips and becomes a five-day one.

Solution: The system must be monitored and managed on an ongoing basis. It is probable that the system may need to modify or adapt after it is deployed; being open to the dynamic nature of the business is essential for success.

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