Misconceptions and the Realities of Robotic Process Automation 

For many organizations across government sectors, digitization has turned into a “must-have.” In the newly released Automation Now & Next report, based on a survey of 1,000 leading organizations, nearly all participants (95%) now view automation as a critical part of their strategic initiatives. Through robotic process automation, organizational policies are sped up and streamlined to allow staff to concentrate on assignments of maximum priority. 

Even though RPA has become more popular among organizations in recent years, some skeptics still have incorrect ideas about what it is and what it can accomplish. This article will address the most common myths, along with each one’s present state of reality.

Misconception #1: RPA Is Only Applicable to Document-Heavy Processes

When speaking with CIOs, we frequently encounter this misconception. And it all began based on what, back then—15 years or more ago—existing systems could or could not accomplish. The major problem was that spreadsheets, PDFs, and other varieties of documents could not be analyzed by the solutions available at the time.

Then Robotic Process Automation (RPA) entered the picture, and without realizing its true potential, many believed this was expressly created for document-heavy processing. Due to such misconceptions, robotic process automation tools may have fallen victim to stereotyping.

Early automation of rule-based procedures, such as data extraction from workbooks, had limited application early on.  Today, current RPA technologies have radically changed the way organizations operate. Because the transformation is simpler now, a non-technical individual can automate processes without the aid of specialists.

In recent years, RPA is becoming more intelligent. Intelligent automation, or intelligent RPA, is when the capabilities of computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) combine with RPA to automate a wide range of processes, both basic and complicated. It raises the bar for automation. With intelligent RPA, organizations can automate almost any front- or back-office function.

Misconception #2: RPA Promotes Bad Processes by Automating Them

Consider a finance department that is awaiting a significant ERP rollout. They currently have several gaps, and they are filling those discrepancies using Excel alternatives. The finance team is informed by the IT division that, once the ERP program is implemented, all templates will be eliminated. When? Two years hence. So what occurs in the interim? The finance department is drowning in bad spreadsheet procedures. With these two factors added, meeting expectations becomes difficult. 

Until ERP digitization is implemented, robotic process automation tools can assist organizations in its place, giving them some breathing room. It has the ability to automate procedures based on the given documents, including worksheets.  And the implementation period can be much shorter—usually just a few weeks. In this instance, one is not using a harmful procedure but rather providing a stopgap measure until the long-term fix is ready. 

Even during ERP implementations, RPA has shown to be a tremendous help because it makes automating ERP workflows much simpler than using the workflow options provided by the ERP. Moreover, modern RPA platforms often feature an agile development tool to help identify the finest, most eligible procedures to automate.

Misconception #3: The Citizen Development Model Is Against IT Best Practices

The popularity of citizen development is rising quickly. Many embrace the idea of citizen developers; and agree that educating citizen designers is the biggest priority to forge ahead on expanding automation throughout the organization. 

Citizen development is a concept that is occurring as a result of factors such as:

• The utilization of RPA technology is becoming simpler.
• The average user is growing more technological.
• IT departments are overburdened by a lack of qualified personnel and an excessive number of initiatives.

The concept of citizen development is enduring. It can also function without jeopardizing IT best practices. The key? You must have administration, disclosure, management, a division of responsibilities, and accountability in place in order to employ the appropriate technology in the right way. Let democratization begin after that. 

Misconception #4: Robotic Process Automation Will Take Away Jobs

Rather than replacing workers, RPA more effectively frees people from tedious, repetitive activities. Employees can concentrate on innovative and strategic tasks that call for human intelligence by using Digital Co-Workers. Employees may become more content with their jobs as a result, increasing productivity. RPA has also given rise to fresh opportunities. Organizations and agencies are looking for RPA developers, analysts, architects, engineers, and other professionals who can assist them in implementing and managing automation. 

Robotic Process Automation For Government Agencies

RPA technology has a lot to contribute to a range of government agencies, and we hope this piece has inspired you to take advantage of everything it has to contribute. For agency executives who are looking to consolidate their operations for increased agility and responsiveness, these misconceptions about RPA can create a lot of needless hassles. Robotic Process Automation is unquestionably a realistic alternative as you start looking for that “next edge” to stay current and effective in your field.

RPA adoption makes the most mundane and tedious tasks easier to accomplish while also strengthening IT infrastructures across different sectors of government. TechSur Solutions solves your problems with RPA technology to automate many repetitive tasks. Learn more about our enterprise RPA solutions and how dedicated we are to improving government operations.

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