RPA vs. BPA
RPA, or robotic process automation, is a process by which robots are programmed to perform simple tasks in the place of humans. Business process automation, or BPA, refers to the automation of a workflow to improve an organization’s efficiency. They are both automation techniques that can be used to complement one another. While they do sound quite similar, they vary in application.
Do I Need Both RPA & BPA?
There are some companies that can benefit from both forms of automation. This is because the two processes can work in unison to make a company more efficient and effective. RPA can be utilized in certain processes while BPA is an overarching process that affects the organization from top to bottom.
What Is Robotics Process Automation?
RPA is the process of handing over certain tasks to robots to perform to reduce the burden on an actual human employee. The robot communicates with systems and applications in the way that the human employee would and can do so repeatedly and without error. This process can benefit developers by removing the need for them to perform repetitive and time-consuming tasks.
RPA Uses
RPA can be used for an array of different tasks within a business or organization. Because RPA targets individual tasks with very few steps, these RPAs can be used throughout an organization and work in conjunction with one another. These include but are not limited to:
- Tutorial automation: Utilizing automation for tutorials can help you create interactive guides for users or simulate the actions users will take within a specific platform.
- Effective data input: RPA can be used to speed up the process of data entry from various files to a centralized database or even simple data organization.
- Responsive demos: With RPA, users can receive feedback while completing demos to ensure that they are using the software correctly and effectively.
Benefits of RPA
When you employ RPA for your organization or software, you will find that there are many benefits. These include:
- Expedited workflow: Automation ensures that your team is not wasting time on repetitive, simple tasks. By focusing manpower on more complex work, you can expedite your workflow overall.
- Error reduction: RPA reduces the amount of human input in a particular task. This means that every time that the automation is run, it is doing the work correctly and consistently.
- Cost reduction: Certain tasks, such as data entry or even customer service, can be time-consuming, and many business owners have to hire an additional team member just to complete those tasks. RPA negates this and ensures ultimate savings.
What Is Business Process Automation?
BPA utilizes software to automate tasks that require multiple steps, are more complex, and deal with various different systems. The goal of BPA is to create more efficient and effective business processes throughout an entire organization. As such, it is often very tailored to an organization’s specific needs.
BPA Uses
BPA can suit a number of processes in a business or organization. These can range from employee-facing to client-facing and can affect management, accounting, and many others. They include:
- Automating workflows that change frequently: By utilizing BPA to automate frequently changing workflows, you remove the risk of slowing work down when things change.
- Employee hiring & onboarding: Not only can BPA be used to filter through job applications and speed up the hiring process, but it can also be used to ensure that the new employee has a quick and effective onboarding process.
- Operations management: BPA can be used to oversee operations management and ensure that tasks are being completed efficiently and on time.
Benefits of BPA
While there are a number of benefits to BPA, RPA is traditionally a better selection for those who are in what Ranorex has to offer. This is because BPA is not ideal for automating single tasks as it requires a more detailed analysis of large-scale problems, unlike RPA.
- Comprehensive automation for the entire workflow: BPA is used to automate larger, more complex tasks, which means that you can focus on automation that impacts your entire workflow.
- More effective time management: By automating workflow, your team will be able to focus on other tasks that may require creativity or innovation. This means that your team will be utilizing their time more effectively.
- Minimized opportunity for error: Automation guarantees that whatever processes are being automated will not be subject to human error. This gives you peace of mind by reducing the number of tasks that require managerial oversight.
- More effective and consistent standardization: Standardization can be difficult on a team because some team members may feel that their way is better. By automating, you remove the opportunity for these variations and ensure complete standardization across the board.
Robotic Process Automation with Ranorex
At Ranorex, we understand the value of RPA for a work team. RPA can provide you with the additional support that your team needs to be more efficient while not compromising on quality or consistency.
How to Use Ranorex Studio for RPA
To create an RPA with Ranorex Studio, you can simply create a test case without adding a validation step. This will take the place of the bot. This test case will be organized in a test suite, which would take the place of a job.
The benefit of using Ranorex Studio for your RPAs is that you do not need to know how to code in order to use it. Ranorex Studio makes it easy for people with no coding experience to try RPA for themselves through our easy-to-use tools, setup wizards, and integrations.
Get Robust RPA with Ranorex
To get your team started with robotic process automation, download your free trial of Ranorex Studio today. We understand the benefits of RPA for a business or organization and can help your team achieve their automation goals.
