We’ve all been there: chores that need to be done, but that you never really feel like doing—mowing the lawn, weeding, doing the dishes, or, in my case, vacuuming. Fortunately, there are plenty of devices these days that can help us out. Think of dishwashers, robotic lawn mowers, and, for example, robotic vacuum cleaners. Each one is a little machine that supports us and makes these tedious chores a bit easier.
Just like in everyday life, we also encounter these kinds of “tedious tasks” at work—tasks that are often time-consuming, boring, and repetitive. With the advent of robotics (and, in the case of SAP, SAP Robotic Process Automation (RPA)), it’s now possible to develop robots that take over these tasks (at least in part). And that makes our work a lot more enjoyable. This way, you can use your valuable time more efficiently and focus on tasks that truly add value to the organization. In short: RPA takes the “robot” out of the human.
RPA Is Here to Stay
Is RPA worth the investment? What is the added value of RPA? Or will it have quietly faded away by next year? RPA is expected to gain even more momentum. SAP is enhancing its processes with various forms of artificial intelligence, including numerous RPA bots. Because of this, I don’t expect RPA to be just a passing fad. If you’d like to know which bots are already available, I invite you to check out the RPA store. There are already dozens of bots available there that you can start using today. The number of these bots will only continue to grow in the coming period.
RPA is “just” a recording tool
Within SAP, we are already familiar with LSMW and Batch Input Recordings, which allow you to quickly and automatically process large amounts of data in the SAP system.
The downside, however, is that processing that data is limited to the SAP system in which the LSMW or Batch Input Recordings were created. RPA extends this across various applications and systems.
Example: Before saving data in SAP, you want to verify that it is correct. A robot can quickly and accurately compare name, address, and contact information from Excel with data from the Municipal Personal Records Database (GBA) or the Chamber of Commerce (KVK). If the data is correct, it is automatically saved in SAP. The system can flag any discrepancies so that an accounts payable employee can review them. With RPA, you therefore have a much more comprehensive and intelligent tool at your disposal, which not only automates processes but also ensures the quality of your data.
The Added Value of RPA
- Fewer errors due to consistent data processing; data is stored uniformly, and the stored data is of high quality (e.g., no typos).
- Lower costs and better data quality; RPA (as described above) reduces errors during data entry within processes. This means less rework and better data quality.
- Time savings due to the short turnaround time of entire processes; after all, a robot can check, enter, and process data faster than a person can.
- Easier compliance; robots are better able to adhere to regulations and ensure audit trails, resulting in processes that are handled consistently and uniformly.
The Success of RPA
RPA can be highly successful. However, it’s always necessary to carefully assess whether processes are suitable for automation using RPA. As with so many applications, there are many ways to achieve the same goal. If you hate mowing the lawn, you can buy a robotic mower, but perhaps artificial turf is a better alternative.
The same goes for RPA—the saying “look before you leap” really applies here. Some user stories may be better suited for incorporating other techniques rather than RPA. For example, if you want to improve the quality of your accounts payable database, you could use RPA, but creating an interface with the GBA or KVK database might be a better alternative.
A simple interface is often easier to maintain and can be less expensive, since many organizations that use SAP have already set up the necessary infrastructure to support it.
Another point to consider is the fact that robots are very effective at handling standardized processes. Processes involving many exceptions are (so far) less suitable for RPA.
Going back to the earlier example of vacuuming, a robot vacuum can be a great way to make our household chores easier. In many situations, the robot vacuum will do its job just fine, especially in large open spaces. However, a robot vacuum isn’t equipped to handle unusual situations that may arise, as you can see in the image on the right.
“Where shit is about to happen”
A robot vacuum cleaner isn’t prepared for exceptional situations that may arise.
A robot will always continue to run through its standard “little process” from A to Z, even if that means the mess just keeps getting bigger: Garbage in, garbage out. When developing a robot, you need to know exactly which exceptions you want to handle. Otherwise, situations can arise where “shit is about to happen”—as in the example above, quite literally. In many cases, too many exceptions result in a robot that’s impossible to maintain.
Conclusion
RPA can offer significant added value to organizations that want to automate simplified or standardized processes (a breath of fresh air). You can schedule resources more efficiently. However, complex processes—with many exceptions and requiring human judgment—are not suitable for RPA. In such cases, RPA will be more of a burden than a blessing (frustration). This does not mean that bots will not eventually become smarter through the addition of artificial intelligence (AI), but for now, I would advise that the simpler the process, the greater the bot’s success.
