Why SAP needs Robotic Process Automation?
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is the automation of back and front office processes that are largely rules based, structured, and repetitive. The automation takes place when software “robots” (not physical robots) carry out processes or tasks normally completed by humans.
SAP business processes are the front line of your business—streamlining everything from manufacturing and service, to sales and finance. However, they typically extend beyond SAP to other systems which may reside on-premise, in the cloud or in hybrid environments. The complexity of this IT landscape creates processing errors and delays that frustrate customers; application silos limit your visibility and control; while your staff are tied up managing processes and checking for errors. So how do you achieve SAP acceleration?
To maximize your investment in SAP software you need to automate your SAP and non-SAP systems end to end. In doing so, you will regain control, dramatically shorten processing times, reduce costs and make all of those last minute scrambles to meet deadlines a thing of the past. The key capabilities to achieve these benefits are:
- Visibility and control of the end-to-end process
- Full coordination of every step of the process across both SAP and non-SAP systems
- Integration of file transfers into the process
- Processing of data in parallel
- Only trusting your most critical processes to a solution that has been certified by SAP
Whilst there are many other factors that are also important to consider, only by ensuring that your solution encompasses the above key capabilities as a foundation can you be certain that you will be able to meet the ever-increasing demands of the business
The general characteristics of a SAP process which is ready for robotic process automation would be:
- Repetitive and rules based
- Accesses structured data sets
- Utilizes applications on a Windows or Web based platform
- The process is documented and has been standardized in practice
- Three or more staff are hired to complete the process
- Manual data input, prone to human error