BPM and RPA Combined Power

Introduction

There are those who mistakenly believe that BPM and RPA are in competition with each other. But these two core digital transformation technologies can create an even more powerful force when combined. In fact there is already a growing realization among aggressive businesses and startups that combining BPM and RPA is one powerful way to ride at the top of the 4.0 technology era, where business process automation tools reigns supreme. Here, we take a look at how exactly your business can gain from the combined power of Business Process Management and Robotic Process Automation and how to combine the two in your business operations.

What is BPM?

Business Process Management, or BPM, is an approach that is used to improve the processes that a business uses to accomplish its work of serving customers and generating value for the business. It is a holistic approach that takes all aspects of a business’ processes into account and seeks to improve them overall. A business process is simply the method(s) that a business uses to achieve different goals across different areas of the business such as sales, marketing, logistics, etc. So the aim of BPM is to analyze these methods,discover areas that need improvement and implement changes to improve them. The implementation of BPM through business process automation includes optimizing process flow, improving efficiency and reducing waste. BPM also helps to ensure that processes are aligned with the company’s strategic goals.

What is RPA?

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is the use of robotic software or software robots to automate repetitive tasks or processes in a business, freeing up staff to focus on activities that bring higher value to the business. RPA is aimed at automating those processes that are repetitive, those that can be easily performed by a set of rules. These rules are then programmed into a “robot” or bot that completes the tasks continuously. For example, the “robot” can generate a response to an email, execute a transaction, organize data, etc. If you are manually copying data from one Excel sheet and pasting it to another, you could use RPA to automate that process. The processes can range from simple to complex depending on what exactly you want to accomplish. RPA bots can be trained to recognize and respond to patterns in data, making them perfect for automating tedious tasks. If you’re looking to power up your business process, consider RPA Consulting to help you add custom robotic process automation to the mix.

BPM vs. RPA: What’s the difference?

So what’s the difference between BPM and RPA? BPM is all about governing and optimizing business processes, whereas RPA is all about automating a business’ specific tasks or processes. So the two can work hand-in-hand to help your business run smoother and more efficiently. RPA can help take care of the menial, time-consuming repetitive human tasks that bog down employees, while BPM can help to ensure that everything is running smoothly (including the RPA automated menial tasks) and that business goals are being met. When these two powerful tools combine, they can create a powerhouse for your business.

Benefits of BPM and RPA combined

Combining Business Process Management (BPM) and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) offers a broad range of benefits:

1. Intervention Management

How do you ensure seamless human intervention in a scenario where RPA bots encounter tasks within a process that are not yet programmed for them? Here, BPM will help define how such human interventions are executed. This installs consistency, minimizes interruptions or costly errors and captures exceptions in RPAs. The exceptions can then be used to further improve RPA.

2. Improved Employee Output

RPA automates tiring repetitive tasks, and so employees no longer need to waste time performing these tasks from day to day. The saved time will be used to perform high value tasks, which is a plus in employee motivation. Now imagine using BPM to manage and optimize the RPA automated tasks by ensuring they are in sync with the other processes within the business, including those that the now freed time is being devoted to. The result is optimal employee output.

3. Seamless Reviews and Approvals

While RPA is great at automating small, repetitive processes, BPM is necessary to manage the bigger decisions. BPM can define and automate approval processes that require elaborate reviews by stakeholders. Once approved, the decisions can be broken down to small coherent rules and fed into RPA for robotic completion.

4. Simplifying complex workflows

Because automated robots might not perform complex processes such as exchanging the very RPA completed tasks between internal departments or between the organization and partners, BPM steps in to solve the bottleneck. BPM will, for example, define access rights and distinguish user interfaces. This combination delivers a seamless workflow. When these two technologies are used together, businesses can achieve amazing gains in workflow efficiency. BPM provides a framework for streamlining large-scale workflows and tasks, while RPA provides the ability to automate those tasks at scale.

5. End-to-end automation

RPA alone cannot achieve end to end automation of everyday business processes, while BPM alone cannot automate the menial processes. But when the two are combined you automatically achieve end to end automation. BPM will structure the transition from process to process, defining where and when manual processes can replace RPA or where RPA+Manual is the way to go. This means that the entire operation of an organization can be digitally transformed into a single self-driving unit. This is the hallmark of efficiency in business processes.

How to combine BPM and RPA

The combination of RPA and BPM is inspired by an emerging approach known as Hyperautomation. According to Gartner, Hyperautomation is the automation of as many business processes as possible by using multiple technologies. The multiple systems used ought to work in unison, just like in an orchestra where different instruments combine to belt out a beautiful performance. The first step in combining RPA with BPM is to identify complementary areas. Map the processes within the business ecosystem, separate the menial from the complex, assign the menial ones to RPA, the complex ones to BPM, then create functionalities that enable cross-function and achieve orchestration.

Combine with Trincension

Trincension will help you to smoothly combine RBA and BPM without interfering with your routine operations. Whether creating a custom BPM-RBA solution or assessing what you already have, Tricension is a ready partner in Digital Transformation. By using BPM and RPA together, you can automate your processes and improve the overall efficiency to achieve improved productivity, reduced costs, and satisfactory customer service. RPA will help automate your manual tasks and processes, while BPM will help you oversee and manage everything more effectively. You get the best of both worlds—a streamlined business operation with reduced human error and boosted efficiency. It’s the perfect solution if you want the combined power of both.

Final Thoughts

Business Process Management and Robotic Process Automation are both powerful digital tools that are transforming the business world. Some believed that they are in competition with each other, while others believed that they can work together to create an even more powerful force. The reality is now unfolding: When BPM and RPA are combined, they unleash a force that powers business process intelligence with distinct precision. By combining these two technologies, you will ultimately optimize your operations to achieve digital transformation and improve the bottom line.

Jeff Roper

16:18 29 Aug 17

We contracted with Tricension to take on something of a unique challenge with our firm; importing data from a variety of database types into our format. We gave Tricension some basic information on the process that we were using within our company and no documentation on the database itself. They have done an excellent job of familiarizing themselves with our database and other database types, creating their own processes to more efficiently import the data, and working with customers to keep them updated on progress.They have an excellent approach to project management and have done a great job of keeping our customers updated on progress. Our business fluctuates quite a bit seasonally, and they have done a great job adding staff to the projects during busy times and dialing back during slow periods. Although the cost per hour is higher for their service, we save money and provide better service by utilizing Tricension due to their staffing flexibility.

Chancie Adams

17:33 01 Sep 17

Tricension came to the table with expertise and dug deep to understand what our company needed. They scoped our project appropriate and applied the right resources to get it done on time, on budget, and delivered exactly what we needed. Their staff is professional and highly skilled.

Renee Keffer

20:44 29 Aug 17

Tricension is a great business partner. They put focus on delivering a quality product and put the needs of the customer first. When our requirements shifted mid-project, they worked with us to make the necessary adjustments to ensure success.

Kevin Huntsman

12:26 06 Sep 17

The team at Tricension does an exceptional job! They are very easy to work with and the entire team is well prepared and exceeds all of my expectations. I would highly recommend Tricension.

Frank Kaul

19:47 08 Sep 17

The Tricension team has completed several integration projects for us to dramatically improve transaction processing and eliminate error prone data entry. These projects have had a dramatic impact on our business. I really enjoy working with their people.