Automation of repetitive office tasks using software robots.
Every business process performed by a person on a computer, will involve reading from the screen, typing on keyboard, plus moving and clicking the mouse. It is this digital work that can be automated.
There are many questions that arise when the topic of automation is discussed. Different groups will see automation from different perspectives but as a society there is a general acceptance of the changes delivered through automation.
Questions often include (Click to get answer to the question):
How will automation impact my job?
Will automation deliver benefits?
Is automation more trouble than it is worth?
Can you switch automation off?
In different parts of the website, Ether Solutions provides answers to these questions and more.
Ether Solutions is not involved with working with Physical Robots that are seen on factory production lines and warehouse operations.
For the type of automation that Ether Solutions implements, there is a Frequently Asked Questions page (FAQ).
This short video introduces RPA – Robotic Process Automation and how it works.
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One of the motivations to consider automation is the desire to increase efficiency or improve productivity. They are not quite the same thing. Efficiency and Productivity are discussed in a blog article.
To answer the many questions concerning Productivity there is a Frequently Asked Questions section.
Although automation starts with the tasks that an individual performs, the bigger benefit is when that automation can be applied to the work undertaken across one or more teams in a workforce. By automating activities the productivity of the team can be improved as more work gets done for less manual effort.
The automation market has matured and there are variety of software tools available to build automations.
The industry analysts review the market for the market for tools suitable for mid-market and large companies.
There is also a wide range of "Apps" and products aimed at the micro business and the small business market.
To make automation effective for any business it is about scale and volume of use. It would be possible to automate a task that is only performed once per year but it might not be cost effective to do so.
Ether Solutions uses UiPath technology for automation as it is suitable for small, mid-market and large businesses. UiPath is consistently rated as a market leader by the industry analysts. It is not the cheapest software, but it delivers good value considering its features, ability to scale and community of users.
Being a mature market, there are Open Source products available to enable technically skilled organisations to bespoke build their own automation facilities. The route is viable for some businesses but others it is more effective to buy existing technology.
Any automation is about more than just the software, it involves people, process and technology. Ether Solutions developed its 90 Day Automation Method to provide a framework that covers such aspects for an automation project.
Automation has advantages and disadvantages just like any technology.
Information on the benefits that can be achieved from automation are covered on other pages, but what about the risks and issues?
For automation to be successful, the business process that is being automated needs to be relatively stable. When changes occur, the automation may stop or fail and it will need amendment to work with change that has occurred. The amount of change therefore drives the on-going support costs for the automation.
An automation is usually created for a business process that has a reasonable level of activity from a volume perspective. If that volume is significantly reduced, the value the business benefit is reduced and therefore the ROI on the development of the automation will be reduced.
For some automations that have been operating for a considerable period of time, the detailed business knowledge about how to operate the activities on a manual basis can be lost. This only becomes an issue in a contingency scenario where the automation is not able to be used.
The advantages and disadvantages of RPA are covered in a blog article.
If the candidate business process for automation has been identified and a quote for building an automation is required, Ether Solutions would be pleased to provide a quote.
A discussion to explore the potential for an automation can be a good way to start, please contact us for a chat - telephone 0845 643 4410.
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