Business Process Management is an old but successful concept whereas, robotic process automation is a new soul with magnificent opportunities for businesses. Have you ever thought about mixing and matching both technologies? Together, they can solve multiple intricate problems.
Both of the technologies are there to improve the business operations, its process, and help augment the company in some way. Therefore, processing the information is their core benefit and reason for existence.
To many people's surprise, they both can work together perfectly. There are some crucial tools that can integrate BPM software and the RPA software seamlessly. Even though it's a highly fascinating concept, many would-be confused as to how both can work together? Being amazing for business is one thing but fitting together is another thing.
How is RPA different from BPM?
To understand both concepts in-depth, it’s necessary to distinguish between both leading terminologies.
The majority of the BPM experts will agree that it’s something you can do. BPM isn’t a particular tool or an application, in fact, it’s something you can perform. For instance, DevOps, which is a way of working and not a tool to work. Business Process Management can document, analyze, measure, and improve the overall process of your companies’ operations. Hence, BPM software tools are products focused on people’s practice. It doesn’t go vice versa.
While, on the other hand, RPA is software. It refers to software bots that can automate computer-dependent work conveniently. Robotic Process Automation can extract the data and transfer it upon request. For instance, a bot that can automatically copy the data from existing fields of an incoming invoice. Later paste the extracted data into another system like accounts payable application. Experts create and manage the bots for RPA so that they can achieve the intended goal.
Since ages, businesses have focused on improving all kinds of processes. Therefore, enterprises and SMEs are concerned about automating the operations to achieve maximum efficiency. Due to such reasons, BPM and RPA have chances to blossom their relationship and work hand in hand.
Here are crucial differences between Robotic Process Automation services and Business Process Management you need to know.
Technology
RPA configures bots to ensure the completion of repetitive and time-consuming tedious tasks to save time. It allows the employees to continue to focus on resolving intricate and convoluted works.
BPM on the other hand identifies and reorganizes the business process. It eliminates and removes bottlenecks of businesses and ensures shorter cycles of work.
Principal focus
Robotic Process Automation services minimize manual tasks. It helps in eliminating repetitive and rule-based tasks. However, it’s not suitable where complex decision-making is required.
On the other hand, Business Process Management reengineers and modifies the business process. It improves the overall efficiency of the business and augments productivity.
Efforts of deployment
Deployment with RPA is relatively easy. Its tools can seamlessly work all over the organization, managing the existing applications and the process.
As compared to RPA, BPM proves to be high in efforts. It reshapes the business process and helps the overall organizational operations.
Impact on business
Even RPA implementations cannot always address the fundamental inadequacies of the business process. But with it, the returns are quicker and almost immediate.
On the contrary, BPM offers high as well as long-term returns. Implementing it can lead to enhanced efficiency, cost-effectiveness, agility, compliance, and productivity.
How can RPA enhance the BPM?
Robotic Process Automation is an advanced tool that can enhance and extend Business Process Management’s fundamental purpose. Even when RPA and BPM are two distinct solutions, they can complement each other well. Together both can contribute to phenomenal digital transformation.
Without any conflict, BPM is all about improving the overall business process. However, it lacks in automating any of the processes. It’s where RPA comes in handy, just like a savior!
Think of this complementary relationship like BPM not being able to automate the process but improves the efficiency. RPA on the other hand can automate the process but lacks in improving or optimizing the process. Now combine the power of RPA with BPM. You will achieve automation via RPA and an enhanced efficient process with BPM.
Remember one thing! Automating an unproductive and uneconomical process is never going to help anyone. Make sure the process via BPM is perfect before implementing RPA with it.
Many businesses are considering implementing BPM to create a dependable workflow that can digitally connect the siloed systems, people, and data. With RPA, they can execute specific rule-based automation within these workflows.
It’s evident that you require some proof to understand how RPA and BPM can go hand in hand. So, here are 4 proven ways to help you understand this match easily.
1. Stronger optimization
The basic rule of BPM is to understand and then document every process, which includes the day-to-day operations of the organization. Typically, BPM is the core management of business processes that are buried in the heads of the people, or manuals, laws, rule books, and worksheets. These processes are created and managed by every business without genuine governance and long-term maintenance.
Hence, this makes BPM a perfect candidate for the RPA program. Businesses need a well-understood, properly documented process, with a chance of continuous improvement. By automating, such a level of efficiency becomes achievable. However, if you try to automate your process without understanding the necessities behind it, then it’s an ultimate path towards failure.
With Business Process Management, organizations can also find out the processes where automation can be beneficial. BPM can let businesses know either automation is a good choice or not for certain areas. It can even highlight the problems where solutions are not in reach.
Robotic Process Automation is a cost-effective and user-friendly way to fill in the gaps of the organizations automatically. When businesses have legacy platforms, in-house systems, and web applications that lack enterprise integration functionality, RPA becomes a perfect redeemer.
2. Connects legacy or modern systems
Business Process Management is an old tech that has been implement by businesses for ages. It transmutes end-to-end business processes. Later these business processes get connected with people in the organization and the systems to ensure optimized operations with efficiency.
Did you know? Digital transformation is thought of as a descendant of BPM. However, this doesn’t mean that the legacy systems can be changed overnight. Even collaborative teamwork can’t do its magic in integration and automation seamlessly. It’s a good dream but not practical at all.
To date, BPM relies on intricate and legacy-burdened systems that accomplish serious business functions. Such functions, the majority of the time, require human intervention and assisted operations. Robotic Process Automation on the other hand plays a crucial role in seamlessly integrating multifarious systems. It can automate manual, tedious, and repetitive tasks. Especially ones around the extraction of data, transference, and processing of it.
With RPA integrated into the legacy, the BPM system can save time and effort while diminishing errors. It can also improve the overall data quality. When both the technologies are used together, they can modernize the legacy IT infrastructure and business operations swiftly.
For instance, consider the banking and financial service sector. They have deployed phenomenal mobile applications to ensure premium customer service. With the tech, consumers can deposit, transfer their funds, or even apply for a mortgage from smartphones.
BPM is used to ensure digital connection amid modern mobile applications and the legacy IT infrastructure. While RPA triggers a rule-based set to specifically execute actions out of the system and input them into another one.
3. BPM handles exceptions in RPA rules
Robotic Process Automation services are all about following a specific set of rules. It doesn’t provide exceptions or an edge for a change. In such stances, the bot automatically stops working further. However, with Business Process Management, you can address these exceptions and handle them professionally.
BPM and RPA syndicate efficiently in the scenarios where RPA runs an automated activity. But heavily relies on BPM to handle all the other specific exceptions. For instance, handling a missing document or information during HR onboard processing.
Contrariwise, BPM can rely on RPA to simply automate the manual time-consuming intense tasks and manage the workflow. Like transferring the data of the employees to the system, especially for payroll processing as HR work.
In the modern world, RPA relies on BPM to handle any sort of exceptions that aren’t following the rule-based sets. Or requires a human to step in and adjust the transaction. It’s mainly because RPA follows the rules and cannot break them by itself. BPM, on the contrary, serves as a safe option to neutralize the environment and process the changes effectively.
To make things more interesting, it is BPM that indicates where the exceptions and changes can be made and would be successful. RPA can never help in indicating such exceptions and therefore simple RPA implementation may lead to failure. A simple change to the user interface of a web application can create chaos for the bot. It’s BPM that can efficiently handle the situation and ensure smooth operations throughout.
4. Easy to manage & deploy
Interesting but confusing, isn’t it? But that’s true.
BPM augments and intersects the IT infrastructure of an organization. It seeks out the proficiency and expertise that’s needed to implement the automated strategy. On the other hand, RPA is a tech that ensures an increase in automation without overtaxing IT pros as RPA is a tool built to be used by non-developers.
Therefore, a business analyst or a member of operation staff who is working closely with BPM can understand and process the terms of automation. This means that with minimum knowledge, RPA can be manage and deploy by non-technical staff as well. This doesn’t mean to stop collaborating with IT leaders and technical developers. It simply means that in case of need or emergency, anyone can handle it even with minimum information.
The Bottom Line
Business Process Management and Robotic Process Automation are prime technologies for businesses. Even as the individual tech they both offer revolutionary benefits to an organization. But when the power of both is combine, the benefits are numerous.
It’s just like Captain Planet and the Planetrees when they combine their rings together, form an ultimate power. The same is for BPA and RPA, as individuals they can work but together they can create an impressive difference.
At Tkxel
The automated business process is becoming the new norm for leading enterprises, SMEs, and startups. It’s helping the organizations remain ahead of the curve. Are you passionate about reshaping your workflow by implementing RPA and gain optimal productivity? Tkxel can help you achieve the automation goals effectively. Drop us a line today!
