RPA (Robotic Process Automation)

RPA stands for Robotic Process Automation. It is not a physical robot but software that mimics a fixed click path through your existing programs: moving data from one screen to another, filling in forms, moving files. Ideal for processes that run exactly the same way every time.

The strength of RPA is also its limit: it strictly follows the steps you have recorded. If the input deviates, it grinds to a halt. That is why in practice we increasingly combine RPA with AI: the AI agent makes the decisions and reads unstructured information such as emails and documents, while RPA performs the fixed actions. See also agentic workflow.

For SMBs, RPA is rarely the goal but a building block. We first look at which process costs the most time, and then choose the right mix of AI and automation. What that looks like is covered under AI automation.