In an age of ever-advancing technology and rapid change, everyday mundane tasks and processes are being removed from human hands and placed under the responsibility of automation software.
From the humble beginnings of optical character recognition (OCR), automation software has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, creating programmes capable of handling complex business tasks and streamlining workflows.
In this article, we look at the rapid evolution of automation software, the different types you will encounter and how technology can help your business become more efficient.
Making sense of automation acronyms
The world of automation can be an ocean of acronyms. We’ve defined the acronyms you’re most likely to encounter below so you don’t feel lost.
RPA – robotic process automation
Uses software robots to mimic simple and repetitive human tasks, such as data entry.
AI – artificial intelligence
AI enables computers and machines to simulate human learning and problem solving.
BPA – business process automation
The use of advanced technology to automate complex, multi-step business processes.
IA – intelligent automation
The link between RPA and AI. This technology expands the capability of robotic process automations by using AI decision making, allowing RPAs to be deployed on more complex tasks.
ML – machine learning
A function of AI, machine learning allows a system to learn and continuously improve a process based on results and feedback.
Types of automation software
Automation software comes in many shapes and sizes, with each specific type of software offering a solution for a specific business need. Here are some of the more common types of automation software.
Business process automation (BPA)
BPA software takes complex, multi-step business processes and streamlines them through automation. For example, business process automation software could scan a customer database at a set interval, identify customers that have been signed up for X number of years and automatically send them a loyalty offer email.
Robotic process automation (RPA)
RPA software uses bots to complete repetitive digital tasks in high volume and at speed. RPAs mimic human interactions with applications to perform these repetitive tasks. For example, robotic process automation software could be used to scrape data from files and then enter it into a database.
Intelligent automation (IA)
Intelligent automation uses a combination of AI, RPA and machine learning technologies to better process ambiguous or unstructured data. Utilising the “brains” of AI and machine learning, intelligent automation can make decisions and predictions about the data it processes, running the appropriate RPA when needed.
Agentic automation
Using the power of large language models (LLM) and AI, agentic automation can complete complex tasks that require human-like decision making and problem solving. Unlike the strict rules-adhering RPAs, agentic automation can dynamically adapt to its situation to make a judgement and respond accordingly. For example, agentic automation could create an entirely new workflow from simple user instructions, calling on other tools, data and customer feedback to shape its process execution.
Optical character recognition (OCR)
One of the very first automations created in history, optical character recognition scans and processes physical documents and images into digital text code. Being able to transform high volumes of physical typed or handwritten paperwork into digital data is a huge bonus and can be used alongside process automations to completely streamline certain tasks such as invoice processing.
Use cases for automation software
With automation software becoming more and more sophisticated, the ways in which it can be used are increasingly more complex. We’ve outlined a few ways you can use automation software to streamline your processes:
Automatically update customers on order status
Automation software can scan current customer orders, identify where an order status has changed recently and then automatically email or text the customer with an update on that order.
Answer customer queries with a chatbot
Using the power of ChatGPT and OpenAI, your customer live chat support can be hosted by a chatbot. This chatbot can have access to up-to-date knowledge bases about your company and products, meaning it can intelligently answer customer enquiries without the need for human chat agents.
Process incoming documents
Intelligent document processing technology means automation software is capable of parsing data from email attachments and then processing that information in any way you require. For example, the software could scan all your incoming emails and attachments and retrieve certain data, entering that information into a database.
Create sales reports and send them to relevant stakeholders
Certain software, such as ThinkAutomation, can report on almost any class of metadata. This allows you to develop detailed customer profiles and then build custom sales reports.
The software will prepare the reports and analyse their content at user defined periods. Using conditional processing, it will then email the reports to relevant stakeholders.
The benefits of using automation software
There are many benefits for businesses using automation software. Here are just a few examples of how:
- Faster workflows
Repetitive processes and mundane tasks become automatic, meaning workflows are faster and employees can concentrate on higher-value tasks.
- Improve customer satisfaction
Being able to respond instantly to a customer enquiry 24/7 improves your customer satisfaction.
- Scales with demands
Automation software is capable of processing huge amounts of data, so whether you receive hundreds or millions of invoices a month, the technology can keep up with demand.
- Saves time and money
By removing the need for human data entry and admin, your business can save time and money to focus on adding value for your customers.
How to use automation software
Before you implement any automation software into your business, there are a few steps to take to ensure smooth integration.
Step 1: Evaluate your business needs
Start by looking for repetitive processes within your business that you believe you can automate. Chances are there are more workflows than you first thought that you can use automation software to streamline.
Step 2: Choose the right software
There are many automation solutions out there and not all are created equal. Some applications do certain things better than others, but for an all-round automation tool, ThinkAutomation is a good place to start.
Step 3: Learn how to use the tool
Make sure your automation team (or you) know how to use the tool you have chosen. Although most software providers will offer training and extensive how-to documents, knowing the nuances of the tool you are using before you fully implement it into your workflows is important to avoid teething problems down the road.
Step 4: Start automating your business processes
With the automation software tool at your disposal, start automating your business processes.
Step 5: Review and optimise workflows
Once your automations are implemented and are running, continue to monitor the functionality and results of the automations. If a result doesn’t seem quite right, tweak your process and test to see if you can improve the outcome.
FAQ's
Automation software is technology that executes digital tasks and processes with relatively low human input, increasing the efficiency of workflows and routine tasks.
Marketing automation software replicates the repetitive tasks a marketer would usually do, freeing them up for more creative and strategic thinking. This could be anything from adding a customer’s information to a database, to sending an offer to a customer who is eligible.
Workflow automation software repeats the steps within a task’s workflow, allowing workers to focus on higher-value projects that require more creative thinking, instead of repetitive tasks.
Business automation, or business process automation (BPA), is a type of software that can replicate complex multi-step business tasks and execute them with high speed and accuracy.