How RPA Improves Automation in your Cloud ERP
Robotic process automation (RPA) is enjoying significant interest and adoption in the modern workplace, particularly in the financial services sector. With its capability to automate back-office admin tasks, in conjunction with business process management systems (BPM) and with the added option of machine learning flexibility, the number of RPA vendors that are tailor-making solutions for ERP software is rising. This is lowering the cost of ownership, saving valuable processing time, and widening the scope of application.
Why Cloud ERP and RPA tools are a match made in automation heaven
Modern ERP provides tremendous efficiencies, such as a single version of the truth, one application for all your business data, a one-stop-shop system that covers every business function, from finance and CRM to supply chain and manufacturing, to name a few. Cloud ERP solutions like Sage X3 and Sage Intacct further reinforce those efficiencies by providing configuration and customisation flexibility, optimal security through role-based access, efficient implementation, minimal disruption and great productivity features.
However, some organisations need even greater automation than what is in-built in the ERP. This is provided by RPA tools, allowing for greater functionality and automation that could offer a critical competitive advantage. This adds overwhelming efficiencies to your cloud ERP systems.
To better understand how RPA does this, it’s helpful to understand how RPA tools interact with your data.
How RPA interacts with ERP
The ERP system acts as the backbone of the IT landscape, providing a single source of information for the entire business. The RPA tool behaves much as a human would, engaging directly with the ERP system. It does this by initiating transactions, executing programs, and extracting reports.
Additionally, RPA can bridge your ERP with external systems, thereby automating the manual tasks of managing two or more systems, effectively bridging your other systems with your Cloud ERP.
A day in the life of your RPA tool might look like this:
- Log into an external application
- Download a file or report
- Capture the downloaded data into a spreadsheet
- Sort the spreadsheet data and save to a specified location
- Log into the cloud ERP application
- Create new customer/vendor/item/account records
- Update addresses/credit terms/quantities/beneficiaries
- Send notifications of its actions to staff and business partners
- Update the legacy application with confirmations
What to consider before choosing or deploying a RPA tool for ERP-based processes
If you want to unlock the full potential of your ERP deployment by unlocking further automation, proactive consideration of a RPA tool is the next step.
Before investing in an RPA tool, here are some questions that you should consider.
- What are your automation goals?
- What are the promised financial and operational benefits against standard industry robotic benchmarks?
- What level of automation is achievable?
- What security features are available, such as audit logs, TSL 1.2 protocol, encryption technology, etc.
A good investment for now and for tomorrow
RPA offers a viable solution for companies to embrace the full benefits of cloud ERP while still leveraging critical functionality from other applications.
Automation is a clear win for businesses seeking to optimise admin and back-office tasks, and RPA tools combined with your ERP system are the clear way forward.
Contact T3T to start your journey with ERP.
Whether you have a legacy system that needs updating, or a Sage X3 or Sage Intacct ERP solution that needs further customisation and integration, we’re your ERP experts.