Intelligent Process Automation Tutorial
Intelligent Process Automation is a technology that combines Robotic Process Automation (RPA) with artificial intelligence (AI) and other cognitive technologies. The primary objective of IPA is to automate business processes and operations to achieve maximum efficiency, increase profit margins, improve customer satisfaction, etc.
IPA uses modern technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and natural language processing (NLP) to automate business operations and enhance the productivity and efficiency.
Read this tutorial to learn the fundamentals of Intelligent Process Automation and its role in digital transformation of businesses.
What is Intelligent Process Automation (IPA)?
Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) is a combined technology of robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. It is developed for automating and optimizing business processes and operations.
IPA is different from traditional automation technologies that can automate only repetitive and rule-based tasks, but IPA can perform automation with cognitive decision-making. It enables systems to think, perform, learn, and evolve.
Technologies behind Intelligent Process Automation
The key technologies that work behind Intelligent Process Automation are as follows −
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA) − This technology is responsible for automating repetitive, rule-based, and high-volume tasks.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) − AI is used in intelligent process automation to mimic or implement human intelligence in machines and systems.
- Machine Learning (ML) − This technology in IPA performs identification of patterns in data, makes machines self-learning, and improves the decision-making and performance over time.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP) − NLP is responsible for understanding and interpreting human languages.
- Computer Vision − This technology is used in IPA to scan and process digital documents and images.
- Process Mining − This technology monitors and analyzes the processes and workflows to determine areas for improvement.
Advantages of Using Intelligent Process Automation
Businesses use Intelligent Process Automation because of its following major advantages −
- IPA can automate rule-base tasks as well as complex business processes. Hence, it improves the efficiency and productivity in the business.
- IPA uses cognitive technologies like AI, ML, etc. Hence, it enhances the decision-making capabilities.
- IPA automates processes and operations and reduces the human costs. It increases the profit margins in the business.
- IPA improves the customer experience and satisfaction through automated processes and increased accuracy.
Implementing Intelligent Process Automation
In business operations, the following steps can be followed to implement intelligent process automation −
Step 1 − First of all, model and map the current processes in your business to identify the areas for automation.
Step 2 − Select robust intelligent process automation software to map and integrate the intelligent automation into your business processes.
Step 3 − Next, redefine the processes and tasks to improve the automation.
Step 4 − Continuously monitor and improve the process automation by making necessary changes like adding up new technologies.
Applications of Intelligent Process Automation
Some of the common applications of Intelligent Process Automation in real-world industries are highlighted below −
- In insurance sector, IPA is being used for automatic claim processing, automatic data entry, form filling and processing, etc. This helps significantly reducing the claim processing time.
- In customer services, IPA is used for automating data collection from customers. This makes customer data collection faster and less prone to errors.
- In shipping and logistics industries, IPA is used for selecting optimum shipping routes, enhancing shipping schedules, and eliminating potential issues in shipping. This helps faster deliveries, maximum resource utilization, and reduced logistics costs.
- In financial services, IPA is used for reducing manual efforts, improving operational efficiency, fraud detection, automated load processing, etc.
- In healthcare sector, intelligent process automation is used for speeding up patient care and administrative workflows through automated insurance claims, medical record management, and appointment scheduling.
- IPA is also incorporated in manufacturing industries to enhance operational efficiency and reduce downtime through automatic production line monitoring, inventory management, and quality control.
Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) Terminology
In this section, we have highlighted some of the important terms related to Intelligent Process Automation. These definitions will be very helpful in grasping the concepts explained in the subsequent chapters of this tutorial.
Cognitive Automation
Cognitive automation can be defined as a technology that combines artificial intelligence with process automation to enhance the business outcomes. It is a range of methods to improve automation through better data capturing and decision making. It provides automation capabilities beyond rule-based automation.
Hyperautomation
Hyperautomation is an automation technology that can automate entire business processes and not only tasks in an organization. This technology is meant for streamlining as many processes as possible across the business organization using AI, RPA, and other technologies to run them without need for human intervention.
Digital Process Automation (DPA)
Digital Process Automation (DPA) is an automation technique used for automating business processes that span across multiple applications and involve human interactions.
DPA uses low-code development tools for process automation and primarily focuses on automating or partially automating those business processes that typically require some sort of human intervention.
Unstructured Data
A collection of data which is not organized in a pre-defined data model or a database format is known as unstructured data. Unstructured data is usually text-heavy but contains information like dates, numbers, images, and facts. This data is not easy to manage and access by software and human.
Structured Data
Structured data is organized in a standard data model or database format and easy to access by software and human. This data has a clear structure; hence it is easy to manage.
End-to-End Automation
The automation of a process from its beginning to closure, without need for human intervention, is known as the end-to-end automation. It is also known as full automation. This type of automation can handle both structured and unstructured tasks efficiently.
Business Process Management (BPM)
Business Process Management (BPM) can be defined as an approach to discover, model, analyze, optimize, enhance, and automate business processes in an organization.
In other words, BPM is nothing but any combination of technologies that can be used for managing business processes in a company.
Chatbots
Chatbots are AI powered software applications or web interfaces that can mimic or simulate human conversation through text or voice interactions. These applications use natural language processing to interpret human languages and respond accordingly.
Process Orchestration
Process Orchestration, Business Process Orchestration, is a management approach that automates and monitors workflows and processes to ensure their all parts are running smoothly.
Basically, process orchestration is a component of business process management (BPM) that connects workflows, people, and technologies in end-to-end automated processes to create a cohesive workflow environment.
Workflow Automation
Workflow Automation is defined as a process that uses technologies and software applications to automate tasks and processes in a business organization. It is aimed for reducing the need for human intervention and manual operations in workflows.
Digital Transformation
Digital Transformation can be defined as a process of implementing digital technologies into all areas of a business organization. Its main goal is to convert traditional business processes into their digital format to improve efficiency and deliver value to customers.
Business Process Reengineering (BPR)
Business Process Reengineering (BPR) is a business management strategy that focuses on analysis and redesigning of business workflows and processes within an organization to improve performance, efficiency, and quality.
Predictive Analytics
Predictive Analytics is a process of predicting or forecasting future outcomes and trends by analyzing historical data through statistical modeling, machine learning, and data mining.
Edge Computing
Edge Computing is a computing technology in which data is processed closure to its source of generation, rather bringing it on a centralized cloud server. It is aimed for speeding up processes and reducing latency. It provides real-time processing capabilities and improves automation efficiency.
What You Will Learn in This Tutorial?
This tutorial on Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) covers the following key topics in a comprehensive manner −
- Introduction to IPA − This part of the tutorial explains the fundamental concepts of intelligent process automation and their significance in business operations.
- RPA vs IPA − This chapter is meant for providing a comparative study of robotic process automation (RPA) and intelligent process automation (IPA).
- Core Technologies Behind IPA − In this part, we will learn about various advanced technologies like AI, ML, NLP, RPA, etc. powering up intelligent process automation.
- How IPA Works? − This chapter will explain the working of intelligent process automation. It describes the combined functioning of rule-based automation with cognitive decision-making capabilities.
- IPA Advantages and Disadvantages − In this chapter, we will learn about the key Advantages and Disadvantages of intelligent process automation.
- Challenges in Implementing IPA − This chapter highlights major challenges and barriers in the implementation of intelligent process automation.
- Applications of Intelligent Process Automation − In this chapter, we will learn about some common examples of IPA applications and use cases.
Who Should Learn Intelligent Process Automation?
This tutorial on Intelligent Process Automation can be beneficial for the following audience −
- Students and learners looking to build their career in business automation
- Business analysts and operations managers
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning engineers
- Robotic process automation developers
- Digital transformation consultants
- Industry experts, etc.
Prerequisites to Learn Intelligent Process Automation
This tutorial on Intelligent Process Automation has been designed for both beginners and professionals who want to learn IPA and its applications in business operations, and hence it does not need any background knowledge in the field.
However, a basic understanding of concepts like traditional automation, robotic process automation, basic programming, artificial intelligence, machine learning, business process management, cloud computing fundamentals, and digital transformation basics will be very helpful to get the most out this tutorial.
FAQs on Intelligent Process Automation
In this section, we have collected some of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) followed by their answers −
IPA or Intelligent Process Automation is a combination of cognitive technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, robotic process automation, etc. designed to automate business workflows and processes to free up resources and speed up operations.
The most fundamental difference between RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and IPA (Intelligent Process Automation) is that RPA is a pre-programmed automation technology that can perform only repetitive, rule-based tasks.
On the other side, IPA is a combination of RPA and artificial intelligence that can automate complex end-to-end processes which require cognitive decision-making.
The most significant advantage of Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) is that it increases the operational efficiency, reduces human errors, and business costs.
The main function Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) is to streamline business processes within an organization, without human intervention.
Automatic Employee Onboarding system is a common example of intelligent process automation solution. This automation system is responsible for automating various administrative tasks like form filling, document verification, and background checks.