Editing Business process automation

{{Short description|Automation of business processes}}
{{redirect|Process automation|industrial process automation systems|Process automation system}}
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'''Business process automation''' ('''BPA'''), also known as '''business automation''', refers to the technology-enabled [[automation]] of [[business process]]es.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Business Process Automation (bpa)|url=https://www.gartner.com/en/information-technology/glossary/bpa-business-process-automation|website=Gartner|language=en|access-date=2019-12-03}}</ref>

==Deployment==
BPA toolsets vary in capability, but due to the fast adoption of artificial intelligence, there is a trend towards the use of [[artificial intelligence]] technologies that can understand [[natural language]] and [[unstructured data|unstructured datasets]], interact with human beings, and adapt to new types of problems without too much human-guided training or interventions.<ref>{{cite web|title=From Process Automation To Autonomous Process|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2020/02/14/from-process-automation-to-autonomous-process/#54f7bfa063b6|last=Schmelzer|first=Ron|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-07-08}}</ref>{{self-published source|date=July 2024}}

==Business process management implementation==
A [[business process management]] system differs from BPA. However, it is possible to implement [[automation]] based on a BPM implementation. The methods to achieve this vary, from writing custom application code to using specialist BPA tools.<ref>{{cite web|title=Whatever Happened To Business Process Management Software?|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonbloomberg/2019/01/15/whatever-happened-to-business-process-management-software/#77d6682872f7|last=Bloomberg|first=Jason|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-07-08}}</ref>{{self-published source|date=July 2024}}

==Robotic process automation==
{{Main|Robotic process automation}}
Robotic process automation (RPA) involves the deployment of attended or unattended software agents in an organization's environment. These software agents, or robots, are programmed to perform pre-defined structured and repetitive sets of business tasks or processes. Robotic process automation is designed to streamline workflows by delegating repetitive tasks to software agents, allowing human workers to focus on more complex and strategic activities.<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Automated Billing Is Essential For Business Growth|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2020/04/30/why-automated-billing-is-essential-for-business-growth/#617772aa66e4|last=Messer|first=James|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-07-08}}</ref>{{self-published source|date=July 2024}}

BPA providers typically focus on different industry sectors, but the underlying approach is generally similar in that they aim to provide the shortest route to automation by interacting with the [[user interface]] rather than modifying the application code or database behind it.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Low-code platforms help with project backlogs and software development training|url=https://www.techrepublic.com/article/low-code-platforms-help-with-project-backlogs-and-software-development-training/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-05-13|website=TechRepublic|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505070659/https://www.techrepublic.com/article/low-code-platforms-help-with-project-backlogs-and-software-development-training/ |archive-date=2020-05-05 }}</ref>

==Use of artificial intelligence==
[[Artificial intelligence]] software robots are used to handle unstructured data sets (like images, texts, audios) and are often deployed after implementing robotic process automation. They can, for instance, generate an automatic transcript from a video. The combination of automation and artificial intelligence (AI) enables autonomy for the robots, along with the capability to perform cognitive tasks.<ref>{{cite web|title=From Process Automation To Autonomous Process|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2020/02/14/from-process-automation-to-autonomous-process/#54f7bfa063b6|last=Schmelzer|first=Ron|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-07-08}}</ref>{{self-published source|date=July 2024}} At this stage, the robot can learn and improve processes by analyzing and adapting them.<ref>{{cite web|title=Intelligent Process Automation: The 4 Levels of AI-Enablement|url=https://www.cognilytica.com/2018/02/15/intelligent-process-automation-4-levels-ai-enablement/|website=Cognilytica|date=15 February 2018|language=en|access-date=2020-07-08}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[AI alignment]]
* [[Artificial intelligence detection software]]
* [[Artificial intelligence and elections]]
* [[Business-driven development]]
* [[Business Process Model and Notation]]
* [[Business process reengineering]]
* [[Business Process Execution Language]] (BPEL)
* [[Business rules engine]]
* [[Comparison of business integration software]]
* [[Job scheduler]]
* [[Real-time enterprise]]
* [[Runbook]]
* [[Synthetic intelligence]]
* [[Weak AI]]

== References ==
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[[Category:Business terms]]
[[Category:Business process management]]
[[Category:Automation]]
[[Category:Artificial intelligence]]
[[Category:Cybernetics]]