Adapting to the New Business Environment

The Rise of Software Robots in the Workplace

Paul Lin, PhD

All organizations need to leverage new technologies to stay competitive, and one such technology, business analytics (BA), has been a hot topic among CPAs for more than 10 years. The next wave of business enhancements, however, is using robotic process automation (RPA), also known as software robots, to increase operational efficiency and improve the bottom line. These are not the industrial robots that perform mechanical tasks such as welding or installing parts and have existed in factories for decades. RPA uses computer software to automate rule-based business processes that are routinely performed by office workers. They mimic what human employees do, and can generally be implemented without the need of IT infrastructure upgrades. After installation, these robots can be called upon at any time by an employee, activated with a timer, or triggered by a preselected event.