How Does Robotic Process Automation Work?

FUJIFILM Business Innovation’s Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions automate repetitive tasks within a company’s operation processes, freeing employees to focus on higher value activities. Robotic Process Automation offers many benefits such as streamlining workflows and improving employee engagement, ultimately helping companies achieve better business performance.

Designed to automate business processes by simulating human activities, Robotic Process Automation is changing the way we work and offers companies a competitive advantage. Traditionally, digital transformation is a time-consuming process, which takes years to complete. With the adoption of Robotic Process Automation solutions, it significantly shortens the processing time to several weeks, making the implementation easier and faster.

Undoubtedly, Robotic Process Automation delivers direct profitability and improved accuracy and governance. Its unique adaptability to changing circumstances, exceptions and new situations is an advantage that makes Robotic Process Automation distinguished from traditional IT automation.

By building the Centre of Excellence (CoE), the accumulated knowledge of Robotic Process Automation can be retained and reused upon business needs.

From the internal business process optimisation to external communication improvement, the FUJIFILM Business Innovation Hong Kong’s RPA solutions are here to bring you to the next generation of business management for operational needs.

Features of Robotic Process Automation

  • Mimic human actions, e.g. login, read, write, edit, move, delete, calculate and more
  • Support web and desktop applications, mainframe, business applications (e.g. SAP, Oracle, Salesforces, Workday, and more), Citrix, email automation, MS office automation and IT Automation (e.g. PowerShell integration)
  • Capture information and data, including screen scraping, web scraping, text-based extraction, OCR, computer vision (bots will see screen objects contextually)
  • Centralised configuration and licensing

Benefits of Robotic Process Automation

Through rules based programming, RPA software robotics can take over repetitive tasks by mimicking the human interactions it tracks in a user interface. Robotic Process Automation also automates routine business operations such as invoicing customers, sending out sales literature, managing inventory, conducting marketing campaigns, generating reports, monitoring compliance requirements, performing quality assurance checks, and much more.

  • Speed up processes: Employing RPA solutions will improve business efficiency in handling high-volume and repeatable tasks. It also enables employees to devote more time on other higher-value works so as to boost productivity.
  • Reducing human errors: By accelerating your processes in customer management, Robotic Process Automation’s benefits include increasing customer satisfaction and your market competitiveness. RPA also provides speedy services with optimised accuracy and reduces the risk of human errors.
  • Reducing costs: Businesses can save money by reducing labour costs through automation — there’s no need for any employees to handle tasks manually anymore.
  • Increased scalability of workflows: Workflow automation tools help companies streamline business processes through the use of Robotic Process Automation technology. These applications allow businesses to create workflows that eliminate manual data entry, increase productivity, and optimise operations.

Applications of Robotic Process Automation

  • Account payable process and reconciliation
  • Compliance verification
  • Customer and employee onboarding process
  • Expense claims process
  • IT services management process
  • Customer service process

Use Cases

Implementing RPA for customs declaration automation for automatic data collection and consolidation and filling in forms on Tradelink, for the company’s Hong Kong operation. 

Challenges

  • Penalties imposed by Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department due to late submission of customs declaration
  • Exposure to inaccurate data input 
  • Additional 0.5 full-time equivalents (FTE) required to handle data input 

Result

Cost-effectiveness and deployment enhancement

Only a small investment to achieve instant extensive automation

Efficiency advancement

Automatic data input by robots into Tradelink, saving more than 0.5 FTE

Human error elimination

Preventing missing records and inaccurate information input on Tradelink

Applying intelligent capturing, RPA and tailor-made delivery note tracking portal for auto-generation of delivery documents, delivery note tracking and logistics reporting for customers and ERP updating, for the logistics giant providing shipping, local distribution and warehouse services.

Challenges

  • Highly manual logistic documents preparation, from managing delivery notes to invoice collection, as well as delivery report generation and translation of delivery addresses from English to Chinese for the delivery crew
  • Slow process for reporting delivery status to key customers’ SAP systems 
  • Manual update of self-ERP system involving complicated data migration from customer SAP, exposing to human error  

Result

Delivery efficiency and accuracy enhancement

Accurate and reliable stock inventory for next-day delivery and goods picking, with delivery addresses automatically translated and locations pinned on Google Maps for delivery crew

Customer service improvement

Fast data synchronization with customers’ systems, enabling swift tracking of delivery status and instantaneous remedy action by warehouse team

Customer loyalty and corporate reputation elevation

Contributing to building stronger reputation, securing customer loyalty, and maintaining domination in the vertical market 

Providing UiPath’s RPA solution and Capture and Flow Service, with features of AI capture of corporate information, robotic background information checking and auto-searching combination, for the company handling about 30-50 cases of anti-money laundering (AML) process daily.

Challenges

  • Manual AML process putting pressure on manpower for credibility checking of new customers across multiple platforms and systems
  • Exposure to compliance issues incurred by operational efficiency and data validation
  • Slow account creation process hampering the company’s competitiveness in the loan service market

Result

AML process systematization and automation

Manual intervention less required, thus minimizing data error

Approval process expedition 

Interaction between account managers and compliance team made smooth

Compliance level advancement

Systematic and adequate background checking of every applicant facilitated

Streamlining processes and enhancing customer experience for a major food importer that has a fast-growing food service division and expanding market share in the hotel and restaurant industry.

Challenges

  • Tedious manual delivery note operation, prone to human error, confusion and unnecessary repetitive work 
  • Inefficient account receivable process involving manual amendment and input of delivery status and month-end statement consolidation
  • Risk of delayed manual submission of import/export customs declaration leading to penalty and unclear shipping status 

Result

Increased productivity

Productivity doubled with improved cash flow, accurate stock projection and big data for product launch market analysis

Delivery & accounts receivable process improvement

Real-time delivery status and big data of logistics statistics supporting timely and accurate invoicing

Efficient record searching

Well-managed transaction records for easy and fast searching, releasing manpower to other high-value tasks

Manage Your Workflows with FUJIFILM Business Innovation

FUJIFILM Business Innovation strives to drive your business’ digital transformation through RPA. Other than Robotic Process Automation, our extensive suite of solutions & services include industry solutions, IT & Cloud and Smart Workstyle solutions. To learn more about how to help your business gain an advantage over your competitors, contact our friendly team of representatives now.

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