Using RPA technology to automate business during the holiday season

Digital Teammate

Those who lack information would say that RPA is just another boring technology acronym. But is it? It’s a digital teammate that can take over routine tasks while you’re on your summer adventure. RPA can work 24/7 without a break, handling tasks such as data entry, processing invoices, or even answering emails. So, while you or your colleagues are on vacation, RPA is ideal for performing tasks that are repetitive and do not require complex decision-making for you.

Of course, we all know that feeling when we walk into the office in the middle of July and realize that the whole team has mysteriously disappeared. People are certainly on their well-deserved vacations, but the sea of ​​tasks does not dry up. This is why RPA is a serious ally when it comes to stress reduction.

Summer brings another interesting dynamic – seasonal changes in workload. One day everything is calm, and the next day it seems like the world is falling apart because everyone decided they needed something right in that moment. Sounds familiar? Of course, it does. Summer work barrels are a real challenge, but then again, RPA is here to save the day.

Automation of payroll, invoices, and tax obligations

One of the most important financial tasks is payroll and taxes, which can be especially stressful when key team members are not present. RPA bots can collect hours and earnings data, process it, and generate payouts, reducing the possibility of errors and ensuring timely payouts. When it comes to tasks such as invoice processing, RPA can automatically download, read, and even process invoices, entering the data into the financial system and notifying the relevant teams when payments are made. Automated systems can organize and schedule meetings with clients or colleagues, and even take care of the availability of all participants.

Regarding invoice processing, the software uses optical character recognition (OCR) to extract relevant data, such as the invoice number, amount, and date. The extracted data is then entered into the accounting systems. RPA can also check whether the data on the invoice matches the data in the system, and in case of discrepancy, the invoice is marked for manual checking.

A great real-life example is the company Siemens, which saved thousands of hours a year by standardizing the processes of verification and data management with the help of RPA.

Uber also had to automate these processes because processing invoices requires different procedures in the UK and China compared to the US.

You are somewhere at the beach, and the RPA takes care of the supplies

When we’re talking about businesses that need to have certain products by default, RPA is a great ally for running a business on down days. In these situations, the software analyzes the current stock and automatically updates the inventory in real-time, reducing the risk of errors. RPA in those situations, when stocks fall below a certain, predetermined level, automatically sends notifications to the relevant teams, or even initiates orders to replenish the stock, whatever the stock in question.

If we are talking about warehouses, this way enables efficient use of products. The software can automatically track product expiration dates, and send notifications for products nearing the end of their shelf life. When it comes to e-sales systems, RPA collects orders from different channels (web store, email, EDI) and enters them into the order management system.

The software automatically verifies order data (inventory availability, accuracy of customer data) and processes orders, including generating invoices and shipping orders.

For the global company PepsiCo, the pandemic was a turning point to realize that they desperately need the transformation and digitalization of the procurement process. What did they do? They modernized infrastructure and data with the help of Cloud technology and automate repetitive tasks. With the help of Cloud and RPA technology, they raised the level of supply chain functioning, production agility, efficiency, and forecasting accuracy.

Effective RPA Superpower

Summer emergencies are a special kind of stress. We all know that feeling when something urgent comes up and half the team is on vacation. The need for quick reactions is never greater in those situations. By automating key processes, RPA can respond quickly and efficiently to unexpected challenges. Whether it’s processing urgent orders, managing customer queries or generating reports, RPA is here to take over.

Of course, the lack of staff during the summer is not only a temporary problem. In the long term, you should be considering a sustainable plan. In this context, RPA is not just a temporary solution, but a long-term strategy to maintain productivity and employee morale.

Automatic replying to e-mails does not mean only automatic responders are offered by services such as Google and Microsoft. When we talk about RPA technology, using predefined answers for frequent queries or redirecting specific requests to the appropriate people or system, RPA offers more advanced solutions for this part of the work that can “eat” a good part of the working day.

Onboarding process

Introducing new employees into business processes is a task that requires patience, mostly due to the repetition of certain processes. By automating many routine and administrative tasks, this process allows HR teams to focus on the personalized aspects of onboarding, while performing repetitive tasks faster and more efficiently.

RPA can play an important role when it comes to collecting data and information from recruitment systems or even directly from candidates through online forms. Based on the collected data, RPA can automatically generate all necessary onboarding documents, including employment contracts, company policies, benefits forms, and other relevant documents.

RPA can integrate with calendars and automatically schedule training, orientations, and key team meetings. The automated system sends reminders and confirmations of new appointments to employees and coaches. Such systems can also monitor the new employee’s progress in completing mandatory training and tasks, record progress, and generate reports for the HR team.

When it comes to the job process itself, the RPA can also send an automatic welcome email, with all the relevant information and resources that the new employee needs to know, detailed instructions for the first day of work, including information about the schedule, location, contacts, and necessary materials.