RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and BPM (Business Process Management) are technologies that have gained increasing prominence in the era of hyperautomation, as they play a fundamental role in operational efficiency and automation of an organization’s processes.
Standing out in the market currently requires companies to adopt innovative technologies such as RPA and BPM. These solutions offer a significant advantage, empowering organizations in operational efficiency and continuous improvement of business processes.
In this article, we will explore what RPA and BPM are, their main differences, and understand which technology is ideal for your type of business. Check it out!
What is RPA?
RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is the technique of automating repetitive and operational activities in various areas of a business. The technology automates these processes using software to create and orchestrate automations efficiently.
With RPA, robots are programmed to perform specific rule-based actions, interacting with operating systems in the same way a human would.
RPA automation has several advantages, such as reducing human errors, freeing up employees for more complex tasks, increasing operational efficiency, and, in the long run, reducing costs.
💡 Learn more: RPA Software: Types, Features, and the Best Ones
What is BPM?
BPM (Business Process Management) is an approach to managing a company’s processes. In other words, it acts as a management tool that uses techniques to optimize, manage, and monitor business processes.
Its goal is to improve workflows and activities performed throughout the organization, thus helping increase efficiency, productivity, and alignment with strategic objectives.
RPA vs BPM: what are the differences?
Although related concepts, RPA and BPM play different roles in business organization. BPM aims to operate within the organization as a whole, involving management and bringing about structural transformations in the long term.
On the other hand, RPA involves technical automation solutions focused on specific sectors and specific activities that need to be automated within a business, making it more present in technical areas. We can understand BPM as more focused on the business side of an organization.
The technologies also differ in their implementation; BPM involves the entire company, so its implementation takes longer. Additionally, it is responsible for changing the cultural aspects of the business.
With RPA, the scenario is different: the demands are more isolated and can be addressed more quickly, so its implementation does not take as much time.
Finally, the approach is also different. In BPM, the process involves analysis, modeling, and continuous improvement of organizational processes. RPA, on the other hand, works by executing processes as a human would, interacting with system interfaces.
How to choose between RPA vs BPM?
The good news is that it is not necessary to choose between RPA and BPM for your company; you can take advantage of both at the same time. This is because, as mentioned earlier, the technologies play a different role and can help your business in a complementary way, obtaining a comprehensive approach to process optimization and automation.
RPA is recommended for automating repetitive processes, so RPA software robots are configured to perform certain operational tasks. These processes automated by RPA can be integrated with the BPM platform, allowing for a broad management context.
If your company already operates RPA automations at scale, it is also worth having an RPA orchestration platform, in addition to a BPM system. This is because it will help technical teams focus on performance and implementation of RPA tools – which can be more challenging with just BPM platforms.
With both approaches, BPM provides the option to analyze and improve processes throughout the organization, while RPA efficiently performs operational tasks.
The combination of technologies ensures operational efficiency, effective control, and holistic optimization from specific tasks to broad workflows.
💡 Learn more: Trends in RPA and Hyperautomation in Latin America in 2023
All set about RPA vs BPM?
We hope this content has clarified what RPA and BPM are and their main differences. Remember that the functionalities are different, and using both tools can be a great option to optimize your company’s processes.
And, if you are looking for a flexible, scalable RPA software with advanced technical capabilities, BotCity is the right choice. Our orchestrator offers tools that assist in building custom automation flows, with options for managing robot queues, error alerts, and management dashboards for RPA.
So, schedule a conversation with our experts, or if you want to try BotCity on your own, feel free to create a free account!
