All terms
Glossary
RPA
Also: Robotic process automation
Software operates existing applications the way a human would, through their user interface rather than an API.
The appeal is that no interface is needed: even a legacy system without an API can be included.
The drawback follows from that: the automation depends on how the interface looks and breaks when a field moves.
How you notice it
- A system has no interface and will not get one.
- A contract or vendor blocks the clean solution.
- It is a transition period with a foreseeable end.
Frequently asked
Why is RPA considered risky?
Because it hangs off the user interface. A moved button after an update stops the process, often unnoticed. As a bridge until the interface exists that is acceptable, as a permanent solution it creates exactly the dependency it was meant to solve.