Automation holds great promise for enterprises that rely on rapid, effcient processes to drive effciency and deliver better experiences to business users and end customers. One technology receiving a lot of attention is robotic process automation (RPA). RPA can be thought of as a gateway - a way to introduce automation and gain business beneft at low cost and with near-zero risk.

The concept is simple: a software "robot" replicates routine human-computer interactions, automating what would otherwise be tedious, repetitive tasks. RPA thus bridges the gap between manual interaction and full automation.

RPA is particularly appealing where IT resources and budgets are limited, or for working with back-end applications that lack good APIs and would thus be diffcult to automate without signifcant change. But to deploy RPA wisely, it pays to understand the technology's benefts and limitations - and the ways in which it can be leveraged to expand its capability and the value it brings.

This report lists:

• Where RPA fits in the automation landscape
• What level of automation is right for you?
• What do you need to get started?
• How do you fnd the right RPA provider?