Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is a technology that uses software robots — often called "bots" — to mimic the repetitive, rule-based actions a human would otherwise perform on a computer: logging into systems, copying data between applications, filling out forms, sending emails, and generating reports.
Unlike traditional automation that requires deep system-level integration, RPA bots typically interact with software the same way a human user does — through the user interface — which makes them faster to deploy without needing to touch underlying legacy systems.
The technology shines brightest on high-volume, repetitive, rule-based work: invoice processing, data entry, reconciliation, and report generation are classic starting points. Done well, RPA doesn't just save time — it reduces error rates and frees employees to focus on judgment-based work that bots can't (yet) do.