Jul 22, 2021
•1 minute read
SAP RPA
SAP Robotic Process Automation (RPA) focuses on automating repetitive, rules-based work across SAP-centered business processes. It applies to functions such as finance, procurement, supply chain, IT operations, HR, and shared services, where teams often manage high-volume tasks involving data entry, validation, document handling, approvals, and cross-system updates. In SAP environments, RPA is used alongside tools such as SAP Intelligent RPA, SAP Build Process Automation, and SAP BTP to reduce manual touchpoints, improve process quality, and help transformation teams scale automation across SAP and non-SAP systems.
What is SAP RPA?
SAP RPA is the use of rule-based automation tools to replicate manual, repetitive tasks across SAP and non-SAP systems. In practical terms, it enables bots to execute transactions, move data, populate forms, validate information, and trigger workflows that would otherwise require human effort. For SAP teams, RPA is often part of a broader process automation strategy that includes SAP Intelligent RPA, SAP Build Process Automation, SAP BTP integration, analytics, AI, and process mining.
SAP Robotic Process Automation (RPA) focuses on automating repetitive, rules-based work across SAP-centered business processes. It applies to functions such as finance, procurement, supply chain, IT operations, HR, and shared services, where teams often manage high-volume tasks involving data entry, validation, document handling, approvals, and cross-system updates. In SAP environments, RPA is used alongside tools such as SAP Intelligent RPA, SAP Build Process Automation, and SAP BTP to reduce manual touchpoints, improve process quality, and help transformation teams scale automation across SAP and non-SAP systems.
What is SAP RPA?
SAP RPA is the use of rule-based automation tools to replicate manual, repetitive tasks across SAP and non-SAP systems. In practical terms, it enables bots to execute transactions, move data, populate forms, validate information, and trigger workflows that would otherwise require human effort. For SAP teams, RPA is often part of a broader process automation strategy that includes SAP Intelligent RPA, SAP Build Process Automation, SAP BTP integration, analytics, AI, and process mining.
How do enterprises use SAP RPA?
Accounts payable and invoice processing
Finance teams use SAP RPA to extract invoice data, validate fields, route exceptions, and update SAP systems with fewer manual steps. This supports faster supplier responses, cleaner transactional data, and more consistent execution across procure-to-pay processes.
Record-to-report automation
Accounting teams apply RPA to recurring close activities, reconciliations, data collection, and reporting preparation in SAP finance environments. These automations help reduce repetitive work while improving process efficiency and reporting accuracy.
Order-to-cash and customer operations
Enterprises use SAP RPA to automate order entry checks, status updates, billing handoffs, and customer service workflows across SAP and adjacent systems. This helps teams streamline delivery, improve responsiveness, and remove manual touchpoints from revenue-generating processes.
SAP S/4HANA migration support
SAP teams use automation during S/4HANA programs to standardize processes, support testing, move data, and reduce manual project work. Once processes are standardized, RPA can scale more effectively across enterprise workflows.
Cross-system integration and workflow automation
IT and transformation teams use RPA with SAP BTP, SAP Build, and integration tools to connect SAP and non-SAP applications without relying only on manual handoffs. This helps organizations digitize routine tasks, reduce duplication, and maintain more accurate real-time data flows between business functions.
Where does SAP RPA emerge in SAPinsider research?
Process Productivity and Efficiency Through Process Automation and Intelligence shows that RPA remains a core automation technology for SAPinsiders, with 51% using RPA platforms and 32% using SAP Intelligent RPA. The report also shows that practitioners are prioritizing productivity and efficiency outcomes over automation for its own sake.
The Process Automation and SAP S/4HANA Benchmark Report connects automation directly to SAP S/4HANA transformation, especially in finance and supply chain processes such as order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, and order-to-deliver. The research frames process automation as a way to improve productivity, accuracy, efficiency, and manual touchpoint reduction in SAP environments.
RPA, AI, oh my! What you need to know about the technologies that drive automationAutomation technologies have always been present. In today’s landscape there are more options for solutions and intelligent automation. This can create great value but only through careful design and implementation. Automation can enable businesses to reduce errors, improving quality and increase overall productivity. The technologies that deliver the best results in automation take the time to consider how they could redesign their processes, and the underlying technologies to pave the way for success.
This session will address the different types of automations solutions and how they can be applied to specific financial processes. Attend to:
- Understand the basics of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Optical Character Recognition (OCR), and how automation solutions are applying these solutions.
- Get introduced to intelligent automation and how AI is being applied in areas such as advanced filtering, exception handling, and chat bots.
- Learn how both SAP and third-party vendors are utilizing these solutions.
- Know what skills and technological prerequisites you need to fulfill to get the most out of these solutions.
Drive Productivity with Intelligent RPAAdvances in automation technology are transforming business operations. Many organizations are finding that supply chain, finance, and HR processes can be dramatically improved by using SAP data management tools equipped with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) capabilities. Join this session to uncover SAP automation strategies that go beyond generic toolsets. Learn how the world’s largest enterprises are creating new efficiencies and boosting business results by shifting to SAP-centric RPA solutions to increase productivity and improve data quality.
In this session, we will:
- Offer expert advice for addressing potential data management challenges within SAP
- Discuss the opportunities RPA enabled technologies can offer
- Review real-world examples of complex SAP processes seamlessly executed based on user criteria
- Demonstrate how RPA enabled tools can easily help digitally transform business operations
Jan 21, 2021
•1 minute read
Build Business Resilience in Uncertain Times with Robotic Process AutomationThe sudden business interruption caused by COVID-19 has highlighted the need for organizations to ensure that their business processes are resilient and agile enough to adapt to rapid changes. Robotic process automation (RPA) can play a key role in helping organizations achieve these goals. With RPA, robots (or “bots”) can quickly and efficiently execute manual, repetitive jobs and, through application programming interfaces (APIs), can work between different systems, such as email systems and ERP systems, which allows them to work across entire processes.
This article provides a comprehensive look at how RPA can help build the business process resilience that is required in an unpredictable business landscape. You will learn:
• The main process challenges faced by businesses during a significant disruption, such as COVID-19, and how RPA can help
• Through a look at two examples, how SAP customers are using RPA to turn challenges presented by different types of business disruptions into opportunities
• How SAP can help organizations get started with RPA with solutions such as SAP Intelligent RPA
Aug 15, 2020
•15 minute read
AI & RPA: Powering Digital TransformationTake an inside look at the technologies behind P2P automation solutions — what they are, what they’re not and how they benefit P2P cycles and businesses overall. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are virtually unavoidable in our daily lives. And before we know it, the same will be said about the entire […]
Mar 26, 2020
•1 minute read
Automate Your SAP Processes More StrategicallyAnalysts and business leaders agree that digital transformation is a top strategic priority in the coming years — and the investment dollars are following. The pressure to go faster is acute for organizations that run their business on SAP ERP systems. In the clamor to digitize, organizations must realize that different business processes require differentiated digitization strategies and technology solutions — or risk setbacks and wasted investment. According to this article written by Winshuttle's Manager, Product Marketing, Jeanette Mifsud, digitizing these strategic data processes takes a different class of automation software.
Read this article and learn:
- Examples of strategic data processes
- Requirements for digitizing strategic data processes
- How business and IT teams can make an impact across an organization’s SAP landscape
Mar 18, 2020
•2 minute read
SAP Introduces the Concept of Live ProcessesEvery SAP customer has specific needs for digitizing workflows and automating the related structured and unstructured activities on top of applications as process extensions. Learn how SAP Intelligent Business Process Management on SAP Cloud Platform can help organizations automate digital workflows, manage business decisions, and enact changes directly on a running process. This article explains the notion of “Live Processes,” which provides business process experts end-to-end process visibility, the flexibility to manage process variants, and the ability to extend and configure processes to their various needs across application boundaries. Learn how this “live” view into business operations can help business process experts track process performance against targets to detect and remediate potential bottlenecks — before they cause unnecessary costs or negatively affect service-level agreements.
Feb 19, 2020
•13 minute read
RPA: Promise vs. Reality
While automating manual processes with robotic process automation (RPA) is great in theory, the reality is that RPA has been a mix of success and disappointment in many organizations. Those succeeding with RPA tend to take a holistic approach, while those experiencing disappointment tend to use generic tools. Learn about the different ways to approach RPA and how to choose the right tool to automate processes in your own SAP landscape.
Feb 21, 2019
•2 minute read
5 RPA Use Cases to Explore in an SAP SystemIn a typical day or week SAP system users complete routine, time-consuming tasks that require minimal judgment. If these system tasks were removed from their daily or weekly routines, these users would have more time to focus on matters of more importance. Robotic process automation (RPA) provides an opportunity to automate such mundane activities. In […]
Oct 5, 2018
•6 minute read
Robotic Process Automation — Hype or Real Business Value?
With the digital economy demanding more speed, accuracy, and transparency than ever before, organizations need to rethink business processes and find greater paths to efficiency. Robotic process automation (RPA) helps companies eliminate repetitive data management tasks — such as invoice processing, journal entries, and pricing changes — in exchange for more productive work days. Hear how the right RPA solution can help organizations save time and money while also enabling employees to focus on higher-value work.
Sep 12, 2018
•2 minute read
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