Short answer
RPA (robotic process automation) means software "robots" that imitate a person’s actions on a computer — clicking, copying and entering data into programs through their user interface. RPA helps when a system has no API, but it is fragile: when a screen changes, the robot can break.
How RPA works
An RPA robot is “taught” a sequence of actions: open a program, copy a value, paste it into another window, press a button. It can run on a schedule or when an event happens. Well-known tools include UiPath and Microsoft Power Automate Desktop.
When RPA is a good solution
- An old program has no API and there are no plans to change it.
- The process is stable, and the screens rarely change.
- You need a quick fix while a proper integration is being built.
The downsides of RPA
- Fragility — a new program update can break the robot.
- Speed — the robot works at human pace through the screen, not directly with the data.
- Maintenance — robots need regular supervision.
RPA, integration or an AI agent?
If the system has an API, an integration is almost always more stable and faster. If the work involves a lot of text and documents, AI complements or replaces RPA — see what is an AI agent.