AUTHORED BY Amila Hendahewa - Head of Digital Business Automation at N-able

If you are practically involved in process automation initiatives, including RPA, like I am, you have probably encountered the urge to automate every scenario in your workflows. This temptation to automate every task and exception is a common pitfall that can lead to complex and costly solutions. While it may seem intuitive to strive for complete automation, focusing on exceptions can actually hinder efficiency and scalability in the long run. Here's why:

1. Increased complexity:

Every exception adds a layer of complexity to the automation process. Handling exceptions requires additional logic, parameters, and steps, which can significantly complicate the workflow. As more exceptions are automated, the solution becomes a mesh of "IF" s, "BUT" s, and "MAYBE" s.

2. Costly maintenance:

This is when things get difficult. Complex automation solutions are inherently more difficult and expensive to maintain. Every time something changes (and things always change), the automated exceptions must be reconfigured and tested. This ongoing maintenance effort can quickly escalate costs and strain resources.

3. Reduced flexibility:

Over-automation restricts the flexibility of the solution to adapt to evolving business requirements. If exceptions are hardcoded into the automation logic, it becomes challenging to accommodate new scenarios or variations in the process flow. This will hinder agility and innovation within the organization.

4. Error amplification:

The more complex your automation, the higher the chance of something going wrong. And when things go wrong, especially with RPA, they tend to go really wrong. Complex automation logic increases the likelihood of bugs and unexpected behaviors, which can have negative effects on business operations and customer experience.

5. Lost human judgment:

Last but not least, let's talk about the human factor. Sometimes, there's just no substitute for human judgment, even with the involvement of AI. Certain exceptions are best handled by skilled employees who can assess the situation contextually and make informed decisions. By attempting to automate these scenarios, organizations risk overlooking the value of human expertise. With the advancements of AI, things will surely change, but for now, let's embrace the power of human judgment.

Instead of trying to automate every scenario, organizations should adopt a more practical approach to process automation:

Prioritize standardization:
Focus on automating repetitive, standardized processes that offer the greatest return on investment. By streamlining core workflows, organizations can achieve significant efficiency gains without getting into unnecessary complexity.

Acknowledge manual intervention:
Recognize that not all exceptions are suitable for automation. In many cases, it may be better to design workflows that allow for human intervention when needed. This hybrid approach combines the strengths of automation with the flexibility of human judgment.

Continuous improvement:
Automate a process as an iterative journey rather than a big bang approach. Periodically reassess and refine based on feedback, performance metrics, and changing business needs. This will help achieve sustainable efficiency gains over time.

Key takeaway - automate smart, not hard. 

Click here to explore our solutions