Fortra's Automate Reviews

Name: Fortra's Automate
Brand: Fortra
Rating: 4.2 (26 reviews)

4.2 out of 5

26 reviews
95% willing to recommend

1,922 followers

What is Fortra's Automate?

Fortra's Automate is predominantly used in HR and operational departments for automating reports, file manipulation, and data processing. Key uses include automating repetitive tasks, integrating PDFs and emails, running scripts, processing large data sets, transforming file formats, synchronizing databases, managing job schedules, and transferring files.

Users commend Fortra's Automate for its ease of implementation and user-friendly drag-and-drop interface, which requires minimal technical skills for efficient bot deployment. The software is appreciated for its effective scheduling tools, reliable integration capabilities, and a wide range of functions such as file interaction, secure file transfers, and extensive automation without the need for coding. Businesses achieve significant time savings and simplified processes, bolstered by continuous updates and robust customer support.

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Fortra's Automate is the #5 ranked solution in best RPA tools. PeerSpot users give Fortra's Automate an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. Fortra's Automate is most commonly compared to UiPath: Fortra's Automate vs UiPath. Fortra's Automate is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 55% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 14% of all views.

Helped 838,640 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

Anabel Marco

Account Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

Web scraping is quite good since it offers a lot of possibilities. Another important feature for me is its compatibility with MBI, the Power that is ISEQUADO Centers. I appreciate the ability to scale and increase the number of bots or studios without additional expense. Automate's non-reliance on additional orchestrators makes it quite cost-effective.

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Anabel Marco

Account Director at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

We have tried other RPA solutions like UiPath or Automation Anywhere. They are fantastic products but complex, and it's hard to understand everything. It would be best if you had a skilled developer or several. Automate is easy to implement, administer, and use. It's appropriate for us because our cases are simple and easy to automate. We don't need complicated tools with many features; We prefer to get a significant ROI quickly. We can automate several processes with only one bot, so it's much cheaper than other products where you need to buy additional licenses. We need a good value for our automation. The other solutions might be more robust, but Automate is perfect for us because we're not a large enterprise.

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Don Deyette

Systems Configuration Engineer/Move-it Administrator at a insurance company with 501-1,000 employees

I like the interface; it makes managing automation easy. We can set different schedules and templates for each task. The solution also has access to PowerShell, so we can run PowerShell scripts if needed. Automate is excellent regarding spreadsheet creation based on data files and file movement. The drag and drop for development is a key feature for our organization. We can select options for a data file, fill in parameters, add IF statements, and the solution adds the relevant code. We can enter selections for Excel, read a database based on specific values, and pass it a SQL statement. The tool greatly simplifies our tasks because it has interfaces to other products built in; if we want an Excel spreadsheet, we select yes, and then the solution will start encoding based on our selections. The product makes our work much quicker, as we don't have to write code in Visual Studio, especially when moving files around. The solution saves us a lot of time. We use it hourly for repetitive tasks dealing with 14,000 files, and Automate handles that well. We would need many staff members to do the job the solution does.

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Fortra's Automate mindshare

As of February 2025, the mindshare of Fortra's Automate in the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) category stands at 1.3%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

PeerAnalyst reports

Type	Title	Date
Category	Robotic Process Automation (RPA)	Feb 21, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Feb 21, 2025	Download
Comparison	Fortra's Automate vs UiPath	Feb 21, 2025	Download
Comparison	Fortra's Automate vs Microsoft Power Automate	Feb 21, 2025	Download
Comparison	Fortra's Automate vs Automation Anywhere	Feb 21, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
UiPath	4.4	24.5%	97%	817 interviews Add to research
Microsoft Power Automate	3.9	20.7%	87%	126 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Fortra's Automate stands out for its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, requiring minimal technical skills. Key features include seamless integration with databases and websites, efficient task scheduling, and user-friendly management. Users appreciate the cost-effective licensing model and ease of deployment. The platform's flexible automation capabilities, including secure file transfers and web scraping, contribute to its strong reputation in the market, providing valuable functionality to organizations of various sizes.

"Fortra's Automate has effectively replaced the workload of an entire employee, saving us significant time and money."
"The most valuable features of Fortra's Automate include its FTP functionality and file manipulation capabilities."
"Overall, the whole product is really nice and provides significant benefits."

Room for Improvement

Fortra's Automate needs enhancements in user interface functionality and integration options. Users express difficulty navigating the current interface and note a lack of streamlined processes for error handling and global logging. Web automation capabilities should be more robust, and OCR performance, especially for Hebrew text, requires significant upgrades. There is also a call for improved community support platforms and greater stability in cloud and on-premises environments. Security protocols, particularly around password management and HIPAA compliance, need strengthening.

"I would like the updates to be easier to deploy. Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking."
"I would like the updates to be easier to deploy. Integration with Amazon S3 is somewhat lacking."
"I currently have three bugs open with them that I don't know if they are addressed in the new release."

ROI

Fortra's Automate delivers a rapid ROI, often within 90 to 120 days, through significant labor savings, especially by handling tasks without needing IT staff. Users report reduced person-hours, higher productivity, and minimized errors. Automating workflows enhances efficiency, motivating the workforce. Some save millions by optimizing IT operations and converting them into profit centers. The in-house development, despite initial costs, allows for quick deployment and effective use in various business needs.

Pricing

Enterprise buyers evaluating Fortra's Automate will find its pricing model appealing. Users highlight its competitive pricing compared to UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism, emphasizing affordability through options like perpetual licenses and bot-based pricing. Automate offers flexibility with one-time purchase options and discounts for additional bots. The solution eliminates extra fees common with competitors, and its unlimited bot option allows multiple processes per bot, enhancing value. Pricing generally ranges from $3,000 for one bot to around $20,000 annually.

"It has gone up in price. The price of Fortra's Automate has increased since we first started using it. It does a lot but also costs a lot. It was a lot more affordable before Fortra owned the software."
"I believe the price falls within a reasonable range, which significantly influenced our decision regarding the product. This aspect is crucial for any technological solution, especially in our country where enterprises might be hesitant to invest heavily in something untested or uncertain about its practicality and potential returns."
"Once you buy the software, you just pay for the support for backend help."

Popular Use Cases

Fortra's Automate is primarily utilized to automate processes for diverse industries like banking, insurance, HR, and logistics. Organizations employ it for tasks such as automating invoice payments, HR report processing, SFTP transactions, data transformations, insurance checks, and system task scheduling. It streamlines file management, automates routine tasks, integrates business workflows via PDF and email, manages user onboarding, handles data migration, and enhances report generation, effectively reducing operational costs in sectors such as healthcare and transportation.

Service and Support

Fortra's Automate customer support is generally fast and responsive, with quick email and chat assistance. They provide valuable training and possess a strong technical skillset. Many users experience prompt responses within hours, while their knowledgeable staff effectively resolve issues. However, communication challenges arise due to language barriers and manual ticket updates. The chatbot and knowledge base can be hit or miss. Users appreciate their helpfulness and rate the service highly, despite some documentation navigation issues.

Deployment

Many users describe Fortra's Automate's initial setup as straightforward and simple. Deployment typically requires minimal staff and can be completed quickly, often within a few hours. It's accessible for both technical and non-technical users, with some noting prior support relationships facilitating an easier experience. Compared to competitors, Automate's process is often less complex, allowing users to quickly transition to development and routine operations, enjoying scalability and minimal maintenance needs.

Scalability

Fortra's Automate demonstrates high adaptability for growth needs across various businesses by allowing additional agents and licenses, facilitating workflow deployment, and balancing loads among servers. Users highlight its flexibility, citing ease of agent deployment, load balancing, and failover support. Challenges include cost implications and complexities in scaling, particularly for on-premises setups. Many report satisfactory expansion capability, with some emphasizing it as a strong feature for enterprise-level organizations.

Stability

Fortra's Automate in version 11 is generally stable with minimal instabilities. Users report its reliability with rare occurrences of unexpected errors or system slowdowns, primarily when handling large files or due to resource-intensive tasks. Connectivity disruptions happen infrequently, attributed to server or network issues. While some encounter minor stability concerns like occasional crashes or losing connection to the main server, Automate is viewed as stable with high performance, given suitable environments and resource availability.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Fortra's Automate Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

14%

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Government

Insurance Company

Legal Firm

Energy/Utilities Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Comms Service Provider

Retailer

University

Real Estate/Law Firm

Construction Company

Hospitality Company

Media Company

Outsourcing Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Consumer Goods Company

Non Profit

Performing Arts

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Engineering Company

Marketing Services Firm

Transportation Company

Compare Fortra's Automate with alternative products

Learn more about Fortra's Automate

What are the key features?

Scheduling Tools: Enables precise control and timing for automation tasks
Integration Capabilities: Seamlessly connects with various systems and software
File Interaction: Comprehensive functions for file manipulation and transfer
Secure Transfers: Ensures data safety during file transfers
User-Friendly: Minimal technical skills needed for deployment and use

What benefits should you look for in reviews?

Ease of Implementation: Fast and simple setup process
Time Savings: Reduces time spent on repetitive tasks
Process Simplification: Streamlines complex workflows
Customer Support: Access to continuous support and updates

In various industries such as healthcare, transportation, and payroll, Fortra's Automate automates workflows like invoice generation, data retrieval, data uploading, and insurance eligibility checks, enhancing efficiency and accuracy for HR and operational tasks.

Fortra's Automate was previously known as HelpSystems Automate, Automate.

Fortra's Automate customers

Aldergrove Financial Group, Preferred Health Professionals, Mindbeam Technologies, First Credit Union in British Columbia, Vestcom International, Prime Liberty Benefits, University of Tampa, CNLBancshares, World Precision Instruments, BJ's Restaurants, Globe Pequot Press, Accudata Technologies, Norton Healthcare, Pacific Toxicology Laboratories