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Program Manager - RPA at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Reduces cost while improving efficiency and accuracy but scalability needs improvement
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the most valuable features is IQ Bot. If you compare Automation Anywhere with any of the other organizations, we may get same type of RPA solution, as there are multiple organizations. But, IQ Bot was one of the primary reasons to choose Automation Anywhere. Using IQ Bot, we can extract more data out from the documents that are unstructured. Therefore, we need to do two things at the same time: We need to extract the information from image-based documents We need to make sure that the efficiency and accuracy of the extraction is improving with each extraction."
  • "They are working on scalability, but I'm expecting them maybe a faster pace for the thing already in place. They need to improve the extraction and accuracy. It's a sort of a journey that we started with a few fears that may end up with a 100 or 200 fears. These are our expectations from IQ Bot. We are quite hopeful that a future release will solve this problem."

What is our primary use case?

I am leading a team of RPA COE.

I'd like to explain something about the organization. We are a pioneer in mortgage real estate. For more than 20 years, we are serving US based clients and mortgage banks. The main purpose of using the Automation Anywhere is to have something which is more than RPA that is artificial intelligence. We wanted to combine all these skills so our client can get all the benefits. We do not want to train our bot constantly. We want to have something which has a self-learning bot.

This is why we opted for Automation Anywhere and are using IQ Bot. Because we have a machine learning compounded into it, which means by using this tool, our bot is self-learning so we don't need to train again. That was the primary reason.

How has it helped my organization?

RPA serves us as a tool or process that improves the efficiency of any organization. Being part of a BPM, we know we cannot go ahead and have more people all the time for any process. At this stage, we need to do something so we can do two things in parallel:

  1. We can reduce the costs. 
  2. We can improve the efficiency and accuracy. 

This is what we were able to do using RPA.

What is most valuable?

One of the most valuable features is IQ Bot. If you compare Automation Anywhere with any of the other organizations, we may get same type of RPA solution, as there are multiple organizations. But, IQ Bot was one of the primary reasons to choose Automation Anywhere. Using IQ Bot, we can extract more data out from the documents that are unstructured. Therefore, we need to do two things at the same time:

  1. We need to extract the information from image-based documents
  2. We need to make sure that the efficiency and accuracy of the extraction is improving with each extraction.

That is a primary feature of IQ Bot and the main reason that we opted for Automation Anywhere.

What needs improvement?

IQ Bot is the primary reason that we are using this. We are the one who started using this sometime back. What I realized is that it is just a product that came to be into existence. There are a lot of things that can be improved with a lot of scope. We are already engage with Automation Anywhere, giving our feedback, so they can improve. For example, they can improve the scope of extractions. IQ Bot does have some limitations. We have received assurances that in future releases this problem will be solved, and we should be able to do more extractions based upon future releases.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is what I mentioned about things that they need to improve. They are working on scalability, but I'm expecting them maybe a faster pace for the thing already in place. They need to improve the extraction and accuracy. It's a sort of a journey that we started with a few fears that may end up with a 100 or 200 fears. These are our expectations from IQ Bot. We are quite hopeful that a future release will solve this problem.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's a good to some extent. We faced an issue where the IQ Bot was very unstable. There were out days, but it's just good their support team is quite helpful. Whenever we set up new environments, we may face these type of issues. However, these are technical challenges which we might expect from any tool. These are new things for everyone, even for Automation Anywhere.

Initially, we faced stability challenges with the IQ Bot server, but now those are stable as compared to previous versions.

How was the initial setup?

It was quite straightforward, considering that people are able to understand what they need. The need is clear, so it's a pretty straightforward solution.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not exactly look at another product, but being within the industry prior to this, we used a few different products. The main reason for not choosing the others were they were lacking artificial intelligence and the machine learning component, which has the algorithm within it. 

Automation Anywhere has been more sustainable and scalable.

What other advice do I have?

There is still a lot of scope issues. There is always a gap between the customer and what they sell us. So, the customer is never satisfied. I want to give an eight, nine, or 10, but I still have a lot of expectations from Automation Anywhere, so I'll go for a seven (out of ten).

Disclosure: PeerSpot contacted the reviewer to collect the review and to validate authenticity. The reviewer was referred by the vendor, but the review is not subject to editing or approval by the vendor.
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Sr Site Operations Coordinator at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Easy to use and saves us time in our day-to-day business processes
Pros and Cons
  • "It has drag-and-drop features, which makes it very fast for us to gather the required data."
  • "It would be helpful if we could start running a process from a particular step."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for automating our business processes that make up our daily operations.

We have a set of steps that we follow for each of our processes. We devise inputs for these steps and then prepare them for automation. The automation then completes and publishes the results.

How has it helped my organization?

The automation that we have run on a daily basis helps us by saving a lot of time.

We have a process where we sell products, and using this solution means that we don't need to dedicate somebody to get this work done. Once we get the input file and prepare it, we run the automation. It completes overnight, and the next morning the results are available.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature of this solution is its ease of use. It has drag-and-drop features, which makes it very fast for us to gather the required data.

What needs improvement?

I would like to be able to look at the steps that are completed as a process is running.

It would be helpful if we could start running a process from a particular step.

In the drag-and-drop interface, it would be helpful to have interactive hints, or notes, about what is happening and what the different choices are. This would make it easier to learn.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

With respect to stability, we haven't had any issues from what we have heard.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of this solution is really high. You don't think of it as a process, but rather, part of a process. Once you automate the individual parts, you tie everything together.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not used technical support for this solution.

How was the initial setup?

We had different people come in and set up the process for us, initially. After that, I started putting in the automation myself, and it is becoming faster and pretty easy for me.

What other advice do I have?

For anybody who is implementing this solution, I recommend they get help from Automation Anywhere to help understand the best way to do their automation. This will help with the development of the bots. This is what we did, and we now have a framework for building the rest of our processes.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Automation Anywhere
November 2024
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816,636 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Software Engineer at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Helpful automation for Excel operations, but our high-availability setup was not straightforward
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature in this solution is the IQ Bot."
  • "We would like to see the scalability improve from a local perspective."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case for this solution is in finance. We have a lot of things that we are trying to automate, including performing operations in Excel.

We are using IQ Bot for one of our use cases.

I am currently trying to prioritize use cases to fit different scenarios and make the best use of this solution.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature in this solution is the IQ Bot. We are also able to perform many types of operations.

What needs improvement?

We would like to see the scalability improve from a local perspective.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This is a stable solution. We do see downtime, but it has more to do with the operating system and the servers. From an application perspective, the downtime is close to nil.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution has scalability. We have more than forty bots running.

How are customer service and technical support?

From a technical perspective, their support is pretty good. We get a ticket after submitting a request for help.

How was the initial setup?

We have a high-availability setup, so it was not a straightforward one. 

What about the implementation team?

We performed the implementation, although we had to contact Automation Anywhere for assistance during the installation.

What was our ROI?

The initial numbers look good, so I think that we will see ROI over time.

What other advice do I have?

For anybody who is considering an RPA solution, I would suggest exploring the limits. Compare products and decide, but try this one out.

We are excited to try a cloud version of this solution.

I would rate this solution a seven out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Head, Computer Science at Christ University
Real User
Bots allow our human workforce to use their intellect by taking away their mundane work
Pros and Cons
  • "We can see what the bots are doing when they are working."
  • "Automation Anywhere has to be integrated with machine learning and AI systems to read images and videos, then put the information into another format."

What is our primary use case?

We train students to find their own problems on a day-to-day basis, then use Automation Anywhere (or an RPA solution) to solve these issues.

We are using the latest version.

How has it helped my organization?

With this type of work, there is usually manual labor and human error. The people who do it may not like working on it for long. That's a big problem. If we can get a bot to do the same job doing the same thing, then our human workforce can use their intellect. 

What is most valuable?

There are many valuable features, including the reading material and taking data from websites. We can move quickly working with PDF files.

We can see what the bots are doing when they are working.

I like the bots that take data from databases and websites, then change it into another format. The bots can use this data to fill out forms, which is very tedious.

It is very easy for anybody to learn. Anybody spending time for the solution can learn it.

The UI is great and intuitive.

What needs improvement?

Automation Anywhere has to be integrated with machine learning and AI systems to read images and videos, then put the information into another format.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is pretty good. We haven't had any issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability requires a lot of resources which needs a longer based goal. 

With a cloud-based platform, we can create bots and apply them to any system.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward with no hassles. 

What other advice do I have?

Most people are aware of Automation Anywhere and what it does.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Process Leader Purchase to Pay at Eaton
Real User
Improves our accuracy on transactions and FTE savings
Pros and Cons
  • "The ease of use and its ability to change the code when something in the main process or core process changes. The ease of use is really good."
  • "We have some ERPs tools which are not compatible with Automation Anywhere because they are legacy systems. We find that Automation Anywhere does not work with these at times. Just enabling the usability of Automation Anywhere on some of these legacy ERPs would help us, as we struggle regularly with this issue."

What is our primary use case?

Primarily, we have it deployed across multiple verticals in finance and are looking to expand that to other areas, like engineering and supply chain within the organization.

We use the RPA solution and are looking to explore the IQ Bots.

How has it helped my organization?

In finance, it has helped us deliver on productivity and provided us with FTE savings. It does improve transaction accuracy as well. In these ways, it has really helped us.

What is most valuable?

The ease of use and its ability to change the code when something in the main process or core process changes. The ease of use is really good. 

What needs improvement?

We have some ERPs tools which are not compatible with Automation Anywhere because they are legacy systems. We find that Automation Anywhere does not work with these at times. Just enabling the usability of Automation Anywhere on some of these legacy ERPs would help us, as we struggle regularly with this issue.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using it for a year and a half.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It has been pretty stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is pretty scalable within the functions that we have deployed. We have increased the number of transactions compared to what we started off with. We see its usability across functions as well. We can use the same bot across other functions if you have capacity.

How are customer service and technical support?

The customer service that they provide is good. They have good turnaround time with fast responses whenever there is an issue. They give us the right solution.

What about the implementation team?

We set up all three of our use cases, which were simple, medium, and complex.

What was our ROI?

We have seen ROI. Our business cases only get approved if there is an ROI.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We evaluated the UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and WorkFusion. We evaluated them before latching onto Automation Anywhere.

We chose Automation Anywhere based on its simplicity of the usage, its ability to interact on our transactions and processes. Those were the two primary drivers that helped us decide.

What other advice do I have?

Streamline your processes and simplify them, then bring in RPA as a solution.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
IT Team Lead at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
The technical support is good and responsive
Pros and Cons
  • "We had some business users who created their first bot four weeks back, and they were thrilled. It was very easy for them because of the drag and drag. They understood the process very well."
  • "The initial setup was complex because we had to make sure all the security aspects were approved by our leadership."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is automate processes which had delays or inconsistencies.

We are focusing on automating back office tasks, such as financial process with financial documents and HR processes.

How has it helped my organization?

We had some business users who created their first bot four weeks back, and they were thrilled. It was very easy for them because of the drag and drag. They understood the process very well.

What needs improvement?

We are looking forward to seeing it in the cloud and how it works there.

It needs more functionality and customizability for bots.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is a stable product. We are happy with it.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product is scalable.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is good. They are responsive to any questions that we have.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were not using another solution prior to Automation Anywhere.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was complex because we had to make sure all the security aspects were approved by our leadership.

What about the implementation team?

We did use a consultant for the deployment. It has been a good partnership for us.

What was our ROI?

We have seen ROI by having our employee do more value-add activities.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We chose Automation Anywhere versus other RPA software because of its scalability.

What other advice do I have?

There is still room for improvement, which is why I am giving it an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Senior Tech Advisor at Ernst & Young
Real User
We have been able to reduce our number of FTEs by using this solution
Pros and Cons
  • "We have been able to reduce our number of FTEs."
  • "The ease of use is its most valuable feature."
  • "We have received 70 percent optimization using this solution."
  • "I would like to see extensive OCR capabilities in the next release."
  • "They need to make the solution more robust."
  • "While the ease of use for non-tech users is good, it could be improved."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is from a compliance and regulatory standpoint.

How has it helped my organization?

We have been able to reduce our number of FTEs.

What is most valuable?

The ease of use is its most valuable feature.

What needs improvement?

While the ease of use for non-tech users is good, it could be improved.

I would like to see extensive OCR capabilities in the next release. That is a must.

They need to make the solution more robust.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution has been pretty stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It is pretty scalable, but it does depend on how you develop the bot.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is very good.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is a little complex. For a person with a technical background, it is doable.

What was our ROI?

We have received 70 percent optimization using this solution.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend this solution. 

Look at the solution's capabilities and compare it to what your automation needs are.

It is leading the market from the automation standpoint.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
AVP Solutions at CIGNEX Datamatics
Real User
We save time through our reduction in cycle time
Pros and Cons
  • "The bot creation process is relatively simple."
  • "I would like centralized orchestration and better exception handling in the next release."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case is for automating our mortgage and loan origination processes. 

How has it helped my organization?

We brought onshore a lot of what we were doing offshore, saving our company close to $20 million.

What is most valuable?

Centralized automation is its most valuable feature.

The bot creation process is relatively simple.

What needs improvement?

It is reasonably useful for developers. It can be a challenge for a developer, as it limits what they can do.

I would like centralized orchestration and better exception handling in the next release.

Because of the stability of the application and how it interacts with some of our legacy applications, it does cause difficulties.

For how long have I used the solution?

It has been three years since we started the bot process.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is getting better. We have had some issues with the Control Room stability, which makes it harder for us to manage the bots. This is in recent versions.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are scaling up, but I don't think that we are scaling correctly.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is solid. They are pretty responsive.

How was the initial setup?

The setup is mostly straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

We used Ernest & Young for the deployment. They helped us get a lot of the work done.

What was our ROI?

We measure ROI through time and labor savings (FTEs). 

We save time through our reduction in cycle time: 30 to 35 days.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at Automation Anywhere and Blue Prism.

What other advice do I have?

Have your business plan well-developed.

The solution is reasonably wide open, so it integrates quite well with other solutions.

The IQ Bots are of limited use to us right now.

We don't use AISense, and the version of the application that we use isn't capable with Citrix.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Automation Anywhere Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: November 2024
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Automation Anywhere Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.