What is our primary use case?
I am an RPA consultant and the use case varies depending on my client. Basically, it is a tool that helps users to automate repetitive tasks.
We do not automate in our own company but we do help our clients to implement it.
How has it helped my organization?
I do not have any IT training, but I am still able to master this skill and develop Blue Prism solutions. It has a very user-friendly interface for a non-technical person.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the work queue. This helps the user to create a workflow, and it is a very powerful tool for generating management reports.
What needs improvement?
One area that needs to be improved is the resource monitoring with respect to queuing processes. Specifically, if the user is trying to schedule more than one process then the product will reject it, saying that the process cannot be run due to license limitations. However, competing products do not have this problem. Rather, the processes will be queued and then completed once the resource is available. The robot will automatically pick up the process and run it. I think that this is an area where Blue Prism can do better.
In the next release of this solution, I would like to see support for attended robots.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of this solution is very good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is dependent on the design. If the process is designed, in advance, such that the capability of expansion is in place, then it will be very easy and simple. Otherwise, it will be quite difficult.
Our client's roles vary. Some of them are developers, others are business users, and the end user will be the process controller. Some of our clients are looking into purchasing additional licenses because they are using this solution extensively.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is quite helpful. Whenever we raise a support ticket, they respond to it in a timely manner.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not use a solution prior to this one.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very dependent on the company's policies. If the company policy does not have heavy restrictions then the implementation will be very fast. However, if the company has a very tight IT policy then sometimes it will take more time to configure.
Normally, the deployment should not take more than two months. Part of the process is identifying the correct opportunities that are suitable for automation. Some clients fail because they do not know how to pick which processes, or which activities can be automated.
A minimum of two people is required for deployment and maintenance, but it will depend on the company itself. If they have deployment applications then they will not need a controller to deploy. Also, it depends on how many processes there are.
If it is a good design that is developed, following best practices, then the support may be minimal because the processes will be stable and not require attention.
What about the implementation team?
We perform the implementation for our clients.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
This solution provides a good user experience for the target audience. The non-technical users may not be able to appreciate the competing products.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to those looking to implement this solution is to have a clear understanding of what RPA is. Some of our clients are confused between RPA and AI, so before planning to implement any automation, they have to have a full understanding of what RPA can do, and what the limitations of it are.
This solution does not have support for attended robots. Most of our solutions are for unattended robots that perform unmonitored tasks. In some of the departments, they have a need to automate tasks that are in front of them, and without this feature, there are certain operations that cannot be handled.
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.