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BahatiAsher Faith - PeerSpot reviewer
Software Developer at Appnomu Business Services
Real User
Top 5Leaderboard
Affordable, excellent support, and makes it easy and quick to deploy bots with its drag-and-drop interface
Pros and Cons
  • "It's very easy to use. That's a big selling point for it. It has got a drag-and-drop interface, so you can quickly deploy bots."
  • "Error messages should be better. For error status, there should be better documentation because a lot of times, error messages that you get are quite vague. For example, you get a message saying that the workflow has run into an unknown status, which is vague. It just tells you that it failed, but you don't know how or why it failed. It makes debugging difficult."

What is our primary use case?

We're a value-added distributor for HelpSystems Automate. We distribute Automate along with other solutions to various customers. Each customer has a different use case. Usually, we develop a proof of concept solution for them or the whole project for them. 

We've done multiple projects. We've done projects for hospitals for insurance eligibility checking. We've done HR automation. We've done price comparisons for various vendors where they want to know how their competitors are pricing the same products.

For the insurance eligibility checking that we have done for a hospital chain in the region, the requirement was that they have thousands of patients coming in every day, and they need to know the insurance these patients have and what's covered under the insurance for them. So, the front desk employee takes a person's ID and enters the identification number from the ID. After that, the bot that we've developed picks up that ID from the backend, goes into the insurance portal, searches for that particular ID, and then finds out if they're eligible or not. If they're eligible, it finds out what's their copay, what's their coverage, what's their network, etc. This is the process that we developed for a hospital chain in the region.

How has it helped my organization?

For no-code automation specifically, it's very good. It's all just drag and drop, so as a developer, you don't see any underlying code that's there. It's very friendly in that regard. You don't need to have someone who is extremely technical or proficient to start developing solutions with Automate, which is huge. However, you do have to work on integration. For example, if you want to integrate a PowerShell script into your workflow, there are actions for that. If you are a proficient developer who wants to use more traditional coding languages, you can still integrate that with your regular workflow. It's very useful for clients who don't want to dedicate too many technical resources to develop and automate. Some of our clients have regular IT staff. Even though they're in IT, they're not doing much coding per se. They're able to automate pretty well and pretty quickly with Automate. They can easily start developing and working with it, which is a big selling point. We also have clients who are more used to having traditional scripting languages and are less willing to try out Automate. So, it varies on a case-by-case basis, but in the vast majority of cases, having no code is a huge factor.

It's pretty good at reducing human errors. Whatever you set up, it does that logically. If any errors come through, it's almost always because of some gaps in the implementation logic, which can be tricky to catch. That's where the bulk of the errors come from. There might be some edge cases that you didn't consider while developing, which might cause some errors. That's quite possible, but if you set it up right, it works pretty well. The other area of errors would be if you're incorporating OCR or something like that. There's inherently some ambiguity in that. It can read some letters differently. There's a possibility for errors to come in there as well. However, based on what I've seen, at least for the insurance eligibility process, there is about 90% to 95% accuracy. In the vast majority of cases, it's pretty accurate.

What is most valuable?

It's very easy to use. That's a big selling point for it. It has got a drag-and-drop interface, so you can quickly deploy bots.

The implementation time is pretty quick, which is another big selling point. The web browser of Automate is pretty good as well. If you want to do any web scraping or log into a website and pick up information, it's pretty easy to set that up. These are some good features of it.

What needs improvement?

Error messages should be better. For error status, there should be better documentation because a lot of times, error messages that you get are quite vague. For example, you get a message saying that the workflow has run into an unknown status, which is vague. It just tells you that it failed, but you don't know how or why it failed. It makes debugging difficult. From a developer's perspective, it gets a little difficult to debug at times due to these error messages. It's not with all the errors, but for quite a few errors, the documentation is vague.

Event logging and failure notifications could be improved because you can set up logging for each individual step, but you have to go and manually add it to each step or task. The same issue is there with the failure notification. You can set up an action so that when a task fails, you can take a screenshot and send an email notification, but you have to go into the task and build a condition for that. It would be better if event logging and error failure notifications can be done at a global level without having to go inside the code and add it for every single task.

Its stability could be improved a little bit, and it could also have a few more third-party integrations. Currently, you can integrate with almost any third-party service. You can integrate either through the API or through the GUI, but it would be nice if there were native actions built into Automate. It already has a lot of integrations. For example, we have Microsoft Dynamics, SharePoint, etc. We do have a fair bit of third-party integrations, but it would be nice to have a few more software integrations.

There is a community portal, but it's not particularly active. It's not a very big community. If you run into an error, you can't just look it up on Stack Overflow or something like that. However, the tech support from the vendor side has been excellent, so it isn't a big issue.

Buyer's Guide
Fortra's Automate
February 2025
Learn what your peers think about Fortra's Automate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using it for a year and two months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Its stability can be better. It's not a very big concern, but once in a while, you lose connection to the main central server for Automate from the developer console. If your developer console loses connection to the main console, which is not a very frequent occurrence, you don't realize it until later. So, you're saving your task thinking it's working fine, but it's not being saved on the server. You lose a little bit of data once in a while, but these are not very frequent occurrences. It happens once in a while, but it's something to be careful about. There are also occasional crashes. Sometimes it slows down, and it crashes. I'd rate it an eight out of ten in terms of stability.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's a very scalable solution. We have an unlimited bot version as well, so we can deploy multiple agents. We can have load balancing across these agents. We can set up agent groups as well. We can have an agent group running a certain task, and we can have a load balancer to distribute that task across agents. We have failover support and high availability support. So, it's a very scalable solution.

It's usually deployed in one location. I don't have much experience with clients deploying in multiple locations. I've only seen them use multiple servers, but they're all local servers. It's only supported for Windows, so there's no Mac or Linux support.

We've done implementations for enterprise-level customers to small and medium-sized customers. Its biggest selling point is that small and medium customers usually find solutions like UiPath and Blue Prism far too expensive. They find Automate's pricing much more competitive. 

How are customer service and support?

Their support is excellent. You can raise a support ticket, and within four hours, you'll have a response. Because we're a distributor, we also have direct email access to a few of their technical support team members based out of Europe. They're also pretty responsive. Usually, they help us out with almost any issues that we run into. So, their support is excellent. I'd rate them a nine out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

It's agnostic. It can work on the cloud or on-prem. Some customers want it on-prem, and some customers want it on the cloud. It doesn't make much of a difference from Automate's perspective. It's the same software, and where you deploy it doesn't make much of a difference. We have integration with AWS and Azure. 

I work in development, so I am involved in deployment for clients. It's pretty straightforward. You just install it and set it up. There are some prerequisites where you have to open a few ports and do things like that. Overall, it's straightforward. You can do it in maybe an hour.

After you have it up and running, you can just start working on it. You have a developer console, and as soon as it's set up, you can start developing and deploying from there. A simple, basic task such as reading an email, taking a file, and moving it to a folder can be developed in two hours. 

In terms of the ease of setting up and deploying the attended or unattended bots, we don't do much differentiation between attended and unattended bots. They're the same thing for the most part. It's just about how you'd set up the workflow. If you are setting up an attended workflow, for example, you'd have some actions in the workflow saying that wait for a user's input or something like that. For unattended, it's going to be completely end-to-end. We don't make much differentiation in that case. The pricing is the same, and it's pretty easy to deploy them after you've developed them. 

What about the implementation team?

For deployment, it's just me for the most part. It's pretty straightforward.

In terms of maintenance, we offer two pricing models. We offer subscription models where you just pay an annual cost every year, and there's also a perpetual model where you pay some amount initially, and then every year, you pay the annual maintenance cost.

What was our ROI?

We see that there's usually a very quick ROI on it after implementation. It's pretty easy to develop, which means you can get solutions out pretty quickly. At times, you have to maintain certain parts of it, but that's expected. What I've seen is that after implementing it, organizations usually see a quick return on the initial investment they have made. There is going to be a maintenance cost for it to ensure that it keeps running, but that's fair.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

From a distributor's side, one of the biggest selling points is its price point. Without going into any numbers, compared to UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism, we're significantly cheaper. The main difference is that other competitors usually charge you per process. However, in Automate's case, it's priced per bot. So, a bot can run multiple processes at the same time, but you are only priced for a single bot. That's a big selling point. It isn't like most of the competitors where if you're running three processes on a single bot, they would be charging you for three processes. We're also the only vendor to offer an unlimited option where you can have unlimited bots, and each bot can do an unlimited number of tasks. Price-wise, we're very competitive.

What other advice do I have?

I'd definitely recommend it. It's a very good product. It's a very affordable product, especially if you're a small or medium-sized organization. My biggest suggestion is to invest internally in your organization so that your employees can build and develop their own bots for their use cases. That's the biggest thing that customers who are looking to buy Automate can do. It's very easy to use and very easy to pick up. It's unlike most of the competitors where you need to have a highly certified individual to develop. So, invest in your people or employees who are doing the day-to-day work because they know what they can automate and what they cannot automate. Embrace automation fully and not just as a small part of your organization. 

It's pretty easy to automate any manual tasks that are currently repetitive. So, you can see a very quick return on investment with Automate. I also advise companies that are planning on doing automation to also invest in maintaining and scaling it. Don't just be satisfied with automating a single process, but take it further and set up an automation center of excellence and also look at other departments, such as HR and finance, that can use automation. It doesn't have to be just in IT. You can do this for almost any business flow that you have. You need to embrace it and invest in it more than just having a consultant come in and do one project and leave. You don't need to have too many technical or certified people to start working. It's very easy to use compared to other competitors' solutions.

In terms of training required to use Automate, HelpSystems offers Automate Academy on its website. It's free of cost, and anyone can access it. It has got multiple modules and hours of videos going over from the very basic concepts to more advanced concepts of Automate, including workflows and other more technical features. You can go through that, and you can also get certified through it. Those resources are freely available. Any of our customers can use them. That's one place where you can get support for training. There's also something called Bot Store, which is provided by HelpSystems. You can just go there and download prebuilt bots, and you can freely modify them, edit them, and use them for your use case. They are also mostly free. When you combine both of these, there is a fair bit of support for the developers for training. In terms of the amount of training required, it varies on a case-by-case basis. Some people learn it faster, and some people learn it slower. It also depends on your technical background. For example, they still have the concepts of loops and if statements. Even though it's drag-and-drop, you still need to know those concepts to develop with Automate. You need to have that kind of algorithm thinking. If you come from a development background, it's very easy to pick up and use. With a couple of hours of training and just playing around with it, you should be good to go, and of course, there are all the resources from the vendor side to fill in many gaps.

There is the Recorder feature in Automate, but I don't personally use it that much because anything that you can do with the Recorder feature can be done with the regular drag-and-drop actions. Recorder doesn't make it a lot easier to use than it already is.

Overall, I'd rate Automate a nine 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. The reviewer's company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor
PeerSpot user
EDI Manager at a wholesaler/distributor with 201-500 employees
Real User
Has the capability to alert us of any issues and does the job effectively
Pros and Cons
  • "Fortra's Automate performs the job effectively and has the capability to alert us of any issues."
  • "Sometimes when we communicate with the ERP system and there is an issue, we are not always aware of the specifics of Automate and the source of the problem."

What is our primary use case?

We use Fortra's Automate to run job schedules for data processing to and from our ERP systems. We extract important data to send to customers and upload it to our ERP system.

The solution is deployed on-premises in just one location.

How has it helped my organization?

Fortra's Automate does the work we wanted to do in the expected steps, and it's really a throughput process that enables our system to have a steady flow of transactions.

Our company's goal is to use Fortra's Automate to build and create automation. Of course, we have to instruct the solution as to what to do, but this would be a great enhancement for our organization.

The ability to automate using drag and drop is very important to our organization.

We did not need any training before using the solution.

I was not with my organization when they did not have Fortra's Automate. Therefore, it is difficult for me to measure what they did before. Manual work would have likely caused errors, and the solution is helping to improve that.

I work with EDI, which is the business process that we use. We need to get EDI data into an ERP system, and Fortra's Automate is the tool that can help us do that.

The solution has saved us time, as it is an automated process that runs independently and transfers data.

What is most valuable?

The solution is quite sound and it is a reliable workhorse. Fortra's Automate performs the job effectively and has the capability to alert us of any issues.

What needs improvement?

Sometimes when we communicate with the ERP system and there is an issue, we are not always aware of the specifics of Automate and the source of the problem. Automate simply states "failure" and nothing else. This is an area that could be improved by having wizards available to assist.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using the solution for three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution appears to be scalable, however, our lack of time to analyze and experiment is a major setback.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is excellent. I enjoy chatting with technical support, as it allows me to get a quick response to any solutions or problems. This has saved us a lot of time, and we are able to get an immediate response. The support person will join us online in a Zoom session to resolve our issue. Not many solutions offer this, which is very advantageous for us. We can also email, but they give us the option to chat, which is very quick, easy, thorough, and effective.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

What was our ROI?

We have seen a return on investment due to the reduction of manual effort required for certain tasks.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The cost is a bit high for a small business like ours, but we manage with Fortra's Automate.

There are no additional fees.

What other advice do I have?

I would rate the solution an eight out of ten because we never received any training or exposure to Fortra's Automate. We had to learn it through hands-on experience with a mentor when we started. We weren't given any resources to help us learn, so we had to figure it out on our own.

We have two people that directly use the solution.

The biggest issue we face is failure when attempting to use the ERP system at times, so we have nothing to maintain.

Potential users without experience should view demonstrations of how Fortra's Automate works to gain an understanding of its capabilities.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
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.
PeerSpot user
Katie R Thompson - PeerSpot reviewer
Katie R ThompsonMarketing Campaign Lead at Fortra
Vendor

Thanks for the awesome review! We appreciate your feedback. We’re glad Automate is helping your organization reduce manual work and human errors. Additionally, we love to hear it's saving your employees time by automating processes that run independently to transfer data. Sorry to hear you're having issues identifying the source of a communication error within Automate. I have shared this information with our product/support team. If you ever find you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to Support as they are always at your disposal. Thank you again!

    Buyer's Guide
    Fortra's Automate
    February 2025
    Learn what your peers think about Fortra's Automate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: February 2025.
    837,501 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    reviewer2534466 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Assistant IT Manager at a manufacturing company with 201-500 employees
    Real User
    Top 20
    Ensures reliable task execution and has an easy setup process
    Pros and Cons
    • "The product effectively handles all the tasks we require."
    • "The product also has a limited use case in some respects."

    What is our primary use case?

    We used the platform primarily for task automation, including transmitting EDR files. Additionally, we've utilized it for repetitive tasks, such as downloading web-based reports using the browser and programming it to perform them automatically on a scheduled basis.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution's most valuable features are reliable task execution and ongoing development, which brings continuous enhancements. 

    What needs improvement?

    We were waiting for the product's FTP capabilities to be updated as they needed to catch up in some areas for which ciphers were permitted. The module for those file transfers or communications had issues with partners tightening their security and turning off certain cyber suites. We stopped communicating until we could resolve some problems. A part of it may have evolved into an actual version upgrade. They've recently made some release notes and added enhancements regarding that topic. I'm glad to hear that attention is still being given to getting the required changes.

    The product also has a limited use case in some respects. However, it offers vast more capabilities than what we're utilizing.

    The only thing they can improve on is its marketing sales. The costs have become exponentially more than what we used to apply it for. It was only about 200 to 300 bucks when I first purchased it. Now it has become five grand receipts.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using Fortra's Automate for more than 20 years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    We rarely encounter stability issues. The platform works well.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The product effectively handles all the tasks we require. While I cannot confirm with certainty, other customers are likely testing its capabilities more extensively than we are. Nevertheless, it is scalable and meets the requirements of our environment.

    How are customer service and support?

    I can reach the support team easily via email or phone calls. The resolution process varies depending on the complexity of the issue. For some problems, the support team provides straightforward solutions, such as trying different approaches. They are consistently available to address queries.

    My most significant challenge involved agreeing on FTP ciphers between the host and server or client. The support team assisted in resolving this issue, which was the most prolonged troubleshooting engagement I experienced.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

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

    We are about to start with a proof of concept for Power Automate. Additionally, a few lower-cost solutions are available, but they are not feature-rich enough.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is easy to work with, involving no code to create automation scripts. The time taken depends on the complexity of the task. Simple tasks can be done in minutes, like setting up a script to move files between two locations.

    Maintenance is minimal. There are periodic updates, generally at least once a year, and intermittent releases for patches or enhancements as needed.

    What about the implementation team?

    One person can handle the implementation if they have the time to learn and are diligent. Much of it is intuitive, like writing code without actually writing code. Before using the tool, one must have a high-level idea of the workflow and the steps needed to accomplish the end goal.

    In general, if you want to use any process automation tool, don't just duplicate what you're doing by hand; instead, rearchitect the process to be more efficient. Have a high-level series of steps mapped out before you start coding.

    What other advice do I have?

    For somebody who just started using Fortra's Automate, they would see the benefits fairly immediately. Once a task is set up, they can immediately observe its performance and reliability.

    It can be configured to inform you of an error message. It could indicate a success or a failure, depending on the expected outcome. At least we are kept aware that the tasks are running regularly. A lot of bigger control can be utilized to ensure the tasks function properly.

    If the product functions aren't broken, there is nothing to fix. However, it is crucial to complete updates quickly as they could make system upgrades difficult later.

    As mentioned before, I advise ensuring they have a well-thought-out process for how they will build your tasks. They shouldn't attempt to automate a poor process; ensure it is optimized or tuned before starting. It applies regardless of the platform they use.

    I rate it a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    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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    PeerSpot user
    Peter Hegland - PeerSpot reviewer
    Peter HeglandManaging Director, Automation at Fortra
    MSP

    Hi reviewer2534466 - Thanks so much for leaving us a review and for being a long-time, loyal customer! I'd love to talk to you and learn more about how we can improve the Automate product and pricing. I am the Managing Director/General Manager for Automate. Please reach out if you are able to chat - peter.hegland@fortra.com. Best, Peter Hegland

    Senior Director of Applications and Deployment Services at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
    User
    Top 20
    Very low code, easy to read and understand
    Pros and Cons
    • "We are still in the process of rolling it to production and tweaking it (our AD groups are a mess), but the improvements are priceless. Having users ID's created the same way every time without human error is the best part. We don't need to worry about why groups were not added, user rights not set to folders or missing a private folder being created, typos or just even knowing when things are done and logged."

      What is our primary use case?

      Our primary use case is to automate the onboarding user process. This includes creating the user ID, enabling mailboxes in Exchange, adding user groups based on user types and sites, enabling third-party software like archiving for users on external sites, creating specific home directory and private directory structures, SQL querying if certain IDs already exist on our Document management system (our ID's don't match AD), creating logic to alert and email notifications. 

      We will also be using it to monitor mailbox messages to create tickets via API for our ticketing system based on the type of email content and assigning it to appropriate departments.  

      How has it helped my organization?

      We are still in the process of rolling it to production and tweaking it (our AD groups are a mess), but the improvements are priceless.  Having users ID's created the same way every time without human error is the best part. We don't need to worry about why groups were not added, user rights not set to folders or missing a private folder being created, typos or just even knowing when things are done and logged. You can automate the time run and ignore it on holidays.  I haven't even gotten to the off-boarding part yet when we need to start archiving stuff on the backend.

      What is most valuable?

      It's not no-code, but it's very low code. It's easy to read and understand. A little bit of DOS scripting, basic knowledge of using the information you have, and tossing it into a database to use, and you're off running.  I have to say, the people who wrote this, really understand the use of automation.  You can run your scripts as a different user when you get an error - do this, dialog message box timeouts -positioning- -auto continue -delay, there's plenty of logging and more which I know I haven't discovered yet.

      What needs improvement?

      I haven't really come across anything I haven't been able to do with it yet. I am still finding things to automate but I'm sure there's a lot more to explore. My script is quite extensive so I do wish I could jump to parts of my script more quickly but being able to set regions (expand or collapse part of the script helps.) 

      The support was great. One thing I got from support was some basic templates like logging and starter scripts, maybe just include some, the help is very useful but the start templates really get you off to a running start. I am truly surprised by the functions I can perform already on the system straight out of the box and I recommend the video training. 

      For how long have I used the solution?

      I have been using it for two to three months.

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      It has the scalability if you need it. You can purchase more agents to run. It's easy to deploy.

      How are customer service and support?

      It was great working with Ryan. He always answered my emails and was great at pointing me in the right direction.

      How would you rate customer service and support?

      Positive

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

      I only had basic DOS and Powershell scripts which others didn't know how to use.

      How was the initial setup?

      It's really easy to set up.

      What about the implementation team?

      I installed it myself on-prem. The vendor came in to verify the configurations (recommended).

      What was our ROI?

      We have seen ROI in saving time and reduced human error. It can handle any repetitive tasks.

      What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

      The starter pack was all we needed and was reasonable. Others were either more expensive or didn't do all that I wanted to do without an addon.

      Which other solutions did I evaluate?

      We looked at 2-3. ManageEngine and UIPath but I can't recall the other one.

      What other advice do I have?

      If you like to automate, give this a try. It's easy to learn and you don't need a developer or programmer to help you.  

      Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

      On-premises
      Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
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      PeerSpot user
      reviewer1550007 - PeerSpot reviewer
      Product Manager - RPA at a security firm with 11-50 employees
      Reseller
      Great technical support, with lots of features added regularly and very good scalability capabilities
      Pros and Cons
      • "The solution is continuously adding more integrations to help with workflows and bot and task creation."
      • "Some companies have asked for voice integration. This is likely part of the roadmap."

      What is our primary use case?

      I primarily use the solution for giving the sessions to the clients and trying to get them to set up AutoMate in their organization and also help them to design and create a workflow.

      For example, one of our clients, for a healthcare chain, was having a lot of COVID patients coming in in 2020. Their SAP systems are on 15(16) Field information had to go on to the Department of Health site, as all the blood samples are tested in the government hospitals. There were lab technicians keeping the SAP application open and they were copying all these 15(16) Fields of 2000 patients end of the day into the DOH website. That was taking them a lot of time. Two other people were hired to help. 

      What we did for them was automate the process. We went into the SAP system and every three hours would download that information, then, we would go to the DOH site, upload these 15 Fields for all of the patients.

      After two days, we could go to the DOH website, and download their PDF document, which was a report on whether they had detected COVID or not. For the data we download we would enter the date into that Excel file for the hospital and attach that PDF document onto the top record of the patient. This way, there's complete information about the patient. With this solution, the cycle was complete.

      What is most valuable?

      I can say it's a very good product. It has very good results and it is well suited for my requirements. Everything more or less I've been able to create, in line with what the client requires. If the clients have been stuck within everything I've been able to give them a solution on how to automate what is required. 

      The solution is really pushing into cybersecurity and working to improve this aspect of the product.

      They always check quarterly with the customer to find out what the customer wants to be enhanced in AutoMate. They make sure they try to put that into their roadmap. They are not complacent like some of the other RPA products which already are in the market. They're working on building out more automation so there are fewer bottlenecks in the future.

      Technical support is very, very good.

      We often get a sneak peek into what they will be releasing. We get to know about it first.

      The solution scales extremely easily.

      The stability of the solution is very good.

      The implementation process is quick and easy.

      The solution is continuously adding more integrations to help with workflows and bot and task creation.

      What needs improvement?

      So far, for two years, I have not found anything amiss.

      That said, nothing is 100%. Each RPA product is not mature enough. There are always have to find innovative ways of automating. There are always challenges for automation. It is a continuously growing process. The majority of the clients want more automation in AutoMate and they want that in the roadmap. 

      Some companies have asked for voice integration. This is likely part of the roadmap. 

      For how long have I used the solution?

      I've been using the solution for the last two years or so. It's been a while.

      What do I think about the stability of the solution?

      The stability of the solution is excellent. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's very reliable.

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      The scalability is excellent. It's a very good selling feature for the product. If a company needs to scale, it can do so with ease.

      The companies we work with are rather large enterprises.

      How are customer service and technical support?

      Technical support is very good and very prompt. They have a chatbot for partners and clients. Anybody who goes to the website can interact with the chatbot. All queries get a response within 24 hours. Their SLA is a 24 hour response time if the chatbot can't immediately connect you to someone. 

      We have our own discussion portal on which we can post things and immediately there's a solution. Or if there's no solution they let us know about it and will work on a proper response. 

      How was the initial setup?

      The initial setup is very, very simple. In fact, one of the banks that is a client of ours for some other products plans to move from UiPath to AutoMate mostly due to the complex implementation process involved with UiPath. They have asked us to wait actually until the business comes up and then they will move to AutoMate.

      It does not take a long time to set up. We have only one server, and any number of workflows can be created with one license depending on the size of the file and aspects like that. You just need a one-server setup. You don't need different kinds of products when your number of workflows increases. That is a real added advantage ofthe implementation. Our USP is, easy to implement, fast return on investment, and scalability.

      What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

      While I'm not sure of the exact pricing, it's my understanding that the solution is one the cheapest compared to UiPath, Automation Anywhere and Blue Prism, or the other tier-one options.

      Which other solutions did I evaluate?

      I'm aware of UiPath, Automation Anywhere, and Blue Prism and have done some pricing comparisons. HelpSystems is much cheaper than these options.

      What other advice do I have?

      We are a distributor - a value-added distributor that has the knowledge and expertise. We will combine products of HelpSystems and give to clients the tools as they require them. Many clients have more than one HelpSystems product, for example.

      Overall, I would rate the solution nine out of ten.

      Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

      On-premises
      Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Distributor
      PeerSpot user
      Senior IT Developer at a energy/utilities company with 1,001-5,000 employees
      Real User
      Top 20
      Offers backward compatibility with previous versions, stable
      Pros and Cons
      • "We use it for specific cases, mainly secure file transfers, which are vital for us. And it works for us."
      • "We really need a free development environment for customers. Building and testing automation on production isn't ideal."

      What is our primary use case?

      We go case by case. We use Automate for various file transfers: SFPP, FTP, cloud to cloud, file to cloud, cloud to file, file to banks, and banks back and forth. We're happy with it, though it's mainly for file transfers.

      What is most valuable?

      We use it for specific cases, mainly secure file transfers, which are vital for us. And it works for us. 

      What needs improvement?

      We really need a free development environment for customers. Building and testing automation on production isn't ideal.

      For how long have I used the solution?


      What do I think about the stability of the solution?

      Never had stability issues with Automate. Any downtime we've had was caused by other systems, not Automate itself. That's why a free development environment is crucial. We need to test and build without impacting production.

      So, the only major improvement suggestion is a free development environment. That would solve our downtime issues and allow us to develop and test automation efficiently without affecting production.

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      We have specific use cases like secure file transfer. And it has been scalable for our business case. So, for us, the scalability is a ten out of ten.

      How are customer service and support?

      Fortra's Automate has good documentation and a lot of videos available. We were also given training.

      So, overall, support has been good.

      How would you rate customer service and support?

      Positive

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

      Windows had something called 'batch jobs.' It still works, but it was manual monitoring and cumbersome. 

      So, Automate has been a big leap forward, simplifying things. Only during the upgrades, do we need to visit the product. Otherwise, everything is seamless. 

      How was the initial setup?

      The implementation is ongoing. It's not a one-time thing for us. We build new automations every few weeks for new software, involving requirements, development, and testing.

      It does not require much maintenance, thanks to backward compatibility. We haven't needed major code changes due to version upgrades.

      What about the implementation team?

      I was part of the requirement gathering and development but not the installation. Upgrades are handled by the admins with some initial testing from me.

      Currently, it is deployed on-premises, we are exploring cloud options. We'll always need on-premises for some things, so it's a hybrid approach for now.

      What other advice do I have?

      Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten.

      The advice is for a customer and a vendor. Do a proof of concept, get a trial version, and play around with it. Have your solution architect or support walk them through some use cases. And most importantly, make sure you're trained! Without proper training, this product will be a failure. Offer them all the resources – training materials, videos, and community links. That's the recipe for success.

      Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

      Hybrid Cloud
      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.
      PeerSpot user
      reviewer2143353 - PeerSpot reviewer
      Consultant at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
      Consultant
      Provides a central place to schedule tasks and has good monitoring features and support
      Pros and Cons
      • "It gives us a central place to schedule tasks and run them distributed."
      • "The workflow for variables could be better. The input and output of task-level variables could be made a little clearer in terms of passing those around from one task to another upon success, etc. Things like that could be a little easier potentially."

      What is our primary use case?

      We use it for running reports.

      How has it helped my organization?

      It gives us a central place to schedule tasks and run them distributed. 

      It's fairly important to us that it's based on a drag-and-drop, form-based development. It required very little training.

      It has helped to reduce human errors. I can't provide the metrics, but humans are prone to creating errors when doing things manually.

      It hasn't recently helped reduce our organization's need to hire more people to process repetitive tasks. That's because it's a mature instance that we're supporting.

      What is most valuable?

      Some of the monitoring features and the dashboard are valuable.

      What needs improvement?

      The workflow for variables could be better. The input and output of task-level variables could be made a little clearer in terms of passing those around from one task to another upon success, etc. Things like that could be a little easier potentially.

      For how long have I used the solution?

      I've been using this solution for about four months.

      What do I think about the stability of the solution?

      It's fairly stable. We're seeing some issues. I'd rate it a seven out of ten in terms of stability.

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      It seems scalable to an extent. We've 15 users using this solution.

      How are customer service and support?

      I've contacted them. They were very helpful. I'd rate them a ten out of ten.

      How would you rate customer service and support?

      Positive

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

      I've used other solutions, but there wasn't another one I know of doing this work at this company.

      How was the initial setup?

      I wasn't a part of the deployment process. It was done several years ago, and I joined the team just this year.

      In terms of the setup and the environment, it's virtualized on-premises. We have three EXE servers, one service box, and one server that we run the client on.

      In terms of maintenance, I'm not aware of any maintenance requirements.

      What other advice do I have?

      To those evaluating this solution, I'd advise having your migration plan in place.

      I played around with a few of the things, and it seems like a viable option for building and creating automation using no-code automation, but it also depends on the use case.

      I'd rate Fortra's Automate an eight out of ten.

      Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

      On-premises
      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.
      PeerSpot user
      Principal at Adaptive Growth, Inc
      Reseller
      Good technical support and the drag and drop interface makes it easy to use
      Pros and Cons
      • "The most valuable feature is the drag-and-drop interface, which is very Windows-like."
      • "The vendor is currently working on a solution that allows us to automatically create a process that is based on a document that we receive via email."

      What is our primary use case?

      Adaptive Growth is a reseller for HelpSystems' AutoMate Robotic Process Automation software system. Our primary target markets are manufacturing and distribution companies. We also feel that nursing homes and trucking companies are markets that RPA will provide tremendous benefits in operational cost reductions. HelpSystem's PDF and email integration into business software workflows is a great benefit for most any company. 

      How has it helped my organization?

      As a reseller of HelpSystems' AutoMate RPA the product will grow our business because of the dramatic operational cost reductions it offers to our customers. Especially when a buyer of AutoMate can grow their business without the associated cost of hiring new employees--a tremendous benefit of RPA. 

      Companies that take the time to learn and understand AutoMate RPA will want to invest in the product for the benefits it offers, the operational cost reductions it provides and its quick ROI.

      What is most valuable?

      The most valuable feature is the drag-and-drop interface, which is very Windows-like.

      Technical support and marketing support is terrific.

      The documentation is online and it's very good.

      The integration is excellent. For example, it will integrate with SAP very easily. It's  API 

      (application programming interface) is easy to use when and where where required.

      What needs improvement?

      Adaptive Growth finds that AutoMate satisfies the workflow and repetitive business processes of most any company we would address. The product's improvement will come mostly from its users which has been the case. 

      For how long have I used the solution?

      Adaptive Growth has been working with HelpSystems AutoMate for about nine months.

      What do I think about the stability of the solution?

      This is a very stable product.

      What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

      AutoMates scalability will satisfy most any company's growth requirements.

      How are customer service and technical support?

      Technical support is terrific.

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

      We worked with company a company that sold and implemented UiPath and AGI had a trial version of Kofax RPA

      How was the initial setup?

      The initial setup is straightforward and very easy. A user company just needs to follow the the implementation steps. 

      What about the implementation team?

      Adaptive Growth implemented AutoMate without outside help. 

      What was our ROI?

      Customers of AutoMate will realize their ROI within 90 to 120 days from their go-live date. However, that is dependent on the business requirements for a specific project's workflow is properly defined and documented so it meets that workflows business expectations,

      What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

      We especially like the way AutoMate is priced. Our customers can license it or pay a one-time purchase price dependent on the number of users. 

      Which other solutions did I evaluate?

      We were looking at UiPath and Kofax, and we chose HelpSystems and AutoMate because the product is so Windows like and easy to use.

      What other advice do I have?

      Our advice for any company who is implementing RPA including AutoMate is to make sure that the requirements for a specific process are clearly defined and documented.

      Overall, we find that this is a good product and it's easy to learn and implement. A buyer of Automate RTA never has to become dependent on an RPA implementation company or a consulting firm and its associated costs. 

      That said, the principals at AGI have been in the software industry for 35 plus years selling and implementing software systems that address critical business requirements and expectations, we know that a software project will fail when those expectations are not met. 

      We would rate this solution a eight out of ten.

      Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

      On-premises

      If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

      Other
      Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: AGI is a reseller of Help Systems' Automate
      PeerSpot user