COMPEL Glossary / robotic-process-automation-rpa
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
RPA is software that automates repetitive, rule-based tasks typically performed by humans, such as data entry, form filling, file moving, and report generation.
What this means in practice
RPA follows explicit rules without learning or adapting -- it executes the same steps the same way every time. When combined with AI (sometimes called 'intelligent automation' or 'hyperautomation'), RPA gains the ability to handle variability, interpret unstructured documents, and make judgment calls. For example, RPA combined with AI document processing can extract information from invoices that vary in format, classify them by type, and route them for appropriate approval. In enterprise AI transformation, RPA-AI integration often delivers some of the fastest ROI because it targets high-volume, well-defined processes with clear cost baselines.
Related Terms
Other glossary terms mentioned in this entry's definition and context.