Category: Automation

How Tangentia Can Help Ease the Transition from Automation Anywhere V11 to Automation 360(A2019)

How Tangentia Can Help Ease the Transition from Automation Anywhere V11 to Automation 360(A2019)

We’re fast approaching the end of life for Automation Anywhere’s Enterprise V11 platform. That’s not a bad thing, however. The industry-leading RPA vendor is replacing the client-based, a legacy solution with something more agile and modern — Automation 360, formerly known as A2019.

You already know this, of course. That’s why you’re here. You don’t need us to convince you about the value of RPA — you need to convince the decision-makers in your business.

Fortunately, that won’t be difficult to do. As you’ll soon see, the numbers speak for themselves. First thing’s first, however, you’re going to need a plan.

What Is A2019/Automation 360?

The latest iteration of Automation Anywhere’s robotic process automation (RPA) solution, Automation 360 is completely web-based, rebuilt by the company from the ground up. It neither relies on specialized infrastructure nor requires an on-premises installation. This allows it to provide greater functionality, better scalability, and improved ease of use at a lower total cost of ownership than its legacy predecessor.

Automation Anywhere has made a few other changes with Automation 360 as well, including:

  • Support for CENTOS and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
  • UI is available in 7 additional languages, bringing the total supported languages to 10.
  • Available on-premise, as a SaaS app, or as a hybrid deployment.
  • Web-based bot creator platform.
  • Cognitive technology and artificial intelligence are available out of the box.
  • Task commands have been replaced by modular, package-based “actions.”
  • A new SDK allows customers to develop their own packages.

When Does Automation Anywhere V11 Reach EOL?

As of March 2021, Automation Anywhere stopped selling Enterprise V11. The product’s official end of life date is September 2022.

The Challenges of Migrating to A2019 from Enterprise V11

To leverage the advanced functionality of Automation 360 and support ongoing business continuity, you need to migrate to Automation 360 as soon as possible. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. Because the two versions are so fundamentally different from one another, there are multiple roadblocks to account for :

  • Bot Migration. Bots migrated from V11 to A2019 do not preserve system credentials, meaning these must all be reconfigured manually after migration. Additionally, some bots do not even support migration.
  • Code Differences. Automation 360 has completely retooled how task commands are handled — among other changes — there’s a lack of code parity between the two versions.
  • Versioning Issues. It’s difficult to access historical versioning data on bots and other components after they’ve been migrated, which is a significant issue from a compliance standpoint.
  • Audit Log Storage. Automation 360 changes how audit logs are stored, which can potentially mean retooling your auditing and reporting processes.
  • Output. Automation Anywhere does not offer any straightforward means of comparing outputs for migrated bots, meaning you’re flying blind when it comes to testing whether or not your bots were successfully migrated.

Planning Your Migration Strategy

Successfully migrating to Automation 360 begins with laying the proper groundwork. You’ll need to take a measured, deliberate approach, assessing and evaluating your progress and infrastructure at each phase. Here’s how that looks in practice:

Initial Assessment

  • What’s the extent of your migration?
  • What systems and infrastructure will be impacted, and how significant a change will you need to make to your bots? You’ll want to pay especially close mind to version differences.
  • Do you have measures in place to address any potential business continuity challenges that come up?
  • What is your threshold for solution complexity?
  • Are there other improvements/optimizations that can be made during the migration? New features of Automation 360 that you could incorporate?

Strategization

  • If your migration will require processes to be engineered or components to be restructured, how will you go about this?
  • Do you have clear visibility into each phase of the migration process?
  • How will your migration be timed? Have you set realistic targets?
  • What business needs do each individual component serve, and which take precedence in terms of migration?

Delivery

  • Set and follow established best practices for migration, such as those provided by Tangentia.
  • Address challenges and discrepancies via custom solutions.
  • Consider leveraging an automated code dispatcher to better facilitate code migration.
  • Reuse code where possible, and cut out redundancies where you can.

Evaluation

  • Test each migrated component across multiple simulated environments.
  • Perform quality assurance for each component as it is migrated.
  • Examine both functionality and underlying codebase.

Deployment

  • Manage your new deployment of Automation 360 through change management and lifecycle management processes.

Ensure a Seamless Automation 360 Migration with Tangentia

The prospect of such a complex migration can be both daunting and discouraging. If you’re like most businesses, you likely cannot afford the extensive downtime that would be required. Especially now, you need your RPA platform performing at peak efficiency, with as few interruptions as possible.

Tangentia can help with that.

As a Gold Automation Anywhere Partner and a global leader in RPA, we employ more than 50 trained and certified developers, business analysts, architects, and project managers. Together, these experts have developed a migration process that gets you up and running on Automation 360 as quickly and painlessly as possible. Working with our highly experienced team, you’ll also be able to leverage our powerful, cloud-based Automation Anywhere Platform.

Working with Tangentia, you’ll be able to effortlessly move past any challenges that might prevent a successful migration:

  • Build Better Bots. With our Bot Factory, get the bots you need the moment you need them.
    • Our dedicated team designs develop and test your bots, including tackling all the challenges associated with migrating.
    • We maintain a Bot Operations Center to provide full support post-migration.
    • We’re able to easily spin up virtual testing environments for the purpose of output comparisons.
  • Maintain Code Parity. Between our expertise and our extensive code library, we’ll help you sort through any unsupported components as you move from one platform to the other.
  • Preserve Version History. We’ll make sure that even post-migration, you don’t lose versioning data. We’ll keep it securely stored and readily accessible for all your compliance needs.
  • Keep Your Audits Intact. Whatever your auditing and reporting requirements, we’ll make sure you meet them, no matter how complex your migration is.

Before you migrate to Automation 360, it is important to verify the migration readiness of your bots. You can scan your bots using Automation Anywheres Bot Scanner and analyze the generated report for information about their current state.

Get Started on Your Automation Anywhere Journey Today

Contact us for more information on how we can help you seamlessly migrate from Automation Anywhere V11 to Automation 360 (A2019).

Tangentia is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certified

tangentia ISO certifiedtangentia ISO certified

Tangentia is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 Certified

Tangentia is proud to be a globally compliant ISO 9001 and 27001 company. All our 3 major entities – Tangentia Inc based in Canada, Tangentia India Pvt Ltd based in India, and Tangentia America LLC have been ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certified. Assessment for both the certifications jointly was done by TUV Nord, accredited by German accreditation body DAkkS. Through an integrated approach, our global ISO implementation team has achieved compliance with both standards in record turnaround time.

Our Integrated Management System(IMS), which is compliant with both the standards, boasts robust processes that ensure that our products and services meet the needs of our clients, with an ability to effectively manage information security risks.

Vijay Thomas, CEO of Tangentia said “It is an inordinate achievement that reveals our commitment to providing quality products and services, ensuring continuous up-gradation of and adherence of information security processes to all our existing and prospective clients.”

Vaishali Amonker, Global Head of Quality as well as the lead for the Tangentia ISO implementation adds “Our goal to attempt to get the ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 standards simultaneously was a BHAG( Big Hairy Audacious Goal) to start with. However the ISO team made up of people globally that met at all odd hours of the day and night to manage time zones, managed to pull it off and our customers can now rest assured that the Tangentia services that they trust, are going to get even better”

ISO 9001:2015, the Quality Management Standard

To become ISO 9001:2015 certified, Tangentia underwent an evaluation process that included: quality management system development, a management system documentation review, pre-audit, initial assessment, and clearance of non-conformances, all of which work to identify corrective actions that eliminate non-conformances in the quality management standard. The audit also revealed that our internal document and record management system is well developed.

It is an inordinate achievement that shows we are truly endowed in understanding our client’s needs in working with them to deliver high-quality solutions, while always complying with regulations and specifications and continuously reviewing and improving the way we work. This certification reveals our commitment to providing quality products and services to all our existing and prospective customers.

The ISO 9001 certification clearly demonstrates that we have robust and defined procedures in place in all our business areas. So, we can proudly state that Tangentia services are delivered with quality and transparency.

ISO/IEC 27001:2013, the International Information Security Standard

At Tangentia, we adhere to the highest standards of information security, client confidentiality, and trust. We acknowledge the fact that every client’s information/data/documents is an extremely important asset and always treat it with the greatest integrity.

ISO/IEC 27001:2013 includes the management of information security in processes related to Information Technology, Client Servicing, Operations, Human Resources, and Administration. Crimson Interactive’s ISMS follows the approach to “develop, establish, implement, operate, monitor, review, maintain, and improve,” thereby ensuring continuous up-gradation of and adherence to information security processes.

How do our clients benefit from ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification?

  • We have secure operations and strict compliance policies, ensuring that our client’s research work information/data/documents are 100% safe with us.
  • Our business continuity planning ensures no disruptions and delivery of all information/data/documents on time.
  • Advanced information technology systems to ensure superior quality and higher security.
  • Our trust and confidentiality commitment to serve our esteemed clients better and for longer.
  • We have globally recognized and acknowledged security processes/protocols for ensuring no security breaches.
  • Tangentia Gateway SaaS solutions for B2B, EDI, Supply Chain and E-commerce in addition to SOC1 and SOC2 compliance are now also ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 compliant.
  • TiA SaaS solutions including TiA Chatbot, TiA Robotic Process Automation( RPA), TiA Intelligent Data Processing (IDP), and TiA Core AI platforms are now also ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 compliant.

We at Tangentia give utmost importance to quality and information security while engaging in all business activities. And the ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification clearly demonstrates that we guarantee information security by adhering to internationally renowned standards.

Get Started Today

Tangentia is a Platinum Partner of IBM and well as partners with Automation Anywhere, UI Path, Blue Prism, Adobe, Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon and leading enterprise software vendors. We work with customers globally with offices in Canada, USA, Mexico and India to implement their RPA strategies using an agile methodology.
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How to Build a Business Case for RPA

How to Build a Business Case for RPA

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is arguably one of the most transformative technologies in the business world. It can be used to streamline a business across the board, from network security to payroll and order fulfillment. For anyone who’s been paying attention, the benefits are as clear as day.

You already know this, of course. That’s why you’re here. You don’t need us to convince you about the value of RPA — you need to convince the decision-makers in your business.

Fortunately, that won’t be difficult to do. As you’ll soon see, the numbers speak for themselves. First thing’s first, however, you’re going to need a plan.

It All Starts With Your Roadmap

In order to properly conceptualize and explain the specific ways that RPA can benefit your business, it’s imperative that you first know exactly how it will be used within your organization.

For instance, will you apply it to your reporting, eliminating hours of data entry? Will you use it to process invoices for your customers, enabling faster fulfillment times and eliminating potential invoicing errors? Or will you use RPA to streamline your onboarding process so that new employees can get to work that much faster?

The possibilities are, as they say, limitless.

You likely started exploring RPA with a specific problem or set of processes in mind. That’s good. Zero in on that for now, and answer the following questions:

  • What specific challenge or problem am I looking to address with RPA? This is your starting point. Your mission statement.
  • Who will use the deployment? Will RPA be leveraged by multiple departments, or is it exclusively for one segment of the organization?
  • What is the projected timeframe of this deployment? You’ll want concrete dates planned out for your proof of concept/pilot deployment and each phase thereafter.
  • How will this project be integrated? What software needs to be tied to the bots once they’re deployed? Are there any potential implementation challenges?
  • What governance models will we use? Depending on your project’s level of complexity, you’ll want to chart out one or even several RPA governance models, each of which hits the following beats:
    • Clearly established roles and responsibilities, including leadership, support, administrative, etc.
    • An accountability framework to help ensure everyone stays on task.
    • An approvals process for proposing and deploying new RPA bots.
    • Security & compliance standards, processes, and protocols.
    • Best practices for managing and configuring software and (if relevant) hardware architecture.
    • Best practices for cost management.
    • A framework for the timely development and deployment of each bot.
    • A process for change management — RPA is a highly dynamic technology, and your needs are likely to shift or scale over time.
  • What tangible examples currently exist for my projected use case? You’ll want to find as many concrete examples as possible. Not only will this allow you to make a stronger case for deployment — demonstrating that yes, this does work — it will also allow you to extrapolate your potential return on investment. To find these examples, you can look in a few places.
    • Case studies published by RPA service providers. The more similarities between your business and the client organization, the better.
    • Press releases detailing RPA deployments.
    • Statistics and research briefs released by analysts (ie. Gartner).
  • What is the total cost of ownership associated with this project? Structure the breakdown of costs so that it aligns with your proposed deployment schedule.
  • What is the end goal of this deployment? For example, increasing productivity by 10% or reducing order fulfillment times by 20%. Make sure you set realistic expectations here, lest your project loses the approval of the higher-ups.

Costs, Benefits, and Potential

Armed with the research you did in the previous step, it’s time to crunch some numbers. First, you want to do a cost-benefit analysis of your project. You want to be as comprehensive as possible here, quantifying every single potential expense and gain.

You’ll also want to calculate your return on investment. What, at the end of the day, does your business ultimately gain from this deployment? What tangible value will this project generate for the business?

Finally, take a brief moment to brainstorm what other areas of your organization might benefit from RPA. In a pinch, having this information on hand could help seal the deal and bring someone who’s still on the fence over to your side. Don’t just focus on broad departments, drill down to specific processes.

Your CBA and ROI are the two figures that really matter here.

The Pitch

Now that you’ve done your research and crunched some numbers, it’s time to think about how you’re going to make your case. Start with the challenge; your reason for proposing the deployment.

Focus on what the issue is costing your business — on what you lose if you leave the problem unaddressed. Again, concrete numbers are your friend here. You want to provide them with specifics.

How many hours of productivity do they lose? How much money is this problem costing them? How many more clients could they serve if they deployed RPA?

From there, you’ll want to explain in layman’s terms precisely how a well-executed RPA strategy can address this problem. Don’t bother going into detail about the features or functions of RPA. Focus on the results.

With any luck, you’ll have made a strong enough case to move forward with your deployment.

Closing Thoughts

So, in summary, to make your case in favor of RPA, you need:

  • A strong foundation. What specific outcomes do you desire from this project?
  • A comprehensive roadmap, which includes integration plans and target deployment dates.
  • Strong evidence in favor of RPA’s beneficial impact in your industry.
  • A full analysis of how RPA can benefit your business, detailing which specific processes it might be applied to.
  • CBA and ROI data.
  • A well-articulated pitch script.

We won’t lie and say it will be easy. But the end result is worth it. And if, after reading this piece, you still aren’t sure where to start or where to go, Tangentia can help.

We have nearly two decades of experience in the automation space and have worked with multiple customers and systems worldwide. We’re also partnered with multiple RPA vendors, meaning that no matter your use case or business model, we have the expertise and the connections you need.

Book a discovery call today, and we’ll help you make your case.

UiPath vs. Automation Anywhere: Which is the Best RPA Solution for You?

Where Robotic Process Automation is concerned, UiPath and Automation Anywhere are arguably the two reigning titans. Each one has its own unique approach to the industry, and each one is suited for a specific type of use case — and as specific set of industries.
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RPA in Manufacturing – Automate Your Processes, Improve Your Value Chain and Thrive


RPA in Manufacturing – Automate Your Processes, Improve Your Value Chain & Thrive

When we think of the use of robotics in manufacturing, physical robots performing repetitive tasks on the factory floor, such as assembling and packaging products, are often the first thing that comes to mind. However, the use of robots in manufacturing is taking a new turn with robotic process automation (RPA). RPA is the use of software robots—or bots—that perform repetitive manual tasks related to back-office and front-office processes in much the same way physical robots perform manual physical tasks.

The use of RPA in manufacturing is about taking operational efficiency to the next level. This includes the operational efficiency of workflows that provide the most value for an organization and its customers, suppliers, and other partners. According to MAPI, 84% of manufacturers are either using, implementing, or planning to implement RPA in order to streamline their operations in finance, information systems, business strategy, and risk and compliance. The result is an improved value chain between the supplier and the customer.

Improving the Value Chain

The value chain between the supplier and the customer is a series of critical processes that include logistics, procurement, accounts receivables and payables, supply and demand planning, order management, inventory management, customer service, and regulatory compliance. The benefits of RPA in these areas are many, including such things as:

  • The automation of data acquisition from multiple sources and the filling out of forms
  • Improved data management and real-time data analytics
  • Results that are consistent and free of error
  • Increased accuracy in estimating delivery times
  • Full regulatory compliance even as regulations change
  • A full trail of documentation for work that is performed

With this in mind, here are a few use cases for what can be automated using RPA in manufacturing.

Logistics

RPA makes it possible to automate the entire logistics process, assessing various carriers and insurance options to determine the optimal balance between transport time and cost. In addition, RPA allows you to monitor the transportation of raw materials and finished goods with real-time freight tracking and reporting.

Demand Planning

RPA has the ability to draw data from a variety of data sources, making it possible to gather enough information to accurately determine demand. This information, which includes data such as market trends, internal sales forecast, competitive analysis, and product catalog information, can be imported, processed, and cross-referenced to determine an accurate sales forecast.

Bill of Materials

The Bill of Materials (BOM) is a critical document when it comes to the manufacture of new products. it can take a lot of time for a human worker to go through the BOM and gather the required information to determine what to purchase and where to make those purchases. RPA can pull the required information from the BOM in a fraction of the time with increased accuracy. This will drive the creation of new products, ensuring they are completed on time every time.

Onboarding New Suppliers

The BOM requires the use of the right suppliers across all categories. Assessing potential suppliers requires a lot of information gathering from many disparate documents. RPA makes it possible to automate the collection of this information. The bots can analyze proposals, gather supplier information and consolidate this data into a ready reckoner and evaluation sheet that can be of help during negotiations.

Navigating the COVID Crisis and Beyond

All the benefits RPA brings to the value chain in manufacturing is helping manufacturers not only weather the COVID pandemic but come out of it stronger than ever before. The COVID pandemic has resulted in lower supplier production and a decrease in inventory, while at the same time, the cost of logistics and transportation is higher than ever.

The ability of RPA to streamline inventory management, navigate supply and demand planning, manage inbound logistics and automate the supplier onboarding process makes it possible for manufacturers to scale and adapt to the changing requirements of the industry.

For more information on how RPA can help your manufacturing company, reach out to our sales team today.

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