Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation from Coursera

Overview

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is reshaping the accounting and finance profession. 40% of transactional accounting work is expected to be automated by 2020 and predicted to touch 230 million knowledge workers, 9% of the global workforce, according to McKinsey Research.

Driven by the need to stay competitive, decrease costs and increase efficiency, RPA is quickly making a significant impact on the profession. Companies no longer think about "if" but "when" to implement RPA.

Short Description:

• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) can transform business processes by eliminating the mundane, time-consuming, manual tasks that professionals complete; enabling them more time to focus on critical thinking. This course for accounting and finance professionals worldwide will show through use cases how robotic process automation can be utilized to decrease errors and increase productivity.

Course description/ Overarching Learning Goal

This course is intended to provide accounting and financial professionals with practical literacy on robotic process automation through a real-world, relevant data preparation use case. It will help identify potential uses and the benefits and considerations for robotic process automation. This course will help you make the business case by helping you assess requirements, define proof of value and measure and validate the ROI for automation.

What's inside

Syllabus

Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation

Building An RPA Business Case

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Examines Robotic Process Automation (RPA), which is becoming highly relevant to accounting and finance

Covers making the business case for using Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and improving ROI

Taught by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), a recognized leader in accounting

Uses real-world data preparation use cases to demonstrate RPA implementation

Designed for accounting and finance professionals worldwide, indicating a global perspective

May require prior knowledge of accounting and finance, as it is not explicitly stated as a prerequisite

Reviews summary

Robotics automation course: helpful resource

Learners say that this course is a great resource for learning about robotic process automation. They appreciate the informative content, structured lessons, and engaging assignments. However, some students mention that a few concepts are inaccurate, and they would have liked to see more examples and case studies. Overall, learners find this course to be well-organized and helpful for gaining knowledge about this topic.

Lessons are structured and organized.

"The pace of the course, the content and the trainers were structured and had a fruitful conversation on the subject"

Content is informative and engaging.

"Content was excellent. I learned lots."

"I found this course easy to follow while being very informative."

Some concepts are not accurate.

"Some concepts are not accurate enough."

Could use more examples and case studies.

"I think it will be more interesting to feature a complete case and a successful implemented bot."

"It would have bee solidified with an actual example of a bot or, bots that have been built and showing the real results achieved or not within organizations with RPA implementations. "

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation with these activities:

Review introductory accounting principles

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Re-familiarize yourself with accounting concepts such as assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses to strengthen your foundation for RPA applications.

Browse courses on Accounting Principles

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Review accounting textbooks or online resources, focusing on foundational principles.
Take practice quizzes or tests to assess your understanding.

Learn the basics of RPA using online tutorials

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Supplement course materials by exploring online tutorials that provide step-by-step guidance on RPA concepts and tools.

Browse courses on Robotic Process Automation

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Identify reputable RPA training platforms or online courses.
Select tutorials that cover foundational RPA concepts and tools.
Follow the tutorials and complete hands-on exercises.

Participate in a study group or peer review session

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Collaborate with peers to discuss RPA concepts, share insights, and provide feedback on your RPA projects.

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Form a study group or connect with peers through online forums.
Set up regular meetings or discussion sessions.
Prepare topics for discussion or presentations.

One other activity

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Show all four activities

Build an RPA solution for a real-world accounting task

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Apply your RPA skills to a practical scenario by building an RPA solution that automates a specific accounting task.

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Identify a suitable accounting task for RPA automation.
Design and develop an RPA workflow.
Implement and test the RPA solution.
Document and present your RPA solution.

Career center

Learners who complete Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Developer

A Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Developer is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing RPA solutions. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help you build a foundation for success in this role by teaching you the fundamentals of RPA, including how to identify and assess opportunities for automation, and how to design and develop RPA solutions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) Developer

Process Improvement Specialist

A Process Improvement Specialist is responsible for identifying and implementing process improvements to make businesses more efficient and effective. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to identify and assess opportunities for RPA, and how to build a business case for automation. This course can also help Process Improvement Specialists understand the financial and operational benefits of RPA, making them more effective in their role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Process Improvement Specialist

Auditor

An Auditor is responsible for examining a company's financial records and reports to ensure that they are accurate and compliant with regulations. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to use RPA to automate mundane, time-consuming, manual tasks, freeing up time for more critical thinking and analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Auditor

Business Analyst

A Business Analyst is responsible for analyzing and defining business requirements, and designing and implementing business solutions. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to identify and assess opportunities for RPA, and how to build a business case for automation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Accounting Manager

An Accounting Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating the accounting operations of an organization. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to implement RPA to decrease errors and increase productivity. This course can also help Accounting Managers make the business case for RPA by helping them assess requirements, define proof of value, and measure and validate the ROI for automation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Accounting Manager

Project Manager

A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to manage RPA projects, assess requirements, define proof of value, and measure and validate the ROI for automation.

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Management Consultant

A Management Consultant is responsible for helping businesses improve their performance. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to identify and assess opportunities for RPA, and how to build a business case for automation. This course can also help Management Consultants understand the financial and operational benefits of RPA, making them more effective in their role.

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Operations Manager

An Operations Manager is responsible for planning and overseeing the day-to-day operations of a business. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to identify and assess opportunities for RPA, and how to build a business case for automation. This course can also help Operations Managers understand the financial and operational benefits of RPA, making them more effective in their role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Operations Manager

Tax Accountant

A Tax Accountant is responsible for preparing and filing tax returns, and advising clients on tax matters. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to use RPA to automate time-consuming manual tasks, freeing up time for more value-added activities such as tax planning and consulting.

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IT Manager

An IT Manager is responsible for planning, directing, and coordinating the IT operations of an organization. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to understand the financial and operational benefits of RPA, and how to make the business case for automation.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Manager

Financial Analyst

A Financial Analyst is responsible for analyzing financial data and making recommendations to businesses and investors. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' can help build a foundation for success in this role by teaching accounting and finance professionals how to use RPA to automate time-consuming manual tasks, freeing up time for more value-added activities such as data analysis and financial modeling.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Data Analyst

A Data Analyst is responsible for collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data to identify trends and patterns. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' may be helpful for Data Analysts who are interested in learning more about RPA and how it can be used to automate data processing tasks.

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Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst is responsible for analyzing and designing business systems. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' may be helpful for Systems Analysts who are interested in learning more about RPA and how it can be used to automate business processes.

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Software Engineer

A Software Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and implementing software solutions. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' may be helpful for Software Engineers who are interested in learning more about RPA and how it can be used to automate business processes.

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Technical Writer

A Technical Writer is responsible for creating technical documentation, such as user manuals, white papers, and training materials. This course, 'Making the Case for Robotic Process Automation,' may be helpful for Technical Writers who are interested in learning more about RPA and how it can be used to automate business processes.

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