Use No-Code Tools For RPA Integration in 2024

Robotic process automation (RPA) adoption is increasing. According to Deloitte, 72% of the respondents were expected to be on their RPA journey. This is not surprising. RPA‘s flexibility and wide applicability makes it useful across +100 use cases, offering numerous business-driven benefits.

However, if your company has legacy systems, and you want to integrate it with RPA, you’ll face complexities and time loss. Another Deloitte survey shows that “integration and flexibility of solutions” is the 3rd¹ biggest challenge for RPA adopters. Given legacy systems’ anachronistic prevalence, one reason why 30-50% of RPA projects fail could be adopters’ insistence of integrating RPA with legacy systems.

Fortunately, no-code RPA solutions have emerged as a powerful tool for simplifying RPA integration and increasing adoption.

In this article, we will discuss:

• The common challenges companies face whilst integrating RPA into their legacy systems
• Why using a no-code RPA tool can ease their integration

What are the challenges of RPA integration?

Whilst RPA is a useful automation technology for automating repetitive processes, it’s challenging to incorporate it into your existing operations because of:

1. System compatibility

A major challenge with RPA integration is system compatibility. A company’s existing system might use a different technology, user interface, and protocol, hindering data transfer across multiple systems.

For example, old legacy systems don’t have a native application programming interface (API). So users will have to create their own from scratch for API integration.

Learn more about RPA-API integrations.

2. Data security

Another challenge with RPA integration is data security.

The software robot needs access to data to carry out its commands. But the nature of the data is sensitive, like financial or health data, there might be risks of security breaches if mishandled.

Moreover, different systems have varying security levels, making it hard to integrate them all.

3. System complexity

Old existing applications systems might comprise of complex processes, with various functions and user interfaces, making it hard to identify the optimal point of integration.

That’s because RPA bots interact with user interfaces (UI) buttons – like buttons and text boxes – to automate the repetitive tasks.

If each app has a different UI, then each bot should be individually customized for robotic automation.

4. Resource requirements

RPA integration can be resource-intensive, requiring:

• Time
• Effort
• Specialized IT skills and expertise, which can’t be readily available within an organization

For instance, integration often involves:

• Data extraction
• Data entry
• Data processing of unstructured data between different apps

The data movement can strain the network bandwidth and require significant storage capacity.

5. Integration with legacy systems

Many organizations have legacy systems that were developed in-house or by vendors that are no longer in business. These systems may be outdated and not compatible with newer technologies, making it difficult to integrate them with new RPA projects.

Learn more about RPA integration with legacy apps.

How can no-code RPA technology help integration?

No-code RPA is type of RPA that requires minimal coding knowledge to set up. This democratization of technology means citizen developers, unfamiliar with coding, can rather easily set up software bots.

Therefore, no-code RPA tools help with integration because they offer:

1. User-friendly interface

No-code tools provide an easy-to-use interface for deploying RPA without the need for coding skills. This makes integration easier via drag & drop and pre-built connectors.

In cases where standard integration methods are unavailable or unfeasible, no-code tools provide scripting capabilities for writing custom codes for integrating with legacy apps using specific protocols or technologies.

The benefit is a range of automated processes across ERP, CRM, and other enterprise software apps.

If your team doesn’t have the capacity to run an automation project, you could work with an RPA partner. Download our whitepaper of partners whose solution costs less than $2,000/year:

2. Pre-built connectors

Another intrigue behind no-code tools is them coming with a library of pre-built connectors for popular systems and applications. These allow integration and process automation between various systems.

3. Legacy system compatibility

No-code tools work with most legacy apps through methods like screen scraping, OCR, or API integrations. This capability allows for integration without extensive modifications to those applications.

4. Data transformation and mapping

Legacy apps use different data formats. No-code RPA bots provide tools to transform and map data between different formats, ensuring compatibility between legacy apps and integrated systems.

5. Rapid prototyping and testing

No-code tools allow users to quickly create prototypes and to test integrations with different apps. This enables organizations to iterate and refine their automation workflows before taking them live.

6. Middleware Integration

No-code RPA acts as a middleware between different systems, facilitating communication and data exchange. It can bridge the gap between legacy apps and modern systems by translating requests and responses.

7. Error handling and exception management

Legacy applications might have unique error messages or exceptions that need to be handled during integration.

A no-code RPA solution allows users to define error handling mechanisms and exception management workflows specific to each system, ensuring smooth integration even in the presence of legacy app complexities.

For more on RPA

To learn more about RPA, read:

• In-Depth Guide to the 5 Different Types of RPA
• Top 10 Business Processes an RPA Chatbot Automates
• RPA Testing: What It Is, Importance, & Best Practices

Download our RPA whitepaper to learn more about the topic:

And discover our data-driven list of RPA vendors if you’re ready to invest in robotic process automation technology.

We can help you on your vendor selection journey:

External Links

• 1. “Robotic process automation (RPA) trends and to-do list for scaling across the enterprise.” Deloitte. 2017. Retrieved on July 18, 2023.