Using robotic process automation (RPA) to enhance Item master data maintenance process

TLDR: The result showed that RPA is affirmed to bring about many benefits for the organizations through structured automation and the researchers have proposed a framework for implementing RPA to capture item master data based on the change management model.

Abstract: Background: Manufacturing companies nowadays have to cope with ever-increasing speed and complexity to manage their global supply chain. Information flow manage the supply chain needs to be more accurate and real-time than ever before. Item master data management is no exception as well. This research demonstrates the potential benefits of applying robotic process automation (RPA) technology in master data management based on two companies in the manufacturing industry. Methods: The method approached by the research was a qualitative method, utilizing interpretation of data extracted from literature and semi-constructed interviews. Results: The article proposes a framework for RPA implementation in the master data managing process. Automation with software robots can greatly benefit the organization, namely: lower processing time, reduce human errors, lower operations cost, improved compliance level and higher data accuracy. Conclusions: With the objective to examine the benefits of RPA in master data management, the researchers have investigated 2 companies in the manufacturing industry to understand how they have benefited from RPA for item master data management processes. The result showed that RPA is affirmed to bring about many benefits for the organizations through structured automation. The researchers have proposed a framework for implementing RPA to capture item master data based on the change management model and the framework is separated in 3 phases involving important tasks in each phase. Future researches might use this study as a stepping stone for further studies in cognitive RPA, utilizing cognitive technology in combination with RPA technology with the mean to achieve a higher level of automation.