RPA (Robotic Process Automation) stands out for its attractiveness for SMEs, as it can be applied in various areas of a business and automates repetitive processes in a company, freeing up processes that require human intervention. Thanks to RPA, an SME or self-employed person will be able to streamline their processes, devoting themselves to less routine and higher added-value tasks. What is sought is the introduction of a 4.0 technology in a simple way, thus achieving great cost savings, improved productivity, greater process efficiency and the elimination of human errors. Moreover, the investment cost of this technology continues to decrease over time, making it the ideal time for SMEs to embrace it. 

The type of tasks that RPA can perform are, for example, web access tasks, copy and paste actions, form filling, calculations and so on. On the SME side, SMEs can translate these tasks into more comprehensive 'use cases' such as customer service, tracking functions, reporting, invoicing and accounting, streamlining sales, comparing prices and even managing employee salaries. 

There are numerous advantages associated with the use of disruptive technologies such as RPA. These include increased productivity leading to significant savings, greater agility and better service in business management, improved manageability, as well as the scalability and flexibility it provides. SMEs that decide to incorporate the use of RPA can take advantage of these benefits without having to worry about its compatibility with more complex developments, as it is a non-invasive and low-risk technology. 

It is recommended that SMEs have experts in technology implementation in order to successfully incorporate RPA. Implementation time may vary depending on several factors. To start the process, it is essential to identify which processes can be automated and assess the feasibility of automating them. Hereafter, it is necessary to choose the RPA tool that best suits the needs of the process and design its workflow. Finally, the automated process must be validated, implemented and continuously monitored to improve its performance. 

To achieve this, you could use software such as UiPath (which has a free version that allows you to try the tool before you buy it), Automation Anywhere (with affordable prices for SMEs), Blue Prism (easy to use and also allows a free trial period) or Kofax (more complex than the previous ones), for example. There are many options and prices are becoming more and more affordable, so it is important to choose the tool that best suits the needs of the company. 

RPA is a great opportunity for the digitisation of SMEs and the self-employed, as it is relatively easy to implement and has many advantages. Those companies that manage to adapt to the change will gain a competitive advantage in the market.