RPA Overview | MuleSoft Documentation
# RPA Overview
MuleSoft Robotic Process Automation (RPA) enables you to automate business processes and tasks by using bots, which helps save time and prevent introducing human errors.
MuleSoft RPA can automate processes that require human input and can also interact with systems that do not have an API available for consumption. RPA bots can interact with applications, extract data, read images, and manipulate computer input faster and more accurately than humans.
MuleSoft RPA integrates with Anypoint Platform, which enables sharing and reusing automation assets through Exchange, and with MuleSoft Composer to connect applications and data with you automation projects.
  * See Create an Anypoint Platform Account for instructions on creating your Anypoint Platform account.
  * See MuleSoft Composer: Getting Started for instructions to setup and configure your Composer account.


## Use Cases
Your company can benefit in many ways by implementing RPA into their processes, either by saving time, reducing costs, or preventing errors caused by human input.
The most common use cases for RPA include:
  * Data Extraction and Data Entry
Extract data from PDF, CSV, and other file formats and send this data to other systems.
  * Payroll Processing
Automate payroll data entry and validate the information across multiple systems.
  * Price Comparisons
Automate the monitoring of input prices and competitor prices.
  * Processing Refunds
Automate the processing of customer refund requests to make them quicker and provide the best experience for customers.
  * Customer Information Updates
Update customer information automatically across different systems that do not have an API and that are accessible only through the UI.


## RPA Lifecycle
MuleSoft provides a complete solution to manage the RPA development lifecycle, which includes the following phases:
  * Evaluation
In this phase you use the Process Evaluation module in RPA Manager to determine if a business process qualifies to be automated by evaluating the costs savings and benefits of building the automation based on the process’s complexity, stability, and other key values.
  * Design
If the evaluation is complete and the process qualifies for automation, you can start designing the workflow of the automation that specifies the actions to perform and the conditions under which to perform those actions. RPA Manager uses the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) to create the workflows. You can design the workflow manually by using the drag and drop tools in RPA Manager, or automatically by using the RPA Recorder.
  * Build
In the build phase, you fill the previously-created process with specific instructions for humans and bots. With RPA Builder you can import a BPMN diagram generated in RPA Manager, and then drag and drop operations or record key inputs to specify the action steps. When you finish building the process, you upload it to RPA Manager.
  * Test
During the test phase, you create different testing scenarios for your automation projects to confirm that they work as expected. This phase works as the quality assurance step of the development process. In this phase, you can create real-world test scenarios using different parameters and can troubleshoot failed steps when there are errors.
  * Deployment
When the automation project successfully completes the testing phase, you are ready to deploy. In the deployment phase, you use RPA Manager to set up the production parameter values, configure the process execution schedule, and select the RPA bots to run the process. You can deploy one automation process to one or multiple RPA bots.
  * Monitor
RPA Manager provides different management and monitoring options for your deployed automations. You can monitor the performance of the deployed automations, configure alerts and notifications when there are issues, and locate the source of these issues.


## RPA Applications
MuleSoft RPA provides the following applications that enable you to manage the complete development lifecycle of your automation projects:
Application | Description | Features  
---|---|---  
RPA Manager |  RPA Manager is the cloud-based control plane for the automations that is integrated into Anypoint Platform. | 
  * Manage user access and permissions.
  * Evaluate the viability and financial benefits of implementing an automation.
  * Design and document RPA processes.
  * Test and deploy automations.
  * Manage and monitor deployed automations.

  
RPA Builder |  RPA Builder is the on-premise application that enables you to build the automations by specifying the steps of the process. | 
  * Download and upload automation assets to RPA Manager.
  * Add the automation logic to the processes.
  * Run local tests for the automations.

  
RPA Recorder |  RPA Recorder is an on-premise tool that assists during the building phase of a process by automatically recording action steps from your local environment. | 
  * Build a BPMN diagram based on user actions.
  * Capture keyboard input, mouse clicks, and used applications.
  * Add comments and variables during the recording.
  * Automatically take screenshots per each mouse click.

  
RPA bots are software robots that run in an on-premise environment and execute the assigned automations. You can manage bots from RPA Manager. | 
  * Execute the automations.
  * Read text and images.

  
## See Also
  * Hardware and Software Requirements
  * Tutorial: Build an Automation from Start to Finish
  * Use Case: Extracting Data from a Legacy System
  * RPA Manager Overview
  * RPA Builder Overview
  * RPA Recorder Overview
  *   *