RPA case study: Finance

The challenges:

• Departmental efficiency pressure.
• High staff turnover for roles performing repetitive administrative tasks.

The technical solution:

• Technical and consultancy services procured from Royal Free London FT Automation Service (at agenda-for-change rates), using Blue Prism.

Processes automated using RPA:

• Email debt reminders to customers.
• Email purchase order receipting reminders to customers.
• Copy new invoices from ‘accounts payable’ inbox into dedicated folder for audit purposes.
• Collate and send daily summary report of new invoices to named email inbox.
• Validate and authorise pharmacy invoices for ten named suppliers (can be scaled).
• Validate and authorise payment for bank staff.

Benefits:

• Improved staff retention and motivation as time released to complete more rewarding tasks.
• Cost savings as some posts not filled through natural attrition.
• Faster payments to suppliers as automated work is completed faster than humans, and continues out of hours.
• Absence cover is not required as processes are automated.
• Increased accuracy of information for finance team as eliminate human error.

Contact for further information:

• Isobel George, Senior Robotics Developer, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. Email: isobel.george1@nhs.net
• Darren Atkins, Chief Technology Officer, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.
  Email: darrenatkins@nhs.net