The document discusses how robotic process automation (RPA) can automate tasks to make jobs easier. It provides examples of how an RPA bot could automatically generate a company's monthly newsletter by scraping content from multiple sources and formatting it. Another example describes how a bot could access timesheet information on Trello, check it for errors, and send it to payroll. The document argues that RPA can save significant time on repetitive tasks like processing delivery notes or updating large BIM models.

1. How will automation make
our jobs easier?
17/1/2020
Dr James Smith
CTO
jamessmith@projectingsuccess.co.uk

2. Who am I?
Chief Technology Officer – Projecting Success
Maths PhD
Data scientist, analyst & full stack developer

3. What does RPA mean?
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

4. An introduction to RPA
…you can automate it

5. An introduction to RPA

6. An introduction to RPA

7. An introduction to RPA

8. An introduction to RPA

9. A simple personal assistant example…

10. The market…
+

11. Some examples [internal]
Our newsletter is automatically
scrapped, created, rendered
and posted online and through
email each month
We scrape multiple sources of
data on a daily/weekly/monthly
basis
Our Meetup attendee
information is scrapped from
the internet and saved in cloud
storage. We have connected an
app to for users to register
Our intern hours are recorded
using Trello.
A bot accesses this
information. Checks it for
mistakes and sends it on to
pay-roll

12. What are we doing in house?
Our intern hours are recorded
using Trello.
A bot accesses this
information. Checks it for
mistakes and sends it on to
pay-roll

13. What are we doing in house?

14. Some examples [internal]
Our newsletter is automatically
scrapped, created, rendered
and posted online and through
email each month
We scrape multiple sources of
data on a daily/weekly/monthly
basis
Our Meetup attendee
information is scrapped from
the internet and saved in cloud
storage. We have connected an
app to for users to register
Our intern hours are recorded
using Trello.
A bot accesses this
information. Checks it for
mistakes and sends it on to
pay-roll

15. What are we doing in house?
Our newsletter is automatically
scrapped, created, rendered
and posted online and through
email each month

16. What are we doing in house?
https://projectdataanalytics.uk/newsletter-january-2020

17. Some examples [external]
BIM models are modified on a
weekly/daily basis but it’s a
long process to update the
BIM model once the changes
have been made.
Osborne spend a lot of “site
time” processing the delivery
information
The PMO needs to create
weekly reports based on
information that is emailed
around.
KIER – BIM Model Federation. PMO – Generating reports from
emails
Osborne – Optimising how to
process delivery notes.

18. Some examples [external]
BIM models are modified on a
weekly/daily basis but it’s a
long process to update the
BIM model once the changes
have been made.
KIER – BIM Model Federation.

19. BIM Model Federation
• Log into BIMXtra
• Download updated models
• Extract these models
71step process. Key steps are detailed below:
• Login to email to retrieve 2
factor authentication code.
• Process email to uncover 2
factor code and enter in to
website.
• Extracting models to various
locations for, not only "LIVE"
models but also for archiving,
Improving on KIER's current
system.
• The model navigates through
BIMXtra to the right location.
• A feature can be added to
download the models that are
required.

20. BIM Model Federation
• Open live smc file in Solibri
and update models
• Save smc file to archive and
"LIVE" folder
• Send email to team
• Navigate to the live SMC file
• Open the file within the Solibri
software
• Potentially massive loading
times have to be dealt with
• Even the automation of the
emailing of the team can be
completed.
• Saving two copies of the
process

21. BIM Model Federation
• Approximately 150 hours a year (per
project).
• Complicated process with 3 systems
working in conjunction.
• Vital that the team is kept up to date.
The issues..

22. BIM Model Federation

23. Some examples [external]
BIM models are modified on a
weekly/daily basis but it’s a
long process to update the
BIM model once the changes
have been made.
Osborne spend a lot of “site
time” processing the delivery
information
The PMO needs to create
weekly reports based on
information that is emailed
around.
KIER – BIM Model Federation. PMO – Generating reports from
emails
Osborne – Optimising how to
process delivery notes.
BIM models are modified on a
weekly/daily basis but it’s a
long process to update the
BIM model once the changes
have been made.
Osborne spend a lot of “site
time” processing the delivery
information
KIER – BIM Model Federation. Osborne – Optimising how to
process delivery notes.
Bot Name: Cyril

24. Email detection and manipulation of data
• Cyril's email account is checked to
determine if there are any unread
messages.
• If there is an unread message, Cyril opens
the email and reads the Name, Company,
Job Title, etc.
• Cyril then opens the Excel file and adds
Name and Price to the summary sheet
'Sheet 1' and a breakdown of the
information in the sheet 'Delegates’.
• Once saved, the application Power Bi is
opened where the report template is
refreshed to account for the new
information.

25. Email detection and manipulation of data
• Time consuming work extracting
data from emails
• Potentially dangerous to delegate
because user would have access to
all your emails
• Accuracy is very important
The issues..

26. Email detection and manipulation of data

27. Some examples [external]
BIM models are modified on a
weekly/daily basis but it’s a
long process to update the
BIM model once the changes
have been made.
Osborne spend a lot of “site
time” processing the delivery
information
The PMO needs to create
weekly reports based on
information that is emailed
around.
KIER – BIM Model Federation. PMO – Generating reports from
emails
Osborne – Optimising how to
process delivery notes.

28. Some examples [external]
Osborne spend a lot of “site
time” processing the delivery
information
Osborne – Optimising how to
process delivery notes.

29. Optimising how to process delivery notes
Construction company working within rail, road
housing and healthcare sectors.
In 2018 Osborne had:
• 166 live projects
• Submitted 4757 orders
• Ordered 16,499 individual line items

30. Optimising how to process delivery notes
VS
OCR??
On site
Off site
A web order
is made
Delivery made Typed delivery note
Supplier is paid Invoice MRS MRS received

31. Optimising how to process delivery notes
VS
Off site
Delivery made
Supplier is paid Invoice MRS MRS received
Order
confirmation
A web order
is made
On site

32. Optimising how to process delivery notes
The issues..
• Approximately 2000 hours, per year.
• Process costs £80,000 per year
• An on-site member has to spend time
typing out the delivery note. This can be
demotivating for employees.
• Errors are made when copying the delivery
note. This has a HUGE knock on effect when
the office try to work out what has been
delivered.
•Ordered 16,499 individual line items

33. Optimising how to process delivery notes

34. An example [community]
The challenge was to create a
hands free way of reporting
safety incidents on site
Project:Hack

35. An example [community]
“Safety Steve”

36. “Safety Steve”