IMPACT OF PROCESS AUTOMATION ON COMPANIES' OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE: A STUDY OF AUTOMATION TOOLS FOR ERP SAP

Abstract

The volatile business environment means that organizations are constantly adapting and seeking improvements in order to grow and remain competitive in the market. This phenomenon forces companies to invest more and more of their resources in tactical and strategic tasks that have a medium- to long-term impact. With this in mind, the automation of routines and processes is a great ally because, in addition to improving performance and adding more security to routines, it frees up resources previously allocated to repetitive tasks at the operational level. This study was carried out with the intention of being a source of consultation, defining, listing, pointing out the benefits, the difficulties of implementation and also how automation tools native and external to the SAP ERP can improve various sectors of a company, such as the materials registration area for example. The research methodology is based on the study of scientific articles and academic papers from scientific repositories and knowledge bases, so it can be classified as bibliographical research. However, the research was also guided by the knowledge and practical experiences gained during the implementation of some of the tools discussed. This work led to the conclusion that process automation adds considerable value and security to the processes carried out in the SAP ERP system, as well as allowing the company to better invest its resources in tasks that have a greater impact on the organization.