Blueprint Software Systems, one of the Canadian providers of cloud-based software solutions, surveyed 400 executives, directors, department heads, senior managers, and analysts from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Germany. “The State of Automation in 2022” was performed in February and March 2022 using an email invitation and an online survey. Those surveyed were from companies ranging from 1,000 – 10,000+ employees. The participants answered a set of questions, including the following:
- How mature are automation estates now?
- Which automation platforms are the most used?
- And what do organizations plan to do with automation moving forward—double down or divest?
Here are the key report findings:
RPA ADOPTION
On average, the companies surveyed had 120 automated processes currently in production, suggesting that companies have significant digital workforce. The top 10% of respondents even reported to having over 251 automations in their estates. The average annual spend on RPA is $480,000, however in the highest tier, 13% of respondents reported that they spend over $1 million on RPA each year.
RPA MANAGEMENT
For most companies, either the IT (38%) or Finance & Accounting (35%) department handles the RPA budget
RPA PLATFORM LEADERS
Even with new platforms entering the fray, the 4 leaders – Microsoft Power Automate, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, and UiPath – continue to dominate the market. When the 400 participants of “The State of Automation in 2022” were asked which platform they used, the clear leader was Microsoft Power Automate (76%), followed by Blue Prism (34%).
MULTI-PLATFORM STRATEGIES
40% of all those surveyed reported to use multiple RPA platforms. A quarter of them do so because they use specialized tools for specific use cases (26%). A quarter use multiple tools, as different tools are more compatible with enterprise architecture (25%).
RPA RE-PLATFORMING
74% of all organizations surveyed still use their original RPA platform. Of those still on their original RPA tool, 74% are in the process of or considering switching.
FUTURE PLANS
Improving RPA governance is the most cited future plan for RPA (44%), particularly by owners and C-suite executives.