ACCA: Robotic process and intelligent automation for finance

• Understand how automation can assist in the efficiency of the finance function
• Identify how the use of automation can support the organisational strategy

• Correctly identify the opportunities for automation in their function

• Be able to develop a business case for investment in automation

• Appreciate the range of tools that can be used and how to select the right one for your business case

• How to plan the implementation of an automation solution to realise benefits and maximise efficiencies

1. What is Intelligent Automation

The concept

• Why finance functions need to transform

• The nature of the opportunity

• Target operating model for finance

• Role of the finance function in decision making

• Data governance – one version of the truth

IA and process improvement

• Relation between IA and process optimisation

• How clean do your processes need to be?

The tools in overview

• Robotic Process Automation

• Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence

• Python

How it is delivered ?

• Overview of software

• End-user vs. formal IT project

• Agile project approaches

2. Process optimisation

Approach

Role of automation

Workflow management

Design thinking

Implication on headcount

3. Choosing the solution

Approach

Business issues facing finance

Correctly identify the problem / opportunity

Opportunity

• What type of processes are you looking to automate?

• Repetitive processes vs. judgement

Evaluating candidates

• Is RPA the right solution?

• Repetition and frequency

• Data manipulation

Types of RPA solution

• Do-it yourself – user level using publicly available / free tools, such as Python

• Off-the-shelf – package software

• Customised – vendor developed bespoke solutions

• Selecting the appropriate solution

4. Do-it-yourself

Python based solutions

• What is Python?

• Application of Python to finance problems?

• Machine Learning in context of finance

Examples

• Where Python based solutions are

Case studies

• Practical examples using Python skills

Skills and resources

• Skills needed to implement such a solution

• Resources needed

5. Off-the-shelf

Vendor landscape

• Nature of RPA tools available

Demonstration

• Case study of implementation

Scenario/lab exercise

• Simple process definition exercise

Skills and resources

• Skills needed to implement such a solution

• Resources needed

6. Customised RPA

Overview

• Where customised RPA may be applicable

• Identifying procurement process

7. Comparing options

Case study

• Exercise on selecting right approach

8. Developing the business case

Business case

• Defining the problem

• Establishing the benefits

• Identifying the processes

• Project team structure

• Risk management and governance

Activity

Walk-through exercise of business case