Software "Robots" - Processes or work automation

Question

I’m working on the idea of ​​creating Robots software to help in different areas of the development process, repetitive task, automated task, etc.
I have a lot of ideas where to start.
My problem is that I work mainly alone, as a freelancer, and the work tends to feed, and I do not want to extend or “hit” the deadlines. I have researched and used quite a few productivity tools. I researched CodeGeneration, and I'm designing a tool to generate parts of code. I am using codeReuse methods. Etc.
Do any of you know about this? how there are good articles.

Answer 1

I would not want to use code generation, but I got a lot of tools that help me perform many repetitive tasks.

Some of them can do nice things:

Email Robots

They receive emails and do a lot of things with them, they need to have a king of authentication to protect you from bad things:

• Automatically logs everything that has been entered into the database or Excel spreadsheet.
• Updates something in the database.
• Saves all attachments in a specific public folder.
• Reboot the server.

Performance

They will perform repetitive tasks:

• Print all invoices for the month.
• Automatically aggregate data from multiple sources.
• Send reminders for GTD products.
• Send reminders for TODO's latest products.
• Auto Builds
• Automated Testing

Administration

They automate some of the repetitive server administration tasks:

• Summarize the server logs, delete the usual items, and send the rest by email.
• Database Index Recovery
• Automatic backup

Answer 2

Meta programming is a great thing. If you can easily access class structure data, you can automate several things. In the high-level language that I use, I define a class, such as Property. Add an integer for the street number, a string for the street name, and a link to the debtor owner. Then I automatically create a form in which there is a text box for the street number and street name, a search box for the debtor’s help and a code for saving and loading - everything is generated automatically. He knows that the street number is an integer, so his text field can only accept integers. If I declare a read-only property, it will also ensure that the text field is read only.

Answer 3

There are software robots, but often you really don't see them. For example, consider a robot that is used to pack material. There is a person who watches the robot in case of failure. When the robot fails, the person closes the robot and fixes things. This person is like a programmer who runs an IDE to compile, refactor, etc. When errors occur, the programmer corrects the code and starts the compiler again.

Good compilation is not very similar to a robot, but then there is software that automatically compiles your project. Now it looks more like a kind of robot. This software robot also checks things in the code, as there are enough comments, etc.

Then we have software that generates code according to our input. For example, we can easily create forms in MS Access using Wizards. Wizards do not automatically create form forms after form after form, because we need each form to be different. But the shape generator is a kind of robot-like tool that works.

Of course, you can first enter the details of each shape, and then start generating, but people like to see each shape. In addition, the input mechanism has long been a form, so you get what you create on the fly. Although with data conversion tools you can create form descriptions from a list of field names, generate forms and call them like using robots.

Answer 4

There are even whole books about automated software production, but the biggest problem is that process automation takes longer than the process itself.

Basically, programmers refuse this, because they are trying to achieve just one step - from manual programming to automation.

General automation in the production of software is carried out through IDEs, CodeGenerators, etc., until now, almost no automation logic.

I would be grateful for any progress in this topic. Try to automate small tasks from the process and subsequently combine these tasks. Step by step.

Answer 5

Writing out repetitive tasks is what you call? I think you are a Windows developer, where scripts are not as widespread as they are in the * nix world. Hence your question.

You might want to take a look at the * nix side of the software development arena, where the workflow is more or less similar to what you are describing (at least more than Windows). Falling into your path through bash, perl, python, etc., you will get what you want.

ps. Also see the nsr81 post in the comments for similar scripting tools on Windows.

Answer 6

I assume that, like all software developers on planet Earth, you want to write software that independently writes software. Unfortunately, this is an idea that works only on paper. I mean, we have things like code generators, DSLs, transformation pipelines, Visual Studio add-ins that statically analyze code and generate derived code, etc. But this is nowhere near what could be called a "robot."

Personally, I believe that more needs to be done in this area. For example, the IDE should be able to display offers and make offers based on what I actually do. For example, if I add a property, the IDE determines which attributes have other properties in the file, and how the property is structured, and adjusts the property accordingly.

Any type of AI is hard work and, unfortunately, does not have such a high return on investment. But it is really great.

Answer 7

Code generation is certainly a viable tool for some tasks. If everything is done poorly, this can create maintenance problems, but it should not be done poorly. Take a look at the Code Generation Network for a fairly active community, with conference, papers, etc.

Code generation in action is one book that comes to mind.

Answer 8

You can try the Robot framework http://robotframework.org/

Robot Framework is a universal automation system, it has an easy-to-use table syntax of test data and uses a key-key approach. Even you can use these tools as a software bot (RPA).

Answer 9

We have released our complete list of 91 software providers and RPA products! This is the most comprehensive list of RPA providers available anywhere.

The list is available at https://expertrpa.com .

Now this list can also be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet.

Answer 10

Automation of Automated Processes

First, a little background ... In 2011, I was the Operations Manager for the Bristol-Myers Squibb Contracting Center of Excellence. We were in the early stages of developing a new Global Contracting System. This new system has replaced many manual efforts around the world to create a single system for creating, storing and retrieving contract information for the entire organization. You should not ask any small tasks, and we certainly underestimate the scope and possible consequences. Like most organizations gaining control of this contract management process, we found that it was 4-10 times larger than expected.

We did a lot, including creating a support organization from scratch that specialized in this particular application and became a true subject expert for the organization in languages ​​(7) and most time zones.

On the other hand, the application brought its own problems, which included missing features, less stellar performance, and the larger workload needed by the Operations team. This is where the automation of the robotization process takes place.

Many of the “features” of this software were simply too complex for end users, but were required to create contracts. In the first example, a “Contact” is added with which a Contract will be concluded. "Third party" if you want. This, it would seem, is a simple thing in which (7) data entry screens, a mysterious access point, twenty-two minutes and a master's degree were done to figure it out, at our discretion, for everyone. We quickly made a business decision for the Operations team to create these “Contacts” on behalf of our end users. We expected several thousand a year to be needed. We passed 800 requests a week very quickly. With three FTEs running on it, we have accumulated a backlog, and the treatment time is more than two weeks per request. Obviously, this would not be in any business environment.

The manual process was so complex, even my employees had a large number of errors in creating them, even as subject matter experts. As a result, repetitive work further complicated the problem and added costs. I had some previous automation capabilities and products that I worked with, but this need was even more intense and complex than I had met before. I needed something great, fast, easy to implement, and that would NOT require the help of IT (since it had its own pitfalls). I researched a number of products, all professing similar things. One of them, of course, stood out to me. He seemed the most capable, affordable and had good support options. I chose Automation Anywhere for about $ 4,000.

I am not here to submit to Automation Anywhere or to any specific product, for that matter. But my experience with this tool forever changed my expectations and understanding of what Robotic Process Automation means. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not here to transfer for Automation Anywhere or any specific product, for that matter. But my experience with this tool forever changed my expectations and understanding of what Robotic Process Automation means. (see below if you are not sure)

After the first week of buying the tool and learning some functions, I was able to replace the manual process of creating "Contact" in the contract system from a two-week turnaround to a (1) hour turn. For each application, it took 22 hours to work with FTE. I was able to run this Automated process from a desktop PC and process each request, fully automated, including verification and confirmation steps in other external systems, to ensure better data quality than was possible before. In the first week, my software costs were recovered by more than 200% of the saved workforce, which allows these resources to focus on other tasks with a higher cost. I don’t care where you are from, it’s amazing profitability!

It was just the beginning, now that we had this tool, and in fact it could have done much more than this initial task, which I needed, it became one of the most valuable resources for developing functional proof of the concept / prototypes more complex processes necessary to bridge the gaps in the contract system. I was able to add a corporate license to the initial purchase and provide a more reliable infrastructure, working with our IT department, with insanely low cost for full implementation. I now had (5) dedicated corporate servers working 24/7 and (2) development licenses to create and support automation tasks, and we were able to continue to support the initiative of the Contract, even with a volume that is much larger than expected with the same a number from FTE, as we started. It has become a platform for reporting, end-user notification, system alerts, data updates, workflow, job scheduling, monitoring, ETL, and even data entry and migration from other systems. The disadvantage due to the introduction of this automation tool for a robotic process cannot be higher. Soft dollar savings through timely solutions for the business community and the ongoing professional integrity that we have been able to demonstrate and promote is evident in the successful implementation of more than 48 countries during (1) year and the introduction of more than 120,000 contracts each year since .

It has become a platform for reporting, end-user notification, system alerts, data updates, workflow, job scheduling, monitoring, ETL, and even data entry and migration from other systems.
While the term “automation of automatic processes” is currently just a buzz, concepts have existed for some time. Please, please, however, do not assume that this means that this is a difficult and forgotten situation. As it grows, and it grows, you need a strong plan to manage your tasks, resources, and infrastructure to support your work. These tools basically mimic everything that a person can do, and much more than a person. However, a person can rather quickly change their steps in the process if one of the “source” systems that he / she uses has a change in the user interface. In most cases, your automation tasks must be “modified” to make this change. Some business processes may be simpler than others for automation, and may be two complex for the random “automation task creator” to create and maintain. Be sure that you have substantial resources to create and maintain tasks. If you plan to do something with your RPA tool, make sure you have reliable supervision, management, resources and a corporate “champion”, or I assure you that your efforts will not be successful.

Automation of an automated process is defined:

(IRPA) Institute for Robotic Process Automation: “Robotic process automation (RPA) is an application of technology that allows company employees to set up computer software or a robot to collect and interpret existing applications for transaction processing, data manipulation, triggering of responses and communication with other digital systems. "

Wikipedia: “Examples of robotic automation include the use of industrial robots in manufacturing and the use of software robots to automate production processes in the service sector. In the latter case, the use of the term“ robot ”is metaphorical, conveying the similarities of these software products that are manufactured to provide universal automation capabilities, and then configured in the end-user environment to perform manual and repetitive tasks - for their industrial analog robots "The metaphor is appropriate in the sense that the software" robot "now imitates or replaces functions that are classically related to humans."