Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

RPA automates work by driving the user interface — clicking buttons, filling forms, copying data between screens — the way a human would, rather than calling an API. It matters because plenty of business-critical systems (legacy ERPs, government portals, ancient internal tools) have no API at all, so the only way to automate them is to script the UI. No-code RPA tools like UiPath and Automation Anywhere, or browser-based options such as Browse AI and Bardeen, let you record a sequence of clicks and replay it on a schedule. For a founder, RPA is the escape hatch when a vendor won't give you integration access. The practical caveat: UI automation is brittle — a redesigned page or a moved button breaks the bot, so it needs monitoring and maintenance. Prefer an API or webhook when one exists; reach for RPA only when there's genuinely no other door in.