Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Definition
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses software 'bots' that mimic human keyboard-and-mouse work (copying data between systems, filling forms, checking portals) to automate repetitive digital tasks.
In Practice
RPA bots log into applications exactly as a person would and execute rule-based routines: download the carrier's status file, update the ERP, email the exception list. Because they work through the user interface, they can bridge systems that lack proper API integration, which is why they thrive in supply chain back offices full of portals and spreadsheets.
For practitioners, RPA is the fastest way to reclaim hours from swivel-chair work: order entry from emailed PDFs, invoice matching, checking twelve supplier portals for ASN updates. The caution is that bots are brittle (a portal redesign breaks them) so durable API integration remains the better long-term fix where available.
Example: a freight team's bot checks 30 carrier websites hourly for tracking updates and writes them into the TMS, replacing four hours of daily manual status-chasing per analyst.
Related Terms
Artificial intelligence in supply chain applies machine learning, optimization, and increasingly generative and agentic AI to forecasting, planning, logistics, and exception management tasks that previously required manual analysis.
Application Programming Interface (API)An Application Programming Interface (API) is a defined way for one software system to request data or actions from another in real time, forming the connective tissue of modern supply chain tech stacks.
Data IntegrationData integration is the work of connecting different systems (ERP, WMS, TMS, supplier and carrier platforms) so data flows between them automatically, accurately, and in a consistent format.