Microsoft launches new RPA tools, UiPath continues its IPO planning, and is the citizen developer a hoax?

It's RPA weekly for September 25th, 2020

This weeks’ big news is Microsoft’s announcement of new RPA tools at Ignite. It’s clear that Microsoft is putting a lot of resources behind it’s RPA initiatives and will likely become a disruptive player.

Microsoft Races Ahead On RPA

“We did a bunch of work to really streamline and simplify the experience,” said Charles Lamanna, who is the CVP of the Low Code Application Platform at Microsoft. “We believe that everybody should be able to build bots. So if you know how to use the Excel macro recorder, you can easily use Microsoft Power Automate Desktop to build very complex automations.”

But the most interesting quote:

“The vision is to bundle everything in one log in and a really cheap license model that is available to everybody.”

More:

Microsoft Announcement

Silicon Angle Write-up

UiPath moves to hire IPO underwriters - sources

Things still seem to be on track for UiPath’s 2021 IPO. They’re now in discussions to hire an investment bank and eyeing a $15 billion valuation.

COVID-19 spurs more enterprise awareness of robotic process automation’s value

It wouldn’t be a weekly RPA email without the obligatory Covid-19 PR article. Based on these articles it’s a miracle that the RPA industry even existed before Covid.

The A/V Club

Bots and Beyond Episode 1: Citizen Developer, Hype or Hoax? (Podcast)

Wayne Butterfield discusses the reality of the citizen developer in the first episode of the new Bots and Beyond podcast.

An introduction to RPA programming with UiPath Studio (YouTube)

This is a great intro to UiStudio if you’re a bit on the more technical side.

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