If you don't need a representative or worker interaction to execute a process, you can usually run the process on a backend server. This is known as unattended automation, which can be used to automate back-office work.

In unattended automation, workflows are self-triggered and run on servers. They usually run to a predetermined schedule and are available 24/7. For example, you can batch your invoices and process them at certain times during the day. The bot would later send you a report, indicating the invoices that could not be processed automatically. You can review the report and only work on the invoices that need your intervention.

These automated tasks can be scheduled or started through control rooms. You can allocate tasks, adjust priorities, manage queues, and intervene, in the case of performance issues, through the control room.

Usually, unattended automation gives you more control over the automation process. It follows your rules to complete a process automatically. You would use unattended automation for the following reasons:

• Tasks that are structured and can be fully mapped
• To replace entire roles where possible
• To gather, sort, analyze, and distribute large amounts of data

You can use both unattended and attended automation either by themselves or together to implement use cases that give your business a distinct advantage. Most of the top tools give you the capability to implement both types of RPA. Let's look at two of them – UiPath and Automation Anywhere – both of which we will be using for our projects.