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Maximizing the Efficiency of RPA Bot Migrations

4 min read
Oct 10, 2024 3:35:59 PM

As businesses embrace digital transformation, migrating bots from legacy systems to modern platforms like Power Automate Desktop (PAD) has become crucial for maintaining a competitive edge. However, with complexity varying across industries, the success of these migrations hinges on the right tools and strategies. Migration tools like Blueprint offer a way to automate and streamline these transitions, dramatically reducing time, effort, and errors compared to manual rewrites.


This blog dives into a detailed study Blueprint recently conducted on bot migrations, offering insights into the metrics that define migration success. With over 17 million actions and 130 million lines of code analyzed across 134 top companies, the study highlights how migration tools combined with skilled developers can maximize efficiency. Let’s explore the key findings and examples from various industries.

Study Scope and Key Objectives

The study set out to achieve three main objectives:

  1. Assess how successful bot migrations are when using migration tools.
  2. Measure the amount of developer effort needed to finalize migrated bots.
  3. Compare the effectiveness of automated migrations via Blueprint against manual rewrites.

The insights gathered from these migrations provide a granular view of how migration tools streamline processes across industries, with real-world metrics demonstrating significant gains in efficiency.

The Blueprint Bot Migration Process: Automation Meets Human Expertise

The migration of bots involves translating existing workflows into a new platform, and while migration tools like Blueprint automate much of this process, developers are still essential for handling complex issues. Some of the most common challenges during bot migration include:

  • Actions with Broken Selectors: Selectors identify UI elements that bots interact with. When migrating to a new platform, these selectors may break, especially in industries that rely on complex user interfaces. For example, retail automation, which often involves dynamic web pages, experiences more selector issues than sectors with standardized interfaces.
  • Actions with Compile Errors: These errors arise when the migrated code contains syntax or logic that isn’t compatible with the target platform. Finance and healthcare, for instance, have more intricate workflows that result in higher rates of compile errors, requiring manual fixes by developers.
  • TODO Comments: During migration, Blueprint flags certain actions for manual review, inserting TODO comments where issues couldn’t be fully resolved through automation. These comments guide developers to the areas needing human intervention, such as reviewing complex logic or ensuring compliance with industry-specific standards.

Key Migration Metrics: A Snapshot of Efficiency

The study revealed a variety of metrics that highlight the effectiveness of migration tools in different industries. While each sector faces unique challenges, a few common metrics emerged across the board:

  • Selector Fixes: On average, 75.3 selectors are fixed per day across industries. In retail, where bots interact with dynamic e-commerce platforms, the rate rises to 80.1 fixes per day, while manufacturing, with more standardized interfaces, sees 67.8 fixes per day.
  • Compiler Fixes: These include errors related to arguments, syntax, and variable assignments. For example, in finance, where precision and complex data flows are key, developers fix 40.6 arguments per day. Meanwhile, healthcare’s intricate workflows result in an average of 61.2 syntax fixes per day.
  • UI Element Fixes: Industries with user-facing automations, such as insurance and government services, encounter frequent UI element issues during migrations. Insurance automation, for example, averages 25.4 UI element fixes per day, while government services deal with 28.7 fixes per day due to legacy system complexities.

These metrics show that while migration tools handle much of the heavy lifting, the type of industry can significantly impact the number and complexity of issues that require manual intervention.

Blueprint Efficiency Metric (BEM): Measuring Time Savings

A key takeaway from the study is the Blueprint Efficiency Metric (BEM), which quantifies the time savings achieved by using Blueprint’s automated migration compared to a manual rewrite. BEM compares the time from the start of the migration to handoff, offering a clear view of how much faster automated tools can complete migrations.

The formula for BEM is:

BEM =  1 – (BlueprintSTH / ManualSTH)

Where:

  • STH = Time from Start to Handoff

  • BlueprintSTH is the time from start to handoff using Blueprint’s automated process.

  • ManualSTH is the time it would take for a developer to rewrite the bot manually.

Examples of BEM in Action

Across industries, the BEM results were promising:

  • Banking: In a highly regulated sector like banking, where compliance is critical, the BEM averaged 0.73, reflecting significant time savings despite the complexity of financial workflows.
  • Retail: The retail sector, where automations often involve straightforward tasks like inventory management, boasted a BEM of 0.85, indicating faster migrations due to less complex logic.
  • Manufacturing: With more intricate machinery and workflow integrations, manufacturing had a BEM of 0.78, reflecting the need for manual intervention but still showing strong gains in efficiency compared to manual rewrites.

Improving Bot Migration Efficiency: Practical Steps

Even with powerful migration tools like Blueprint, businesses can take several additional steps to improve bot migration efficiency:

  • Developer Training: Ensure that developers are proficient in Power Automate Desktop and have a deep understanding of the legacy RPA tools. This expertise speeds up issue resolution and optimizes migration outcomes.
  • Industry-Specific Knowledge: Developers should be familiar with the specific automation requirements of their industry. For instance, healthcare developers need to prioritize patient data privacy and regulatory compliance, while retail developers should focus on e-commerce integration and dynamic web interfaces.
  • Bot Familiarity: Developers with prior knowledge of the bot being migrated can address issues more efficiently. Tools like Blueprint Assess allow developers to review bot designs before migration, saving time during the conversion process.

Conclusion: The Future of Bot Migrations with Blueprint

As businesses continue to automate their operations, efficient bot migration is critical to maintaining momentum. Migration tools like Blueprint offer a reliable way to automate much of the process, significantly reducing the time and effort required compared to manual rewrites.

However, these tools work best when complemented by skilled developers who understand the nuances of their industry. Whether dealing with complex financial workflows, dynamic retail systems, or legacy government infrastructures, businesses can optimize their bot migrations by leveraging industry-specific expertise and maximizing the potential of automated tools like Blueprint.

With clear metrics like BEM and selector fix rates guiding the way, businesses can measure their progress, identify areas for improvement, and continue to enhance their automation capabilities, driving efficiency and staying ahead in an increasingly digital world.

Learn more about Blueprint's Migration capabilities or speak to one of our experts to get started on your migration journey.