Accounting: Automated Expense Report Processing

Client Description:

Chicago-based IT consulting firm with satellite offices in Pennsylvania, Northern Ireland, and Argentina.

Business Challenge:

Client needed to automate accounting processes to reduce the manual labor and potential for error, allowing staff to focus on more critical activities.

Key Service Area:

• Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Technologies:

• UiPath​
• MS Excel​
• MS Outlook​
• MS Exchange Server

Solution:

• Constructed Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to convert credit card statement data into individual expense reports utilizing UiPath and Excel Interop​
• Utilized RPA to deliver individual reports via email to each cardholder utilizing UiPath and Exchange Interop​
• Applied RPA to process incoming emails and update master expense report with cardholders’ submitted changes

Challenges for Automation:

• Acquisition of data from credit card company cannot be automated​
• Limitations in the extent Excel can be manipulated through Office Interoperability creates a need for some automation to be invoked from UiPath, then executed within Excel​
• Since this process produces a mass mailing, absolute accuracy and integrity of results are required in order to avoid bombarding recipients with incorrect or spurious emails

Impact:

• Replaced manual processes with automation, saving 8-16 hours per month​
• Increased accuracy by eliminating error-prone cut & paste operations, as well as hand-written formulas​
• Improved consistency by automating construction of expense reports using standard templates