Service

RPA Consultant for UK Firms With Old Systems and Repeat Screen Work

An RPA consultant uses software robots to click, copy and paste in systems that have no proper connection. HAeX advises UK firms on when RPA is the right tool and builds it when it is. Often a simpler AI automation does the job better, and we will say so. Price is scoped on a call.

Book a free 30 minute call Try the Workflow Automation Map

We tell you if RPA is the wrong tool.
A person keeps control of every robot.
Every build has a UK GDPR and data flow note.

Written by the HAeX team. Last reviewed 12 November 2026.

Price: Scoped on a call, quoted in writing before we build
Time to live: Most builds take 2 to 6 weeks
Tools: Power Automate desktop flows, plus Make, n8n and Zapier where they fit
AI: OpenAI or Claude where a robot must read or write text
Data: Where it is stored is agreed per project and written in your data note

RPA stands for robotic process automation. A software robot repeats the clicks and keystrokes a person makes on a screen, such as logging in, copying a field and saving.

What is RPA in plain terms?

It does not need the system to offer a connection. That is its strength. It is also its weakness, because a screen change can break it.

Do I need an RPA consultant?

You do if a key system is old, closed or has no way in, and a person keys data into it every day. Examples are a legacy accounts package or a supplier portal.

If your systems already have connections, you probably do not. A workflow automation will be cheaper and more stable. We help you decide before you spend.

Is RPA or AI automation the better choice?

Use RPA when the only way in is the screen. Use AI automation when the system has a connection or the task needs reading and writing.

Situation	Better choice
No connection, fixed screens	RPA
System has a connection	AI automation through its connection
Emails or documents to read	AI automation
Rules plus some judgement	AI automation with a person to approve

Hyperautomation is the name for combining them. We use it only where both are needed.

Here is a worked example with assumed figures. It is not a client result.

What does a worked example look like?

Say a clerk copies 25 orders a week from a supplier portal into your stock system. Each takes 7 minutes. That is 175 minutes, or just under 3 hours a week. A robot logs in each morning, copies the new orders and saves them. The clerk checks a short exception list.

We can work through this with your own details on a free call.

Talk to us about your screen work

Which tools do you use?

Our usual route is Power Automate desktop flows, because many UK firms already hold the licence. We add AI from OpenAI or Claude where text must be read.

If you already run an RPA tool, tell us which. We say on the call whether we can work with it. See our Power Automate consultant page for the Microsoft side.

Where a proper connection exists, n8n or Zapier and Make are usually cleaner than RPA.

How does a project run, step by step?

It runs in four steps.

1
Discovery call (30 minutes)
You describe the screen work.
2
Audit and quote
We watch the task, check the system and quote in writing.
3
Build (2 to 6 weeks)
We build, test on a safe copy and show you each run.
4
Run and improve
We hand over a plain guide and set up alerts.

Will it break when a screen changes?

It can. Robots depend on what a screen looks like. A software update can move a button and stop the run.

We reduce that risk by using stable fields, adding checks and sending an alert the moment a step fails. A care plan covers fixes when a supplier changes a screen. We also tell you when a connection exists and RPA should be retired.

You do. Each robot has a named owner, a log of what it did and a stop switch. Anything outside its rules goes to a person.

Who stays in control?

For tasks that need judgement, an AI agent with a human check may fit better. For wider job design, see business process automation.

Is it safe under UK GDPR?

It can be. Robots log in with their own credentials and see only what they need. Every build has a UK GDPR and data flow note, and a DPIA where one is needed.

We never keep your passwords in plain text. Credentials sit in a vault the system provides. For policy work, see AI governance and compliance.

What does it cost, and what is the next step?

Price depends on the number of robots and the stability of the screens they use. We scope it on a free call and quote in writing before we build.

Bring the name of the system and a description of the task. We will say whether RPA, AI automation or a change of system is the cheaper route. This page sits under AI Automation.

Ask for a written quote Ask us a question first

Questions that come up

What does an RPA consultant do?

They decide if RPA fits, design the robots, build them and set up monitoring. We also compare it with simpler options.

Is RPA still worth it?

Yes, where a system has no connection. Where one exists, a direct link is usually steadier.

Can RPA use AI?

Yes. A robot can send text to an AI model to read or sort it. A person approves the output where it matters.

How is RPA different from a macro?

A macro runs inside one program. A robot can work across several programs and log in for itself.

Can I run the robots myself afterwards?

Yes. We hand over a guide, the access details and a list of owners.

Is hyperautomation a different service?

No. It is a name for using RPA, AI and connections together on one process.

What happens on the call

1
You tell us which old system eats your time
2
We say whether RPA or something simpler fits
3
You leave with a short list of what to automate first and a rough idea of cost

Prefer to talk first? Ring 07435 708864.