RPA Interview Questions and Answers

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Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is among the top in-demand technologies today. The RPA industry is expected to experience a growth of US$3.11 billion by 2025, from about US$358 million in 2017. The rapid growth of the industry has given rise to numerous striving students and professionals, including you, who wish to pursue a career in RPA. Needless to say, most individuals today are looking to make a robust career in RPA. Read the following RPA interview questions and prepare yourself for job interviews.

Basic RPA Interview Questions for Freshers

1. Compare Robotic Process Automation with traditional automation.

2. What is RPA?

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a type of software that is used to do automation of the fundamental tasks in software applications like how a human performs them. The software robot can be trained for a workflow/process with different steps and applications. It could be, for example, taking received forms, sending a receipt message, checking the forms for completeness, documenting the form in a folder, and updating a spreadsheet with the form name, the date recorded, etc. RPA programming is intended to diminish the weight of monotonous, straightforward tasks/work on workers.

3. List the different types of tools in RPA.

• Blue Prism
• UiPath
• Automation Anywhere
• WorkFusion
• OpenSpan

4. Describe the life cycle of RPA.

The RPA lifecycle (Robotic Process Automation) consists of several key stages, including planning, development, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Here is a brief explanation of each stage:

• Planning: In this stage, organizations identify processes suitable for automation, assess the feasibility, and define the goals and objectives of implementing RPA. They create a roadmap, prioritize processes, and allocate resources for RPA implementation.
• Development: During the development stage, automation solutions are designed and developed. RPA developers create automation workflows using RPA tools or platforms, configure software robots (bots), and integrate with other systems if needed. They follow predefined process maps and document the necessary inputs, outputs, and exception-handling procedures.
• Testing: The testing stage involves validating the developed automation workflows. Testers simulate real-life scenarios, execute the automation processes, and verify if the expected results are achieved. They identify and rectify any errors or issues, ensuring the automation solution performs accurately and reliably.
• Deployment: Once the automation solution has undergone thorough testing, it is ready for deployment. Organizations install and configure the necessary software and infrastructure in the production environment. They ensure proper integration with existing systems and processes to facilitate the seamless execution of automation tasks.
• Maintenance: After deployment, the maintenance stage comes into play. Organizations monitor the performance of the deployed automation solution, address any issues or exceptions that arise, and make necessary adjustments or enhancements. Regular updates and maintenance activities ensure the automation solution continues to meet the evolving needs of the organization.

5. How would you deploy UiPath?

To deploy UiPath, follow these steps:

• Download the UiPath Platform: Visit the UiPath website and download the UiPath Platform installer suitable for your operating system.
• Install UiPath Studio: Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install UiPath Studio, which is the main development environment for creating automation workflows.
• Activate UiPath License: Launch UiPath Studio and activate your license using the provided license key. This step is essential for accessing the full features and capabilities of UiPath.
• Set up UiPath Orchestrator (optional): If you want to centrally manage and monitor your automation processes, you can set up UiPath Orchestrator. It is a web-based platform that allows you to schedule, deploy, and manage robots.
• Develop Automation Workflows: Use UiPath Studio to design and develop automation workflows. You can drag and drop activities from the activities panel, configure them, and create sequences, flowcharts, or state machines.
• Test and Debug: Validate the automation workflows by testing them within UiPath Studio. Debug any issues and ensure the workflows are functioning as expected.
• Publish and Deploy: Once you are satisfied with the automation workflows, publish them as packages. These packages can be deployed to the UiPath Orchestrator for centralized management or executed locally on individual machines.
• Monitor and Maintain: Keep track of your automation processes using UiPath Orchestrator. Monitor their execution, handle exceptions, and maintain the workflows as needed.

6. How do you invoke a UiPath workflow?

To invoke a UiPath workflow, follow these steps:

• Open the UiPath Studio and create or open the workflow you want to invoke.
• Identify the entry point of the workflow, which is usually a sequence or flowchart activity.
• Drag and drop the “Invoke Workflow File” activity from the activities panel onto the entry point activity.
• In the “Invoke Workflow File” activity properties, specify the path or location of the workflow file you want to invoke.
• If the invoked workflow requires any arguments or parameters, you can pass them by configuring the “Arguments” property of the “Invoke Workflow File” activity.
• Save the workflow and run the main workflow that contains the “Invoke Workflow File” activity. This will trigger the invocation of the specified workflow.

7. What is Citrix Automation?

Citrix Automation automates tasks and interactions within Citrix environments using software robots that mimic human actions and interact with Citrix applications. Organizations can enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and increase productivity by automating tasks within the Citrix environment. Citrix Automation is valuable for accessing and automating Citrix-based applications that may not be easily accessible through traditional automation methods.

8. What are RPA Bots and how to create them?

Bot creator tools, such as Automation Anywhere or UiPath, are used to create bots that are used to automate processes or tasks. The following steps are involved in the creating a bot:

• Record a task
• Complete the bot implementation
• Test the bot
• Upload the bot to perform the automation tasks

9. How are TaskBot, MetaBot, and IQBot different from one another in an RPA tool?

10. List the industrial applications of RPA.

• Banking: Automation of credit card applications, loan processing, etc.
• Retail: Updating orders, managing fake accounts, processing shipping notifications, etc.
• Telecommunications: Monitoring subscriber feeds, fraud management, customer data updates, etc.
• HR: Candidate sourcing, background verification, payroll automation, etc.

11. List the advantages of Robotic Process Automation.

• Improved efficiency of tasks
• Performing the tasks quickly without errors
• Increased productivity
• Cost-saving
• Decreased turnaround time

12. How do you perform Screen Scraping in RPA?

Screen scraping is an essential component of the RPA toolkit. It is used to capture bitmap data from the screen and cross-check it with the stored information to decipher it.

13. List the benefits of Screen Scraping.

• It works on application elements that are not accessible through the code or UI frameworks.
• It provides text digitization through Optical Character Recognition (OCR).
• It is easy to implement and mostly accurate.

14. How can you differentiate RPA from Macros?

15. What are the different automation frameworks used in software automation testing?

• Modular automation framework
• Keyword-driven framework
• Hybrid automation framework
• Data-driven framework

16. List the components of RPA Solution Architecture.

• Enterprise applications such as ERP Solutions (SAP)
• RPA tools, in any environment such as Citrix, web, or desktop
• RPA platform: Scheduling, distributing, and monitoring the execution of software bots
• RPA execution infrastructure
• Configuration management

17. What is Thin Client and Thick Client in RPA?

18. List the limitations of RPA.

• Limitations to tasks like decision-making or judgmental tasks
• Not a cognitive computing solution, rather learns through experience
• Might be error-prone when subjected to new environments without experience
• Higher cost of implementation across the industry

19. Explain Flow Switch in UiPath.

Flow switch (aka flow decision) is a flowchart-specific activity that splits the control flow into two or more branches based on some conditions. Whichever condition is satisfied, that task is executed.

20. What are the different activities performed by UiPath?

• Core activities: For the automation process
• Cognitive activities: For language translations
• Credential activities: For enabling the addition and deletion of credentials
• Database activities: For executing queries, transactions, etc.
• Excel activities: For automating MS Excel tasks
• FTP activities: For performing functions in the FTP server
• Intelligent OCR activities: For digitization and scraping
• Mail activities: For working with IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Outlook, etc.
• PDF activities: For data extraction from PDF
• Python activities: For invoking Python scripts and methods
• Terminal activities: For retrieving data from the terminal
• Web activities: For performing SOAP and HTTP requests to any web APIs
• Word activities: For automating activities in MS Word

21. What are the various types of Recording available in UiPath?

• Basic Recording
• Desktop Recording
• Web Recording
• Citrix Recording

22. Differentiate between Blue Prism and UiPath.

23. What are the important aspects to be considered in the planning phase of automation?

• Selecting the right RPA tool
• Choosing the right framework
• Selecting various items, such as in scope and out scope, based on the task
• Testing the environment
• Identification of deliverables

24. If the organization's infrastructure is not aligned with RPA, then what needs to be done?

RPA does not have compatibility issues; it can simply be enabled in the organization’s existing infrastructure. Moreover, it can be modified and is flexible enough to make it aligned easily with the organization’s infrastructure if needed.

25. Define Single Block Activity in UiPath.

Single Block Activity (aka Sequence) is a small project used for linear processes. It enables us to go from one activity to another in a flow, and hence the name. It can be reused, when needed, for automation as an individual or as a part of the state machine.

26. How do you use Assign Activity and Delay Activity in UiPath?

• Assign activity is generally used to assign a value or output to a variable. It can be used inside loops, arrays, etc.
• Delay activity is used to delay or pause the automation for a particular duration.

27. When do we use UI automation? What are the three types f automation?

When the robots and applications run on the same machine, we can use UI automation. It can integrate directly with the technology behind the application to trigger events, identify elements, and get the data. There are three types:

• Desktop automation
• Image automation
• Background automation

28. What are Selectors in UiPath?

UiPath uses selectors that store the attributes of a graphical user interface element and its parents in the form of an XML fragment. Selectors are automatically generated. A selector has the following structure:

<node_1/><node_2/>…<node_N/>

29. Explain how to Create and Remove an argument in UiPath.

To create an argument:

• In the Designer panel, click on ‘Arguments’ (the Argument panel will be displayed)
• Click on Create argument line

To remove an argument:

• In the Arguments panel, select an argument or right-click on the argument and press ‘Delete’

30. What are the different types of Logs? What are Log Fields?

There are different types of logs that serve various purposes:

• System Logs: System logs record events and activities related to the operating system. They capture information about system startup, shutdown, hardware errors, and system-level activities.
• Application Logs: Application logs track events and activities specific to a particular software application. They help in troubleshooting issues, monitoring application performance, and analyzing user actions.
• Security Logs: Security logs focus on recording security-related events within a system. They aid in identifying and investigating security breaches, unauthorized access attempts, and other security incidents.
• Network Logs: Network logs capture network-related activities, including network traffic, connectivity issues, and device events. They assist in monitoring network performance and troubleshooting network problems.
• Database Logs: Database logs record activities related to database operations, such as queries, modifications, and transactions. They help in identifying and resolving database-related issues.

Log Fields:

Log fields refer to the specific pieces of information recorded in a log entry. These fields provide details about the event or activity being logged. 

Common log fields include:

• Timestamp: The date and time when the event occurred.
• Source IP/Host: The IP address or hostname of the system or device generating the log entry.
• Destination IP/Host: The IP address or hostname of the target system or device involved in the event.
• Event Type: The category or type of event being logged, such as error, warning, informational, or success.
• Event Description: A description or message providing additional details about the event.
• User/Actor: The username or identifier of the user or system component responsible for the event.
• Severity Level: The level of importance or impact of the event, often indicated as a numerical value or descriptive term (e.g., critical, high, medium, low).
• Event ID: A unique identifier assigned to the event for tracking and referencing purposes.
• Additional Parameters: Additional specific information related to the event, such as error codes, protocol details, or relevant data values.

RPA Salary Trends

In the past few years, the demand for RPA developers has increased in India and abroad. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for RPA developers in India ranges from Rs 5.4 LPA to 12 LPA with additional cash compensations ranging from Rs 66K to 12L. As noted on Glassdoor, in the USA, the average salary is $1,09,208 per year. With cash compensation of $6,449 with a range of $4,836 to $9,028.

RPA Job Trends

1. Popularity: An emerging number of jobs have been noticed, as per grand view research. The RPA market was valued at $2.942 million in 2023, with a CAGR projection of 39.9% from 2023 to 2030.
2. Regional Demand: LinkedIn has shown more than 1000 jobs in India in RPA in the roles of RPA developers and RPA Architect Engineers.
3. Global Demand: USA has been emerging with more than 3000 job listings for RPA developers on LinkedIn
4. Integration in AI and ML: An upsurge in the implementation of RPA with AI and ML has been observed to create advanced self-correcting robots to decrease the delaying time and increase efficiency. NLP implementation in RPA, predictive analysis, and decision-making, it has led to more intelligent automation solutions.
5. Scalability: Due to the high demand observed, there has been an increase in establishing Centers of Excellence (CoEs) to upscale the RPA implementation.

RPA Roles and Responsibilities

Let’s look into the roles of RPA:

I hope this set of RPA Interview Questions will help you prepare for your interviews. Best of luck!

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