RPA, DPA, BPM and Case Management: The Differences You Need to Know

Four ways to automate work, each built for a different job. See how they compare, where each one fits, and how they work together, then get Forrester's report on the process automation landscape.

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How RPA, DPA, BPM and case management differ
Which use cases suit each approach
Where the technologies complement each other

"RPA, DPA, BPM, And DCM Platforms: The Differences You Need To Know", Forrester Research, Inc. Licensed reprint.

Four approaches at a glance

Each approach automates work in a different way, for different people and different kinds of process.

BPMBusiness process management

Redesign and continuously improve deep, complex processes end to end.

Who builds it: Specialist developers and process architects
Typical uses: Customer onboarding, claims, invoice processing

DPADigital process automation (low code and no code)

Put process design in the hands of business teams, across many everyday processes.

Who builds it: Business experts, with IT governance
Typical uses: Approvals, requests, audits, HR and finance workflows

RPARobotic process automation

Leave the process as it is and use software bots to do repetitive, rules-based tasks.

Who builds it: Automation specialists and a bot center of excellence
Typical uses: Data entry, copying data between systems, reconciliations

DCMDynamic case management

Give people flexibility to steer less structured work within agreed guardrails.

Who builds it: Developers, with case workers adapting each case
Typical uses: Investigations, incidents, complex service requests

How they compare

The biggest differences are in how each one treats the process, who builds it and how it connects to other systems.

Dimension	BPM	DPA	RPA	DCM
Approach to the process	Redesign it	Digitize and improve it	Keep it as it is	Let people adapt it
Who builds it	Specialist developers	Business experts	Automation specialists	Developers and case workers
Process shape	Narrow and deep	Broad and varied	Repetitive tasks	Less structured, case-based
Path through the work	Predefined	Predefined, easy to change	Scripted in the bot	Changes as the case unfolds
Connects to other systems via	APIs and connectors	APIs and connectors	The user interface, like a person	APIs and connectors
Main impact on people	Changes how teams work	Gives teams control of their processes	Removes repetitive tasks	Supports expert judgment

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Better together, not either/or

These technologies complement each other. Treating them as separate silos is where automation programs get stuck.

Orchestration hands work to people and bots

A process layer routes each step to the right worker, human or bot, and keeps the end-to-end view.

Bots reach systems without APIs

Where an older system has no API, a bot can enter or collect data through its screens as one step in a larger process.

Exceptions go back to a person

If a bot fails or a case needs judgment, the process routes it to a person instead of stopping.

Where FlowForma fits

FlowForma Process Automation is a no code DPA tool that puts process automation in the hands of the people who know the processes best.

Built by the business

Process owners build forms, workflows and documents themselves, with no code, while IT keeps governance.

5x–10x faster process delivery

Go from idea to live process in days or weeks instead of months of development.

Native to Microsoft 365

Runs on SharePoint and Microsoft 365, so it fits the tools and security your teams already use.

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RPA, DPA, BPM and case management: common questions

What is the difference between RPA and BPM?

BPM redesigns and manages a whole process end to end, usually built by specialist developers. RPA leaves the process as it is and uses software bots to take over repetitive, rules-based tasks, often by working through the same screens a person would use.

What is DPA?

Digital process automation is the evolution of BPM. Low code and no code DPA tools let business teams design and run their own processes, such as approvals, requests and audits, with IT keeping governance.

What is dynamic case management?

Case management supports less structured work, such as investigations, incidents and complex service requests, where people need to change the path of each case within agreed guardrails.

Can RPA and BPM or DPA work together?

Yes. A process platform orchestrates the end-to-end flow and hands individual steps to people or bots. Bots are useful for reaching older systems with no API, and exceptions can be routed back to a person.

Where does FlowForma fit?

FlowForma Process Automation is a no code DPA tool on Microsoft 365. Business experts build forms, workflows and document generation themselves, which delivers processes 5x–10x faster than traditional development.