Workload automation (WLA) software is used to automate and orchestrate IT processes related to job scheduling, batch processing, data warehousing, and other repetitive, error-prone tasks. These tools centralize control over IT and business processes, connecting on-premises mainframes, cloud-native applications, cloud-based infrastructure, and more.
Companies use WLA software to schedule and manage workload processes while eliminating manual interactions. WLA can monitor processes in real time, providing auto remediation, alerts, and notifications, with centralized logging and reporting so IT can quickly address issues and optimize environments. This increases workload efficiency and reliability, enabling IT to dedicate more resources to other high-value tasks.
There is some relation between WLA software and robotic process automation (RPA) software. Both these solutions help automate standalone tasks as well as workflows. The difference is that RPA uses bots to interact at the user-interface level to complete tasks such as data entry. WLA solutions connect programmatically to third-party applications or systems, enabling more robust and flexible integrations for managing dependencies and data across systems. As a result, WLA solutions are used to orchestrate end-to-end processes, while RPA is used to automate front-end tasks.
To qualify for inclusion in the Workload Automation category, a product must:
Manage automated and scheduled IT workload tasks
Utilize event triggers to automate business processes
Execute and monitor business processes across distributed systems
