IBM Robotic Process Automation vs. Microsoft Power BI

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
IBM Robotic Process Automation
Score 8.6 out of 10
N/A
IBM Robotic Process Automation with Automation Anywhere is a robotic process automation solution combining business process management tools from IBM with Automation Anywhere's bots and automation capabilities.
$840
per month
Microsoft Power BI
Score 8.4 out of 10
N/A
Microsoft Power BI is a visualization and data discovery tool from Microsoft. It allows users to convert data into visuals and graphics, visually explore and analyze data, collaborate on interactive dashboards and reports, and scale across their organization with built-in governance and security.
$10
per month per user
Pricing
IBM Robotic Process AutomationMicrosoft Power BI
Editions & Modules
IBM RPA On premises
Platform starter pack, starting at USD 840.00 per month
per month
IBM RPA Software as a service (SaaS)
Platform starter pack, starting at USD 840.00 per month
per month
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
IBM Robotic Process AutomationMicrosoft Power BI
Free Trial
YesYes
Free/Freemium Version
NoYes
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
YesNo
Entry-level Setup FeeOptionalNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
IBM Robotic Process AutomationMicrosoft Power BI
Top Pros
Top Cons
Features
IBM Robotic Process AutomationMicrosoft Power BI
BI Standard Reporting
Comparison of BI Standard Reporting features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
7.2
138 Ratings
13% below category average
Pixel Perfect reports00 Ratings6.5118 Ratings
Customizable dashboards00 Ratings8.0138 Ratings
Report Formatting Templates00 Ratings7.2126 Ratings
Ad-hoc Reporting
Comparison of Ad-hoc Reporting features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
7.0
139 Ratings
15% below category average
Drill-down analysis00 Ratings7.2138 Ratings
Formatting capabilities00 Ratings6.4137 Ratings
Integration with R or other statistical packages00 Ratings7.5102 Ratings
Report sharing and collaboration00 Ratings7.0134 Ratings
Report Output and Scheduling
Comparison of Report Output and Scheduling features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
7.8
133 Ratings
7% below category average
Publish to Web00 Ratings8.1128 Ratings
Publish to PDF00 Ratings8.1121 Ratings
Report Versioning00 Ratings7.3101 Ratings
Report Delivery Scheduling00 Ratings8.7103 Ratings
Delivery to Remote Servers00 Ratings6.773 Ratings
Data Discovery and Visualization
Comparison of Data Discovery and Visualization features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
7.5
135 Ratings
7% below category average
Pre-built visualization formats (heatmaps, scatter plots etc.)00 Ratings7.5130 Ratings
Location Analytics / Geographic Visualization00 Ratings7.7121 Ratings
Predictive Analytics00 Ratings7.4101 Ratings
Access Control and Security
Comparison of Access Control and Security features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
8.2
126 Ratings
5% below category average
Multi-User Support (named login)00 Ratings8.2120 Ratings
Role-Based Security Model00 Ratings8.8102 Ratings
Multiple Access Permission Levels (Create, Read, Delete)00 Ratings8.4110 Ratings
Report-Level Access Control00 Ratings7.01 Ratings
Single Sign-On (SSO)00 Ratings8.694 Ratings
Mobile Capabilities
Comparison of Mobile Capabilities features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
7.9
117 Ratings
1% below category average
Responsive Design for Web Access00 Ratings8.0111 Ratings
Mobile Application00 Ratings7.493 Ratings
Dashboard / Report / Visualization Interactivity on Mobile00 Ratings7.4112 Ratings
Application Program Interfaces (APIs) / Embedding
Comparison of Application Program Interfaces (APIs) / Embedding features of Product A and Product B
IBM Robotic Process Automation
-
Ratings
Microsoft Power BI
8.4
80 Ratings
6% above category average
REST API00 Ratings8.172 Ratings
Javascript API00 Ratings9.656 Ratings
iFrames00 Ratings8.055 Ratings
Java API00 Ratings7.946 Ratings
Themeable User Interface (UI)00 Ratings8.263 Ratings
Customizable Platform (Open Source)00 Ratings8.444 Ratings
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User Ratings
IBM Robotic Process AutomationMicrosoft Power BI
Likelihood to Recommend
8.5
(97 ratings)
7.9
(140 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
8.7
(7 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.7
(18 ratings)
9.0
(56 ratings)
Support Rating
8.8
(19 ratings)
7.9
(52 ratings)
Online Training
4.5
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Implementation Rating
8.8
(2 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Configurability
9.1
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
User Testimonials
IBM Robotic Process AutomationMicrosoft Power BI
Likelihood to Recommend
IBM
While it can be applied to various scenarios, its suitability can depend on the specific requirements of a given task or process. Here are some scenarios where IBM RPA is well-suited and scenarios where it may be less appropriate: Well suited: 1.Data Entry and Data Migration: RPA can efficiently automate data entry tasks, such as copying information from one system to another or migrating data between databases, reducing the risk of human error 2. Report Generation: RPA can generate routine reports by extracting data from various sources, formatting it, and delivering the reports to the relevant stakeholders, saving time and effort. 3. Email and Message Handling: RPA can help manage and categorize emails and messages, such as routing customer inquiries to the right department or processing routine email requests.Less suited for: 1. Cases where there is High Variability: RPA may struggle with tasks that have a high degree of variability, where each case is unique and difficult to standardize. 2. For Complex Decision-Making: RPA is rule-based and not designed for complex decision-making processes. It cannot replace the judgment and decision-making capabilities of humans. 3.Tasks Requiring Creativity: RPA is not suitable for tasks that require creativity, innovation, or problem-solving skills, as it operates based on predefined rules and logic.
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Microsoft
In operations we use the tool for many different topics, from factory quality systems to high level reviews. We have created kind of an internal "App Store" based on Power BI where you have a lot of different dashboards for different solutions (cost, cash, health and safety, sales, factories, distribution centers...) and you as an user just need to get in that "App Store" and enter in whatever tool can be useful for you. It is open to all the operations employees and can use on demand. Also it has raised the imagination of our colleagues, as they are not only working by themselves creating new reports, but also raising fantastic ideas that can be extended for the usage of all the community.
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Pros
IBM
  • accessing local system
  • It was programmed to navigate to the web page requiring reCAPTCHA verification, locate the reCAPTCHA challenge, and generate a screenshot or other data to present to a user for manual input.
  • It was programmed to extract employee data from emails or forms, update the employee record in Workday, and send automated notifications.
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Microsoft
  • Quickly filter and view granular data sets with easily configurable reporting figures.
  • The ability to quickly switch between tabs allows for historical data comparisons and progress tracking.
  • It's helpful to dive into the data and break it down from high levels to small.
  • Achieve actionable insights faster by using real-time data. It's incredible to have online access to reports.
Read full review
Cons
IBM
  • Security and data privacy: IBM RPA may not have the strongest security features, which can leave sensitive data vulnerable to breaches or hacking.
  • Scalability: IBM RPA may not scale well to accommodate larger businesses and more complex processes, which can lead to performance issues and increased costs.
  • Customization: IBM RPA may not provide as much customization options as some users would like, making it difficult to tailor the software to specific business needs.
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Microsoft
  • The desktop app is great but needs a lot of performance improvements
  • No MacOS Version for the Desktop app, this is a big limitation for business since executives prefer Macs
  • Premium Cloud Version of Power BI is awfully expensive
  • On-Premise Version of the Power BI Reports Server is bundled only with SQL Server Enterprise License and cannot be purchased separately and requires Software Assurance Subscription
  • On-Premise Power BI Report Server doesn't support ADFS, AzureAD or any Claims-Based authentication platform, a sad disadvantage for enterprises
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Likelihood to Renew
IBM
By implementing IBM Robotic Process Automation, we realized that they are digital robots with a great impact on our manual tasks, generating good automation capabilities that are beneficial to the entire company.
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Microsoft
I find it helpful and easy to use
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Usability
IBM
IBM RPA is a very powerful tool, it has almost all the features that are necessary to build, implement and manage highly functional robots. The learning curve is very fast, so excellent skills are acquired. It is not necessary to have strong programming knowledge because its use is very easy. It is just drag and drop commands. By adding rules and logic, wonderful robots can be achieved.
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Microsoft
At this point, I think we all know who has taken the lead in the business intelligence and analytics market worldwide. With fresh new updates every other day on top of an already robustly built product with all features that one can dream of is a no brainer, I feel. Microsoft will invariably be synonymous with quality and professionalism.
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Support Rating
IBM
IBM has done a great job with enablement for the product. There is documentation for use-cases, development videos for beginners, and a community forum that has proven useful for getting started with the application. Although the resources cannot solve every problem a developer comes across, they have been very beneficial to our technical team.
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Microsoft
I can't really speak to the support overall, [but] I will say that in the almost three years I have used the system, I have only needed to contact their support team once. I think the team was helpful, but it did take some time for us to resolve the issues/ request that they had. I guess the good news is that the system is pretty stable, and I personally have rarely needed to contact their technical support team.
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Implementation Rating
IBM
I am main developer of the this implementation. I have faced many chanllenges in implementation as IBM RPA not provided direct commands to automate Excel. I enjoyed in finding solution and best approach for the implementation
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Microsoft
No answers on this topic
Alternatives Considered
IBM
I love how this tool helps to engage employees with mission-critical work, optimizing their skillsets, instead of focusing on mundane, time-consuming tasks that can be easily automated. Through this we've been able to save time and cut costly operations, free from repetitive work and elevates job satisfaction and creates a more efficient workplace.
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Microsoft
[Microsoft] Power BI is practical and effective, like a hammer for a nail, it is easy to use and produces very quickly the results that in most cases are urgently required by clients (nice reports to share on the web). To start using [Microsoft] Power BI you need a business email address, with that you create an account in Power BI Service and in less than 1 hour you will have installed Power BI Desktop, a report will have been created and it will have been published on the web .
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Return on Investment
IBM
  • IBM Robotic Process Automation has helped save on cost and time as it is able to automate tasks that are repetitive and routine tasks.
  • IBM Robotic Process Automation has helped us increase productivity. This is because it is able to perform tasks with a high degree of accuracy and speed.
  • It has enhanced compliance as it is able to automate compliance-related tasks. This has helped us improve our reputation.
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Microsoft
  • It helps us track and achieve company goals.
  • It shows us [our] performance in areas we could not previously track and allows us to see and work on how to improve their performance.
  • Quick easy access for executives to use in helping teams and addressing issues.
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ScreenShots

IBM Robotic Process Automation Screenshots

Screenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: Watson Engine in IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: IVR Debug in IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: HTTP Request in IBM RPA StudioScreenshot of IBM Robotic Process Automation Demo: Knowledge Base Training in IBM RPA Studio

Microsoft Power BI Screenshots

Screenshot of Microsoft Power BI - Turns insights into impact for business usersScreenshot of Power BI integrates easily with Microsoft 365Screenshot of Microsoft Power BI - AI-Powered CapabilitiesScreenshot of Microsoft Power BI - Copilot can be used to create reportsScreenshot of Microsoft Power BI - Data HubScreenshot of Microsoft Power BI - Scales as organizational needs grow