What Is a PDD?
A Process Definition Document (PDD) is the foundational document for any RPA project. It defines the process being automated in enough detail that a developer can build a solution without needing to re-interview the business — and enough clarity that a client can sign off on what's in and out of scope before a single line of code is written.
A PDD written well prevents scope creep, misaligned expectations, and UAT failures. A PDD written badly (or skipped entirely) is usually why RPA projects go over budget.
The Standard Sections
### 1. Document Control
Version number, author, date, review status. Straightforward, but important for audit trails. Always include a change log table.
### 2. Executive Summary
A one-page overview that a non-technical stakeholder can read and understand. Cover:
Keep it to half a page if possible.
### 3. Process Overview
### 4. As-Is Process Walkthrough
A step-by-step description of how a human performs the process today. Be specific. Vague steps like "the analyst processes the file" are not useful. Write it at the level of: "The analyst opens [Application X], navigates to [Screen Y], enters [Field Z] from the spreadsheet, clicks Submit."
Include:
### 5. To-Be Process Design
The same walkthrough, but with the automation overlay applied. Highlight where the bot takes over, where humans remain in the loop, and how exceptions will be handled in code (system exception vs. business exception split).
### 6. Business Rules
A dedicated table for every rule the process must follow. Examples:
| Rule | Description |
|---|---|
| BR-001 | Only process invoices where Amount > $0 |
| BR-002 | Skip records where Status = "Cancelled" |
| BR-003 | Flag for human review if vendor code not found in master list |
Business rules belong here, not buried in the process walkthrough.
### 7. Exception Handling
Split into:
For each exception type, document: what triggers it, what the bot does, who gets notified.
### 8. Data Fields
A table of every input field the bot reads, and every output field it writes. Include source system, field name, data type, and whether it's mandatory.
### 9. Assumptions and Dependencies
Everything the delivery team is assuming to be true — and what dependencies must be in place for go-live. Examples: "We assume the test environment is stable," "The vendor API key will be provided by [date]," "The process will not change during development."
### 10. KPIs and Success Metrics
How will you measure whether the automation succeeded? At minimum:
### 11. Appendix
Any reference material that doesn't fit above: example screenshots, data sample, glossary of business terms.
How Long Should a PDD Be?
For a simple, single-exception process: 8–12 pages. For a complex multi-path process: 15–25 pages. Anything shorter is probably missing the exception handling. Anything longer is probably duplicating itself.
Generating a PDD with DocForge
DocForge produces all of the above sections from a meeting transcript or process notes. The output follows the structure described here — formatted, ready to review, and exportable to DOCX in your own Word template.