Navy’s Ashley Elizabeth Evans Talks Future-Ready Automation

Why It Matters

By embedding AI‑ready automation into its next‑generation ERP, the Navy demonstrates a scalable blueprint for federal cost reduction and mission acceleration, prompting broader public‑sector digital transformation.

Key Takeaways

• Pilots serve as learning labs; not every pilot scales enterprise-wide
• Navy deployed 500+ bots, saving 2 million workforce hours
• ERP+ upgrade targets 30% AI/automation in user stories, exceeding 15% goal
• Process selection relies on ROI, mission impact, and speed‑to‑value
• Future systems designed with agents as personas for seamless automation

Summary

In a UiPath Fusion public‑sector interview, Deputy Director Ashley Elizabeth Evans outlined the Navy’s roadmap for scaling automation from isolated pilots to enterprise‑wide, mission‑driven solutions.

The service has run a six‑year robotic process automation (RPA) program, deploying more than 500 bots that have reclaimed over two million labor hours. Successful pilots—such as the unmatched‑transaction and milstrip processing bots—have been rolled out Navy‑wide, demonstrating a clear path from experiment to operational capability.

Evans highlighted the upcoming ERP+ transformation, a migration from legacy SAP to S/4 HANA that embeds AI and automation by design. The team set an initial target of 15 % of user stories to involve AI; the backlog now exceeds 30 %, leveraging native SAP AI and UiPath integrations. Process‑selection criteria focus on dollar savings, repurposed hours, mission impact, and especially speed‑to‑value.

The Navy’s approach signals that large federal entities can achieve rapid, measurable ROI by treating pilots as learning platforms and embedding automation into core ERP architecture, a model other agencies are likely to emulate as they confront budget pressures and accelerating technology cycles.

Original Description

Ashley Elizabeth Evans, Deputy Director of Financial Management Systems in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, discusses the transition from isolated automation pilots to enterprise-scale solutions. The Department of the Navy has deployed over 500 bots, repurposing over 2 million hours of workforce time. They are also upgrading their ERP from legacy SAP to S/4HANA. Prioritization metrics include hours saved, dollar savings, mission impact and speed to value. The focus is on leveraging lessons from pilots to inform future systems, ensuring adaptability to rapid technological changes.

#uipath #artificialintelligence #ai #govtech #federalagencies #federalgovernment #automation #navy #usnavy

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About UiPath Fusion Public Sector 2026

On May 5, 2026, government leaders and experts gathered for UiPath Fusion Public Sector in Washington, D.C., to explore how agentic automation is enabling agencies to orchestrate agents, robots, AI, people, and systems with governance, compliance, and security built in.

Learn more about takeaways from the event here:

https://uipathfusionpublicsector.upgather.com/

This event was produced by FedScoop.

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