Flows
The Flows tab in an Orchestrator application is a central location where users can manage and monitor the automation flows or processes that have been deployed and scheduled in the Orchestrator environment. These flows represent your automation workflows, created using AutomatR Studio. This tab provides a comprehensive overview of all available automation flows, allowing users to track their versions, perform various actions, and search for specific flows based on different criteria. You can effortlessly deploy updates and ensure all bots are running the latest versions of your automation processes. Here are the key sections of the Flows tab:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | This column displays the names of the automation flows. The name of the flow is usually a descriptive identifier, helping users easily identify the purpose or functionality of the flow. |
| Package | The Package section indicates the package to which the automation flow belongs. Packages are containers that hold one or more automation processes, libraries, or dependencies. They enable versioning and provide a way to organize and distribute automation artifacts effectively. |
| Automation Type | This section classifies the automation flows based on their execution context, either Attended or Unattended. For more details refer Automation Type section. |
| Versions | The Versions column displays information about different versions of the automation flow. Orchestrator allows users to publish new versions of the same flow to improve or update its functionality while maintaining the previous versions for backward compatibility and auditing purposes. |
Overall, the Flows tab in the Orchestrator application provides users with easy access to essential information and tools needed to optimize the efficiency and performance of their automation workflows. The search options allow users to efficiently locate specific automation processes by filtering the table based on their search criteria. The Clear Search option resets the search filter, while the Refresh Table option fetches the latest data, ensuring users have access to the most up-to-date information. These features enhance the user experience and productivity when managing and monitoring automation flows in Orchestrator.
Add Flow
Here's a brief procedure to add a Flow in an Orchestrator application:
Log in to the AutomatR Orchestrator application with appropriate credentials.
Once logged in, navigate to the Flows section or tab where you can manage and view automation flows.
Look for an Add button or to initiate the process of adding a new flow. Click on the button to proceed with creating a new automation flow.
A form appears where you need to enter the details for the new flow. The required information includes:
- Name: Enter a descriptive name for the automation flow. Choose a name that reflects the purpose or functionality of the flow.
- Package Name: Provide the name of the package to which you want to associate this flow. If you have multiple packages, ensure to select the appropriate one from the available options.
- Automation Type: This field will be a drop-down menu containing two options: Attended and Unattended. Choose the appropriate type that aligns with the execution context of the automation flow.
Click on the drop-down menu next to the Automation Type field and choose one of the two options: Attended or Unattended. For more details refer Automation Type section.
Once you have entered all the required information, review the details to ensure accuracy. After verifying, click on the Add button to create the new flow.
After clicking the Add button, a confirmation message may appear to inform you that the flow has been successfully added to the Orchestrator.
The new flow will now appear in the list of available automation flows on the Flows tab, along with its assigned package, automation type, and other relevant details.
You have now successfully added a new flow to the Orchestrator application. Depending on the configuration and permissions, you may be able to further edit, schedule, or manage the flow as needed. Remember that the details you provided during the addition process will be crucial for locating and organizing the flow in the future, so ensure accuracy while entering the information.
Automation Type
The Automation Type field offers two options: Attended or Unattended based on the nature of the automation flow.
Attended Automation refers to a type of robotic process automation (RPA) where automation processes work alongside human users to enhance their productivity and efficiency. In this mode, the automation flow is designed to collaborate with a human operator, and the human remains in control throughout the process. The bot provides support and assistance by executing specific steps or tasks within the automation process while leaving decisions and critical actions to the human user.
Unattended Automation is another type of RPA where automation processes run independently and autonomously without human intervention. In this mode, the bot operates on dedicated automation machines or virtual machines and executes processes according to predefined rules and schedules. Unattended automation is particularly effective for high-volume, repetitive tasks that do not require human judgment during execution.
Key characteristics
Both Attended and Unattended Automation Types offer significant benefits in different scenarios. Attended automation is ideal when human expertise and judgment are required, allowing bots to act as assistants to human operators, whereas unattended automation excels in streamlining repetitive and rule-based tasks without human intervention, leading to increased efficiency and reduced operational costs. The Flows tab in the Orchestrator application allows users to manage and monitor both types of automation flows, enabling organizations to deploy the most appropriate automation solutions for their specific business needs.
Different purposes of Attended and Unattended Automation Types and their excel in distinct scenarios:
Automation Type Key characteristics Attended Attended automation is suitable when human judgment, intervention, or dynamic data interaction is necessary, making it valuable in complex or adaptive workflows.
Human Interaction: The automation flow requires interaction with a human user who initiates the process and interacts with it during execution. The bot assists, automates repetitive steps, or presents relevant information to the user.
User Control: The human user retains control and supervision over the flow, making judgment calls, and intervening whenever necessary. The bot operates in the background, acting as a collaborator rather than an autonomous actor.
Flexibility and Adaptability: Attended automation is well-suited for tasks that involve dynamic data or require human judgment, as the bot can adapt its actions based on user inputs or changing circumstances.Unattended Unattended automation is ideal for high-volume, repetitive tasks that can be fully automated without requiring human interaction, leading to increased efficiency and cost savings.
Autonomous Execution: The automation flow runs without the need for human intervention. Once scheduled or triggered, the bot performs tasks from start to finish on its own.
No User Interaction During Execution: Unlike attended automation, unattended automation doesn't require human input or supervision during execution. The bot operates silently in the background.
Scalability and Round-the-Clock Execution: Unattended automation is ideal for processes that can be executed repeatedly and at scale, including tasks that need to run 24/7.In practice, organizations may use a combination of both types to achieve optimal results. They can integrate attended automation to enhance human productivity and accuracy, while leveraging unattended automation to handle large-scale, repetitive tasks, freeing up human resources for more strategic activities.
Update Flow
The Edit options in the Flows tab offer flexibility in customizing your flows configurations. The Actions column in the flows table provides options to interact with individual flow, clicking the Edit option allows you with appropriate permissions to modify the automation flow, such as its name, package name or automation type.
In the Actions column associated with the flow, click on the Edit option.
Upon clicking Edit, a form will appear displaying the selected flow information.
A form will appear, prompting you to enter the necessary details for updating the bot:
Name: Update the name of the flow.
Package Name: Update the package name of the flow.
Automation Type: From the drop-down menu, select the appropriate automation type for the flow. The available options are Attended and Unattended. For more details refer Automation Type section.
Double-check the information you entered for accuracy, ensuring that the flow name, package name and automation type are correct.
Once you are satisfied with the flow details, click on the Update button to finalize the updation of the flow.
Upon successful addition, you will receive a confirmation message or notification stating that the new flow has been added to the Orchestrator.
Navigate back to the flows tab and review the table to ensure that the updated flow appears with the name and automation type you provided.
Delete Flow
The Actions column in the Flows tab provides options to interact with individual flow, the Delete option from the Actions column of Flows table allows you to remove the flow from the AutomatR Orchestrator. Use this action for permanently removing the automation flow from Orchestrator or when it is no longer required in your automation infrastructure.
Launch Flow
Here's a brief step-by-step procedure to Launch the execution of the automation flow in an AutomatR Orchestrator application:
Log in to the AutomatR Orchestrator application with appropriate credentials.
Once logged in, navigate to the Flows tab where you can manage, create and update new flows.
In the Actions column associated with the existing flow, click on the Launch button to initiate the automation flow.
A form appears where you need to enter the details for the flow.
From the drop-down menu, select the desired automation Version. This identifies the specific automation process that the flow will execute.
Enter the following flow details in the provided fields:
- Job Name: The name will be auto-populated once you select the automation version or you can provide a descriptive name for the flow to easily identify its purpose or function.
- Email: Input the email address where flow-related notifications and alerts will be sent.
- Configuration: Choose the appropriate configuration from the available options that define how the flow will execute.
From the drop-down menu, select a Log Levels for the flow, such as Verbose, Debug, Information, or Error. This determines the level of detail in the flow logs. For more details refer Log Level section.
Specify the Screen Resolution for the job with options for both width and height. This setting ensures the proper display of the automation process on the designated target machines. The screen resolution setting helps to optimize the automation flow's user interface, interactions with elements on the screen, and overall visual display. You can enter the preferred values or the common standard resolution values mentioned below:
Resolution Description 1920x1080 This is a Full HD resolution with a width of 1920 pixels and a height of 1080 pixels. It is widely used and suitable for most modern desktop and laptop computers. 1366x768 This is a common resolution for laptop displays and certain monitors. It has a width of 1366 pixels and a height of 768 pixels. 1280x1024 This is a standard resolution for certain desktop monitors. It has a width of 1280 pixels and a height of 1024 pixels. 1600x900 This is a widescreen resolution with a width of 1600 pixels and a height of 900 pixels. It is commonly used in laptops and monitors. By configuring the screen resolution appropriately, automation developers can ensure that their automation processes are visually optimized and effectively interact with elements on the screen, resulting in seamless and efficient automation execution.
Utilize the Select Bot(s) option to choose the bot(s) that will execute the job. Additionally, select the desired configuration for the selected bots if applicable.
From the available Run Type options (Run Now, Run Later, and Recurring), choose the appropriate one for the job.
Here's more detailed explanation of the three Run Types:
Run Type Description Run Now The Run Now option in the Run Type allows users to execute a job immediately without delay. It is designed for on-demand execution of automation processes when users need the job to start right away, regardless of any predefined schedule. When users select Run Now, the job is triggered immediately, and the Orchestrator initiates the execution as soon as possible.
Use Cases:
- Ad-hoc Tasks: Running a one-time job immediately to address a specific need or perform a critical task outside the regular schedule.
- Testing: Executing the automation flow in a production-like environment without waiting for a scheduled run to verify its functionality.
Advantage
- Offers flexibility and immediate execution for urgent or time-sensitive tasks, allowing users to perform ad-hoc jobs on-demand.
Run Later The Run Later option enables users to schedule a job for execution at a specific future date and time. When choosing this option, users can set the desired date and time for the job to start, and the Orchestrator will automatically initiate the job at the scheduled time.
Use Cases:
- Preparing for Upcoming Tasks: Scheduling a job to run at a later time when a specific task needs to be performed in the future.
- Off-Peak Execution: Scheduling the automation job to run during non-peak hours to avoid resource contention or ensure better performance.
Advantage
- Provides the convenience of scheduling tasks to be executed at a specific time, ensuring that critical activities are performed as planned.
Recurring The Recurring option allows users to set up a job for repeated and automatic execution at specific intervals. Users can define the frequency of repetition (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly) and specify the interval between each run. The Orchestrator will automatically trigger the job at the defined intervals.
Use Cases:
- Daily/Weekly/Monthly Tasks: Scheduling automation processes that need to run on a regular basis, such as generating daily reports or performing weekly backups.
- Periodic Checks: Automating tasks that need to be performed at specific intervals, like system maintenance or database cleanup.
Advantage
- Saves time and effort by automating jobs to run at regular intervals, be it daily, weekly, or monthly, to handle repetitive tasks and periodic checks efficiently.
These three different Run Types allows users to efficiently manage the timing and execution of automation jobs, providing the flexibility to adapt to various scheduling needs and optimize automation processes.
Start Grace Time is a configuration setting in automation that introduces a delay before starting the execution of a scheduled job. It allows a job to wait for a specified duration after its scheduled start time before actually beginning its execution. The purpose of the Start Grace Time is to provide some flexibility in job execution, especially in scenarios where multiple jobs are scheduled to run at the same time, or when system resources are busy with other processes.
Considerations - Duration Selection: The duration of the Start Grace Time should be chosen thoughtfully. It should be long enough to accommodate potential resource contention or delays but not excessively long to cause unnecessary delays in execution.
- Job Priority: While Start Grace Time provides flexibility, it is essential to consider the priority and criticality of the job. Some jobs may need to start immediately, while others can tolerate a short delay.
How Start Grace Time Works - Scheduled Start Time: When a job is scheduled to run at a specific date and time, the Orchestrator initially waits until the scheduled start time is reached.
- Grace Time Delay: After the scheduled start time is reached, the Orchestrator waits for the duration specified as the Start Grace Time before initiating the job's execution.
- Flexibility in Execution: The grace time gives the Orchestrator some flexibility to wait and allocate resources for the job. If the system is busy with other high-priority tasks or if multiple jobs are scheduled to start at the same time, the grace time helps prevent resource contention and potential bottlenecks.
- Actual Job Execution: Once the Start Grace Time expires, the Orchestrator starts the execution of the job, ensuring a smoother and more controlled process start.
Advantages of Start Grace Time - Resource Management: Start Grace Time helps prevent resource overload by allowing jobs to wait for a brief period before starting. This improves overall system efficiency and reduces the risk of resource contention.
- Avoiding Race Conditions: When multiple jobs are scheduled to run simultaneously, the grace time helps avoid race conditions and ensures that each job gets sufficient resources for successful execution.
- Resilience to Delays: In case of any delays in resource availability or system readiness, the grace time allows the job to wait and avoid execution errors due to resource unavailability.
In summary, the Start Grace Time in automation allows for a controlled and efficient job execution by introducing a brief delay before starting the execution of a scheduled job. It enhances resource management, improves system efficiency, and helps prevent potential issues related to resource contention.
Review all the entered details to ensure accuracy. After verifying, click the Add button to launch the flow.
After clicking the Add button, a confirmation message may appear, indicating that the flow has been launched successfully.
You have now successfully launched the flow to the AutomatR Orchestrator application, specifying all the necessary options for its execution. Depending on the configuration and permissions, you may have additional options available for further customization and management of the job.
Upload New Version
AutomatR Orchestrator's Flows Tab allows users to upload a new version of a specific flow. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to upload a new version:
Log in to AutomatR Orchestrator and navigate to the Flows tab, which displays a list of available flows and related information.
In the Flows Tab, choose the specific flow for which you want to upload a new version.
Find the flow's entry in the table and click on the Version option associated with the desired flow. This opens a form displaying the selected flow's version details.
In the version details form, look for the Upload New section and click on the Choose File option.
A file upload dialog appears, allowing you to select the NUPKG file from your local repository.
Browse and select the NUPKG file that represents the new version of the flow.
Once you've selected the NUPKG file, click on the Open button to proceed with the upload. The system will validate and process the file.
Click on the Upload button within this section to initiate the upload process.
After successfully uploading the new version, it will appear in the list below, within the table of the selected flow.
The table typically displays the following details for the uploaded version:
- Version Number: The unique identifier for the uploaded version.
- Uploaded On: The date and time when the version was uploaded.
- Delete: An option to delete the uploaded version if not required.
Uploading a new version of a flow in the AutomatR Orchestrator Flows Tab is a straightforward process that allows users to keep their automation workflows up-to-date. By following the above steps, users can efficiently upload, manage, and view different versions of flows, ensuring that the most recent and optimized automation processes are readily available for execution.