Implementing Back Office Automation Using Automation Anywhere

Robotic Interface: Step List

Introduction to the Course

This course provides an overview of Automation Anywhere Robotic Interface, its key components,
features, and functionality, and how it can be used to automate back-office tasks.

Implementing Back Office Automation Using Automation Anywhere Robotic Interface

Introduction
This demo will help you to create the bots, the forms, and the process for the use case.

Prerequisites
You need access to Automation 360 Enterprise Edition.

Note that you can also use the Automation 360 Community Edition to create bots, forms, and
process for this use case.
1. Create the forms to input and display invoice details
a. Create a form to input invoice details
i. Log in to the Control Room as a bot creator user.
ii. In the Navigation pane, go to Automation, and then create a subfolder named AARI.
iii. Click Create a form.
iv. Enter a name for the form and click Create & edit.
v. In the canvas, select the default row and click vertical ellipsis (three dots).
vi. Select Delete row and click Yes, delete.
vii. From the Elements palette, drag and drop the Text Box element into the canvas.
viii. In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as “Supplier Name”.
ix. Next, drag and drop the Number element into the canvas.
x. In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as “Invoice Number”.
xi. Next, drag and drop the Date element into the canvas.
xii. Next, drag and drop the Number element into the canvas.
xiii. In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as “Amount”.
xiv. Select the Supplier Name text box.
xv. In the Formatting section, select Custom.
xvi. Click Add regular expression.
xvii. In the Regular expression field, enter [a-z].
xviii. To test the regular expression, enter a valid text in the Test Content field and click Test
regular expression. If no error is returned, the string you entered matches the regular
expression.
xix. In the Formatting section, select Standard.
xx. Click Save and then, click Close.

b. Create a form to display the invoice details

i. In the Automation page, click Create a form icon.
ii. Enter a name for the form and click Create & edit.
iii. In the canvas, select the default row and click vertical ellipsis (three dots).
iv. Select Delete row and click Yes, delete.
v. From the Elements palette, drag and drop the Text Box element into the canvas.
v.1 In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as Supplier Name.
v.2 Check the Make field uneditable checkbox in Advance behavior section.
vi. Repeat step v to add a number element with the label Invoice Number.
vii. Repeat step v to add a date element with the label Date.
viii. Repeat step v to add a number element with the label Amount.
ix. Create a text area
ix.1 From the Elements palette, drag and drop the Text Area element into the canvas.
ix.2 In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as Comments.
ix.3 Check the Make field required checkbox in Advance behavior section.
x. Click Save and then, click Close.

c. Create a form to confirm invoice date

i. In the Automation page, click Create a form icon.
ii. Enter a name for the form and click Create & edit.
iii. In the canvas, select the default row and click vertical ellipsis (three dots).
iv. Select Delete row and click Yes, delete.
v. From the Elements palette, drag and drop the Number element into the canvas.
v.1 In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as Invoice Number.

1
 vi. Repeat step v to add a Date element with the label Date.
vii. From the Elements palette, drag and drop the Select File form element into the canvas.
viii. In the Properties pane, enter the Element label as Upload Invoice and provide a hint in
the Hint below field.
ix. Click Save and then, click Close.

2. Create the Task Bot to input and display invoice details

a. Create a Task Bot to input the invoice details and display the values
i. In Automation page, click Create a bot icon.
ii. Enter a name for the bot and click Create & edit.
iii. Create a variable to input invoice value
iii.1 Click the Variables pane and click Create variable (+) icon.
iii.2 Enter the variable name as “invoiceNumber” in the name field.
iii.3 Check Use as input checkbox.
iii.4 Select Type as Number.
iii.5 Click Create.
iv. Repeat step iii to create “supplierName” variable as String.
v. Repeat step iii to create “date” variable as Datetime.
vi. Repeat step iii to create “amount” variable as Number.
vii. Similarly, repeat step iii to create string variables corresponding to the variables
invoiceNumber, amount, and date.
viii. Drag and drop the Number: To string action into the canvas.
ix. Specify invoiceNumber in the Enter a number field and the corresponding string
variable in the Assign the output to variable field.
x. Again, drag and drop the Number: To string action into the canvas.
xi. Specify amount in the Enter a number field and the corresponding string variable in the
Assign the output to variable field.
xii. Drag and drop the Datetime: To string action into the canvas.
xiii. Specify date in the Source date and time variable field and the corresponding string
variable in the Assign the output to a variable field.
xiv. Display the invoice input using variables
xiv.1 From the Actions palette, drag and drop the Message box action into the canvas.
xiv.2 In the Enter the message box window title field, enter the required title.
xiv.3 In the Enter the message to display field, enter the text 'Invoice Intake' followed
by the string variables for Invoice Number, Supplier Name, Date, and Amount.
xv. Now, define another input variable of File type.
xvi. Click Save.
xvii. Drag and drop the AARI Web: Get storage file action into the canvas.
xviii. In the Action details pane, select Variable tab in the Uri of Storage file section.
xix. Click Insert variable and select the File type variable that you created in step xv.
xx. In the Full path of file in local device to be saved to field, enter the full path of the
location where the invoice file should be saved.
xxi. Click Save and then, click Close.

3. Create the process that will be triggered when the bot encounters an error.
a. Create the process for the invoice use case
i. In the Automation page, click Create a process icon.
ii. Enter the Name for the process in the Create process popup.
iii. Click Create & edit.

2
 iv. Click and configure Start element in the canvas
iv.1. In the Element details pane, click Browse under Select initial data form field.
iv.2. In the Find a form popup, click Browse.
iv.3. Select the first form you created and click Choose.
iv.4. Click Insert a variable icon in Request title field.
iv.5. In the Insert a variable popup, click Variable Source dropdown and select
Request.
iv.6. Click Variable dropdown and select the invoice Number input variable from the
list.
iv.7. Click Add.
v. From the Task palette, drag and drop the Human Task in the canvas.
vi. In the Element details pane, enter Element name and Task name.
vii. You can auto assign this task to the user who created the request. For this, select the
Assign this task to the user who created the request checkbox.
viii. Click Browse under Select form field.
ix. In the Find a form popup, click Browse.
x. Select the Approval Form you created and click Choose.
xi. In the Feed data into form section:
xi.1 Select Supplier Name.
xi.2 In the Variable Source drop down, select Request.
xi.3 Click Variable dropdown and select the Supplier Name Text Box variable from the
list.
xi.4 Click Add.
xii. Repeat step xi to add Invoice Number form element.
xiii. Repeat step xi to add Date form element.
xiv. Repeat step xi to add Amount form element.
xv. Add two buttons to the task
xv.1 Click Add button in the Add form button section.
xv.2 Enter BUTTON LABEL as Approve and set the button style as Primary.
xv.3 Enter BUTTON LABEL as Reject and set the button style as Secondary.
xvi. Click Save.

b. Validate that the invoice date entered is after 01/01/2021. If it is earlier than 01/01/2021,
prompt the user to confirm the date.
i. Drag and drop the If/Else condition before the Human Task.
ii. Click the If condition.
iii. In the Display message field, enter Validating Invoice Date.
iv. Select Date Condition and in the Select a datetime variable field, select Date variable
from the initial Request form.
v. Select Greater Than (>) as the operator.
vi. Select Enter a value and a datetime format and enter 01/01/20201 in the Enter a value
field.
vii. Enter MM/dd/yyyy in the Enter the datetime format field.
viii. Click the Else element.
ix. Update the task name as ConfirmDate and the Display message as Confirm Invoice
Date.
x. Drag Human task into the Else branch.
xi. Enter ConfirmDt as the Element name.
xii. Enter Confirm Invoice Date as the Task name.

3
 xiii. Select the Confirm Invoice Date in the Select form field.
xiv. Select the Auto assign this task to the user who created the request checkbox.
xv. Add two buttons to the task
xv.1 Click Add button in the Add form button section.
xv.2 Enter BUTTON LABEL as Confirm and set the button style as Primary.
xv.3 Enter BUTTON LABEL as Reject and set the button style as Secondary.
xvi. In the Feed data into form section:
xvi.1 Select Invoice Number and then, click Insert variable.
xvi.2 In the Variable Source drop down, select Request.
xvi.3 Click Variable dropdown and select the Invoice Number-Number variable from the
list.
xvi.4 Click Add.
xvii. Repeat step xvi to add Date form element.
xviii. Drag and drop the If/Else condition before the Failed element.
xix. Click the If condition.
xx. Select String Condition and in the source value field, click Insert a variable.
xxi. In the Insert a variable popup, select the ConfirmDt in Variable Source, select Meta in
the Variable type drop-down and then, select status in the Variable drop-down.
xxii. Click Add.
xxiii. Select Equals to(=) as the operator.
xxiv. Enter Confirm in the Target value field.
xxv. Drag and drop the Go to element into the If condition. You can see that the Go to
element replaces the Failed element.
xxvi. In the Select target task field, select the ApproveForm Human task you had created.
xxvii. Under the Else branch, click the Failed element.
xxviii. Select the End process status as Cancelled and update the Display message as Task
Cancelled.

c. Create a condition and action to be performed depending on whether the Approve or the
Reject button was selected:
i. From the Condition palette, drag and drop If/Else pair condition above the Completed
element in the canvas.
ii. Click If branch in the canvas.
iii. Select the required condition from the drop-down list. In this case, select String
condition.
iv. Assign the Source value for the condition.
iv.1. Click Insert a variable icon.
iv.2. In Variable Source, select ApproveForm from the dropdown.
iv.3. In the Variable type, select Meta.
iv.4. In the Variable, select Status.
iv.5. Click Add.
v. In the Operator, select Equals to (=).
vi. Enter Approve in the Target value (optional) field.
vii. Click Save.

d. Add a bot task to display the invoice value

i. From the Elements palette, drag and drop Bot Task element within the If block.
ii. Provide an Element name and Task name for the Bot task.
iii. Click Browse under Select Task Bot field.

4
 iv. In the Find a Task Bot popup, select Invoice Intake Bot Process.
v. Click Choose.
vi. Select the Input value and map it with the output variable
vi.1 Check the invoiceNumber checkbox.
vi.2 Click Insert a variable.
vi.3 In Variable Source, select ApproveForm.
vi.4 In Variable type, select Output.
vi.5 In Variable, select Invoice Number.
vi.6 Click Add.
vii. Repeat step vi to add supplierName.
viii. Repeat step vi to add date.
ix. Repeat step vi to add amount.
x. For Invoice file, select the input value and map it with the output variable
x.1 Check the InvFile checkbox.
x.2 Click Insert a variable.
x.3 In Variable Source, select ConfirmDt.
x.4 In Variable type, select Output.
x.5 In Variable, select Upload Invoice.
x.6 Click Add.
xi. Click Failed end point, select the End process status as Cancelled.
xii. Enter the Display message as Task Cancelled.
xiii. Click Save and click Close.

4. Check in the Process to make it available for users.

Note: If you are using the Automation 360 Community Edition, then you don’t have to check in
the process or create teams and assign the process using AARI Web. Instead, you can preview the
process in the private workspace using the Run option in the process editor.

a. Check in the Process to make the process available for the AARI-Admin in the AARI Web
Interface.
i. In the Automation page, click Check in process corresponding to the Invoice Intake
Approval process.
ii. In the Check in Process page, enter the Comment and ensure that the bots and forms
are displayed in the Dependencies section.
iii. Click Check in.
iv. The checked in process and the dependent forms and bots are displayed in the Public
folder.

5. Teams creation and process assignment in AARI Web

a. Create an Invoice processing team in AARI Web.
i. Log in to AARI Web as the AARI Manager user.
ii. Click Manage > Team Setup.
iii. Click Create new team.
iv. Enter the Team Name and Description.
v. Select Shared as the Request Visibility.
vi. In the Members section, click the + sign.
vii. In the Add members to Invoice Processing Team window, search and select the
required users.

5
viii. Click Apply.
ix. In the Members section, assign Role to each member in the team.
Note: Each team should have at least one Admin.
x. Click Save.

b. Assign the invoice processing task to a team in AARI web

i. Now, log in to AARI Web as the AARI Administrator.
ii. Click Manage > Process setup.
iii. Select the required process from the list.
iv. The Edit Process window, update the Process name, and Description.
v. In the Tags section, click +Add tag. Search and select the required tag.
vi. In the Scheduler drop down, select the required scheduler user from the list.
vii. In the Request creation section, select by bot.
viii. Click the + sign in the Teams section or click Add team button.
ix. In the Add teams window, search and select the team you had created in Step a.
x. Click Add.
xi. Select the team in the Default team to take the bot created request drop down.
xii. Click Save.
xiii. Select the process from the list and click the vertical ellipses (three dots). Then, click
Copy process uri to the clipboard.

c. Create an unattended bot that will trigger the process.

i. Login as the bot creator user.
ii. In Automation page, click Create a bot icon.
iii. Enter a name for the task bot and click Create & edit.
iv. Create a dictionary variable with keys
iv.1 Click the Variables pane and click Create variable (+) icon.
iv.2 Select Type as Dictionary and Subtype as Any.
iv.3 Enter the variable name as “inputs” in the name field.
iv.4 Click the + sign in the Default value section.
iv.5 Enter TextBox0 in the Key field.
iv.6 Provide a supplier name in the Value field.
iv.7 Similarly, create key-value pairs as follows:
 Invoice Number
1. Type: Number
2. Key: Number0
3. Value: 12345
 Amount
1. Type: Number
2. Key: Number1
3. Value :4000
 Date
1. Type: Datetime
2. Key: Date0
3. Value: 01/01/2021 and select the time as 12:45am
iv.8 Click Create.
v. From the Actions palette, drag and drop the AARI Web: Create a request action.
vi. In the Action details pane, enter the path for the public repository URL of the process
that you copied earlier.

6
 Note: The public repository URL should be prefixed with the repository:/// followed by
the path of the process in the public folder. If there is a space in any of the folder name or
the process name, it should be replaced with the %20 string.
vii. In the Inputs needed to create the Request field, select Variable tab and then select
inputs.
viii. In the Assign the Request ID to (Optional) field, you can create and assign a number
variable if required.
ix. Click Save and the click Close.

6. Check in the Task Bot.

Note: If you are using the Automation 360 Community Edition, then you don’t have to check in
the process or create teams and assign the process using AARI Web. Instead, you can preview the
process in the private workspace using the Run option in the process editor.

a. Check in the bot to make the process

i. In the Automation page, select the Invoice Intake Bot.
ii. Click Check in Task Bot.
iii. In the Check in Task Bot page, enter the Comment.
iv. Click Check in.
v. The checked in task bot is displayed in the Public folder.

7. Run the invoice intake task bot and close the request in AARI web
a. Run the invoice input task bot from the Public repository.
i. In Automation page, select the required task bot.
ii. Select Run Task Bot.
iii. In the BOT AND DEPENDENCIES tab, review the task bot and click Next.
iv. In the RUN AS tab, select the bot runner account and click Next.
v. In the DEVICE POOLS tab, select the device pool from the Available device pools list and
click Right arrow.
vi. Click Next.
vii. In the GENERAL tab, enter a name for the task bot and click Run bot now.

b. Assign a user to the task in AARI web and close the request
i. Login to AARI Web as the AARI user.
ii. Click the Requests > All requests.
iii. The request created by the bot is displayed with the status Open.
iv. Click the status to open it.
v. Click Assign to me.
vi. Click Browse to upload the invoice copy and change the date.
vii. Click Confirm.
viii. Now, log out and login as another user in the same team.
ix. Open the task from the All requests page.
x. Provide a comment and click Approve.
xi. The Invoice Intake Bot Process that you defined in the process is triggered.
xii. The message box from the Bot with all the invoice details will be displayed. Click Close.

Congratulations! You have now successfully created the bots, the forms, and the process for the
Invoice processing use case. You have also closed the request in AARI web.