Execution priority of bot processes in RPA Hub

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated January 30, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Execution priority of bot processes in RPA Hub

    This document explains how bot process execution is prioritized in RPA Hub, focusing on scenarios involving multiple bots, robots, and Windows user credentials. Understanding the execution priority helps prevent conflicts and ensures efficient automation by avoiding simultaneous triggers of multiple bot processes on the same robot or Windows session.

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    Scheduled Trigger Execution Priority

    When multiple bot processes are scheduled to run simultaneously, execution priority depends on robot grouping, Windows credentials, and assigned order numbers:

    • Robots with Different Windows Credentials: Bot processes are grouped by robot, and within each group, the bot process with the lowest order number executes while others are skipped. This means each robot runs only one bot process at a time, based on priority.
    • Robots with the Same Windows Credentials: Initially, bot processes are grouped by robot and the lowest priority within each group is selected. However, if multiple robots share the same Windows credentials, only the bot process with the lowest overall priority number across these credentials executes to avoid concurrent execution in the same Windows session; others are skipped.

    Manual Trigger Execution Priority

    When manual execution is initiated using the Start Process button for bot processes with multiple high-density robots, behavior varies based on Windows credentials:

    • Same Windows Credentials: If multiple robots share the same credentials, only one robot is randomly chosen to execute the bot process. The other robot(s) receive a Skipped status for the process job.
    • Different Windows Credentials: If robots have different Windows credentials, all robots execute the bot process simultaneously without conflict.

    Practical Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    • Configure bot processes with appropriate order numbers to control execution priority effectively.
    • Avoid assigning the same Windows credentials to multiple robots when you want parallel execution of separate bot processes.
    • Understand that scheduling multiple bots on the same robot or same Windows session will result in only the highest-priority process running, with others skipped.
    • Manual triggers on multiple robots sharing credentials will execute only on one robot, requiring careful planning to ensure intended bot process runs.

    Learn how to prioritize bot processes efficiently and avoid triggering multiple automations on the same robot. The bot processes are organized by both robots and Windows user credentials.

    Scheduled trigger

    When multiple bot processes are scheduled to run at the same time, consider the following scenarios to understand how bot process execution is prioritized based on order number and Windows credentials.

    Figure 1. Scenario 1: Robots with different Windows credentials
    Diagram shows how a bot process execution is prioritized when different robots use different login credentials.

    The following bot processes use robots 1 and 2 with different priority orders and the robots use different credentials to login to a Windows machine.

    • Bot process 1
      • Robot: Robot 1
      • Order: 2
      • Windows credential: SN\User 1
    • Bot process 2
      • Robot: Robot 1
      • Order: 3
      • Windows credential: SN\User 2
    • Bot process 3
      • Robot: Robot 2
      • Order: 4
      • Windows credential: SN\User 3
    • Bot process 4
      • Robot: Robot 2
      • Order: 1
      • Windows credential: SN\User 4
    When all bot processes are scheduled to start simultaneously, execution is determined based on the following logic:
    1. Bot processes are grouped by the robot.
    2. Within each group, the bot process with the lowest priority number is executed.
    Execution results:
    • Robot 1: Bot Process 1 (priority 2) executes; Bot Process 2 (priority 3) is skipped.
    • Robot 2: Bot Process 4 (priority 1) executes; Bot Process 3 (priority 4) is skipped.
    Figure 2. Scenario 2: Robots with the same Windows credential
    Diagram shows how a bot process execution is prioritized when different robots use same login credentials.

    The following bot processes use high-density robots 1 and 2 with different priority orders and use same credentials to login to a Windows machine.

    • Bot process 1
      • Robot: Robot 1
      • Order: 2
      • Windows credential: SN\User 1
    • Bot process 2
      • Robot: Robot 1
      • Order: 3
      • Windows credential: SN\User 1
    • Bot process 3
      • Robot: Robot 2
      • Order: 4
      • Windows credential: SN\User 1
    • Bot process 4
      • Robot: Robot 2
      • Order: 1
      • Windows credential: SN\User 1
    When all bot processes are scheduled to start simultaneously, priority is determined based on the following logic:
    1. Bot processes are first grouped by the robot.
    2. Within each group, the bot process with the lowest priority number is selected.
    Intermediate priority results:
    • Robot 1: Bot Process 1 (priority 2) is selected over Bot Process 2 (priority 3).
    • Robot 2: Bot Process 4 (priority 1) is selected over Bot Process 3 (priority 4).

    However, Bot Process 1 and Bot Process 4 cannot be launched in the same Windows session simultaneously due to shared credentials (SN\User1). To resolve this conflict, bot processes are grouped by Windows credentials, and the process with the lowest priority number is executed:

    Final execution results:
    • SN\User1: Bot Process 4 (priority 1) executes.
    • SN\User1: Bot Process 1 (priority 2) is skipped.

    Manual trigger

    When a bot process with multiple high-density robots is triggered using the Start Process button, consider the following scenarios to understand how bot process execution is prioritized for a robot.

    Figure 3. Bot process prioritization for different high-density robots
    Diagram shows how a bot process execution is prioritized for different high-density robots.
    Scenario 1: Robots with the same Windows credentials
    The Bot process 1 uses high-density robots 1 and 2 with the same credentials to login to a Windows machine. When the Start Process button is clicked on the Bot process 1 for Robot 1 and Robot 2, any one robot is picked randomly to execute the bot process. The process job with the Skipped status is created for the other robot.
    Scenario 2: Robots with different Windows credentials
    The Bot process 1 uses high-density robots 1 and 2 with different credentials to login to a Windows machine. When the Start Process button is clicked on the Bot process 1 for Robot 1 and Robot 2, both the robots execute the bot process simultaneously.