Embedded Task Automation in RPA Hub

  • Release version: Xanadu
  • Updated August 1, 2024
  • 6 minutes to read
    • Summarize
    Summarized using AI
    This content was generated using new OpenAI-powered functionality. Results are provided on an as is basis and are not guaranteed to be accurate or complete.

    Summary of Embedded Task Automation in RPA Hub

    Embedded Task Automation in RPA Hub allows ServiceNow users to trigger attended bot automations directly from classic or Core UI (UI 16) ServiceNow forms, enhancing the automation experience without needing separate form development within the automation. This feature supports published attended bot processes and provides a transparent, real-time view of the robot executing tasks on the user’s machine.

    Show full answer Show less

    Automations can also be triggered programmatically via the RPAInstanceFormHooks API from Workspaces, playbooks, or service portals, enabling seamless integration across ServiceNow environments.

    Key Features

    • Embedded Initiation: Start attended automations directly from ServiceNow forms without creating custom forms inside the automation.
    • Process Field Parameters: Define dynamic parameters mapped between ServiceNow form fields and automation inputs/outputs to enable smooth data exchange during execution.
    • Attended Configuration Records: Configure which ServiceNow tables and records trigger specific bot processes based on defined conditions, and manage UI actions (buttons) to initiate bots.
    • New RPA Desktop Components: Use specialized components like AttendedConfigurations, GetProcessFieldParameters, GetRecordContextID, and SetProcessFieldParameters to build robust attended automations tailored for ServiceNow integrations.
    • Terminate Component: Properly complete automation runs with the Terminate component to ensure clean execution closure.
    • User and License Management: Assign RPA Assisted User roles or groups to enable users to trigger bots, with system properties controlling robot license auto-assignment.

    How It Works

    Using an employee badge creation example, a request is submitted via the Service Catalog containing user details. An attended bot automation built in RPA Desktop Design Studio consumes these details, interacts with third-party applications to generate the badge, and updates the ServiceNow form with the badge ID.

    Administrators enable embedded task automation on the bot process form and configure attended configurations with table selections, conditions, and field parameter mappings. Once activated, a UI action button appears on the relevant ServiceNow form for assigned users to trigger the automation.

    Important Considerations

    • Only published attended bot processes can be used with embedded task automation.
    • The Attended Robot application must be restarted to reflect updates to automations or RPA Hub versions.
    • Visibility of the UI action buttons depends on configured conditions ensuring users see only relevant automation triggers.
    • Authentication and execution follow a defined journey to ensure secure and accurate attended robot operation.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Streamlined Automation: Leverage existing ServiceNow forms to trigger attended bots, reducing development overhead.
    • User Empowerment: Allow end users to easily initiate and observe attended automations directly within their familiar ServiceNow interface.
    • Improved Data Integration: Dynamic field parameter mapping ensures smooth data handoff between forms and bots.
    • Scalable Management: Centrally configure and activate attended automations with precise control over triggering conditions and user access.

    With the embedded task automation feature, trigger attended bot processes (attended automations) from the classic or Core UI (UI 16) experience of the ServiceNow forms, apart from initiating them from the Attended Robot application.

    Important:
    The embedded task automation runs only for published attended bot processes.

    Invoke Embedded Task Automation via API

    To trigger a bot process (automation) from a Workspace, a playbook, or any other service portal, you can create corresponding actions and call the RPAInstanceFormHooks Application Programming Interface (API). For more information about invoking an embedded task automation via an API, see Invoke Embedded Task Automation via API.

    Embedded Task Automation overview

    Use the embedded task automation feature to initiate an automation seamlessly from ServiceNow screens in an attended mode. It provides users with a transparent view of the robot executing tasks directly on their machines. This feature provides a user-friendly experience by enabling individuals to observe and monitor the automation process in real-time.

    Why Embedded Task Automation

    Since existing attended automations interact with forms that are built within the automation itself, form development is required. Use the Embedded Task Automation feature for attended automations that use the ServiceNow screens. The Embedded Task Automation feature enables the reuse of the existing ServiceNow screen without a need to develop forms with in automation.

    How Embedded Task Automation works

    Let's consider an employee badge creation use case.

    1. In the Service Catalog, a request is created for an employee badge generation. Details such as Requested for and Location are included in this request form, for printing the badge on a third party application. After the badge is generated in the application, the badge ID is populated in the request form.
    2. In RPA Desktop Design Studio, build an automation using the new components and publish it to the ServiceNow instance. For more information about the new components, see Forms. Ensure to use the Terminate component for each UI action automation logic that helps in completing the automation execution for the respective UI action. For more information about the component, Use the Terminate component.
    3. In the RPA Hub, create an attended bot process (for example, Employee Badge Generation). For more information about creating an attended bot process, see Configuring a bot process record in RPA Hub.
    4. To trigger this bot process (automation) from the ServiceNow form, select the Enable Embedded Task Automation check box in the associated attended bot process form. On enabling this check box, two additional tabs, Process Field Parameters and Attended Configuration, are available on the bot process form. For more information about the bot process form, see Bot Process form in RPA Hub.
    5. On the Process Field Parameters tab, create dynamic parameters that are used in the automation. Process field parameters are used for setting the value or getting the value of a field on a particular form. Examples of process field parameters are the user's title, first name, last name, and location. These details are used in the automation workflow while generating a badge. For more information about creating process field parameters, see Create a process field parameter in RPA Hub.
    6. In the RPA Hub, create an attended configuration record. For more information about creating an attended configuration record, see Create an attended configuration record in RPA Hub.
    7. In this attended configuration record, select the table associated with the required form from the Table field, from where this bot process must be triggered. Then, define the criteria in the Conditions field, to trigger the bot process. In this example, set the conditions for approved requests that are required for badge generation. For more information about the Attended Configuration form, see Attended Configuration form in RPA Hub.
    8. On the Field Parameter Mappings tab, map the form fields to the process field parameters that are used in the automations. This process enables an easy data flow during the execution of a bot process. For example, if "Full name" is the process field parameter used in the automation, then map it to the form's 'Name' field. For more information about mapping field parameters, see Map a table field to a bot process field parameter in RPA Hub.
    9. On the Attended Configuration tab, the form is activated by selecting the Activate button. In the background, a UI action (button) is created, by default for the ServiceNow form (classic UI) on the corresponding request form. For more information about activating an attended configuration, see Activate an attended configuration record in RPA Hub.
    10. Publish the bot process with the corresponding package published from the RPA Desktop Design Studio. For more information, see Publish an RPA Hub bot process.

      To publish the bot process, assign the user with RPA AU (RPA assisted user) in the Assigned User or Assigned Group field in the Attended Users/Groups tab of the attended bot process record. If the auto assignment system property sn_rpa_fdn.allow_rda_robot_auto_assignment is false, the attended robot record is available for the assigned RPA Assisted User. If the auto assignment system property is true, an attended robot license is available to auto create an attended robot at the time of triggering. For more information about this system property, see Configure RPA Hub properties.

    11. Then, the assigned user can view the UI action (button) (for example, Generate Badge) on the corresponding ServiceNow form. Using this button, the user can trigger the attended bot process (attended automation). There are certain conditions to view this button (UI action). For more information, see Visibility conditions of the UI action (button).
    Figure 1. Configuration of Embedded Task Automation in RPA Hub
    Configuration of Embedded Task Automation in RPA Hub.

    Configuring Embedded Task Automation

    To configure the embedded task automation, see List of steps for configuring embedded task automation.

    New components for Embedded Task Automation in RPA Desktop Design Studio

    The following four new components are added to the new Forms section in RPA Desktop Design Studio. These components are available under the new ServiceNow category in the Toolbox pane.
    • AttendedConfigurations: Segregate the execution of the automations in a single automation project and call the respective logic according to the action invoked. For more information, see Use the AttendedConfigurations component.
    • GetProcessFieldParameters: Fetch the values of the ServiceNow form fields associated in the Field Parameter Mapping of the corresponding attended configuration record in RPA Hub. For more information, see Use the GetProcessFieldParameters component.
    • GetRecordContextID: Fetch the current record sys_id of the ServiceNow form, from where the automation is triggered. For more information, see Use the GetRecordContextID component.
    • SetProcessFieldParameters: Update the values of the ServiceNow form fields associated in the Field Parameter Mapping of the corresponding attended configuration record in RPA Hub. For more information, see Use the SetProcessFieldParameters component.

    Terminate component in attended automations

    Use the Terminate component in attended automations to complete the automation execution. For more information about the component, Use the Terminate component.

    Launch attended automations from ServiceNow forms

    Learn about the restrictions to launch an attended automation from the ServiceNow forms and launching the attended automations. For more information, see Attended Robot authentication journey and automation execution in Embedded Task Automation.

    Attended Robot authentication journey and automation execution

    Learn about the authentication process in the Attended Robot application and the automation execution. For more information, see Attended Robot authentication journey and automation execution in Embedded Task Automation.

    Important:

    If a new version exists to the existing automation, to reflect those changes the Attended Robot application must be closed. Until then, it continues to use the existing version, as the Attended Robot application is already launched and running.

    If a new version of RPA Hub is installed on the instance, to reflect those changes the Attended Robot application must be closed. Until then, it continues to use the existing set of plugins, as the Attended Robot application is already launched and running.

    Runtime Phase of the Embedded Task Automation

    Learn more about the triggering of an attended automation from a ServiceNow form. For more information, see Runtime Phase of the Embedded Task Automation.