Enterprise 11: Auto Login

Use the Auto Login option to run tasks on unattended machines.

The Auto Login functionality enables a bot to automatically log on to a machine, run a scheduled automation task, and restore the machine to its original locked or logged off state after completing the task. Running the automated tasks on unattended machines helps you achieve optimum utilization of the Bot Runner and less idle time.

Use the Auto Login option to:

  • Schedule a task
  • Run reports
  • Run workflows
  • Trigger an automation task

Auto Login restores a machine to its original state in the following scenarios:

  • When a task is stopped or paused either from the Enterprise Client or Control Room. This ensure that the security of the machine is not compromised when the task is paused or stopped.
    Note: When the task resumes, it continues to run in the background on the locked machine.
  • When a task encounters an error during execution.

Some operating systems display a legal or privacy notice that requires a user response every time users log in. If your bot runs on one of these systems, ensure the Bypass Legal Disclaimer option is selected when you set up the Auto Login option for the bot.

If you encounter Auto Login errors, perform one of the following actions:
  • Enable retry for Auto Login by defining the following setting in the AA.Settings.xml file in the Enterprise Client application path. Specify a value for the retrycount tag for the number of times the retry will be attempted. For example, if you configure the value of the retrycount tag as 3, Auto Login will attempt to log in 3 times.
    <Main>
<options>
<autologin>
<retrycount>3</retrycount>
</autologin>
</options>
</Main>

    You can set any value for the number of retry attempts. Each retry attempt takes the amount of time set in the timeout tag for Auto Login. For example, if retrycount is set as 3 and timeout is set as 60, Auto Login retries 3 times and each retry attempt takes 60 seconds. Therefore, the total time taken is 3 x 60 = 180 seconds. Set the value for the retrycount accordingly based on your requirement.

  • Enable the advanced legal disclaimer bypass logic by defining the following setting in the Automation.Autologin.Settings.xml file. This file is located in the SYSTEM folder in the public documents available in the common application path.
    <Settings>
<enableadvancedlegaldisclaimerbypass>True</enableadvancedlegaldisclaimerbypass>
</Settings>

    Ensure this setting is defined in the Automation.Autologin.Settings.xml file located in the SYSTEM folder only.

Depending on the configuration changes made by the administrator in the Control Room for the external key vault option, the following changes are displayed in the Enterprise Client Windows Login Credentials screen along with an appropriate message:
  • If the external key vault is disabled, the login credential fields are enabled and you can manually enter the username and password.
  • If the external key vault is enabled without a strict retrieval policy, the login credential fields are enabled and you can manually enter the username and password.
  • If the external key vault is enabled with a strict retrieval policy, the login credential fields are disabled, and the credentials must be retrieved from the external key vault only.
  • If the administrator makes any changes to the external key vault configuration while you are logged in to the Enterprise Client and if you change the auto login settings, a message is displayed stating that a relogin is required due changes in the Control Room.

Other resources

You can find more information about Auto Login in the following articles: