Using the Workflow Designer

Automation Anywhere provides a Workflow Designer tool that enables you to design and improve your business workflows. The Workflow Designer helps you build Workflow flow diagrams in a graphical environment and use these Workflow to build and run automated Workflows using Automation Anywhere.

Overview

A Workflow shows a high-level, graphical view of your business or IT Workflow, with a representation of conditional logic and Workflow flow. Some Workflows might be simple, some more complex.

The Workflow Designer provides an intuitive, drag-and-drop interface to help you quickly design your workflows.

Creating a Workflow?

To create a new Workflow, follow these steps:

  • Click on the Tools menu and select Workflow Designer. The Workflow Designer provides the following design objects:
  • Start: The starting point for the Workflow. Each Workflow can have only one Start object.
  • Run Task: Runs a previously built task (.atmx file). Before proceeding to the next Workflow step, the Workflow stops until the Run Task command is completely finished.

    When you insert a Run Task object, it displays one Successful arrow and one Unsuccessful arrow. Both arrows are required for a complete Workflow. If you accidentally delete one of these arrows, move the mouse over the Run Task object and pull another arrow over to connect it with the desired object.

    Note: You can edit a task from the Run Task list by right-clicking the task and viewing the menu.
  • Conditional (If): Provides an event condition on which the subsequent steps in the Workflow depend. Based on the result of the condition (True or False), the Workflow moves along the appropriate path to next steps.

    When you insert a Conditional object, it displays one True arrow and one False arrow. Both arrows are required. If you accidentally delete one of the arrows, move the mouse over the object and pull another arrow over to connect it with the desired object.

    Use multiple AND or OR conditions*- You can include 'AND' or 'OR' conditions when you want to include multiple conditions in the same command.

    * Available from version 7.5.2 onward

    Refer to IF/ELSE command.

  • End: The end of the Workflow. When the Workflow reaches this object, execution is stopped.
  • Arrows: Connects objects and pathways in the Workflow. To insert an arrow from any object, move the mouse over the object until the mouse icon changes to a hand icon:
Tip: Prior to running a Workflow or exiting the Workflow Designer, always validate the Workflow. Validation ensures that your Workflow objects are correctly connected and that errors do not occur.

Running a Workflow

To run a Workflow from the Workflow Designer, click Run or double-click the Workflow file in the Task List.

When you run the Workflow within the Workflow Designer, Automation Anywhere indicates the path followed in the Workflow. For example, you can easily see whether a True or False condition occurs.

After a Workflow has completed a run, the Workflow Designer highlights the complete path in color.

Note: To ensure the date field is not modified when the workflow is executed, apply the following configuration within the <player> tag in the AA.Settings.xml file:
<Player>
<options>   
  <updatedatetimeafterworkflowexecution>false</updatedatetimeafterworkflowexecution>
 </options>
</Player>

Repeating a Workflow

To repeat a Workflow, use the Repeat property. The Workflow will run again.

Sending Email Notification for a Workflow

To send an email notification when a Workflow run is complete, use the Notification property.

Saving a Workflow as an Image

To save a Workflow as an image, click the File menu and select Save as Image.

Printing a Workflow

To print a Workflow, click the File menu and select Print.

Scheduling a Workflow to Run

You can schedule a Workflow to run using the Automation Anywhere Scheduler. Refer to Scheduling Tasks to Run.

Triggering a Workflow to Run

You can use triggers to schedule a Workflow to run. Refer to Trigger

Associating Workflow Variables to Task Variables

Workflow variables can be associated with various tasks. The associated variable is clearly shown in Run Task command.

Only type of variable association should be same, the names of variables can differ.

Steps to associate Workflow variable to task variables:

  1. Click the Run Task command.
  2. Select Task using Browse.
  3. Select Variable option as action.
  4. Create variable association section appears.
  5. Select Worflow Variables from the list and associate them with the list for the Task Variables.

    Use the 'Quick Map' button if you have a large set of variables to associate *.

    * Available from version 8.1 onward.

    Refer to Run Task command.

  6. Associate workflow variables to task variables using Run Task > Variable option.

Both drop downs will only display Value type of variables defined.

  1. Use Add button to add more variable association of Workflow to Task.
  2. Select an association and use Delete button, to remove it.

Note:
  1. If there are changes to the task variables type or source, the association will be invalid.
  2. If there is change in application path of a task, the association will be updated automatically. However, one needs to manually Save the workflow.
  3. The SAVE button is enabled for these workflows with an appropriate message.