Create a process view with branches and opportunities

Create a consolidated view of your business process and select steps to create potential opportunities for automation. Learn how to create a branch, merge steps into the branch, and create opportunities.

Prerequisites

  • This task is performed by the Discovery Bot analyst who is in charge of reviewing and analyzing the associated recordings for business processes.
    Note: Multi-role and custom role user can also perform this task depending on your assigned permissions. You will see a different set of menu actions (vertical ellipsis icon) available on a tile for a process.
  • Ensure the user is assigned the AAE_Discovery Bot Analyst role and process analyzer license.

    Supported licenses for Discovery Bot

Procedure

  1. Display a view or recording, select steps, and create an opportunity in a linear workflow in the Aggregated tab:
    1. Select a process from the processes page.
      The last active tab automatically opens.
    2. Click the Aggregated tab.
      By default, the selected view is displayed in the Aggregated tab main screen. In the Recordings table, the check boxes that are selected indicate the recordings included in the view. To select a single recording when a view is displayed, toggle off the selected view from the Views table. In the Recordings table, clear the check box for the selected recording that is enabled.

      By default, if a view is not selected, all recordings are selected in the Recordings table. To select a single recording, click the Select all check box to clear all recordings. Select a recording for display in the Aggregated tab main screen.

    3. Select either the screenshot icon or application icon in the toggle view (upper-right corner of the Aggregated tab view) to decide how you want to display the steps.
      Contiguous steps performed in the same application are combined together. This is displayed as a single group to allow better readability of the process. The number of steps collated together is indicated in the bottom-right corner of the group.
      Note: If the screenshot view is the last active view then the image of the last step in the group is the one that is displayed for the collapsed group. You can drag the process within the canvas by holding the down the mouse left button and moving the process to the desired location.
      Use the Zoom in or Zoom out options as required. Use the Reset zoom to bring the view back to the default level and re-center the process in the canvas.
    4. Click a single aggregated step to expand a group of steps to preview the step in more detail. Alternatively, click the arrow near the upper-right corner of the group icon.
      Use the group icon to display groups of steps that belong to the primary and secondary level actions (and subgroup level actions) used during the recording session. As required, expand a group of steps to drill down from the primary to subgroup level actions to help you decide what group of steps to use when creating a potential opportunity for a task you want to automate. For example, a primary level action displays Microsoft Outlook, a secondary level action displays Outlook mail notification, and subgroup level actions can display compose email, body email, and send email.

      Click the individual step to display details about the step in the Preview window on the right of the Aggregated view. The information is displayed in the following order:

      Field Description
      Application name The application type used during the recording.

      A screenshot is displayed. Click the image when you want to display a larger view of the screenshot.

      The Application field is displayed after the Step ID field.
      Step Title The step title can be the PNG name or tab name determined by the system.
      List of recordings in this workflow The recording ID(s) associated with the step.
      Step ID The internal ID associated with the recording for back-end processing.
      Data The data entered by a user through the keyboard.
      Action Type The action type can right-click or left-click.
      Time on step The duration of the recorded step in minutes and seconds.
    5. Select the check box to the left of the step to create a potential opportunity.
      The Opportunities details window displays the following information:
      Field Description
      Steps The number of steps selected by the user. This field increments each time a user checks the box to select a step and create a potential opportunity.
      Select all steps Allows you to select all steps, including branches, displayed in the view to create an opportunity.
      • Select a group of steps/branches/loops

        From the canvas view, select the check box next to a branch, loop, or group to select all steps within that group, branch, or loop. If you select a nested branch or loop, the parent branch or loop displays a partial selection.

      • Custom selection of steps

        Use the shift key to select a certain number of steps within a path from the main canvas. Cross path selection is not available
      Average time The duration, in minutes and seconds format, of the selected steps in the opportunity.
      Variant The number of branches included in the opportunity.
    6. Enter a name for the opportunity.
    7. Enter the average cost associated with the opportunity.
      This is your best assessment of what it costs to perform the steps included in the opportunity.
    8. Enter the potential saving associated with the opportunity.
      This is your best assessment of the expected savings on an annual basis, if a bot is used to perform all the steps in the opportunity.
      Note: The potential savings must be larger than the average cost estimate.
    9. Select from High, Medium, or Low as the priority associated with the opportunity.
    10. Click Create opportunity.
      A message window appears notifying you that the opportunity is created. Click the hyperlink to view the newly created opportunity from the Opportunity tab in the Control Room.
    11. To create another opportunity from the same recording, click Unselect all to clear all the previously selected steps or change the selection as required, provide the details (name, cost, savings and priority).
    12. Click Create opportunity.
      Multiple opportunities can be created with same name – each one has a new id.
  2. Create a view for your workflow process from the Aggregated view:
    1. With one or more recordings preselected in the Aggregated view, click Create view to create a view from the open recording.
      Creating a view enables you to combine steps from multiple recordings to give you a more complete view of the entire process represented by the recordings.
    2. Enter a name for the view in the Title field.
    3. Optional: Enter a description.
    4. Click Create.
      The Create option is now updated to display Save view options from the drop-down. Use Save as to create a copy of the newly-created view. Use Save as [manual] to convert the system generated view to a manual view.
      Create any number of views as required. To create a new view, toggle off the selected view from the Views table. Use the arrows to open and collapse the Views and Recordings table. Use the pagination to scroll through your saved views.
      The system-generated view now displays a loop, or a sequence of steps, that occurs for specific number of times for a single recording. The loop icon is displayed as an orange circle with an arrow. The loop icon has a for condition displayed under this along with a Count, which describes the number of times the sequence of steps in this loop is repeated in the process. You can change the loop condition (for and while) by saving the view as a manual view.
      The system-generated view is displayed in the Aggregated view main screen. In the Views table, the system-generated view is indicated by the aggregate icon in the Type column. In the Recordings table, the check box is selected to indicate the recordings already included in the view. By default, the table is collapsed and the Recordings table is expanded when a view is created for the first time. The Recordings table returns to the first pagination. You are now ready to add recordings and branch, if required.
    5. Select the Model option when you want to compare and find the best aggregated view for your recordings. Use this option to save as many views with different combinations as needed. You can also save the view as a manual view to further customize your view and compare side by side. Select the Dynamic model option to view recordings where groups of steps display a set of repeating patterns that belong to the same application or the same primary level action used during the recording session. Use this option when deciding the context of the process or the task you want to automate. For example, you are tasked with creating an admin account. After you create the account, an email notification is sent to the user. Use the Dynamic option to display groups of steps for automating a task for email notification. Select from an Easy or Strict model that will allow you to view the recordings where the steps are the same vs. recordings with different results with more branches in the process path. By default, the Easy option is selected. To save your selections before you toggle off a view to another view, click Save view. The changes are saved across the Dashboard, Aggregated, and Comparison tabs. If you do not save your changes, the filter resets. You must re-select and apply your options again. Click Model to select from the following options for display from the Aggregated tab:
      The Model window displays the following:
      Option Action
      Dynamic Select Dynamic when you want to display a sequence of steps that are labeled using pattern-matching. Groups of steps that are labeled belong to supported applications such as Microsoft (Excel, Outlook, and Notepad),Notepad ++, text editors, most Windows use cases, and Chrome browser functionality. Labeled steps display terms such as Calculator, Email - Add To, Email - Email - Add Body, and Windows - Search - Open Application.
      Note: For new use cases or specific process flows, groups of steps might not have a label. For a manual view, you can update the group label as required. Hover over the row level menu in the Views table and click Edit. Near the group icon, enter a name in the text box. Click the check box to save your changes. Click Save to save the view and exit the Edit mode.
      Easy Select Easy when you expect most of the recordings for a given process to be same. This results in less branching across selected views and recordings. You will expect to see two steps merged because there is less variance across the recordings.
      Tip: Click Select all steps. The total number of steps displayed is less than the number of steps displayed when using the Strict option. There are less steps with the Easy option because most of the steps across selected recordings are the same.
      Strict Select Strict when you expect to see different results for a given process. This results in more branching across selected views and recordings.
      Include data Select Include data to include keyboard entered data used during the recording session. This information is displayed from the Preview window.
      Include description Select Include description to include any annotations provided by the Discovery Bot user. This information is displayed from the Preview window.
      Reset Click Reset to reset your selected options and reapply. By default, this resets to the Easy option.
      Apply Click Apply to apply your selected options for display from the Aggregated tab for the system generated or manual view.
    6. Select the Filter option when you want to use a set of values to compare the different sections of a process across various recordings by selecting a specific path and step filter. Used in conjunction with the Model option, the path and step filter options for a system-generated or manual view can help you to determine and decide on a good candidate for automation. To save your selections before you toggle off a view to another view, click Save view. The changes are saved across the Dashboard, Aggregated, and Comparison tabs. If you do not save your changes, the filter resets. You must re-select and apply your options again. For a manual view, you must re-select your filter options to create an opportunity. Click Filter and select from the following options:
      The Filter window displays the following:
      Option Action
      Path: With the most common flow

      Select this option when you want to see what paths have the most common variance of a process that is being used. If you choose to automate this type of path, you will have a higher return on your investment.
      Path: With the most deviations Select this option when you want to see certain sections of the process that have a different deviation in the path. The automation priority for such paths are usually low.
      Path: With the most repetitive flow Select this option when you want to display sections of the process that are more repetitive and cost more. The automation priority for such paths are usually high.
      Step: Application Select the Application option when you want to see the application type used during the recording. Use this option to see which applications are more frequently used, and to decide on which applications should be a priority.
      Step: Action Type Select the Action type option to filter the process steps to display only particular actions that will help you get an idea how the steps are used.
      Clear Select Clear to clear all selected options.
      Reset Select Reset to reset to the previous saved state of the filters in a view.
      Apply Select Apply to apply the selected options for display from the Aggregated tab for the system generated view or manual view.
    7. Select the Toggle frequency counter option to display the number of recordings that a particular path takes in the flow in a system generated view. Use this option to help you understand the frequency of the path as compared to other recordings or views. This option can only be used for system generated views. In the Recordings table, select two or more recordings and the Toggle frequency counter displays two at the start of the process flow to indicate the number of recordings selected. If each recording takes a different path, the process flow is divided between the total number of recordings selected and displays accordingly. For example, if there are ten recordings in a view and three paths displayed. Two recordings follow one path, two recordings follow the second path, and six recordings follow the third path. Along the path flow, you will see two, two, and six. If a step is merged, the number gets added between the two paths. Use the thick or thinness of the path to help you prioritize processes for automation. The most commonly used path is the thickest path and this can be useful for prioritizing a process when reviewing many recordings. For example, if there are 5 paths for 20 recordings, you will quickly see which is the thickest and consider automating this path. If you have additional bandwidth to automate another path, you can drill down in the flow and look at the numbers to see what path is next as a possible candidate for automation.
    8. Mouse over the actions menu option in the Views table to copy, convert to manual, or delete a view.
      The menu option is the vertical ellipsis (three dots). The vertical ellipsis only shows if the row level menu is hidden. You can configure the menu option to display as you want using the Customize columns icon. The menu option allows you to select from one of the following:
    OptionAction
    Copy Select Copy to create a copy of the view. The newly created copied view is displayed in the Aggregated view and saved in the Views table with a new ID.
    Convert to Manual Select Convert to Manual to convert the system generated view to a manual view. This option allows you to add more recordings or steps from other recordings using the Edit option. Repeat steps 2a and 2b. Click Save. In the Views table, the manual view is indicated by the definition icon in the Type column. The newly created manual view is displayed in the Aggregated view main screen. In the Recordings table, the check box is selected to indicate the recordings already included in the view.
    Edit Select Edit to add recordings or steps from other recordings from the Recordings table.
    Delete Select Delete to delete the view. The underlying recordings used in the view are not impacted by the deletion of the view.
  3. Create a new view from selected recordings, or select a manual view to add more steps from another recording to the process view. Create a branch, and merge steps from one or more recordings into the branch. Create opportunities.
    In this example, a branch is created for reviewing the credit score for a bank loan.
    1. Click Create view or select a manual view from the Views table.
    2. Mouse over the row level menu in the Views table and click Edit.
    3. Mouse over the row level menu in the Recordings table and click the + sign to select a recording to display in the manual view.
      The selected recording is displayed in new feeder canvas to the right of the main canvas in the Aggregated view.

      Click on the individual step to display details about the step in the View details window on the right of the Aggregated view. The information is displayed in the following order:

      Field Description
      Copy of The copy of the view (view ID) that the view is copied from. The view ID is in shown in the Views table.
      List of recordings The list of recording(s) that are used in this view.
      View name The name of the view created.
      Description The description entered when you create a view.
    4. Click the branch icon in Aggregated workflow.
      Click the branch icon to add a condition step into the view. Move the subsequent step into a branch on the left and adding a new branch to the right in the empty branch are to receive steps from another recording. In the upper-right corner of the yellow box, click the three dots to create a new branch or delete a branch. The branch endpoint is displayed with a small circle.
      By default, you can move the branch endpoint lower in the path flow to include more than one step. To move the branch endpoint, press down with the cursor on the endpoint until you see the dotted lines appear around the branches. Drag the endpoint downward in the path flow. Place the endpoint when you see the dotted lines appear between the arrow. The endpoint is shifted downwards in the path flow and includes more steps.
      Note: Moving the branch endpoint up in the branch is now supported.
    5. Click the Condition field at the node level.
    6. In the Condition field, enter a name for the condition. Example, credit score.
    7. Click the check mark to save the name for the condition.
    8. Open the respective branches on the right and left and set a value for the condition.
      For example, enter less than 200 on the right and greater than 700 on the left.
    9. Drag and drop steps from the recording in the feeder canvas into the receiver step that reads Drag items here of the branch in the main canvas.
      Use the Shift key to select one or more steps to drag into the receiver step. To clear a condition in the branch, click the three dots. Select Clear branch.
    10. Repeat the steps c through h to create additional branches and merge steps into the branch.
    11. Click Save to save the view and exit the Edit mode.
    12. Repeat steps a through j to create additional views and branches, as needed.

      The view or recording that is visible in the main canvas is displayed in bold in the respective Views or Recordings table.

      You can click the X (close) sign to exit the mode. Click Dismiss Changes to not save the view. All the selected steps will be deleted. This message is only shown when there are unsaved changes.
    13. Select the check box next to the steps in the view and create opportunities.
      Selecting the check box next to the condition box will select all the branches and the associated step into the opportunity.
      The Opportunity details tab appears.
    14. Fill in the necessary opportunity details and click Create Opportunity.

Next steps

Review opportunities and convert to bot

You are now ready to review and finalize on your potential opportunities. Convert an opportunity to a bot. You can export the data to a Word document for your reference.