Checking out a bot and dependencies

The check out process enables you to create an editable copy of the bot in the private workspace from the public workspace for further modification.

After you have modified the bot, you can check in the bot again to the public workspace so that it can be deployed by all users who have permission to access it. You can choose the specific version of the bot and its dependencies (bot and non-bot) during the check-out process.

You can cancel the checked-out bot from your private workspace whereas an administrator can cancel the checked-out bot from the public workspace. This releases the bot for another user who has access in the public workspace. When you cancel check out, the bot status changes to Public in the public workspace. In the private workspace, the status changes to New if any edits are made to the bot. If there are no changes, the bot is replaced with a clone.

Guidelines for checking out bots

While checking out a bot, keep the following considerations in mind:

  • If you want to check out multiple bots as a unit that are not dependent on each other, create a main bot and then add the other bots as dependencies to this main bot. Check out the main bot.
  • Only one user can check out a bot at a time. When a user checks out a bot, it cannot be checked out by any other user.
  • If you are checking out a parent bot in the public workspace whose dependencies are checked out by another user, the dependencies of the parent bot will be cloned in your private workspace.
  • If a bot is checked out, it cannot be deleted. The bot should be in a checked-in (Public) state to be deleted.
  • When you edit a checked-out bot, the status changes to Checked out edited.

    You can use the Revert edits option to revert changes you made to the checked-out bot.

  • During check out, a cloned bot can be overwritten or replaced.
  • The dependent files are automatically cloned if they are checked out by another user and you have the Clone permission on the bot folder.
  • The bot check-out timeout value is 30 minutes. If you have a large bot, sometimes the bot might not check out within 30 minutes, and the check-out operation fails. Break your bot into logical sub-bots so that they are easily manageable and checked out in less time.
  • If a user with the required role or permission performs the Cancel checkout from a public workspace, then the cloned bots in private workspace will display the corresponding username in the Modified by field.

Prerequisites for checking out bots and dependencies

  • You must have Bot Creator or Citizen Developer license to check out a bot to your private workspace.
  • You must have check out permission at the folder level.
  • You must have the check out permission on the dependency folders to check out a bot with dependent folders and files.
  • You must have the Cancel checkout and View content permissions on a public workspace to cancel or undo a check out performed by a Bot Creator user,

    You do not require the Cancel checkout permission to cancel the checked out bot from a private workspace.

Checking out bots

You can check out single or multiple bots along with their dependencies. You can also choose the version of the bot and their dependencies during the check out.


checking out bots