Automation 360 v.27 Community Edition Release Notes

Release date: 15 December 2022

Review what's new in the Community Edition of the Automation 360 v.27 (Build 16701) release. Build 16701 replaces Build 16667.

Note: This release includes an optional Bot Agent update. You can continue to run your existing bots without updating the Bot Agent. However, if you want to use the new features in Automation 360 v.27, you must update the Bot Agent available with this release.
For more information on updating to this release, see these resources:

Updated release build

The updated Build 16701 includes fixes for the following issues (Service Cloud case ID: 01937106, 01947340, 01829572):
  • Bots were failing because of file dependency or interactive form that included multibyte characters in file names.
  • Changes to Automation Co-Pilot Desktop Assistant to manage and clear automations for start, stop, and resume actions.

Automation Workspace

What's new
Windows 365 Cloud PC now supported as Bot Runner (Service Cloud case ID: 01792699)

We support Windows 365 Cloud PC as a Bot Runner to create and run bots on Windows 365 Cloud PC.

Bot Runner device requirements

View keyboard shortcuts in Bot editor

In Bot editor, you can now open a menu to view the available keyboard shortcuts.

Keyboard shortcuts list
Enhanced Automation Anywhere Debugger tool

The Automation Anywhere Debugger tool is available in the Bot Assistant utility to provide a better user experience. When you invoke the Debugger tool from the Bot editor, you can add, update, or delete actions and variables in a bot.

By default, the Watched variables lists is empty. With a single click, you can add all the used variables in a bot. These variables display in a pop-up window where you can select or deselect, one or more variables, from the list.

Debugger tool

ServiceNow package

You can use the ServiceNow package from Automation 360 to authenticate and perform several actions with records and attachments in ServiceNow tables.

ServiceNow package

ServiceNow triggers

You can use ServiceNow triggers to call an action when there is a new or updated record.

ServiceNow New Record trigger

Quick assistance at hand for the developers​ in the Bot editor
The accessibility and usability of the Bot editor, actions, and packages have been improved. As a citizen developer or an RPA developer, when you are creating bots, you can quickly look up information about the actions without navigating outside the Bot editor. Under the Actions pane, quick help is enabled with contextual information about actions​. Additionally, an icon is configured with a link to the documentation. If you want more information about an action, you can click the link, which redirects you to the relevant page in the documentation portal. This feature is currently available in the following actions and packages.
  • Database
  • Email
Enhanced user experience through refreshed and intuitive icons

With the new and intuitive icons for actions in the Bot editor, citizen developers and RPA developers can quickly locate the correct action while creating automation for a day-to-day task. These unique and renewed icons are developed according to brand and global standards.
New option in Read from action of Database package (Service Cloud case ID: 01263940)

A new check box is available when you use the Read from action to retrieve records from the database and save the retrieved data in a CSV file. When you select this check box, no CSV file is created if the executed SQL query does not return any data.
64-bit ODBC driver​ now supported in Database package (Service Cloud case ID: 01256142, 01829360, 01849908)

We now support connecting to databases by using the 64-bit ODBC driver. This option is available when the connection mode is the default. Organizations transitioning to Microsoft 365 will benefit from leveraging this enhancement and can sustain automation build with 32-bit ODBC drivers.

Using Connect action for database

OAuth 2.0 support in Email and Email trigger packages (Service Cloud case ID: 01798311, 01803702, 01791859, 01828526)
Microsoft is deprecating the ability to use Basic authentication in Exchange Online for these specific protocols:
  • IMAP
  • POP3
  • EWS
We support OAuth 2.0 authentication for these protocols in the Email and Email trigger packages. For enhanced security, you can maintain the business continuity of your email automations by switching the authentication type from Basic to OAuth 2.0, (as recommended by Microsoft).

Using Connect action in Email package

Retry mechanism supported in credential variables (Service Cloud case ID: 01786319, 01887182)

The credential variables support the retry mechanism. When you create a bot that uses credential variables, if the bot fails during run time to retrieve those variables from the Credential Vault because the Control Room is disconnected or the Control Room services stop intermittently, then the bot tries three times to retrieve the credential variables from the Credential Vault.

Note: Ensure that the Bot Agent version installed on your system is the version that is released with Automation 360 v.27.
Support of other domain name in the Active Directory package (Service Cloud case ID: 01807358, 01910765)

We now support Active Directory user operations by logon name with domain and can provide the domain name to extract user details. When you retrieve the user property or perform any user operation based on the logon name (userPrincipalName), and if the user domain name differs from the domain specified in the LDAP path, the user properties are now successfully retrieved with or without a domain name.

For example, LDAP Path: LDAP://ADServer/DC=automation, DC=net
User Logon name
userPrincipalName: kim@aaengg.net User can provide logon name as kim@aaengg.net.
userPrincipalName: shaun@aasales.net User can provide logon name as shaun@aasales.net.
userPrincipalName:sarah@automation.net user can provide a logon name as either sarah or sarah@automation.net.
The following list of actions supports logon name with domain.
  • Update user details
  • Rename user
  • Delete user
  • Enable user account
  • Disable user account
  • Set user property
  • Get user property

User account operations

New action in Text file package
You can use the new Read variables action in the Text file package to read the values of variables from the text file.
Note: The Import string from text file action in the String package has been deprecated and will not be available for new bots. We recommend that you use the new Read variables action with enhanced capabilities. This deprecation does not impact any existing bots or bots which were migrated previously and they will continue to run properly. See Support and deprecation policy for packages for package lifecycle and deprecation policy.

Read variables action

Call an existing JavaScript function in a webpage

You can use the new Call a JavaScript function action in the Browser package to call an existing JavaScript function directly in a webpage or in an iFrame within a webpage in Google Chrome and Chromium-based Microsoft Edge browsers. In the bot, you can also pass one or more input parameters to the JavaScript function and process the return value from the function.

Call a JavaScript function action

Automate controls using Microsoft UI Automation (COM) technology
You can use the Microsoft UI Automation (COM) technology to automate the following scenarios:
  • Capture and automate client controls
  • Capture and automate password text controls
  • Capture and automate page tab controls

Actions performed on objects captured with Universal Recorder | Capture using specific technology

Capture objects on applications running in administrator mode

You can use the Recorder to capture objects on applications running in administrator mode. To capture the object, select the Capture and run with admin privileges option from the Bot editor.

Recorder package

Enhanced bot performance when using global values across bots
When you use global values across a parent bot and a child bot, the bot performance is enhanced by reducing the bot execution time. To enable enhanced bot performance, you must set the Bot compatibility version to 3 in the Advanced settings page of the Bot editor.
Note: Ensure that the Bot Agent version installed on your system is the version that is released with Automation 360 v.27.

Bot compatibility version

Enhanced user interface for Define functionality in AISense Recorder
  • We have enhanced the user interface of Define window in the AISense Recorder that enables you to use anchors easily and automate UI objects that are not detected by AISense Recorder automatically. To improve functional clarity, the following object types are renamed:
    • Active text is renamed to Link
    • Passive text is renamed to Text value
  • If you unintentionally click the screen or click before the highlighter appears, the AISense Recorder provides visibility into it. You must confirm to capture the object again or use the Define functionality to define the object on the screen.
  • In the Define window, the AISense Recorder shows embedded help for each of the control types so you can select the correct control types for custom objects.

Use variable anchor | Capture Textbox, Radio, Checkbox, and Combobox | Capture text value through AISense Recorder | Capture link button through AISense Recorder | Capture Image button through AISense Recorder

New virtual key added to the Simulate keystrokes package

In the Simulate Keystrokes > Keystrokes action, a new key named Return has been added to the virtual keyboard for Enter functionality and the Enter key in the Number pad has been renamed to Num Enter. As a result, the Return key is the main Enter key on the keyboard. This enhancement keeps the keyboard in sync with the physical keyboard. The nomenclature has been changed to avoid confusion between the Enter key on the keyboard and the Enter key on the Number pad.
Support for global variable for all Datetime actions

In the Datetime package, you can use the Datetime global variable across all Datetime actions. You can select to use either String variable or a Global variable in the Source date and time variable option. This avoids creating multiple local variables and reduces the total number of actions used in a bot.

Datetime package

Workato Integration

You can integrate the Automation 360 platform and Workato by using the Automation Anywhere connector. You can establish a connection with the Automation Anywhere Control Room and perform various operations using the Control Room APIs.

Workato integration

SnapLogic Integration

You can now integrate the Automation 360 platform and SnapLogic. You can establish a connection with the Automation Anywhere Control Room and perform various operations by using the Control Room APIs.

Snaplogic integration

Automation Co-Pilot for Business Users

What's new
Build forms easily by dragging elements to form builder

You can now build your forms by just dragging your elements to a blank form builder. As you add elements to the form builder, it automatically adjusts without your input, letting you focus on the form-building experience. You can also re-size the columns of your elements.

Create a form

New actions in the Process Composer

In the Process Composer, you can now use a set of actions when you build out your process. For example, you can double-click a task, such as Bot Task and Human Task, and the task will be updated in your process flow automatically. With this, you can save time because you do not need to task specific tasks to your process. In addition, you can now copy, cut, and paste using CTRL + C, CTRL + X and CTRL + V, respectively to retain, reuse, or replace data.

Supported behaviors for tasks and elements in Process Composer | Create a process automation in Process Composer

Use a reference ID meta type in Process Composer

You can now use a reference ID with a Meta variable type for your variables in the Process Composer. When you set a reference ID as a meta variable type, you can now use your reference ID data when you run your tasks in the web interface. This simplifies your references because you only need to rely on using the reference ID instead of relying on other variable types or references.

Create a process automation in Process Composer

Center your forms in preview

You can now preview your forms in the new preview window and get an accurate assessment on how your form will look when it is rendered. You can select the Make form preview centered option to enable the preview window. You can also set the appropriate display resolution, x and y coordinates, and even center your form.

Create a form

Upload images directly to the form composer
You can now upload images directly to the form composer by using the Image element. This saves you time to view the images in the form without a file reference, rather than in the initial step, where the image requires a file reference to be viewed.
Note: Image files are limited to 150 kb (like a logo).

Using the Image element

Change label action for Button element

The change label action in the form rules now applies to the Button element. When you use the change label action in form rules and apply it to the buttons in your form, the changes will be automatically applied to the buttons where you set the rules. This keeps the flow consistent with the elements that you are using because all the buttons inherit the same rule.

Conditional actions, rules, and elements

Rules editor for Table element

The rules editor is now applicable to the Table element. When you use the rules editor for your tables, the rules conditions are applied for each individual columns while any actions that you set are applied for each row in the row level. This makes things consistent for each new or existing row that you use because all the rows inherit the same rule.

Conditional actions, rules, and elements

Document Automation

What's new
Document Automation supports regular expression pattern-based extraction

When configuring fields that the learning instance will extract, you can specify a regular expression (regex) pattern to help the extraction engine find the field. After entering the regex pattern you can test the expression using sample content within the Create Learning instance window. You can use regex pattern extraction for values that follow a specific pattern, such as a VAT number or a PO number.
Validation interface support for shortcut keys

Zoom in and out on documents in the Validation interface by holding the Alt key and scrolling with your mouse wheel.