Other considerations for bot design and development

This list of other considerations for bot design and development is in alphabetical order. The list is not in any implicit or specific order of importance.

Hard delays
Avoid using hard delays. The trouble with delays is that they are heavily dependent on the specific computer and its virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) that the bot runs on. It is better to use commands. For example, use the Wait For Window command if the delay is meant to wait for a window to appear. This removes any dependency on the speed of the VDI.
Mouse clicks and movement
Avoid mouse movements, scrolling, and clicks in bot development and design. Bots are highly dependent on the display and VDI on which they run. Errors can occur if the screen size is different from the one on which the bot was created.
Only clean and usable code included in the bot
Do not overcomplicate the bot with unusable code for future development. Remove unusable code and tasks for ease of use by customers.
Pause task
Avoid pause commands because fully automated and operational bots run autonomously without human interaction, for example, clicking a button to continue.
Prompts, pauses, and message box commands
Avoid things that require bots to wait for user input. Prompts, pauses, and message box commands stop the bots and MetaBots from running when waiting for user input. Unless user input is required, and a user will definitely be present to provide the input, design the bots without using prompt statements.
Proper folder structure
Keep related files together. This assists others in understanding which files are related to which bots. This is particularly important with MetaBots.
Robustness and flexibility should be achieved
Expect the unexpected. Files change. Web pages change. Try not hardcoding solutions if flexible programming methods accommodate change.
Screen resolution, default is recommended
Use the default resolution when developing bots. Using nondefault screen resolutions forces users to change their screen resolution to run their Task Bots. No specific default resolution is required, if the resolution of the Bot Creator and the Bot Runner match.
Use of command according to preferences
There is more than one way to do things. Use the most efficient way of doing things and follow the hierarchy of preferred methods.
Wild cards should be used with applications
Do not develop bots to work with specific editions of the target application. Instead, use wild cards so that it is applicable to all editions of the application, for example, when using Object Cloning, to identify a window object:
  • Use wildcards, for example: 
    Salesforce -* Edition - Internet Explorer
  • Do not use specific versions or editions, for example:
    Salesforce - Professional Edition - Internet Explorer