Credential variables

Credential variables securely store sensitive information that is used when running automation tasks.

Bot Creators retrieve credential variables from Credential Lockers when configuring certain commands. In order to access the credential variables, connect the Bot Creator to the Control Room.

The Control Room administrator creates Credential Lockers in the Credential Manager. Each Credential Locker is made up of Credential Key and Attributes, that can be assigned in commands as credential variables.

Using the Credential Variables

  • Credential variables are accessed by pressing the function key F2.

  • A Bot Creator can only insert the credential variables in commands; no add or update rights are available to the Bot Creator.
    Note: A Bot Creator cannot append another variable (Local/System variable) or a string to a credential variable.
  • Credential variables contained in the Credential Lockers can be seen and accessed only from the Insert Variables window.
  • Only the name of a Credential Key is visible in the command field and list of credential variables; attribute values are never displayed.
  • If the attribute option This is a password is selected when creating a credential in the Control Room, then the attribute is available for selection only in those fields that are of Password type in credential variables supported commands.

    The password-type attribute is visible only for those of the commands listed in Commands that support Credential Variables that have a password field or those that capture fields that require password as input.

    Note:
    • If a secure credential attribute is used in a non-secure text box / field of any command that does not support password-type attributes, an error will be shown when the bot runs.
    • If a secure attribute is used in a non-secure text box / field you must detect such a deviation during the review process to eliminate an error when the bot runs in a production environment.
    • A bot user must update Flex, Chrome, and Edge plug-ins for using password-only attributes in commands that access UI objects in specific applications.
  • Bulk Edit is allowed only on commands that use the same credential variables.
  • To delete a credential variable, double-click or press Backspace and then Delete.
  • Copy-pasting the variable converts it to string. Manually inputting the variable name also converts it to string.
Note: Users who have migrated from versions earlier than 10.3, note that when you insert a credential variable in existing tasks, the earlier parameters are deleted.

Commands that support Credential Variables

The following commands support use of credential variables:

Note:
  • The password-type attribute is visible only for those of the above commands that have a password field or those that capture fields that require password as input.
  • For Object Cloning command, password-type attributes are applicable in Play Mode only.
  • For MetaBot Screen, only Standard screen supports password-type attributes.
  • In MetaBot, only normal objects support password-type attributes.
  • Password-type attributes are not supported in Manage Windows Controls command.