Enterprise 11: Import bots

As a Control Room user with BLM Import module permission, and Upload privileges for Tasks, MetaBots, Docs, Workflows, and Reports, you can import bots and dependent files that were exported by another Enterprise Control Room user in different automation environments to help manage your organization's Bot Lifecycle Management.

An unprotected bot imported through the Bot Lifecycle Management package import can have a duplicate GUID. Control Room will create a new unique GUID for the imported bot to avoid data conflict in the Bot Insight dashboard. If a protected bot or multiple protected bots having duplicate GUID are imported through the Bot Lifecycle Management package import, a validation message is displayed stating the reasons why the bot cannot be imported.

Before you import bots and files

Before you import bots from Control Room versions earlier to 11.2.x to Control Room Version 11.3.1, ensure the bot names do not comprise of Unicode characters. If the bot names have Unicode characters, rename the bot in the earlier 11.2.x version and export again or export the same bot from 11.3 and then import to Control Room 11.3.1.
Note: You can import bots without having the AAE_ADMIN role. However, the dashboard related information will not be imported. To import dashboards, you need to have the AAE_ADMIN role assigned to you.

Import bot files - version control disabled

To import bot files:

  1. Go to Bots > My Bots page
  2. Click Import Bot Files.
  3. This launches the Import bot wizard page wherein you must select the package file that was exported by another Control Room user:

    This figure displays the Import Bot Files window.

  4. To select the file, click Browse.
  5. Go to the source folder where the exported package was stored and shared by the Control Room user with Export Bots privileges.
  6. Select the required package - it has an AAPKG extension.
  7. If encrypted, provide the same password that was used for export from source Control Room.
  8. If some of the files that are being imported from the package are already available in the Control Room, you can choose to,
    • Skip the file(s) and not import the duplicate files
    • Overwrite the existing files with the imported ones
    • Cancel the import action.
      Note: When you use this option, the entire import operation is canceled and if at least one file already exists in Control Room. In this case, no bots will be imported into Control Room.
      • When you select Skip or Overwrite options, and click Import the files are successfully imported.
      • However, when you select Cancel and click Import, you are prompted to select either of the above options.

        This image shows information about cancelling bot import.

  9. After the bots are imported successfully, you return to the My Bots page.

Import bot files - version control enabled

To import bot files:

  1. Go to Bots > My Bots page
  2. Click Import Bot Files.
  3. This launches the Import bot files wizard page wherein you must select the file that was exported by another Control Room user:

    This image shows the import bot files window

  4. To select the file, click Browse.
  5. Go to the source folder where the package was exported and shared by the Control Room user with Export Bots privileges.
  6. Select the required package - it has an AAPKG extension.
  7. If encrypted, provide the same password that was used for export from source Control Room.
  8. If some of the files that are being imported from the package are already available in the Control Room, you can choose to,
    • Create a new version of files. A new version is created in the destination Control Room irrespective of version control - whether enabled or not in the source Control Room.
      Note: If the bot being imported is already present in the destination Control Room and does not have any updates, a new version of the bot will not be created.
    • Skip the file and do not import the file. This means that there will be no change in the file of the destination Control Room.
    • Cancel the import action.
      Note: When you use this option, the entire import operation is canceled and if at least one file already exists in Control Room. In this case, no bots will be imported into Control Room.
  9. You must choose the production version type,
    • Keep production version as is currently set - The system will not make any change in the production versions of the imported bots and dependencies.
    • Set production version to imported version of file - The latest (imported) versions are set as production versions for all the imported bots and dependencies.
      • When you select Skip or Create options, and click Import the files are successfully imported:

      • However, when you select Cancel and click Import, you are prompted to select either of the above options:

        This image shows information about cancelling bot import.

  10. After the bots are imported successfully, you return to the My Bots page.
Note: If the Email settings are enabled for Export and Import operations of a Bot Lifecycle Management package, an email notification is sent to the user who performs import whether the action succeeded or failed.

Import bots - Validations

When you import bot files, the system checks for following validations during import:

  • Whether bot or dependent file already exists in Control Room
  • Whether a file is locked if version control is enabled. If this validation fails, you are shown:

    This image shows the Unable to import bot message.

    You can fix this issue from the Control Room using Unlock bot or from the Client using Checkin option.

Audit Logs

An audit entry is logged in the Control Room Audit Log page when you import bots.

The audit details are divided in two parts - Action Details and Import Bot Details:

  • The Import Bot Details include the Source Control Room name, Package Name, Package Encryption if password has been set while exporting the bot, Imported Bot name with filepath, and Imported Dependency name with file path.

    If a file already exists and the user has selected the option - Create a new version, Skip or Overwrite, the status is displayed followed by the name and number of bots or files Imported, Skipped or Overwritten as per the requirement. The following illustrates the audit log details when files are skipped:

    This image displays the import bot details.

  • The bots/files entries are displayed in the Attributes column in the following sequence - Skipped/Overwritten, Imported , and Imported Dependency. The number inside the bracket indicates the bot/file number skipped/overwritten or imported.
  • The filepath of the imported entity can be viewed by hovering over the filepath in the Value column.
  • When Version Control is enabled, the source Control Room version of each item in the list are displayed and the version number is appended towards the end of the file.
    • If you want to know from which Control Room a bot was imported with its version number, you can track it through version history in the Edit bot page

      This image displays the Edit Bot window

    • Alternatively, if you want to know from which Control Room a bot was imported with its version number, you can also track it through the Version History in the Automation Anywhere Enterprise Client:

      This image shows the version history of bots.