agentbase is an implementation partner for low-code development. With more than 20 years of experience in implementing low-code applications, we will support our customers with their current business challenges. Our focus is on business process automation and optimization.
From our point of view, an exciting aspect is the interaction of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and low-code. Because this synergy leads to more productivity in the IT departments. Both the IT staff and the software bot carry out the work steps that they can best carry out.
In this way, standardized processes (master data maintenance, form input, application processing, etc.) can be almost completely automated by RPA. In this way, IT employees are given more freedom and are freed up for value-adding activities, which reduces costs and sources of error.
However, when it comes to reacting quickly to changed business processes, low-code development is the right approach. Low code development means they can create applications with visual modeling and visual design. Thanks to low-code development, new developments are productively available in just a few weeks instead of months/years. Extensions are even available in days instead of months. A wishful thinking for those responsible in the specialist department, which becomes reality thanks to low-code.
This document describes the powerful integration of the OutSystems low-code platform with the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) system Automation Anywhere. You can use the OutSystems forge component “Automation Anywhere Connector” and the forge component “Automation Anywhere Demo App” to see how this connector can be used.
We offer you two forge components for the powerful integration of the OutSystems low-code platform with the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) system Automation Anywhere:
The connector is the OutSystems wrapper to the Automation Anywhere API. It enables an easy integration with legacy systems without APIs through Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
Fig. 1: Automation Anywhere connector logic layer
It comes along with:
See chapter 3 “Configuration” to integrate this connector to your Automation Anywhere environment.
This is a demo web application which helps you to integrate your Automation Anywhere for testing purpose. If you want to trigger your robot through OutSystems using the API, this application will help you.
Fig. 2: Automation Anywhere Demo App interface layer
This screen demonstrates the “Get Token” server action to get a token for the other server actions (with their REST-Calls) and the “Check Token” server action, to check whether the saved token is still valid. When getting the token, we also get information about the user and its roles, license features and permissions.
Fig. 3: Automation Anywhere demo app authentication screen
This screen demonstrates the “GetDevices” server actions to get the devices on which the robots can be started:
Fig. 4: Automation Anywhere Demo App Devices Screen
This screen demonstrates the “GetRobots” and “GetDevices” server actions to get the robots and the devices on which the robots can be started. The robots are shown in a categorized view such as in the Automation Anywhere control room. Via the “StartRobot” server action the robot can be started with an example bot input on the selected device. After starting the robot the robot automation ID is returned.
Fig. 5: Automation Anywhere Demo App robot screen
In order to configurate the Automation Anywhere connector you have to do following two actions after installing the connector in your OutSystems environment:
Please enter the technical user credentials in the Automation Anywhere connector site properties for
Fig. 6: Site properties for login
Please enter the the base URL for your Automation Anywhere API, in the format:
https://<your_automation_anywhere_base_url>/
e. g.:
https://rpa.outsystems.com/
See figure 7:
Fig. 7: Configure Automation Anywhere API base URL
In alternative you can change it in the service center, so you can have base URLs per environment (dev.tst, prod etc) without touching code. Just go to service center -> Your module -> Integrations -> click on the desired REST and change the effective URL, see below:
Fig. 8 Consumed REST APIs