Configure and call Third Party Web Service (Web API) in Blue Prism

Blue Prism has endless capabilities when it comes to automate business processes securely keeping scaling in the context all the time. If some caught with a scenario where a service or process needs to be call using Web API without accessing GUI which normally exists. For example medical companies has to validate any information they label on medicine and get approval from medicine department. Likewise insurance may have API exposed to, possibly, create policy or claim.


Let's explore how we can configure a Web Service within Blue Prism and call appropriate method to automate business process. I am taking an example of performing calculator basic functions using Web WSDL API. Following are the steps:

1. Go to System Tab -> Web Services (Inside Objects in navigation) -> Click on "Add Service" link. It will open a popup to configure API
2. Blue Prism asks to supply Web Service URL (Make sure API is WSDL only, Blue Prism doesn't support REST APIs) then click on next button to supply credentials
3. 

Sending Email using Blue Prism

Here is a quick snippet of configurations for sending a test email using Yahoo configurations. Same configuration will work for GMAIL (Possibly, port for SMTP might change)

1.  Import Email - POP3/SMTP VBO
2. Drag an Action and Select Business Object as Email - POP3/SMTP (As displayed in following screenshot)
3. Select Action Configure and fill values as displayed:
   
4. Drag another action in flow and select Business Object as Email - POP3/SMTP (As displayed in following screenshot)
5. Select Action Send Message and fill values as displayed
   

RPA Certification questions - Automation Anywhere

Few questions may be standard to ask in an interview or may not be. Those questions are thought and drafted with minimal explanation to face an interview. You might find few questions from AA certification as well. 


What is a Default mode of Credential Manager?
Ans. Default mode of credential manager is express mode. There are two modes Express and Manual. Both modes are for Credential Vault.



What is Credential Vault? 

Ans. Credential vault stores credentials which are encrypted using a master key.

Express mode: saves the master key and it automatically connects to the credential vault every time web CR restarts.
Manual mode: asks to enter keys every time CR restarts so that you gets connected to credential vault.
AA does NOT recommend express mode instead it says to use manual mode. It recommends you to copy the AA generated master key on Windows clipboard and save it in a secure location.
Credential vault is recommended to be used in production environment


Can we connect to We Control Room (CR) using same credentials from two separate machines on same time?
Ans. You can log on web CR using same credentials from two different machines or from two different browser on same machines but as soon  as second login takes some action first session logs off automatically.


When does session expires on Web CR?
Ans. A web CR allots a 20 minutes session window to a client and it keeps on getting refreshed for same period. It auto logs in and service runs in the background to do it. Session will expire in between if same credentials is used to login from different machine or browser.


Can I install Control Room on Windows 7?
Ans. Web CR does not operate on windows 10/7. I works on Windows server 2016 or Windows server 2012 r2. Any client has to be authenticated by Control Room.


How many recorders AA has?
Ans. There are 3 recorders in AA. Object recorder is recommended for Windows based applications. Web recorder is used for web based applications. And smart recorder can capture both windows and web applications


What are supperted browsers in AA?
Ans. Supported Browser versions
IE 10 AND 11
CHROME 49 and above
FIREFOX 45,46,47
chrome is not supported in meta bot designer.


Which SVN is used in AA for repository?
Ans. AA supports Apache subversion (SVN) . Neither visual nor tortoise.


How many users can connect to one AA Client License?
Ans. When we create client user on CR, it asks the role of the user so you can assign three role as Developer, Run-time or None.
Developer is to create bots.
Run-time is normally used by support/operations team to measure performance etc. It's read only mode.
None is nothing. When selected to any machine it would be unusable however could be in use by changing in dropdown.