Exposing Blue Prism Process as API - SOAP Architecture in BluePrism

Objective: Let's perform calculation (sum of two numbers) by calling API exposed from Blue Prism Sever.

We should bifurcate this work in smaller tasks so that implementation could be visible possible. Here are smaller tasks:

• Create an object performing Summation of two numbers
• Object must be accepting two numbers as two inputs in start
• Object must return result as summation
• Create a Process calling above created object 
• Process must be accepting two numbers as two inputs in start
• Process must return result as summation
• Publish this process
• Expose Process as an API

Bingo! looks this must fulfill the process.

Task 1:

This is an object accepting two numbers and stage "Calc1" is performing summation of those two numbers and returning this in END stage.



Task 2:

Let's create a process which accepts two numbers as input so that any one calls it can pass two numbers to calculate.

Addition Stage is calling object we created above by passing both numbers we would get from THE API call.

Note: Ignore Email stage as I wrote to check if summation has happened when ever API is called.



We must pass result as an output so that whoever is calling this API must get an expected result of summation. Don't forget to publish this process!

Task 3:

Go to System Manager and go to Exposure underneath Processes. You must expose process as I have exposed WSCal process which will perform summation as explained in Task 2.

Finally we need to check if exposed API works or not. You can check XML by clicking https://localhost:8181/ws this will list all Objects and Processes exposed from BP server. Make sure you have port entry in hosts file. 

Now target is to very our API.

I have installed  SoapUI application to test API exposed. I am skipping this whole process of installing and configuring API however let's jump on to result. I have passed two values 56, 34 as displayed in following image and gives result at right hand side as 90. 

Note: You must pass Blue Prism credentials to access API. 

Feel free to ask questions.

Executing CMD command using Blue Prism | Extracting Password protected ZIP using Blue Prism

There are multiple ways of extracting ZIP file using Blue Prism for example write scripting using VB, C#, J# or using 3rd party tools or running a batch file. Let's try one of the simple methods extracting file.

We are going to run a command in command prompt (CMD) and check the extracted file. Now again there are two ways comes in my mind:

1. I can open command prompt and send key strokes to run a command.
2. Execute command by Blue Prism only

In any case if any one sends a key stoke then it is like introducing complexity to you bot like window has to be active and command prompt must at front. To make complexity minimum let do it by second method.

I have taken three variables to store following information and all variables are TEXT type:

1. ZIP File - "c:\Vaibhav\sample.zip"
2. Destination Path - "-oc:\Vaibhav"
3. Zip Command - ""c:\Program Files\7-Zip\7z.exe""

Add an Action Stage in Object Studio and Select "Utility - Environment" Business Object and select Action "Start Process". It requires to arguments to be passed as command which we need to execute and arguments which should be passed with command.

Points to be taken care in above placed information:

1. Check out the Data Type specified above Zip Command. It contains all text in double quotes while are used two times. This is intentional as when this string must be typed in prompt it must be in quotes as path as spaces in it. 
2. Make sure while consolidating arguments you must provide spaces between each argument.
3. Supply Password as an argument (Ideally it must be used as Password datatype but this is for illustration)

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