Activity Parameters

The Action Step Activity Parameters enables you to map variables that you can use not only in the Workflow, but also in the activities of the business process and gateways. This allows the Activity Parameters to be exchanged among the different elements. For example, the BPMN gateway uses the Activity Parameters to decide which activity should be executed next.

The Activity Parameters Action Step

Only one Activity Parameters Action Step can exist in a process and it is automatically placed in the Workflow Initialization section when creating a new Workflow.

Defining Activity Parameters

To define the Activity Parameters:

In the BPMN editor, click the Business Process Initialization () button.
Click Activity Parameters.
In the Business Process Initialization window, click ( Add New Parameter …).
Select the Activity Parameter to add from the list.

The following data types are available:
- Texts (alphanumeric)
- Integers (integer)
- Floating point values (floating-point)
- Boolean values (boolean)
- Lists (array)
- Log-in data (user account)
- Screen coordinates (coordinates)
- Browser Session ID (web session ID)
- AWS log-in data (AWS credentials)

You can enter a name, description, and a value for the parameters in the corresponding fields. Activity parameter names have the following requirements:

The name consists of a combination of letters, numbers, and underscores.
The name contains no special characters or spaces.
The initial letter of the name is lower case.
The name is unique.

You cannot use the same name multiple times for different variables.

The predefined values are test values that are only used for a local run within RPA Builder. The variables are registered automatically on RPA Manager when uploaded. There, you can modify the values of the variables and define them differently, depending on the station on which the Workflow is being executed. See Using Variables for additional information.

Please note that the test value may change in the course of the BP due to the possible assignment of new values. If the BP is started again, the value will be reset to its initial value.

Deleting Activity Parameters

To delete an Activity Parameter, click the Delete () button next to the Activity Parameter to delete.

The business process initialization window

You can only delete an Activity Parameter if it is not being used in a Workflow. If the Activity Parameter is already connected to at least one Workflow, a pop-up message appears indicating that the parameter is still in use.

A warning message showing that a parameter cannot be deleted because it is still in use

All the Workflows in which the Activity Parameter is used are displayed. To delete the Activity Parameter, you must remove the connections in all Workflows.

Changing the Name of an Activity Parameter

Activity Parameter names cannot be changed after creation. After you close the Wizard by clicking OK, the Name field remains grayed out and you can no longer change the name. You can still edit the fields Description and Value at any time.

If you want to subsequently change the name, delete the Activity Parameter and create it again with a new name. This only applies if the Activity Parameter is not already being used in a process.

Connecting Activity Parameters to a Workflow

To connect an Activity Parameter with a Workflow:

Click the Edit Variable Mappings () button next to the Action Step for which you want to connect an Activity Parameter.
Select the Activity Parameter you want to connect.

The Wizard lists all Activity Parameters and you can connect them to the Workflows that support the available parameter types.

Connecting Activity Parameters to a Gateway

To connect an Activity Parameter to a Gateway:

In the BPMN editor, click any Gateway element in your model.
In the menu that opens, click the Set Condition Expression () button.
In the Wizard that opens, click Build Expression.
Click Add Expression and build an expression by using the available Activity Parameters.

Properties

Misc
- Write Variables to Log File / Run Protocol
  
  If this option is enabled, the variable names and their values are written to the log file and the run protocol.

For security reasons, passwords are not shown in the user account data. Simply leave this option disabled if the variables or their values contain confidential data.

Inbound Variables

The Action Step Activity Parameters does not have any inbound variables.

Outbound Variables

The Action Step Activity Parameters does not have any outbound variables.

Wizard

The Activity Parameters Wizard

Click to select the desired parameters from the Available Parameters column. You can use the arrows to drag them into the Used in this Workflow column and thereby insert them into the Workflow.

For more information about the Write Variables to Log File /Run Protocol option, see Properties.

Handling Inconsistencies When Importing a Workflow

Importing a Workflow with Activity Parameters, for example from the Activity Library, into an existing project can cause inconsistencies.

For example, if:

the Activity Parameters referenced in the Workflow do not exist in the project
the imported Activity Parameters have the same names as Activity Parameters already existing in the project that have a different data type

In such cases, RPA Builder notifies these inconsistencies by showing a dialog.

The Inconsistent Activity Parameters dialog

The dialog shows you all the affected Activity Parameters and suggests a suitable action (Suggested Auto-Correction). Either missing Activity Parameters are added or, if Activity Parameters have the same name but a different data type, deleted.

You can accept the suggestions by clicking on Proceed. Click on Remove Parameters from Workflow to remove all the Activity Parameters of the imported Workflow. Clicking on Cancel cancels the import of the Workflow.