RPA Actions Palette
This content applies solely to Appian RPA, which must be purchased separately from the Appian base platform.

Appian RPA provides several actions to make it easier to develop a robotic process. You can use low-code actions to configure a robotic process more quickly and easily. Java modules are also available for specific actions and use cases.

Low-code actions

Low-code actions streamline the robotic process development process. You don't need to use Java to set up and configure actions in a robotic process workflow. Instead, you'll select options from a menu and configure which variables to use. If you're an Appian developer getting started with Appian RPA, you'll find the low-code actions familiar. Although your robotic process may be complicated, development using low-code actions is simple and accessible.

Similar to the Interface Designer, the Actions Palette shows you the actions that are available to add to the robotic process. Use the search bar to quickly find an action by name or browse the list of actions. You can find these low-code actions in the Actions Palette on the Robotic Process Designer:

Just getting started? Use the following table to find the action that can help you automate common tasks:

I want to… Suggested action
Capture text from a website Get attribute (Browser)
Capture text from an application Get attribute (Windows Automation)
Log in to a website Interact with element
Fill out a web form Interact with element
Start an Appian process Start process
Evaluate business logic Evaluate expression
Send or retrieve application documents Upload document
Download document
Start a robotic subprocess Execute robotic subprocess
Move files on the resource Move a file or folder
Delete files on the resource Delete a file or folder
Find and click an icon on the desktop Locate image
Paste text Set clipboard value and Press keyboard shortcuts

There are also general actions that help make your processes more organized and flexible: Action Groups and Loops.

Action groups

Action groups help you organize actions that work together to achieve a desired outcome. For example, you may want to organize your workflow so that login actions are contained in an action group.

To add an action group to the workflow, click and drag Action Group from the Actions Palette to a section.

Loops

Loops repeat actions until a condition is satisfied. Use the Loop action to process items in a list such as files in a directory or line items on an invoice. RPA supports the following loop types:

  • While: Executes the loop until the loop expression returns false.
  • Repeat: Executes the loop a fixed number of times, equal to the integer in the Iterations field.
  • For Each: Executes the loop for each item in a list.

Loops can't repeat more than 1000 times.

In the following example, the loop will execute the Create a folder and Copy a file or folder actions until the Loop Expression returns false.

Screenshot of the loop action in the system

To add and configure a Loop action:

  1. Click and hold the Loop action in the Actions Palette.
  2. Drag and drop the action to a section or action group.
  3. Select a loop type from the Configuration Pane.
  4. Configure additional properties from the Configuration Pane depending on the loop type.
    • While loops must have a loop expression.
    • Repeat loops must have a number specified in the Iterations field.
  5. Drag and drop additional actions from the Actions Palette into the loop action. Actions will only repeat when inside the Loop action.

Action expressions in loops can reference function variables. Supported function variables in loops include:

Function Variable Description While Repeat For Each
fv!index The current iteration of the loop, starting at 1. Yes Yes Yes
fv!isFirst true for the first iteration of a loop, otherwise false. No Yes Yes
fv!isLast true for the last iteration of a loop, otherwise false. No Yes Yes
fv!itemCount The total number of loop iterations. No Yes Yes
fv!item The current item. No No Yes

To add an action to the workflow:

  1. Click and hold an action in the Actions Palette.
  2. Drag and drop it to the section or action group where you want to add the action.
  3. Click and drag the action to reorder it relative to the other actions in the section or action group.

Screenshot of the Actions Palette

Open in Github Built: Wed, Aug 17, 2022 (01:05:05 PM)

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