Navigate the Console

The Appian RPA console is the command center for your automation environment. This page describes how to find the areas in the console where you can complete common tasks.

Open the Appian RPA console

When you log in to Appian, you're automatically logged in to Appian RPA. To access the Appian RPA console, navigate your browser to the following URL:

https://yoursite.example.com/rpa

You can also access the console through the Appian navigation menu.

Tabs in the console

You'll see additional tabs in the Appian RPA console. Each tab shows information about your Appian RPA environment and allows you to take actions, detailed below.

• Dashboard
• Users (Admins only)
• Robotic tasks
• Schedule
• Monitoring
• Settings (Admins only)
• Statistics

You can create and manage robots from the Operations Console.

Show or hide an information message

Required role: Administrator

If your Appian RPA environment is undergoing maintenance or may not be available at a certain time, administrators can create a message to display to all users when they open the console.

To show or hide an information message:

1. Go to the Robotic tasks tab.
2. In the toolbar, click the Show/hide information message icon. The Information message window displays.
3. In the Information message box, enter the text of the message you want to show.
4. Click OK.

Enable or disable robotic task execution

Required role: Developer or Administrator

When performing maintenance, administrators can temporarily disable execution of all robotic tasks in Appian RPA.

To enable or disable the execution of robotic tasks:

1. Go to the Robotic tasks tab in the RPA console.
2. In the toolbar, click the Enable/disable execution of robotic tasks icon. The State change page displays.
3. In the Custom additional message box, enter the text of the message you want to show.
4. Click OK.

Robotic tasks

Create a robotic task

You can create a robotic task in the Appian RPA console from multiple tabs, including the Dashboard and the Robotic tasks tab. To get started, click the Create robotic task icon in the toolbar.

See Create a Robotic Task for more detailed instructions.

Import a robotic task

You may want to import a robotic task from another environment during development. Click the Import robotic task icon in the toolbar.

See Import a robotic task for more detailed instructions.

Configure a robotic task

Once you create a robotic task, you need to configure the actions it takes, the order it should follow, and how data flows into and out of it. All of these details are determined in the robotic task configuration. You can access the robotic task configuration page by clicking the Configure icon wherever it appears for the robotic task, usually in lists or in the toolbar menu.

See Configure a Robotic Task for more detailed instructions.

Execute a robotic task

You can start a new execution multiple places in the console. For example, to start an execution from the robotic task configuration page, click the Execute icon in the toolbar:

See Ways to Execute a Robotic Task for more information and additional execution options.

Repositories

Required role: Administrator

The Repositories screen on the Robotic tasks tab allows you to manage the Maven repositories that robotic tasks use. During execution, the robotic task needs to download dependencies from these Maven repositories to successfully execute on the robot.

To get started, click the Repositories icon in the toolbar:

See Manage Repositories for more information about adding and deleting repositories.

Lists

You'll see many lists in the Appian RPA console: robotic tasks, executions, libraries, and repositories, just to name a few. Some of these lists contain valuable information and can be quite long.

To help you use this information outside of the console, you can filter the lists to show information you're interested in. Then, you can export the list to access the information in your chosen file format.

Export icons appear at the bottom of most lists, along with pagination options:

See Filter and Export Lists for details about managing lists.

Execution details

On the Dashboard, you'll see the list of robotic tasks that are currently running or queued to run. This list is only available when there is at least one robotic task running.

Use any column to sort the list. By default, the list is sorted by execution priority. You'll see the following information in the list:

• Robotic task: The robotic task's name.
• Priority (P): The robotic task's priority. You can set the priority level when you create a new robotic task.
• Description: The execution's description.
• Robot: The robot associated with the execution.
• Execution: The execution's unique identifier.
• Start: Date and time when the execution began or is scheduled to begin.

You can also see the execution's progress in this list. Use the pause button to pause a robotic task or the stop button to end it.

See View the execution log for more detailed instructions.

Credentials

Credentials are a secure way to store usernames and passwords that robotic tasks might need to log in to external systems. You can use the Appian RPA console to store, reference, and update credentials.

In the toolbar on the Robotic tasks tab, click the Credentials icon to manage credentials:

See Manage Credentials for more detailed instructions.

Workflow libraries

A workflow library is a small piece of custom code that provides generic functionality. Libraries are useful because they provide actions that can be reused in a robotic task's workflow or source code to perform certain operations. For example, a library could establish a VPN or proxy connection. Learn more about how libraries are used in robotic tasks.

Charts and reports

Appian RPA provides charts and reports to summarize information regarding executions and queue results.

See View Charts and Reports for more detailed instructions.

Console configuration

Required role: Administrator

To access Appian RPA customization and configuration, click Settings > Configuration in the left pane.

From here, you can view and manage things like the console license, customization, restart configuration, security policies, SMTP email configuration, server trace configuration, as well as other types of maintence.

See Console Configuration for more detailed information and instructions.

Actions and events

Under the Monitoring tab, you can manage actions and events in the Appian RPA console.

Actions are operational steps the console can take when certain criteria are met, using Events as the trigger. For example, you can configure the console to send an email to a person or group of people when a robotic task begins or ends.

1. Go to the Actions page within the Monitoring tab.
2. Go to the Actions editor.
3. Choose from the following settings to configure the action as desired:
   • Action type: Choose the event to occur for this action:
     • CONTAINER_NODE_START: Start a robot container
     • CONTAINER_SELECTED_NODE_START: Start the selected robot container
     • CONTAINER_SELECTED_NODE_STOP: Stop the selected robot container
     • EMAIL: Send an email
     • EXECUTION_ROBOT_FAILURE:
     • NODE_RELAUNCH: Relaunch a robot
     • REMOVE_LOG_FILES: Remove log files older than a chosen number of days
     • ROBOT_LAUNCH: Execute a robotic task
     • TOGGLE_EXECUTION_ROBOT_FEATURE: Enable or disable the execution of all robotic tasks in the console
   • Action detail: Narrow the criteria for the action. The options in this list vary based on the Action type selected. For example, if you select CONTAINER_SELECTED_NODE_START for the Action type, specific robots are listed here. In this example, you can choose the robot to act upon. For some actions, you can select multiple options in the Action detail menu.
   • To event: The event that acts as a trigger for this action. Options are described in the table below.
   • Depending on: The condition that initiates the action. The options in this list vary based on the To event selected. For example, if you select NODE_OFFLINE for the To event, specific robots are listed here. In this example, you can choose the robot to initiate the action if it goes offline.

Events are used to launch actions, but they are also logged in the console so administrators have a comprehensive view of what actions occur and when.

The following table described each event that can be triggered within the console:

Event	Description
API_FILE_INVOKED	The FILE API is called. This method isn't recommended because it was developed specifically for legacy systems not supporting REST API. It is strongly recommended to use the REST API whenever is possible.
API_INVOKED	The main methods of the console's REST API are invoked.
BACKUP_END	The backup process of the console ends.
BACKUP_START	The backup process of the console starts.
COMMAND_ON_SESSION	A remote control command is received, either activating the microphone in the browser (only for Chrome) or using the mobile application.
CONSOLE_LIVE	The console is started.
CONSOLE_LOW_FREE_HARD_DISK_SPACE	The free disk space is under the threshold defined for the console in Settings > Configuration.
EXECUTION_NEEDLESS	An execution is self-removed after it ends.
EXECUTION_ROBOT_FEATURE_DISABLED	The execution of robotic tasks is disabled on the console.
EXECUTION_ROBOT_FEATURE_ENABLED	The execution of robotic tasks is enabled on the console.
FORGOT_CREDENTIALS	A user asks for an email to reset credentials.
LOGIN_FORM	A user logs into the console.
LOGIN_FAILURE	A login attempt to the console is unsuccessful.
LOGOUT	A user logs out of the console.
NODE_CONTAINER_START	A container is started.
NODE_CONTAINER_STOP	A container is stopped.
NODE_DISABLED	A robot is disabled.
NODE_ENABLED	A robot is enabled. It occurs when it connects to the console and shows as Enabled.
NODE_LIMIT_MEMORY	A robot has reached its maximum specified memory.
NODE_LOCKED	A robot is locked (a user needs to log in).
NODE_LOW_FREE_HARD_DISK_SPACE	The free disk space for the robot is under the threshold defined in Robot detail page.
NODE_OFFLINE	The console detects that a robot has gone offline.
NODE_ONLINE	A specific agent instance is successfully registered. The agent is started on a robot and connects to the console.
NODE_UNLOCKED	A robot has been unlocked.
REMOVE_LOG_FILE	A user removed a log file through the maintenance page on the RPA console.
REPORT_FINISHED	A report was generated and is available for download.
ROBOT_ABORTED	A robotic task execution is aborted.
ROBOT_END	A robotic task ends its execution.
ROBOT_EVENT	This event is specifically triggered by the robots through the platform API. It allows you to monitor specific situations notified by the robots to the platform.
ROBOT_EXECUTION_DISABLED	An attempt was made to run a robotic task whose execution is disabled on setup, or that is out of its execution schedule.
ROBOT_SCHEDULE	A robotic task is queued for execution.
ROBOT_SCHEDULE_WITHOUT_NODE	An execution has been queued for more than a specific amount of time without being executed.
ROBOT_START	A robotic task starts its execution.
SCHEDULE	This event is generated at a specific configured time, being able to associate any action.

View console configuration information

Required role: Administrator

To access Appian RPA customization and configuration, click Settings > Configuration in the left pane.

• Console license: This area shows read-only information about your environment.
• Customization: Customize the console with the following properties:
  • Language: Choose a language for the Appian RPA user interface: English or Spanish.
  • Identifier: Console identifier. This information is provided by Appian and is associated with the console license.
  • Instance: Instance name of the console. Just like the identifier, it is provided by Appian and is associated with the console license.
  • Console URL: URL to access the console.
• Restart configuration: configure console restart behavior with the following settings:
  • Restart: select SSH + command
  • Port: Port to establish the SSH connection
  • Username: Username for the SSH connection
  • Password: Password for the SSH connection
  • Command: Command to execute in the machine for the restart
• Security policies: This area allows you to configure settings that allow Appian to update web drivers, disable unclean robots on start up, and enable the use of robot keys.
• SMTP Email configuration: This area allows you to adjust the email server settings used by Appian RPA. The platform uses SMTP to send emails.
  • Host: email server's URL
  • Port: access port (SMTP) to the email server
  • User: username to access the email server
  • Password: password to access the email server
  • From (email): address that appears on emails sent from the Appian RPA console
  • From (name): name that appears on emails sent from the Appian RPA console
  • Use TLS: enables the TLS security protocol for sent emails
  • Check email: email address to be used for testing these setting. Click Check to send the test email.
  • Send exceptions: choose whether to send an email every time an exception is thrown
  • Exceptions to (emails): email addresses to send trace logs of internal RPA console server errors. Note that errors that occur with robotic task executions are not included in this email. The field Send exceptions must be enabled. Separate multiple email addresses with commas.
• Default dashboard configuration: This area is no longer in use.

• Tools configuration: This area shows information for the tools connected to Appian RPA to develop and execute robotic tasks, such as Maven.

  Caution:  The fields are populated with default information. Do not change these settings.

  

• Server trace configuration: The options in this area let you customize server logs that appear on the Maintenance page. Choose what type of information to include, as well as file sizes. Be mindful that that log files can consume a lot of disk space on the server. Configure the following options:
  • Application server: Minimum log level for the application server log system. Traces below this level will be ignored.
  • Appian RPA: Minimum log level for the Appian RPA log system. Traces below this level will be ignored.
  • Maximum file size: Maximum file size for a trace log. Once the maximum file size is reached, the file is archived. A new trace log file is created each time the maximum is reached.
  • # backup files: Maximum number of backup files to keep in the server. Once reached, older files are removed to make room for newer files.
  • File per robot: When enabled, additional log files are created for each robot configured in the console.
  • Only use specific: When enabled, log traces are only written in the log file of the specific robot.

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