Building automation with Robots

The high-level process for building data automation and data analysis in Robots is relatively straightforward:

Robot Create a robot
Script Add a script to the robot
Task Create a task to schedule and run the script
Output Run the task to generate the output

1. Create a robot

A robot is a container that holds one or more scripts, one or more tasks, and associated tables and files. Depending on your requirements, you can choose between three different types of robots:

ACL robot
HighBond robot
Workflow robot

Note

To access Workflow robots, you must be assigned the System Admin user type with a Professional subscription.

One type of robot is not better than another. Each type has a different purpose, and you choose the one that best matches your needs in terms of purpose and scripting language.

For more information, see Creating and managing a robot.

Location of robots in the Robots app

Each robot that you create is added to the Robots dashboard.

2. Add a script to the robot

One or more scripts provide the automation. Depending on your requirements, you can choose between two different types of scripts:

ACL script
Python/HCL script

ACL stands for Audit Command Language, our legacy data analytics scripting language. HCL stands for HighBond Command Language, our custom Python library.

For more information, see Adding script automation to a robot.

For detailed information about the scripting itself, see Scripting in Analytics, and Python and HCL scripting in Robots. You write ACL scripts in Analytics and then upload them to Robots. You write Python/HCL scripts directly in Robots.

Location of scripts in the robot

The Robots app has a development mode and a production mode. The distinction between them is important when you are building automation, but it is not important for this overview. For now, just know these two modes exist.

For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

Script versions tab (development mode)

Each new version that you create of a script or a group of related scripts is added to the Script versions tab in the robot.

Scripts tab (production mode)

(ACL robot only) The script version that you activate to production mode is displayed in the Scripts tab in the robot.

3. Create a task to schedule and run the script

A task runs the script based on a schedule that you configure.

For more information, see Creating a robot task to run a script.

In the future, Robots will also support configurable event-based tasks that run whenever a specific event occurs in Diligent One.

Location of tasks in the robot

Each task that you create is added to the Tasks tab in the robot.

4. Run the task to generate the output

The task runs and generates the output specified by the script:

results tables or files
working tables or files

Results tables or files are an endpoint of data analysis, or "a snapshot". They are unique to each task run. You can download output results for viewing.

Working tables or files are saved to a central data storage area in the robot and can be used as input for subsequent tasks and scripts. Working tables can be shared between robots (ACL robots, on-premise Robots Agent only).

For more information, see Creating a robot task to run a script.

Location of task runs, and results tables or files, in the robot

Each time that you run a task, a new task run entry is added to the Task runs tab in the robot. Any results tables or files produced by a task run are included with the task run entry.

Location of working tables or files in the robot

Any working tables or files produced by a task run are added to a central data storage area in the robot:

Input/Output tab (ACL robot)
Working data area (HighBond robot/Workflow robot)

The Working data area is accessible in two different locations in the Robots user interface:
- The Working data tab
- The Working data panel in the script editor

The central data storage area is named differently depending on robot type, and the Input/Output tab contains more sections, however the area performs the same general function across robot types.

A global view of your organization's robots

Two global views provide a central location to view and access all tasks and task runs in your organization's Robots instance:

Tasks global view
Task runs global view

The global views are available from the Robots dashboard. They provide a quick snapshot of the current state of your entire Robots instance. You do not have to drill down into individual robots to view the tasks in a robot, or to check the status of task runs.

The global views are read-only. However, you can click any task or task run in a global view to go directly to the details screen for the item at the robot level. In the robot, you can edit tasks and access the results of task runs.

You can access the global views regardless of your level of permissions in Robots. However, the views display only those items that you have permission to see.

For more information, see Viewing robot tasks and task runs.

Learn more about Robots

Robots includes a range of functionality to support the high-level process described above.

Functional area	Description
Building the automation structure in Robots: Creating and managing a robot Adding script automation to a robot Creating a robot task to run a script	Explains in detail how to create the structure in Robots that contains the script-based automation.
Working with data in Robots	Explains working with the different types of input and output data in Robots.
Python and HCL scripting in Robots	Provides detailed information about Python/HCL scripting, including the HCL language reference. To learn more about ACL scripts, see Scripting in Analytics.
Robots and Robots Agent administration	Provides information about Robots specifications and limits, and supporting information for customers who use an on-premise Robots Agent for running ACL scripts.
Analytics Exchange to Robots migration guide	Provides guidance to Analytics Exchange customers migrating to Robots.