Working with tables and files in an ACL robot

Note

For information about Diligent One or Workflow robots, see Working with files in a HighBond robot or a Workflow robot.

In an ACL robot, you can work with three types of tables and files:

Type of table or file Category of data Location in Robots Description

Analytics data tables

(On-premise Robots Agent only)

Working data Input/Output tab

Analytics data tables serve as general output or input in a robot and do not remain associated with the specific task or task run that produces them.

Analytics data tables use the native Analytics table format with an associated *.fil data file.

Analytics result tables and files Results data Task runs tab

Analytics result tables and files are output by a specific task run and remain permanently associated with the task run that produces them.

Analytics result tables use the native Analytics table format with an associated *.fil data file. Analytics result files use the file format specified by the ACLScript command that produces them, such as Excel or delimited text.

Non-Analytics related files Working data Input/Output tab

Non-Analytics related files are any files, such as Excel or CSV, that you manually upload to the Input/Output tab in the robot for use as script input.

Data flows in an ACL robot

The diagram below illustrates the different data flows possible in an ACL robot, and how they relate to tables and files contained in the robot.

A diagram showing the different ways that data can flow into, around, and out of an ACL robot.

Analytics data tables

Note

Analytics data tables are supported by the on-premise Robots Agent only. They are not supported by the cloud-based Robots Agent.

An Analytics data table is any table produced by an ACL script that you save to the Input/Output tab in an ACL robot. The Input/Output tab is the central data storage area in the robot. Data tables allow you to output data from one task and preserve it for use in a subsequent task.

The subsequent task can be in the same robot that output the data table, or in another robot if you share the data table between robots. For more information about sharing data tables, see Sharing and linking data tables in ACL robots.

Data tables remain dynamic (writable) and can be updated by a subsequent task run.

To save a data table to the Input/Output tab, you use any ACLScript command that outputs a table combined with the //DATA analytic tag in the script analytic header. For more information, see DATA tag.

Analytics result tables and files

An Analytics result table, or result file, is any table or file produced by an ACL script that you save to an individual task run in an ACL robot. Result tables and files allow you to preserve the output results from a particular task run and typically contain the final results of data analysis. Analytics log files are also included in results.

Result tables and files are a read-only end product that you can download for viewing. You cannot update result tables and files in Robots.

To save a result table or file to a task run, you use any ACLScript command that outputs a table or file combined with the //RESULT analytic tag in the script analytic header. For more information, see RESULT.

Non-Analytics related files

A non-Analytics related file is any file, such as Excel or CSV, that you manually upload to the Input/Output tab in an ACL robot for use as script input. Related files can contain static data such a list of prohibited merchant category codes, or an employee list, that you input as part of your scripted data analysis. For more information about uploading a related file, see Managing working data stored in a robot.

Note

You can manually upload only supported file types to the Input/Output tab.

Development mode and production mode

Robot tasks, and all input and output data contained in a robot, are segregated by mode. Data that is output in one mode, or manually uploaded in one mode, is not available in the other mode. For more information, see Development mode and production mode in Robots.

Physical location of tables and files

The physical location of tables and files depends on the type of Robots Agent you are using.

On-premise Robots Agent

Table or file type Physical location
Analytics data table On-premise Robots Agent
Analytics result table
Analytics result file
  • On-premise Robots Agent
  • Robots app, if specified by the analytic script
Analytics result log
Non-Analytics related file Robots app (uploaded by user)

Cloud-based Robots Agent

Table or file type Physical location
Analytics data table Not supported
Analytics result table

Cloud-based Robots Agent and Robots app

All data is stored in secured AWS data centers and is encrypted in transit and at rest.

For more information about Diligent One security and data privacy, see Diligent Trust Center.

Analytics result file
Analytics result log
Non-Analytics related file