Robot School is the knowledge & learning centre for the Automation Cloud automation cloud

Automation Job Idea

Job is a high-level abstraction that allows you to think about your automation in terms of inputs, outputs, and state updates.

Script playback in Autopilot

  • Use it to test and debug your Script. Play from any action in any fashion, one thing at a time, or end to end.

  • Use the "Input" panel to provide some example input data to test your Script.

  • Preview the output your Script produces.

Automation Job

  • The Script for the Job is executed remotely in the Automation Cloud.

  • Job consumes inputs and emits outputs.

  • Subscribe to Job state updates, so you can know what's happening with your Job at any point in time.

How it works

A client initiates the Job with or without the initial input.

Job follows the Script precisely. In every context match, it performs the relevant actions in order. Every time an action requires some input, the Job checks whether the data is available. If not, the Job will switch into the waiting state.

Every time an output action runs, the Job emits its result as an output.

As one context ends, another picks up until the Job reaches the end of the Script and finishes successfully or fails with an error.

Job prerequisites

With your Automation Cloud account:

1. Obtain credentials

To run an Automation Job remotely, you'll need an Application. We issue a secret key when you create the Application. Feel free to regenerate the secret at any time. See this guide for step-by-step instructions.

2. Save your Script to a Service in the Automation Cloud

In the Cloud, we group various versions of the same Script under a Service. Each version is immutable. You can create a Service when you save the Script with the Autopilot.

A Service is ready to run Jobs when one of the versions is "active". By "activating" one version, you deactivate the other. If there is no "active" version at the time, the Service can't create Jobs yet.

3. Connect the Service and the Application

To make a Service available for your Application, the Application needs to be on the Service's list of authorised apps. You can grant or revoke access at any time. The "active" version within a Service will expedite the Job. Use the Dashboard to manage App-Service connections.