Web service document help.

[growler]

Hi guys,

Hope everyone is doing good. I am trying to learn how to create and consume a web service in Blue Prism. In this I am trying to add a web service as a BO using external web service functionality and I am able to add the web service successfully, but the problem is that it won't show under BOs.

What could be the problem here? Is there any document related to web services for BP? I can't find one on the portal., Also Why exactly do we use a web service when we can automate the GUI? Thank you.

 

[VJR]

Hi growler, Are you saying you are not seeing the web service under System tab -> Objects -> Web Services?
Or in the Objects of the Action stage dropdown?

 

[growler]

Hi VJR, thank you for the quick reply. I just realised my mistake after reading your comment. I was expecting the Web service to be in a format of BO. I am editing the query. If you have any documentation related to web services can you please provide it to me?, I can pm you my email id. Thank you.

 

[VJR]

Hi growler,

I do not have information pertaining to the documentation but the below links on using Web services with Blue Prism could certainly be helpful
Link 1, Link 2, Link 3.

 

[growler]

Hi VJR,

I checked out the links, even though the videos are helpful they don't really cover much other than the basic actions for web services. I actually wanted to know more about the use of web services in Blue Prism and what are the scenarios where this functionality comes in handy, any peculiarities to be considered etc.

 

[VJR]

Hi growler,

In simple terms a web service is a service available on the web for application to application interaction.
In other words, just as we have a Function in any programming language where we pass certain parameters and the function runs and gives the output, likewise webservices runs after taking parameters and produces an output. So it is like a Function on the Web.

"the use of web services in Blue Prism and what are the scenarios where this functionality comes in handy"
Be noted that a Blue Prism does not create/develop any new system. It simply automates an existing system. Web services are not a new concept and it has been used since quite some time to interact with other programming languages and systems too.
If you had a question like what are Work Queues and how it is used in Blue Prism then it would be more meaningful because Work Queues are a functionality only relevant to Blue Prism (now also started in other RPA tools).

So if the application you are automating has web services in it, then Blue provides a way of using it in your automation. So simply knowing how it is used in Blue Prism and looking up for what web services are (there are tons of web articles on this) should be enough to know about its functionality and usage.

 

[growler]

Hi VJR, Thank you for the detailed response, I am still confused why we have the need to use a web service in Blue Prism when we can use the target application itself. I will check out more about web services, will update here if still have any doubt.

 

[VJR]

I am still confused why we have the need to use a web service in Blue Prism when we can use the target application itself
While you do check more about Web Services, the answer to the above doubt is that if the target application is calling a web service and if you are automating that application through Blue Prism then you will use the Blue Prism's web service capabilities instead of the one used from the target application.
For ex; if a windows application is calling a stored procedure on a database, and if you are automating that application via Blue Prism then you will be using Blue Prism's VBOs and actions to call that stored procedure.