How to automate a simple form testing with data files using Blue Prism?

Vishnupriya Sep 23, 2020 #RPA Automation, #Blue Prism Automation, #Blue Prism Test Scripts, #Robotic Process Automation

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is very popular in the software testing world. RPA, software robots used to automate repetitive and time consuming tasks including data collection, transfer, manipulation and process automation. Its use cases vary from web scraping of website data, order processing, claims processing, paper forms data filing and more.

Many RPA vendors are available to perform AI tasks to save time and reduce errors. The top trending tools in today’s market are Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, UIPath and Pegasystems.

As a software tester, we are required to create these mini automation tasks at all times, especially submitting form data from excel data files. We are learning how to use Blue Prism as our RPA tool for a simple use case of reading data from excel input files, filling out a contact us form and validating the data submitted. This example can be used in multiple scenarios like:

Any order processing tasks
Form validation with possible valid and invalid test data
Web Scraping
Submitting Insurance Claims in an application

Blue Prism is one of the tools which comes with the visual designer where drag and drop controls are easily placed for defining the process. This tool can be used to define business processes for AI and machine learning for any enterprises. It is a paid tool with 1 month free trial. Trial version can be used for the following testing.

In the following, we are going to see the easiest way to do an automated data entry in the Application Under Test (AUT) form by creating a business object in Blue Prism. We can create a simple excel data file for contact us form which can be used for reading values automatically and submitting into it by the robot script.

The following are prerequisites to accomplish the above

Microsoft SQL server 2017 Express Download here
Blue Prism Download here

Creating a Robotic Process Automation tests includes the following steps

Install Microsoft SQL server - download
Install Blue Prism - download
Configure Database connection to Blue Prism and Activate license - follow video
Create a new business object for Contact us form
Configure the Application Modeller
Create the collections stage in object studio
Create excel stage in object studio
Spying the contact us form and Run Object Studio

1. Create a new business object in Blue Prism

i. Go to Studio > Objects > Create Object. A New Business Object window opens.
ii. Enter business object name and click on Next
iii. Enter your project description and click on Finish.

After creating an object, double click on object name, object studio window opens.

It opens 3 pages (Initialize, Clean Up, Action 1) by default.

2. Configure the Application Modeller

Click on Application Modeller in Object Studio to open an Application Modeller Wizard.

Follow the steps below:

i. Update Application name (if needed) and click on Next.
ii. Select the Browser-based Application (Chrome, Firefox or Edge Chronium) and click on Next.
iii. Choose A browser that is launched from an executable file and click on Next.
iv. Enter path to your browser(chrome) and click on Next.
v. Enter the URL “https://www.vconnexservices.com/” and click on Next.
vi. Select the Application Manager mode Embedded (default) and click on Next and Finish.
vii. Click Launch in Application Modeller window to open the given URL in chosen browser.

3. Create the collections stage in Object Studio

i. Create a new excel file as shown in the screenshot below.
ii. In Object Studio, drag and drop a collection stage.
iii. Double click the collection stage to open the collection Properties window. Now, add fields as column names.

4. Create excel stage in Object Studio

i. Add an excel stage in Object Studio. It requires MS Excel VBO library xml to be imported.
ii. Steps to import MS Excel VBO xml file.
- i. Open File > Import > Process / Object.
- ii. Click Browse button and enter path ”C:\Program Files\Blue Prism Limited\Blue Prism Automate\VBO\BPA Object - MS Excel.xml”
- iii. Go to Finish page by skipping next few steps.
iii. Steps for creating a workbook.
- Create Instance > Create Workbook > Open Workbook > Get Worksheet as Collection > Close Workbook > Close instance
iv. Drag and drop Action stage
v. Configure input and output to each Action stage
vi. Double click on Action stage to open Action Properties
- Action 1 stage, click 'Outputs' tab, click 'Store In' icon, it automatically takes 'handle' data item.
- Action 2 stage, click 'Inputs' tab, enter expression [handle], click 'Outputs' tab, click 'Store In' Icon, it automatically takes 'Workbook Name' data item.

- Action 3 stage, click 'Inputs' tab, give expression [handle] and excel path, click 'Outputs' tab, click 'Store In' Icon, it automatically takes 'Workbook Name' data item.
- Action 4 stage, click 'Outputs' tab, below 'Store In' column, drag and drop collection name (Contact Us Input).

- Action 5 stage, enter inputs as 'workbook Name'.
- Action 6 stage, inputs value given as [handle].

Now, link all the stages and run this project. The sample output is shown in the screenshot below.

blue-prism-run-object-studio

5. Spying the contact us form and Run Object Studio

Use Navigate stage to click or Write event in the web application. Drag and drop the navigate stage in Object Studio.

i. Click Application Modeller, add element and name it as needed.
ii. Now, spy the contact button by clicking Identify > Spy Element in Application Modeller window.
iii. Spy all the elements of the contact us form including Name, Email, Subject, Phone, Message textbox and send button.
iv. Then configure the element to Navigate Stage. Next drag and drop the Element Column (Contact us link path).
v. Add click event in the Action column. Stage logging should always be enabled and click ok.

Now, link all the stages and run this project. The sample output is shown in the screenshot below.

blue-prism-final-output