Robotic process automation (RPA) troubleshooting systems and methods
In some embodiments, a troubleshooting module executes on a host machine alongside an instance of a robotic process automation (RPA) robot that carries out an automation workflow. The troubleshooting module is configured to detect an automation failure and in response, to carry out a forensic investigation to determine a cause of the malfunction. Exemplary causes detected by the troubleshooter include focus theft and an inadvertent file lock. The troubleshooting module is further configured to identify a culprit (i.e., software entity causing the respective failure) and to communicate a descriptor of the culprit to a user, for instance by way of a failure notification displayed on a screen of the respective host machine or within an administration interface exposed by an RPA conductor orchestrating the execution of multiple RPA robots.
1 . A computer system comprising at least one hardware processor configured to execute a troubleshooter module communicatively coupled to a robotic process automation (RPA) robot configured to execute an RPA workflow mimicking an interaction of a user with the computer system, the troubleshooter module configured to troubleshoot the RPA activity, comprising:
in response to a failure to execute the RPA workflow, identify a target computer file according to the RPA workflow;
in response to identifying the target computer file, determine whether the failure was caused by file locking of the target computer file according to a content of a data structure residing in a memory of the computer system and used by an operating system of the computer system to manage execution of software;
in response to determining that the failure was caused by file locking, identify a culprit software entity having locked the target computer file; and
initiate a display of a failure notification to a user, the failure notification including an indicator of a cause of the failure and an identifier of the culprit software entity.
2 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the failure was caused by file locking comprises determining whether the target computer file is currently locked.
3 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the failure was caused by file locking comprises determining according to a time of the failure whether the target file was locked at the time of the failure.
4 . The computer system of claim 3 , wherein:
the troubleshooter module is configured to construct an event log comprising a time record of file locks placed on the target computer file, the event log comprising, for each file lock, a time of occurrence of the respective file lock and an identifier of a software entity placing the respective file lock on the target computer file; and
wherein determining whether the target file was locked at the time of the failure comprises parsing the event log according to the time of the failure.
5 . The computer system of claim 3 , wherein the troubleshooter module is configured to determine whether the failure was caused by file locking further according to an identity of a software entity having a lock on the target computer file at the time of the failure.
6 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein:
the failure notification is displayed within a user interface of an RPA conductor orchestrating the execution of multiple RPA robots including the RPA robot; and
initiating the display of the failure notification comprises transmitting a troubleshooting report to the RPA conductor, the troubleshooting report including the indicator of the cause of the failure and the identifier of culprit software entity.
7 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein identifying the culprit software entity comprises determining whether the culprit software entity comprises an instance of the RPA robot.
8 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the failure notification further includes an identifier of a user account executing the culprit software entity.
9 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the target computer file stores a spreadsheet and wherein the RPA workflow comprises writing to the spreadsheet.
10 . The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the target computer file stores a database and wherein the RPA workflow comprises modifying a content of the database.
11 . A robotic process automation (RPA) troubleshooting method comprising employing at least one hardware processor of a computer system to execute a troubleshooter module communicatively coupled to a robotic process automation (RPA) robot configured to execute an RPA workflow mimicking an interaction of a user with the computer system, wherein the troubleshooter module is configured to troubleshoot the RPA activity, comprising:
in response to a failure to execute the RPA workflow, identifying a target computer file according to the RPA workflow;
in response to identifying the target computer file, determining whether the failure was caused by file locking of the target computer file according to a content of a data structure residing in a memory of the computer system and used by an operating system of the computer system to manage execution of software;
in response to determining that the failure was caused by file locking, identifying a culprit software entity having locked the target computer file; and
initiating a display of a failure notification to a user, the failure notification including an indicator of a cause of the failure and an identifier of the culprit software entity.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the failure was caused by file locking comprises determining whether the target computer file is currently locked.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein determining whether the failure was caused by file locking comprises determining according to a time of the failure whether the target file was locked at the time of the failure.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein:
the troubleshooter module is configured to construct an event log comprising a time record of file locks placed on the target computer file, the event log comprising, for each file lock, a time of occurrence of the respective file lock and an identifier of a software entity placing the respective file lock on the target computer file; and
wherein determining whether the target file was locked at the time of the failure comprises parsing the event log according to the time of the failure.
15 . The method of claim 13 , comprising determining whether the failure was caused by file locking further according to an identity of a software entity having a lock on the target computer file at the time of the failure.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the failure notification is displayed within a user interface of an RPA conductor orchestrating the execution of multiple RPA robots including the RPA robot; and
initiating the display of the failure notification comprises transmitting a troubleshooting report to the RPA conductor, the troubleshooting report including the indicator of the cause of the failure and the identifier of culprit software entity.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying the culprit software entity comprises determining whether the culprit software entity comprises an instance of the RPA robot.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the failure notification further includes an identifier of a user account executing the culprit software entity.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the target computer file stores a spreadsheet and wherein the RPA workflow comprises writing to the spreadsheet.
20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the target computer file stores a database and wherein the RPA workflow comprises modifying a content of the database.
21 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by at least one hardware processor of a computer system, cause the computer system to execute a troubleshooter module communicatively coupled to a robotic process automation (RPA) robot configured to execute an RPA workflow mimicking a human interaction with the computer system, the troubleshooter module configured to troubleshoot the RPA activity, comprising:
in response to a failure to execute the RPA workflow, identify a target computer file according to the RPA workflow;
in response to identifying the target computer file, determine whether the failure was caused by file locking of the target computer file according to a content of a data structure residing in a memory of the computer system and used by an operating system of the computer system to manage execution of software;
in response to determining that the failure was caused by file locking, identify a culprit software entity having locked the target computer file; and
initiate a display of a failure notification to a user, the failure notification including an indicator of a cause of the failure and an identifier of the culprit software entity.