Input stage

This stage is available with Blue Prism Desktop licenses only..

An Input stage can be used to prompt a Desktop user for additional information via a form when a process runs in the Blue Prism Desktop client. This enables a Desktop process to pause and request further input from the user before continuing.

If your process includes an Input stage, a debug form displays the input fields when run in Process Studio in Desktop debug mode. This enables you to create and test a process without having to publish and run it in Desktop.

The style of the debug form displayed in Process Studio does not match the style used in the Desktop user interface, but provides an accurate representation of the content.

Input stage properties

The following image shows an Input stage configured in Process Studio, and the same Input stage displayed in Blue Prism Desktop:

Input property

Description

Name Enter a name for the input parameter. This is displayed as the field title on the form in Blue Prism Desktop.
Description Enter a description for the input parameter, if required. This displays below the input name on the form and can be used to add help text for the input.
Data Type

Select a data type for the input parameter. The following data types are supported:

  • Date
  • DateTime
  • Flag
  • Number
  • Password
  • Text
  • Time
  • TimeSpan
  • Image
  • Binary

The display of default values for Image and Binary data types is not currently supported.

Get Value From

Specify the data item or collection from which a default or read-only value can be taken, if required. See Desktop form Input field format for details of how this input parameter can be used to control the input field format.

If an input field is created without either Get Value From or Store In populated, then it won't display on the input form.

Store In

Specify the data item or collection in which the input value can be stored. If this field is left blank, this field will be read-only on the form. See Desktop form Input field format for details of how this input parameter can be used to control the input field format.

If an input field is created without either Get Value From or Store In populated, then it won't display on the input form.

Desktop form Input field format

The following three input field formats can be configured for display on the input form:

  1. Empty field – The parameter is not pre-populated and is available for the user to enter a value. This parameter type requires the Store In input property to be populated.
  2. Editable field with content – The Get Value From property defines the default value of the corresponding field in the Desktop form. The parameter is pre-populated with a data item or field from a collection. This parameter type requires the Store In input property to be populated.
  3. Non-editable field with content – The Get Value From property defines the default value of the corresponding field in the Desktop form. If the property is left empty, the form field will have no default value. This parameter type requires the Store In input property to be empty.

If Date, DateTime, or Time data types have been added with no default value, then the current date/time is submitted by default. If running the process in debug mode, then blank values are returned.

Input form timeout (minutes)

You can set a time limit in minutes in which the user must complete the form in Desktop. The default setting for this option is 0. If set to 0, a time limit is not applied and the form displays until submitted by the user. The maximum timeout that can be applied to an Input stage is 100 minutes.

If the time limit is reached and the user has not completed the form, default values are returned if configured. Otherwise, blank values are returned and the process continues to run.

The mandatory Session timeout is automatically paused while an input form is open.