Workflow Automation

Workflow Editor #

The Workflow Editor is the central environment for creating, managing, testing, and executing workflows. Within the Workflow Editor app, you can design and refine workflows, then export them as JSON files for use with the Workflow Runner.

Figure: In Workflow Editor app, you can create/refine/export/import a workflow.

Workflows #

A workflow is a structured sequence of actions or tasks that are executed step by step to achieve a specific outcome. In automation systems, a workflow typically consists of a list of predefined activities—such as reading data, clicking buttons, entering text, or processing information—that are carried out in order, one after another. Each action depends on the completion of the previous step, creating a logical flow from start to finish.

Figure: Workflow environment including various actions.

Export a Workflow #

To export a workflow in the Workflow Editor app, select it from the list and click the Export button on the right side. The workflow can be exported and stored on your PC or other systems in two formats. Use .json to run it via Accesskey scripts, or use .idwf to be able to import it later into Workflow Editor.

Import a Workflow #

To import a previously saved workflow, click the Import workflow button and select an .idwf file. The imported workflow opens in Workflow Editor, where you can review, edit, test, and export it again.

Tip: You can also import a workflow by dragging an .idwf file from your file explorer and dropping it onto the workflows window.

Figure: The specified buttons can be used to export/import a workflow.

Settings #

Open Settings from the toolbar at the top of the Workflow Editor to configure the application. The Settings panel is organized into the following groups.

Updates #

• Check for updates automatically: when enabled, the app checks for a newer version on its own.
• Update channel: which release channel to receive updates from:
  • Stable: recommended; only tested, stable releases.
  • Latest: the newest releases, which may be less thoroughly tested.
• Check for updates: check for a new version immediately.

Startup behavior for Workflow Runner #

The Startup option controls whether the Workflow Runner starts automatically with Windows:

1. Don’t run at startup: the Workflow Runner does not start automatically when the system starts.
2. Run at startup: the Workflow Runner starts automatically when the system starts.

The default setting is Run at startup. Changing this setting (either disabling or re-enabling it) requires elevated access, so you must run Workflow Editor as administrator before changing it.

Java applications #

The Enable Java Access Bridge option controls whether the picker can capture UI elements from Java (Swing/AWT) applications:

• Disabled: Java applications are not supported.
• Enabled for current user: the Java Access Bridge is enabled for your account only.
• Enabled for all users: the Java Access Bridge is enabled for every account on the computer. This requires administrator rights.

Note: After changing this option, restart any running Java applications so their UI elements become capturable.

Figure: The Workflow Editor Settings panel.

Trigger condition #

The trigger condition determines when a workflow runs automatically. Set it using the Trigger button in the toolbar at the top of the Workflow Editor. The condition you choose is saved with the workflow.

The available trigger conditions are:

The default trigger condition is Security key presence (card tap).

Application launch options #

When you choose Application launch, configure the following:

• Process to watch for: pick a running process or type its name without the .exe extension (for example, notepad).
• Ignore previously running processes: when enabled, the workflow triggers for each newly started instance, even while another instance is already running. When disabled, it triggers only when the application goes from not running to running.
• Execution limit: how many times the workflow may run:
  • No limit: every time the trigger fires.
  • Once per login / unlock: at most once per login session.
  • Specific number of times: a fixed number of runs that you enter.

Note: Setting the trigger condition only records when the workflow should run. For the workflow to actually run automatically, export it and then register it: use automationcli for the Application launch, Screen unlock, and User logon triggers, or Accesskey for the Security key presence (card tap) and Transparent unlock triggers. See Workflow Runner.

Figure: Choosing when the automation starts in the Trigger Condition window.

Actions #

There are two types of actions:

1. Element-based actions: These actions depend on UI elements and operate on a specific element (e.g., clicking a UI element).
2. Non-element-based actions: These actions are not tied to UI elements and perform operations directly on the system (e.g., running an application).

Available actions are listed below.

Tip: Use the Search actions box above the actions list to quickly filter the available actions by name.

Click on UI element #

Simulates a mouse click on a specified UI element, allowing the automation process to interact with buttons, links, checkboxes, or other clickable components within the application interface.

Input Parameters:

Figure: Click on UI element action configuration.

Hover mouse over UI element #

Moves the cursor over a UI element.

Input Parameters:

Populate text field #

Fills a text field with the entered text.

Input Parameters:

Note: This action can be applied to text-bearing elements: Input, Combo Box, Text, Div, and Custom.

Note: You can use variables instead of static strings. For more details, see variables.

Note: Text to fill-in can be marked as secure text so that its value is masked in the Workflow Editor.

Figure: Populate text field action configuration.

Focus UI element #

Sets the focus on a UI element.

Input Parameters:

Get details of the UI element #

Gets the value of a UI element’s attribute.

Input Parameters:

Figure: Get details of the UI element action configuration.

Wait for UI element #

Waits until a UI element appears on screen.

Input Parameters:

Send mouse click #

Sends a mouse click event.

Input Parameters:

Send keys #

Sends keys to the UI element that is currently focused.

Input Parameters:

To simulate a key press, use curly brackets {} (e.g., {enter}). For key combinations, wrap both keys in {} (e.g., {leftctrl}({A})).

Note: You can insert modifiers or special keys using two combo boxes at the bottom of the text field.

Note: For the modifiers, the second key must be added inside a ({}) (e.g., {leftctrl}({A}) for the select all shortcut).

Note: You can also use variables as a part of the text (See Variables).

Note: Text to send can be marked as secure text. While the value is masked, the modifier and special key combo boxes are disabled, because the masked field has no caret to insert the key into.

Some common shortcuts:

• Select all: {leftctrl}({A})
• Copy: {leftctrl}({C})
• Paste: {leftctrl}({V})
• Shift Delete: {rightshift}({delete})

Figure: Send keys action configuration.

Run application #

Executes an application.

Input Parameters:

If you want to use the ExitCode variable for next actions, set the After application launch option to Wait for application to load.

Figure: Run application action configuration.

Window control #

Updates the state of one or more windows that match the specified search criteria.

Input Parameters:

Note: If multiple windows match the criteria, use When multiple match to control whether the action is applied to the first match only or to all matches.

Wildcards #

In By title or class mode, both the Window title and Window class values support wildcards. Use wildcards when only part of the title or class is predictable, so you can match a window without typing its exact text. The available wildcard characters are:

Matching is case-insensitive, and the whole value must match the pattern (not just part of it). For example:

• *Notepad matches any title that ends with Notepad.
• Report * matches any title that starts with Report (such as Report 2026).
• Untitled - ?otepad matches Untitled - Notepad.

Note: Wildcards are simpler than regular expressions and are only available for the Window title and Window class in the Window control action. If you need more advanced pattern matching for a UI element, use a regular expression in the element selector instead.

Figure: Window control action configuration.

Set variable #

Set the value of a new or existing variable, create a new variable or overwrite a previously created variable.

Input Parameters:

Note: You can use variables in the form of %variable_name% for assigning values. For more details, see variables.

Note: Value can be marked as secure text so that it is masked in the Workflow Editor.

Figure: Set variable action configuration.

Increase variable #

Increases the value of a variable by a specific amount.

Input Parameters:

Note: Negative numbers can also be used to decrease the value of a variable.

Wait #

Suspends the execution of the flow for a specific amount of seconds.

Input Parameters:

In addition to numbers, you can also make use of variables (See Variables).

Stop flow #

Terminates the flow.

Input Parameters:

Lock workstation #

Locks the workstation’s display.

Input Parameters:

No inputs needed.

Clipboard #

Interacts with the Windows clipboard. Use it to put text on the clipboard, clear the clipboard, or read the current clipboard text into a variable.

Input Parameters:

Note: Clipboard text applies only to Set clipboard text, and Bind to variable applies only to Retrieve clipboard text. Clear clipboard content needs no additional input.

Note: Clipboard text can be marked as secure text so that it is masked in the Workflow Editor.

Figure: Clipboard action configuration.

Call Accesskey function #

Calls an Accesskey function and retrieves its result. Select a function from the Function name drop-down; the window then shows that function’s Description, its Inputs, and its Outputs.

Input Parameters:

Function inputs and outputs:

The Inputs depend on the selected function. Each input shows its data type in parentheses (for example, String, Int32, Boolean), and required inputs are marked with a red asterisk (*). The control used depends on the type:

• Boolean inputs are shown as a checkbox (for example, Onboard If Doesn’t Exist).
• Other types (such as String and Int32) are shown as a text field.

Functions that authenticate the user also expose these inputs:

• Wait for Security Key Presence (Boolean): when checked, the call waits for the user to tap their security key before it runs.
• Security Key Presence Timeout (Seconds) (Int32): how long the call waits for that tap before it times out.

The function’s Outputs are stored in variables (shown as badges in the Outputs row, for example username and password) that you can use in later actions. See Variables.

Note: To test the function and see the result, after selecting the function and filling the required inputs, click on the Test button next to the function’s drop-down.

Note: A badge (or a card) must be cached during execution. So you need to tap your badge on the reader before testing this action.

Note: If Accesskey fails to process the request, the workflow does not stop. The error details returned by Accesskey are stored in the workflow variables, so you can check them with an If action and decide how to continue.

Figure: Call accesskey function action configuration.

Run PowerShell script #

Executes some custom PowerShell script and retrieves its output into a variable.

Input Parameters:

Figure: Run powershell script action configuration.

Display message #

Shows a message dialog to the user and, optionally, captures which button they click into a variable.

Input Parameters:

Note: Use the Output variable with an If action to branch the workflow based on which button the user clicked (for example, run different actions for Yes and No).

Note: Don’t wait for result is available only for the single-button dialogs (OK, Cancel, and Dismiss), because their outcome is known in advance. When it is enabled, Output variable is disabled.

Figure: Display message action configuration.

Conditional Actions #

Conditional actions are workflow steps that execute only when specific conditions are met. They are useful for tasks like checking the value of a variable, verifying whether an element exists on screen, or controlling the flow of automation based on dynamic criteria.

If #

Checks if two values match.

Input Parameters:

Allowed operators: Equal to (=), Not equal to (!=), Greater than (>), Greater than or equal to (>=), Less than (<), Less than or equal to (<=), Contains, Does not contain, Starts with, Ends with, Is empty, Is not empty, Is defined, Is not defined.

Note: The Is empty, Is not empty, Is defined, and Is not defined operators take no second operand, so the second operand field is hidden when you select one of them.

Note: Use Is defined or Is not defined to check whether a variable exists before you read it. With the other operators, the action fails when the first operand is not a defined variable.

Figure: If conditional action configuration.

Else if #

Starts a block of actions that run only if earlier If or else if checks fail, and this condition is true.

Input Parameters:

Allowed operators: Equal to (=), Not equal to (!=), Greater than (>), Greater than or equal to (>=), Less than (<), Less than or equal to (<=), Contains, Does not contain, Starts with, Ends with, Is empty, Is not empty, Is defined, Is not defined.

Else #

Starts a block of actions when none of the preceding if or else if conditions are met.

Input Parameters:

No inputs needed.

If UI element exists #

Checks whether a UI element exists on the screen.

Input Parameters:

Figure: If UI element exists action configuration.

If file exists #

Checks whether a file exists at a given path, and runs the nested actions when the condition is met.

Input Parameters:

Figure: If file exists action configuration.

Loops #

Loops are workflow actions that repeat a set of steps until a specified condition is met. They are useful for iterating over collections or repeatedly checking values.

For loop #

Iterates a block of actions for a specific number of times.

Input Parameters:

Note: You can use variables instead of static numbers. For more details, see Variables.

Figure: For loop action configuration.

Loop condition #

Iterates a block of actions as long as a specific condition proves to be true.

Input Parameters:

Allowed operators: Equal to (=), Not equal to (!=), Greater than (>), Greater than or equal to (>=), Less than (<), Less than or equal to (<=), Contains, Does not contain, Starts with, Ends with, Is empty, Is not empty, Is defined, Is not defined.

Next loop #

Used inside a loop to skip the current iteration and jump directly to the next one when certain conditions are met.

Exit loop #

Immediately terminates a loop when a specific condition is met, stopping any further iterations.

Read CSV from file #

Reads a CSV file from your PC or system and loads it into a data table variable.

Input Parameters:

Figure: Read CSV from file action configuration.

Read text from file #

Reads the entire content of a text file into a variable.

Input Parameters:

Figure: Read text from file action configuration.

Find in data table #

Searches a column in a source data table and stores matching rows in a new data table variable.

Input Parameters:

Figure: Find in data table action configuration.

Run subflow #

Runs another subflow from the same workflow. Use this action to reuse a shared sequence of actions or to organize a large workflow into smaller, named parts. For more details on creating and managing subflows, see Subflows.

Input Parameters:

Note: At least one subflow must already exist in the workflow before this action can be configured.

Note: A subflow cannot call itself, either directly or indirectly through another subflow that is already running. This prevents unwanted infinite loops. If such a recursive call is detected, the workflow stops with an error.

Figure: Run subflow action configuration.

Secure text #

Some action fields hold values that should not stay visible on screen, such as a password or a PIN. These fields have a lock icon on their right side. Click the icon to display the value as secure text; click it again to display it as plain text. The lock icon is highlighted while the field is masked, and the field’s content is shown as •••••• both in the action window and in the flow description.

The fields that support secure text are:

• Text to fill-in in the Populate text field action.
• Text to send in the Send keys action.
• Value in the Set variable action.
• Clipboard text in the Clipboard action.

Note: Displaying a value as secure text only masks it on screen. The value is still stored in the workflow file as plain text and is not encrypted.

Figure: A field whose value is displayed as secure text.

Variables #

Variables are placeholders that store values during workflow execution. These values can be reused across different actions, making workflows dynamic and flexible. To reference a variable in another action, use the format %variable_name%, which substitutes the stored value at runtime.

You can see the list of the currently generated variables by clicking on the variables icon at the top right corner of the menu items.

Define a variable #

To define a new variable, select the Set variable action from the actions list.

To increase/decrease the value of a numeric variable, select the Increase variable action from the actions list.

Note: Variable names are case sensitive.

Note: The value of a variable can be updated multiple times in different flows.

Note: When setting the value of a variable, make sure that its type is selected correctly according to its use. For example, in loops, the variable must be of type numeric. Otherwise, you will encounter an error when executing the workflow.

Note: When choosing a variable name, make sure that you have not created it before; otherwise, it will be assigned the last value set for it and may cause interference.

Predefined variables #

The variables CardId and UserId are reserved; one is the ID of the card tapped on the reader, and the other is the username of the card’s owner.

Variable scope #

To use a variable in an action, it must be defined in the previous flows.

When a variable is defined, it remains available throughout the workflow execution.

Variable types #

A variable can be of type string, number, or a JSON string. A variable can be assigned different values during the execution of a workflow.

Using variables in actions #

To access a variable in an action, use the format %var_name%. For example, if you have defined a variable named username, and you want to fill it in a text field, select the Populate text field action from the actions list, and set the value of the Text to fill-in to %username%. When the workflow is running, it will be replaced with the actual value of the username.

• To access values from a JSON variable, use dot notation.

Example JSON

{> “user”: {> “id”: 123,> “name”: “user1”> }> }

If the variable name is X: X.user.id -> 123 X.user.name -> user1

• To access values from a data table, use row/column indexing.

Example data table:

Syntax: X[row][columnNameOrIndex]

Examples: X[0]['id'] -> 123 X[0][1] -> abc

UI Elements #

A UI element (User Interface Element) is a distinct, identifiable component of a software interface that an automation process can recognize, interact with, and manipulate during execution. For example, buttons, text boxes, hyperlinks, or images are UI elements.

You can add these elements to the workflow and perform actions (like clicking) on them.

To add UI elements to the workflow, click on the Add UI element button at the top right of the workflow editor window.

UI Element Picker #

When you click on the Add UI element, the UI Element Picker window opens in Capture mode.

In Capture mode, add elements directly from the target app:

1. Hover your mouse over the target UI element until a red highlight rectangle appears.
2. Confirm the element label shown at the top of the rectangle.
3. Press and hold Ctrl, then left-click to add that element to the list.

Some UI controls include nested child elements (for example, a button that contains a text element). Always verify the highlighted element name before adding, so you capture the correct one.

Inspector Mode #

Use Inspect when hovering is difficult or when you need more precise selection.

1. Click Inspect in the picker window.
2. In the tree, expand the target window and its child nodes to find the exact UI element.
3. Select a concrete element (not a container/placeholder), then click Add selected.
4. The selected element is highlighted on screen, and once added it appears in the elements list.
5. If the UI tree changes, click Refresh to reload the inspector tree.
6. Press Done once you have added all of the intended elements.

The picker prevents duplicate additions of the same element path.
If Add selected is disabled, choose a valid supported UI element node.

Figure: The UI element picker environment.

Java application support #

The picker can also capture UI elements from Java (Swing/AWT) applications through the Java Access Bridge. Enable it during installation, or later from the Settings panel, where you can choose to enable it for the current user or for all users.

UI Element Selector #

UI elements are organized in a hierarchical tree structure, where each element is represented as a node with parent–child relationships. The root node typically corresponds to the application window, and all interface components—such as panels, buttons, and text fields—are arranged beneath it in nested layers. To access or interact with a specific element, the automation process must traverse the correct path through the tree, starting from the root and moving step by step down to the target node.

Therefore, in order to find an element properly, it is necessary to set attributes that will help in the process of finding it. For example, to find a browser window, we can find it by searching for the process name and title of that window.

To edit selectors of a UI element, double-click on the element that exists in the elements tree. The element selector window will appear, which contains:

• Selectors: The list of selectors defined for the element (see Multiple selectors).
• Elements: Contains all intermediate elements—such as window, panels, groups, or parent controls—that lead to the target element.
• Attributes: Contains all attributes of the selected element that help in finding the correct element. You can edit the desired attribute’s value.

Note: To exclude an element from the search operation, uncheck it. When you uncheck a step in the elements list, that step is removed from the effective selector path. The saved path only includes active steps. Use this when an intermediate container is optional, duplicated, or unstable.

Note: To exclude an attribute from matching during search, uncheck it. When you uncheck an attribute, that step remains in the path, but matching ignores that property. Only attributes that are enabled and have a value participate in the search.

Note: The Ordinal attribute identifies an element by its position among sibling elements that match the same selector. Enable it only when a selector still matches more than one element and you need to target a specific one (for example, the second matching row). Prefer more distinctive attributes first, because ordinal positions can change if the interface layout changes.

Guidance: Disable a whole element when the hierarchy level is wrong or unnecessary. Disable an attribute when the property is volatile (titles, generated IDs) but the element itself is still the right node type and position in the tree.

Note: If you want to create a workflow that is going to run on other systems, be careful when choosing the selector and attributes so that the values are not dependent on your system. For example, when the root view of an element is a window, the title of that window is browser-tab-dependent, so you can uncheck the Name attribute to avoid mismatches.

Multiple selectors #

A single UI element can have more than one selector. This is useful when the same element can be identified in different ways depending on the situation (for example, the target app looks slightly different across versions, layouts, or machines). When the workflow runs, the enabled selectors are tried in order, and the first one that locates the element on screen is used.

The Selectors panel of the element selector window lets you manage the selectors of the element:

• Add a new selector using the Add selector button.
• Test, Duplicate, Rename, Move up/Move down, or Delete a selector from its context menu.
• Select a selector to view and edit its Elements and Attributes.

Note: Each selector is an independent path with its own elements and attributes. Order your selectors so that the most reliable one comes first. Provide alternative selectors only when a single one cannot reliably match the element in every situation.

Regular expressions #

Attribute values support Regular Expressions. To match an attribute with a regular expression, set the attribute’s Operator to Regular Expression and enter the pattern as its value. Choose regular expressions when the property is still the right one but only a pattern is stable, meaning only part of the value is predictable. For example:

• Window or tab titles that include a file name, tab title, or counter.

• Labels with dates, IDs, or user-specific suffixes.

Note: For example, to match any window whose title starts with Report and ends with .pdf, you could use a pattern like ^Report.*\.pdf$. Matching uses case-insensitive regex. Use this documentation for more information on syntax and behavior.

Variables in values #

Attribute values can support workflow variables where the product substitutes placeholders before matching. Use that for data that is not fixed at authoring time.

Stability and portability #

Not all attributes are equally stable across machines, sessions, or user actions:

• Same machine, different situation: focus, open tabs, document name, list order, and dynamically generated lists can change Name, Text, or Id without changing computers.

• Different machines: paths in titles, localization, scaling, and process naming can differ.

• Id may be an intentional stable id, or it may be generated when the UI is data-driven; treat it as stable only after you verify it across scenarios.

• ProcessName helps distinguish hosts but is environment-dependent if executables or hosting differ.

Practical approach:

1. Start from the capture and test the selector in realistic conditions (other tabs, other data).

2. If matching fails, decide whether the failing constraint is wrong in principle (uncheck attribute or step) or partially predictable (use Contains / Starts with / regex).

3. Prefer the shortest set of constraints that still identifies the control uniquely.

Test selectors #

To make sure the selector is set correctly, click the Test button at the top of the selector window. If the element is located on the screen and found, a red rectangle will appear around it.

Figure: The UI element selector environment.

UI element tree view #

UI elements are shown in a tree, grouped under their window. The tree view provides several aids to help you keep elements organized and connected to your flows:

• Element icons: Each element shows an icon representing its type (button, input, checkbox, and so on), making it easier to identify elements at a glance.
• Relationship highlighting: When you select a UI element in the tree, every flow that uses that element is highlighted in the flows list, and the view scrolls to the first matching flow. This helps you see exactly where an element is used.
• Attention icon for unused elements: An attention icon appears next to any UI element that is not used by any flow, so you can quickly spot and clean up elements that are no longer needed.
• Context menu: Right-click an element to Rename or Delete it.

Deleting a UI element #

To delete a UI element from the tree, select the element and press the keyboard Delete key or select the delete option from the context menu. To delete all UI elements of a window, select and delete the window.

Note: When you delete an element, all related flows (element-based actions) will be deleted too.

Figure: The UI element tree view environment.

Flows #

A flow is an action with specific parameters and conditions that will be executed one by one when the workflow starts.

You can see the list of flows in the middle section of the workflow editor. Each flow shows a line number so you can easily reference and locate actions within the workflow.

Some commands are defined for flows that you can use by clicking the right mouse button on a selected row or rows.

Below is the list of the available commands:

Run from here #

To test the workflow from a specific row, select the target row and then select Run from here.

Moving flows #

You can move a flow up or down using the Move up and Move down commands.

You can also move one or multiple flows to any rows using mouse drag and drop. For some special actions like Else if, Else, Next loop, Exit loop, and End block, the order of the flows must be respected.

Copy-Paste flows #

You can create duplicates from a flow using copy and paste commands (or Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V shortcuts).

Note: For actions that contain variables, make sure variables with the same name do not cause conflicts.

Disable/Enable flows #

If you want to disable a flow temporarily to prevent it from running, select Enable/Disable action.

Note: A disabled flow will be ignored from the exported workflow.

Comment a flow #

You can attach a comment to any flow to document what it does or why it is needed. Right-click the flow and select Comment, then enter your note. A comment icon appears on the flow, and hovering over it shows the comment text.

Note: Comments are for documentation only and do not affect how the workflow runs.

Figure: A Comment for a flow.

Undo/Redo #

You can undo and redo changes you make to the flows (such as adding, moving, editing, or deleting actions) using the Undo and Redo buttons in the toolbar, or the Ctrl+Z (undo) and Ctrl+Y (redo) keyboard shortcuts.

Run/Stop workflow #

To test the workflow, click on the Run button, and to stop it, click it again.

While the workflow is running, the flows list shows the execution progress:

• A green arrow marks the flow that is currently running.
• A red cross marks a flow that failed during execution. Hover the mouse over the red cross to see the error message for that flow.

Test Selected Action #

To test the selected flow, click on the Test selected action button.

Note: When you select multiple flows, this event only affects the first selected flow.

Subflows #

Subflows let you split a large workflow into smaller, named parts and reuse a shared sequence of actions. Every workflow has a Main flow, which is the entry point that runs when the workflow starts. In addition to Main, you can create one or more subflows.

Subflows are shown as tabs above the flows list. The Main tab is always present; each subflow you create appears as an additional tab.

Creating and managing subflows #

1. Click the Add subflow button (the + next to the tabs) to create a new subflow.
2. Enter a name for the subflow and choose its Scope (see below).
3. Select a subflow’s tab to edit its flows, just like you edit the Main flow.

Right-click a subflow tab to Move left, Move right, Rename, Clone, or Remove it.

Note: The name Main is reserved for the main flow, and each subflow must have a unique name.

Running a subflow #

A subflow does not run on its own. To run it, add a Run subflow action to the Main flow (or to another subflow) and select the subflow to run.

Subflow scope #

When you create a subflow, you choose how it handles variables:

• Local: The subflow runs with its own isolated copy of the variables. Any variable changes made inside the subflow are discarded when it finishes, so they do not affect the caller. Use this to keep a reusable subflow self-contained.
• Global: The subflow shares variables with the rest of the workflow. Variable changes made inside the subflow persist after it returns. Use this when the subflow is meant to produce results for the caller to use.

Note: The scope is chosen when the subflow is created and cannot be changed afterward.

Figure: A subflow that runs Google Chrome.

Report an issue #

If something does not work as expected, you can send a report to IDmelon support from the app. Click the Help button in the toolbar at the top of the Workflow Editor and select Report an Issue.

In the Report an Issue window:

1. Describe the problem in the What went wrong? box. This field is required.
2. Leave Include application logs selected to attach the IDmelon Accesskey and Workflow Automation logs.
3. Optionally select Include workflows, then tick the workflows you want to attach as .idwf packages.
4. Click Send.

The report is delivered through IDmelon Accesskey.

Note: Attached workflows may contain sensitive data, so review your selection before sending.

Note: If the report cannot be sent, it is saved as a .zip archive in the IDWA_temp folder on your desktop, and the app offers to open the containing folder so that you can email the archive to [email protected] yourself.

Workflow Runner #

Workflow Runner is a Windows service (IDmelon Workflow Runner) that runs your registered workflows automatically, based on each workflow’s trigger condition. It is installed together with Workflow Automation, runs in the background for all users, and starts with Windows.

To make a workflow run automatically:

1. In the Workflow Editor, set the workflow’s trigger condition.
2. Export the workflow as a .json file.
3. Register the exported workflow so the runner picks it up, using the method that matches its trigger:
   • Application launch, Screen unlock, or User logon: register with automationcli.
   • Security key presence (card tap) or Transparent unlock: register through Accesskey (see Configuring Accesskey).

You can control whether the runner starts with Windows from the Settings panel (see Startup behavior for Workflow Runner).

Registering workflows with automationcli #

automationcli is a command-line tool, installed with Workflow Automation and available on the system PATH, that registers exported workflows to run on their trigger condition. Registering and removing workflows affects all users on the machine, so run these commands as an administrator.

Example:

automationcli workflows add --path "C:\ProgramData\IDmelon\Workflow Automation\Workflows\documentation_sample.json"

Note: automationcli handles the Application launch, Screen unlock, and User logon triggers, which the runner watches for directly. The Security key presence (card tap) and Transparent unlock triggers are driven by Accesskey instead, see Configuring Accesskey.

Configuring Accesskey #

Use Accesskey to register a workflow for the Security key presence (card tap) or Transparent unlock trigger.

1. Export the desired workflow from the Workflow Editor.

2. In PowerShell, run the command that matches the workflow’s trigger condition to activate the automation.

   For the Security key presence (card tap) trigger:

   accesskeycli workflow-automation -s -t automation-app --action execute --workflow-path "PATH_TO_WORKFLOW_FILE"
   

   For the Transparent unlock trigger, add the --trigger-condition onTransparentUnlock option:

   accesskeycli workflow-automation -s -t automation-app --action execute --workflow-path "PATH_TO_WORKFLOW_FILE" --trigger-condition onTransparentUnlock
   

   To disable the automation, enter the following command in PowerShell:

   accesskeycli workflow-automation -t automation-app -r
   

Uninstalling Workflow Automation #

When you uninstall Workflow Automation, your personal data (workflows and application settings) is kept by default.

If you also want to remove this data, select the remove user data option in the uninstaller before continuing. When this option is selected, your saved workflows and settings are permanently deleted along with the application.

Note: Removing user data cannot be undone. If you might reinstall later and want to keep your workflows, leave this option unchecked or export your workflows as .idwf files first.