Requirements for developing chatbots in IBM RPA on premises

Review the required hardware and system to develop a chatbot.

IBM RPA server

The procedures in this topic refer to the server-side configuration on the IBM Robotic Process Automation on premises.

Create a Microsoft® Azure Subscription and register a bot

  1. Create a Microsoft® Azure Subscription🡥.
  2. Register a bot with Azure🡥. Follow the procedures 1 to 8 only.
    • In the Microsoft App ID section, select Multi Tenant from the Type of App list.
    • Save the Bot handle data.

Install the IBM Robotic Process Automation

Install the IBM Robotic Process Automation on premises. See Installing IBM RPA on premises for instructions.

Note:
  • Enter the Bot API Port during the IBM RPA server installation.
  • Optional: You get the Bot handle data from the Microsoft® Azure portal. The Bot Handle you enter in the IBM Robotic Process Automation server installation is the Bot that you create to debug a chatbot in the IBM RPA Studio.
  • Install the IBM RPA server using a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) address instead of an IP address.

Configure the Bot for debugging in the IBM RPA Studio

You need to configure a chatbot instance to debug your chatbot script in the IBM RPA Studio:

  1. Open the C:\Program Files\IBM Robotic Process Automation\IBM Robotic Process Automation folder.
  2. Edit the region.config file.
  3. Enter the Bot handle data inside the <BotHandle> tag. Use the Bot handle data that you got from the Azure portal. See Create a Microsoft® Azure Subscription and register a bot for instruction to register a bot in the Azure portal.
  4. Optional: close the IBM RPA Studio.
  5. Restart the IBM Robotic Process Automation Agent.
  6. Create a chatbot instance in the IBM RPA Control Center. Let the Tenant field blank to create it. See Creating a chatbot instance for instructions.

Allow API requests

From the server-side, allow the following APIs to the IBM RPA chatbot to communicate with your bot in a communication channel over HTTPS:

Direct Line API
https://directline.botframework.com

Facebook Messenger API
https://facebook.botframework.com/api/v1/bots/

Remember:The Facebook Messenger API is not mandatory if you don't use it.

IBM RPA client

The procedures in this topic refer to the client-side configuration on the IBM Robotic Process Automation on premises.

You need to open the Bot API Port. See Prerequisites to install the client: Ports and protocols for information about it.