Blue Prism Tutorial for Beginners

Introduction

Does all this RPA sound overwhelming, and you worry that this will require some deep coding? You are not alone. Many beginners struggle with where exactly to begin. This Blue Prism tutorial for beginners cuts through the jargon to provide clear, step-by-step guidance on how to master Blue Prism. We will start with the basics, building your skills with confidence. Ready to embark on your RPA journey? Refer to the detailed Blue Prism Course Syllabus.

Why Students or Freshers Learn Blue Prism

Learning Blue Prism will be very useful for students and freshers because it:

• High Demand Career: Opens the door to highly in-demand careers like RPA Developer, Analyst, and Consultant in all industries.
• Future-Proof Skill: This course equips you with essential skills for the rapidly growing field of Robotic Process Automation.
• Non-Coding Focus: Blue Prism is a low-code/no-code platform, thus making it reachable for people without extensive programming backgrounds.
• Industry Recognition: It is a market leader in the RPA space, hence giving your resume quite a competitive edge.
• Process Thinking: Develops strong skills in analysis and problem-solving, focusing on improving business processes.

Ready to ace your job search? Access Blue Prism Interview Questions and Answers.

Step-by-Step Blue Prism Tutorial for Beginners

This Blue Prism tutorial for beginners is comprehensive and covers all steps in detail. We’ll begin with the basic installation and move into the core concepts of building your first automation.

Part 1: Installation and Initial Setup

First and foremost, you will need to install the Blue Prism application and then set up its database connection. The following steps are generally followed for either the Learning Edition or a trial version of Blue Prism:

Step 1: Install Prerequisites (SQL Server Express)

Blue Prism requires a Microsoft SQL Server database to work. For personal learning purposes, the free SQL Server Express edition is sufficient.

• Download: From the official website of Microsoft, download the SQL Server Express installer.
• Installation: Run the installer. Choose either a basic or custom installation, making sure to create a new named instance, such as SQLEXPRESS or BLUEPRISM_DB.
• Authentication: Choose the authentication mode, usually Windows Authentication for ease, or Mixed Mode if you need a particular SQL login.

Step 2: Install Blue Prism

• Download: Download the installer for Blue Prism Trial or Learning Edition, after registration on the official portal of SS&C Blue Prism.
• Run Installer: Double-click the installer, for example, BluePrism_x64.msi.
• Follow Instructions: Accept the license agreement, choose an installation folder, select the components, which for most learning environments, you can select all.
• Finish: Click Finish to complete the installation.

Step 3: Create and Configure the Database

This step links the Blue Prism application to your SQL Server.

1. Launch Blue Prism: Open the installed application.
2. Connection Settings: In the logon window, select Configure Connection.
3. Connection Details:
   • Connection Name: Provide a significant name, for example, Local_BP_Connection.
   • Connection Type: Choose either SQL Server (SQL Authentication) or SQL Server (Windows Authentication), depending on the SQL configuration.
   • Database Server: Type the name of your SQL Server instance, such as YourComputerName\SQLEXPRESS.
   • Database Name: Type a new name for the Blue Prism database (for example, BluePrismDatabase).
4. Create Database: Click Create Database. Follow the prompts to apply the schema and configure default settings.
5. Initial Login: After the database is created, you will be prompted to log in. The default initial credentials are usually:
   • Username: admin
   • Password: admin (or you may be prompted to create an initial Admin account).
6. Change Password: You will be forced to change the default password immediately for security.
7. Install License: If prompted, browse to the license file-an XML file that was emailed to you when you downloaded the software-and click Install.

You are now in the Blue Prism Interactive Client, usually on the Home tab.

Part 2: Know thy Core Components (The Studio)

Automation in Blue Prism is built using two main workspaces, together known as the Studio:

There are two components:

• Object Studio (VBOs): The environment for interacting with external applications (web browsers, Windows apps, Excel, etc.). It creates Visual Business Objects (VBOs)—reusable components that define how to manipulate an application. It includes stages like Read, Write, Navigate, Wait, and Code.
• Process Studio: The environment for defining business logic and the overall process flow. It consumes the actions defined in VBOs to execute an end-to-end automated process. It includes Alert, Process/Object References (Action Stage).

Key Blue Prism Terminology:

Term	Description
Stage	A graphical icon representing a specific action or piece of logic (e.g., Calculation, Decision, Action).
Data Item	A variable used to store data within an Object or Process. They have defined types (Text, Number, Date, Flag, Collection).
Collection	A multi-row/multi-column data item, similar to a spreadsheet or database table, used to handle bulk data.
Action	An operation exposed by a Business Object (VBO) or a Process that can be called by another Process or Object.
Application Modeller	A tool within Object Studio used to “spy” or map the elements (buttons, text fields, links) of a target application.

Part 3 – Creating Your First Automation (A Simple VBO)

Let’s create a simple VBO to perform some kind of mathematical calculation. Since most VBOs encapsulate the logic, this is a good place to start.

Step 1: Create a New Business Object

• Navigate to the Studio tab.
• In the left pane, right-click the Objects folder, then select Create Object.
• Enter a name for your new Business Object, for example Calc VBO.
• Click Finish. This opens the Object in Object Studio.

Step 2: Define Data Items

We need data items to hold the input numbers and the final result.

1. Find the Data Item stage in the Toolbox on the right panel. Drag it onto the canvas.
2. Double-click the new Data Item stage to open its properties.
3. Create Data Item 1:
   • Name: Input Number 1
   • Data Type: Number
   • Initial Value: 10
4. Create Data Item 2:
   • Name: Input Number 2
   • Data Type: Number
   • Initial Value: 5
5. Create Data Item 3 (Result):
   • Name: Result
   • Data Type: Number
   • Initial Value: Leave blank

Step 3: Compute a Calculation

We will perform the math using the Calculation stage.

1. Drag a Calculation stage onto the canvas.
2. Double-click it to open properties.
3. Name: Calculate Sum
4. Expression: Enter the expression in the expression editor: [Input Number 1] + [Input Number 2]
5. Store Result In: Select the Result Data Item.
6. Click OK.

Step 4: Link and Test the Object

In Blue Prism, a flow is built through the interlinking of stages.

1. Drag a Link from the Toolbox. Connect the Start stage to the Calculate Sum stage, then connect Calculate Sum to the End stage.
2. Click the Reset button (circular arrow icon) on the toolbar.
3. Click the Go button (play icon) to execute the logic. The flow will start running, and the Result data item will refresh to 15.
4. Save your Object (Calc VBO).

Step 5: Publish the Action

In order to make the calculation available to a Process, you need to publish the page as an Action.

1. Go to the Main Page tab or the page where you created the flow.
2. Right-click the tab for the page name and select Publish Page.
3. The Calculate Sum action can now be invoked by a Process.

Part 4: Creating a Process (The Business Logic)

Now we create a Process to call the Action we just published in the VBO.

Step 1: Create a New Process

1. Go back to the Studio tab.
2. In the left pane, right-click the Processes folder and select Create Process.
3. Enter a name for your new Process, such as First Calc Process.
4. Click Finish. This opens the Process in Process Studio.

Step 2: Define Data Items (for Input/Output)

In a Process, data items are frequently used for inputs/outputs or for temporary storage.

1. Drag a Data Item onto the canvas.
2. Name: Final Output
3. Data Type: Number
4. Set Initial Value to 0.

Step 3: Call the VBO Action

From Process Studio, we invoke the published Action of VBO at the Action stage.

1. Drag an Action stage onto the canvas.
2. Double-click it to open the properties.
3. Name: Call Calculation VBO
4. Business Object: From the dropdown select the VBO you have created, for example: Calc VBO.
5. Action: Choose published page/action (for example, Calculate Sum).
6. Outputs: The Result data item, which is the internal item for the VBO, is not exposed by default. You must configure the End Stage in the VBO to pass the Result Data Item as an Output Parameter in Object Studio.
   • (Self-Correction/Best Practice: Go back to Object Studio, open the VBO, double-click the End stage on the Main Page, click Add, set a name like Calculated Value, type Number, and set the value to Result. Save and Publish the VBO again.)
7. Return to Process Studio: Re-open the properties of the Action stage. The Outputs tab, now lists the Calculated Value output.
   • Store in: Select the Final Output Data Item.
8. Click OK.

Step 4: Link and Test the Process

1. Link the Start stage to the Call Calculation VBO Action stage.
2. Link the Call Calculation VBO Action stage to the End stage.
3. Click the Reset button.
4. Click the Go button to run the Process.
5. Observe the flow. The Action stage will call the VBO, which calculates $10 + 5$, returns the result and stores it in the Final Output Data Item of the Process. The Final Output Data Item will update to 15.
6. Save your Process.

Part 5 – Application Modeling (Interacting with an Application)

In a practical situation, the VBO will interface with a browser or a desktop application. This becomes possible using the Application Modeller.

This is a conceptual guide, since it is not for any exact application.

Step 1: Create a New Business Object for App Interaction

1. In Object Studio, create a new VBO, for example, Web Login VBO.
2. Double-click the Application Modeller icon on the toolbar – it looks like a blue prism with a window.
3. Application Type: Choose the type of application to be automated. If you are automating a website, choose a Browser-based application.
4. Launch Method: Select the method by which to launch the application. For example, choose “Launch from an executable file” or for browser, “Launch from a URL”. Specify the path or URL. Click Next until the wizard completes.

Step 2: Spy the Elements

Blue Prism learns the unique attributes of a UI element through “spying”.

1. In the Application Modeller, click Identify. This minimises Blue Prism.
2. Hover your mouse over the target application, such as a website login page.
3. Click on an element, for example the Username Text Box, using the specified key combination that is usually Ctrl + Left Click. This captures the element’s attributes in the Modeller. 
4. Give the element a meaningful name, such as Username_TxtBox. 
5. Repeat this process for every element with which you will interact – Password Text Box, Login Button, and so on. 
6. Click OK and save the VBO. 

Step 3: Employ Navigate, Read, and Write Stages 

The VBO is ready to interact using the special stages in Object Studio: 

• Write Stage: Utilized in entering information into an application element, such as typing a username into Username_TxtBox. 
• Read Stage: Used to extract data from an application element: for example, reading a status message. 
• Navigate Stage: Used to control the application by, for example, clicking on Login_Btn, launching the application, or closing it. 

You would then create an Action page (example: Login Action) using these steps, linking them together with links and decision steps, then Publish it so your main Process could use it. 

Part 6: Control Room (Execution and Monitoring) 

Once your Process is built and tested in Process Studio, you use the Control Room for live execution, scheduling, and monitoring. 

1. Publish the Process: In the Process Studio, double click the End stage of your main page, and check the checkbox Publish the process to Control Room. Save the Process. 
2. Go to Control Room: Click the Control tab.
3. Resource Management: In the left pane, your local machine will be listed as a Resource. A Resource is a Digital Worker (a robot).
4. Start the Process: 
   • Drag your published Process, e.g., First Calc Process from the top-right list of Processes onto a Resource in the bottom-right. 
   • Click Start. 
5. Monitoring: You will see that the Session Log refreshes in real time as it shows where the Digital Worker started, completed, and/or threw exceptions. This will be the hub to manage and execute your automation enterprise. 

This Blue Prism tutorial will take one through the entire cycle: from installation to understanding the core components, then VBO creation, Process creation, and finally execution in the Control Room. Ready to tackle real-world RPA scenarios and common roadblocks? Access Blue Prism Challenges and Solutions.

Real Time Examples for Blue Prism Tutorial for Learners

The following examples show processes suitable for Blue Prism automation:

• Invoice Processing: The automated reading of key data (vendor name, amount, date) from email attachments-invoices by means of the Read stage; data validation by Decision stages; and input into an ERP system via Write and Navigate stages.
• Customer Onboarding: A bot logs into a CRM, extracts details of new customers, checks for eligibility against a legacy system, and sends a welcome email via an Action interfacing with a mailing server.
• HR Data Management: Collect employee attendance reports on a schedule from a shared folder, identify and resolve any discrepancies in an Excel Collection, then upload cleaned data into the core HRIS platform.

Need inspiration for your portfolio? Explore Blue Prism Project Ideas.

FAQs About Blue Prism Tutorial for Beginners

Conclusion

You’ve taken the foundational steps in Blue Prism, from installation and setup to creating your first Object and Process. You now understand the power of the Object Studio and Process Studio in building a scalable digital workforce.

It takes a continuous process of learning and practicing to become a certified RPA professional. Ready to accelerate your career with deep-dive training? Sign up for Comprehensive Blue Prism Course in Chennai for a Promising Career in RPA.