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billyw0002
August 2, 2023
Question

Error to write data to database at the step of Appian Automation Training: RPA Tutorial: Parse Excel Files issue

  • August 2, 2023
  • 9 replies
  • 0 views

I am new Appian.  I am working the "RPA Tutorial: Parse Excel Files" version (23.2) to read data through RPA robot task, which works fine, but cannot figure out error at the step to Add Excel data to database in PM.. Your help is very appreciated!   

In Appian Community questions, there was similar question about working on the same training document, and the answer was written: missing one step in the tutorial : In the Appian RPA interface, for the Upload Excel File activity, you must enter "excelDocumentID" as the Target, in the Outputs section.  I don't understand this answer because the excelDocumentID column is set as primary key, auto-generate?  if this step is the missed step, how to do this step? 

The errors message I have had: 

An error occurred while evaluating expression: =pv!roboticTaskVariables.dataValues (Expression evaluation error: Cannot index null List of Map) (Data Inputs)  (* dot dataValues was added manually after pv!roboticTaskVariables) 

Without dot dataValues, got this error: 

An error occurred while trying to write to the entity "ExcelDatabusinessOpportunities" [id=58a9b60a-65cf-46e9-bdd7-612ad0ca8a9f@7890, type=DD_ExcelDataBusinessOpportunities (id=4670)] (data store: DD_Excel Data Tutorial DS). Details: java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: The list of records to be saved must not be null or empty: TypedValue[it=4671,v=<null>] Data: TypedValue[it=4671,v=<null>

thanks!

9 replies

randy.richeson
randy.richeson
August 22, 2023

The excelDocumentId should be returned to the robotic task once the excel document is uploaded with the 'Upload document' action.

I was able to reproduce this error using a 'Write to Data Store Entity' with a null value for the second node input. Replacing the 'Write to Data Store Entity' with an 'Import Excel to Database' smart service prevented this error.

Have you tried using the 'Import Excel to Database' smart service which is available with the 'Excel Tools' plugin? You should not need a 'Write to Data Store Entity'.

You can pass the following value for the Excel Document:

=todocument(pv!botVariables.excelDocumentID)

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billyw0002Author
August 23, 2023

hi, Randall,  thank you so much!  I have tried to use the smart service: Import Excel to database service, but got error.  I could not find/locate a right documentation for how to configure this smart service to get idea reason.  In my PM, I cannot get .excelDocuemntID after pv! roboticTaskVariables when using the value what you mentioned =todocument(pv!botVariables.excelDocumentID).  also I am not sure what correct configuration should apply for the data source name and table name? 

by reviewing the process detail, the process variable: roboticTaskVariables was stored all data from previous RPA node (see screenshot below),  

randy.richeson
randy.richeson
August 23, 2023

Try defining a robotic task integer variable for the excelDocumentId and then assign it as the target variable on the 'Upload Excel File' action.

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