Basic Automation Blocks

Basic Automation Blocks

Automation blocks are the fundamental building components of Heptora workflows. They enable you to automate repetitive tasks across different systems and data sources. This guide covers the essential blocks available for common automation scenarios.

Overview

Basic automation blocks provide ready-to-use functionality for:

• Sending communications and notifications
• Managing files and documents
• Working with spreadsheets
• Connecting to databases
• Integrating with external APIs and web services

Each block can be configured with specific parameters and connected to other blocks to create powerful automated workflows.

Communication Blocks

Email Sending

Send professional emails programmatically with full control over content and delivery.

Features:

• SMTP Configuration: Direct SMTP server integration with support for multiple providers
• Email Templates: Reusable templates with variable substitution
• Attachments: Support for multiple file attachments
• Bulk Sending: Send emails to multiple recipients efficiently
• Headers & Metadata: Custom headers and email properties

Configuration:

- SMTP Server: smtp.provider.com
- Port: 587 (TLS) or 465 (SSL)
- Authentication: Username and password
- Template Variables: [[name]], [[email]], [[date]]

Notifications

Send real-time notifications to team members and external systems.

Supported Channels:

• Webhooks: Generic webhook endpoints with JSON payload
• Slack: Direct messages, channel posts, threaded messages
• Microsoft Teams: Formatted cards and rich notifications
• Email Alerts: Instant email notifications
• Push Notifications: Mobile and browser notifications

Use Cases:

• Alert on workflow completion or errors
• Send approval requests to team members
• Notify stakeholders of important events
• Integration with incident management systems

File Management Blocks

File Operations

Perform comprehensive file system operations within your workflows.

Supported Operations:

• Read: Load file contents into workflow variables
• Write: Create new files or overwrite existing ones
• Copy: Duplicate files while preserving properties
• Move: Rename or relocate files across directories
• Delete: Remove files with optional backup

Supported Formats:

• Text Files: TXT, LOG, XML, JSON
• Spreadsheets: CSV, TSV
• Documents: PDF, DOCX
• Data Files: JSON, XML
• Archive Files: ZIP, RAR (extraction)

Error Handling:

• Automatic retry on temporary failures
• Detailed error messages and logging
• Rollback capabilities for critical operations

File Transformation

Convert and process files in various formats.

Capabilities:

• Format conversion (CSV to JSON, XML to CSV)
• File compression and decompression
• Archive creation and extraction
• Text encoding conversion

Excel Management Blocks

Read & Write Operations

Work directly with Excel spreadsheets in your automation workflows.

Read Operations:

• Load entire worksheets into memory
• Extract specific cell values
• Read defined ranges (A1:C10)
• Handle multiple sheets
• Preserve formatting and formulas

Write Operations:

• Create new spreadsheets from data
• Update specific cells or ranges
• Add new rows and columns
• Insert formulas dynamically
• Format cells (colors, fonts, alignment)

Supported Formats:

• XLSX (Excel 2007+)
• XLS (Excel 97-2003)
• CSV (with delimiter options)

Data Transformation

Transform and analyze Excel data within workflows.

Features:

• Filtering: Apply conditions to filter rows
• Sorting: Sort by one or multiple columns
• Formulas: Calculate values using Excel functions
• Aggregation: Sum, average, count, and other calculations
• Pivot Tables: Create summary reports (basic)
• Validation: Data validation and error checking

Example Workflow:

1. Read sales data from Excel file
2. Filter for transactions above $1000
3. Sort by date descending
4. Add calculated columns (profit margin, tax)
5. Write to new workbook and send via email

Database Blocks

Database Connections

Connect to enterprise databases for data operations.

Supported Systems:

• SQL Server: Full support for 2008+ versions
• MySQL: Version 5.7 and later
• PostgreSQL: Version 9.6 and later
• Oracle: Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition

Configuration:

• Connection pooling for performance
• SSL/TLS encryption support
• Timeout and retry settings
• Stored procedure support

CRUD Operations

Perform standard database operations safely and efficiently.

Operations:

• SELECT: Query data with complex WHERE clauses and JOINs
• INSERT: Add new records with validation
• UPDATE: Modify existing records with conditions
• DELETE: Remove records with confirmation

Advanced Features:

• Transactions: Group multiple operations with ACID compliance
• Commits: Save transaction changes permanently
• Rollbacks: Undo changes if errors occur
• Prepared Statements: Prevent SQL injection attacks
• Bulk Operations: Insert/update multiple records efficiently

Example Query:

SELECT customer_id, total_amount, order_date
FROM orders
WHERE order_date >= '2024-01-01'
AND status = 'completed'
ORDER BY total_amount DESC

Web & API Blocks

Web Scraping

Extract structured data from web pages automatically.

Features:

• HTML Parsing: Extract data using CSS selectors or XPath
• JavaScript Rendering: Handle dynamic content
• Session Management: Maintain cookies and authentication
• Rate Limiting: Respect server resources
• Error Recovery: Automatic retry with exponential backoff

Supported Data Extraction:

• Tables and structured data
• Links and URLs
• Images and media
• Text content
• Custom HTML elements

API Calls

Integrate with external services and REST/SOAP APIs.

REST API Support:

• All HTTP methods: GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, DELETE
• Request headers and custom parameters
• JSON, XML, and form-encoded data
• Response parsing and error handling

SOAP Integration:

• WSDL parsing and method discovery
• SOAP envelope generation
• XML request/response handling

Authentication Methods

Secure your API integrations with multiple authentication options.

Available Methods:

• API Keys: Static keys in headers or query parameters
• OAuth 2.0: Token-based authentication with refresh
• Bearer Tokens: JWT and similar token formats
• Basic Auth: Username and password encoding
• Custom Headers: Application-specific authentication

Security Best Practices:

• Store credentials in secure vaults
• Use HTTPS for all communications
• Implement request signing for sensitive APIs
• Rotate API keys regularly
• Monitor API usage and rate limits

Use Cases

Order Processing Automation

1. Receive customer order via API
2. Update order status in database
3. Read template from file system
4. Generate invoice and attach to email
5. Send confirmation to customer
6. Log transaction in Excel report

Data Migration & Synchronization

1. Extract data from source database
2. Transform using Excel calculations
3. Map fields to destination format
4. Load into target database
5. Validate record count and checksums
6. Send completion report via email and Slack

Web Monitoring & Alerts

1. Scrape competitor website for pricing
2. Compare with database values
3. If difference detected, create alert
4. Notify team via Teams and Slack
5. Log changes in CSV file
6. Update dashboard via API call

Report Generation

1. Query database for KPI metrics
2. Export to Excel with formatting
3. Create summary PDF
4. Attach to email template
5. Send to distribution list
6. Archive in file system

Best Practices

Performance Optimization

• Batch Operations: Group database operations to reduce connections
• Connection Pooling: Reuse database connections
• Caching: Store frequently accessed data
• Pagination: Process large datasets in chunks
• Parallel Processing: Execute independent blocks concurrently

Error Handling

• Implement try-catch blocks for critical operations
• Log all errors with detailed context
• Set up alerts for workflow failures
• Use rollback on database transaction failures
• Implement retry logic with exponential backoff

Security Guidelines

• Never hardcode credentials in workflows
• Use environment variables or secure vaults
• Validate and sanitize all user inputs
• Encrypt sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Audit access to sensitive information
• Implement least-privilege access principles

Maintenance & Monitoring

• Document all custom configurations
• Set up monitoring for workflow performance
• Review logs regularly for issues
• Keep database connections optimized
• Update API integrations when endpoints change
• Test changes in staging environment first

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Email Not Sending

• Verify SMTP credentials and port
• Check firewall and network settings
• Ensure sender address is valid
• Verify recipient addresses
• Check email size limits

File Operations Failing

• Confirm file paths and permissions
• Check available disk space
• Verify file formats are supported
• Ensure proper file encoding
• Check for locked files

Database Connection Issues

• Verify connection credentials
• Check network connectivity
• Confirm database is running
• Verify firewall rules
• Check connection timeout settings

API Integration Problems

• Validate API endpoint URL
• Verify authentication credentials
• Check request payload format
• Review API rate limits
• Monitor response status codes

Support

Getting Help

Documentation:

• Visit our Documentation Portal
• Browse automation block examples
• Review API reference documentation

Community Support:

• Join our Slack community for peer assistance
• Browse and contribute to community workflows
• Share automation patterns and templates

Professional Support:

• Contact our support team at support@heptora.com
• Create a support ticket through your dashboard
• Access premium SLA support for enterprise customers

Resources:

• Video tutorials and walkthroughs
• Best practices guides and webinars
• Code samples and templates
• Integration guides for popular services

Related Resources

• Building Your First Workflow
• Advanced Automation Techniques
• API Reference
• Workflow Best Practices
• Security & Compliance
• Monitoring & Logging