Guided definition of an application programming interface action for a workflow

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11068241-B2
Application number	US-201916705993-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2019
Priority date	Mar 19, 2019
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A computing system includes persistent storage configured to store definitions of actions for integration into workflows, and a software application configured to define an action that invokes a function of an application programming interface (API). The software application obtains a specification and identifies therein definitions of a uniform resource locator (URL) that addresses the API, the function, an input of the function, and an output of the function. The software application generates an input variable of the action that corresponds to the input of the function and an output variable of the action that corresponds to the output of the function. The software application determines a first mapping between the input variable and a URL parameter of the API and a second mapping between the output variable and a response from the API. The first and second mappings are stored in in the persistent storage to define the action.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for building workflows, the system comprising:
one or more hardware processors; and
a non-transitory memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, causes the one or more hardware processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a specification of an application programming interface (API), wherein the specification defines a function of the API, an input to the function, an output from the function, and a uniform resource locator (URL) that addresses the API;
receiving, via a graphical user interface (GUI), a first selection defining a first action that invokes the function of the API, an input to the first action, and an output from the first action;
generating a first mapping between the input to the first action and the input to the function based on the specification;
generating a second mapping between the output from the function and the output from the first action based on the specification;
receiving, via the GUI, a second selection defining a second action and an input to the second action;
generating an association between the output from the first action and the input to the second action; and
generating a workflow that comprises the first mapping and the second mapping as part of the workflow, wherein the function of the API is invokable by a user without the user referencing script associated with the API, wherein a value of the output of the first action is passed from the first action to the second action during execution of the workflow.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations comprise:
receiving a second specification of a second API, wherein the second specification defines a second function of the second API, an input to the second function, an output from the second function, and a second URL that addresses the second API, wherein the second selection defines an output from the second action;
generating a third mapping between the input to the second action and the input to the second function; and
generating a fourth mapping between the output from the second function and the output from the second action.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the workflow comprises the third mapping and the fourth mapping, wherein the second function of the second API is invokable by the user without the user referencing script associated with the second API.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the workflow comprises updating an existing workflow.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the specification of the API is received into an existing workflow.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the output from the first action is provided as the input to the second action.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second action invokes the function of the API, a second function of the API, or a function of a second API, or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein generating the workflow comprises:
receiving selection of the first action and the second action to define the workflow, wherein the first action precedes the second action in the workflow; and
receiving an assignment of the output from the first action to the input to the second action.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first mapping is based on a URL resource path parameter identifying a resource provided by a server device hosting the API.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable code, that when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first selection defining a first action during execution of a workflow, wherein the workflow has been defined based on:
a specification of an application programming interface (API), wherein the specification defines a function of the API, an input to the function, an output from the function, and a uniform resource locator (URL) that addresses the API;
the first selection defining the first action that invokes the function of the API, an input to the first action, and an output from the first action;
a first mapping between the input to the first action and the input to the function; and
a second mapping between the output from the function and the output from the first action, wherein the input to the first action invokes the function of the API without referencing script associated with the API;
a second selection defining a second action and an input to the second action;
an association between the output from the first action and the input to the second action;

invoking the function of the API using the URL that addresses the API and the input to the function, based on the input to the first action and the first mapping;
receiving, via the API, the output from the function; and
providing the output from the first action based on the output from the function and the second mapping, wherein a value of the output of the first action is passed from the first action to the second action during execution of the workflow.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the workflow is defined based on:
a second specification of a second API, wherein the second specification defines a second function of the second API, an input to the second function, an output from the second function, and a second URL that addresses the second API, wherein the second selection defines an output from the second action;
a third mapping between the input to the second action and the input to the second function; and
a fourth mapping between the output from the second function and the output to the second action, wherein the input to the second action invokes the second function of the second API without referencing script associated with the second API.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the workflow has been defined based:
receiving selection of the first action and a second action, wherein the first action precedes the second action in the workflow; and
receiving an assignment of the output from the first action to the input to the second action.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the specification defines a second function of the API, an input to the second function, and an output from the second function.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the first action invokes the second function of the API.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the output from the first action is provided as the input to a second action.

16. A method for generating workflows, the method comprising:
receiving a specification of an application programming interface (API), wherein the specification defines a function of the API, an input to the function, an output from the function, and a uniform resource locator (URL) that addresses the API;
receiving, via a graphical user interface (GUI), a first selection an input defining a first action that invokes the function of the API, an input to the first action, and an output from the first action;
generating a first mapping between the input to the first action and the input to the function;
generating a second mapping between the output from the function and the output from the first action based on the specification;
receiving, via the GUI, a second selection defining a second action and an input to the second action;
generating an association between the output from the first action and the input to the second action; and
generating a workflow that comprises the first mapping and the s

Assignees

• Servicenow Inc

Inventors

• Swope Stuart Dean
• Rodriguez Natallia Rabtsevich
• Maloy Christopher
• Dias Rebecca Anita

Classifications

• G06F8/20 Primary

  Software design · CPC title

• G06F9/54

  Interprogram communication · CPC title

• G06Q10/0633 Primary

  Workflow analysis · CPC title

• G06F8/34

  Graphical or visual programming · CPC title

• G06F9/542

  Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications · CPC title