Limitations of Now Assist for RPA Hub

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read
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    Summary of Limitations of Now Assist for RPA Hub

    Now Assist for RPA Hub in the Australia release offers automated RPA bot generation using AI Search and large language models (LLM). However, there are several important limitations that impact the scope, compatibility, and automation workflow quality that ServiceNow customers should be aware of when leveraging this skill.

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    Key Limitations

    • AI Search and LLM Timeout and Rate Limits: The RPA bot generation skill depends on AI Search and LLM APIs, which are subject to timeout limits and rate limiting. These constraints can affect response time and throughput during automation creation.
    • Component Scope in Yokohama Release: Only a limited set of components are supported initially. Components outside this scope, such as "Capture" for screenshots, will not be included in the generated workflows.
    • Plugin Version Compatibility: The skill requires Yokohama version plugins. Using plugins from other releases (e.g., Washington DC) may result in methods appearing as unknown components if they don’t exist in the loaded plugin version.
    • Handling of Unknown or Hallucinated Components: Methods returned by the LLM that are not recognized by the RPA Design Studio show up as unknown components in the workflow preview and design surfaces, requiring manual intervention.
    • Reuse of Existing Connectors: When creating new activities, the system reuses existing global connector objects if available, helping maintain consistency but requiring awareness of global object usage.
    • Lack of Dynamic Configuration: Dynamic configuration of components is not available; users must manually configure component inputs (e.g., for Microsoft Excel connector methods) after generation.
    • Automation for Windows, Java, or Browser Apps: Generic UI actions like SetValue, GetValue, and Click (Universal app connector) are suggested but require manual configuration, including element capture and screen setup.
    • Expression-Based Components: Components requiring expressions (like Decision or Expression) do not have their expressions automatically populated and need manual input.

    Implications for ServiceNow Customers

    Understanding these limitations helps set realistic expectations when using Now Assist for RPA Hub to generate automation workflows. Customers should plan for manual adjustments, especially around component configuration, unsupported components, and plugin compatibility. Awareness of API rate limits and component scope will aid in effective automation design and deployment.

    The limitations of the RPA bot generation skill are as follows.

    AI Search and LLM timeout
    The RPA bot generation skill relies on AI Search and large language models (LLM) to understand the user instructions and flow creation. The timeout limits and rate-limiting behavior of these APIs collectively apply to the RPA bot generation skill. For more information about AI search system properties, see AI Search system properties. For more information about API rate limits, see Inbound REST API rate limiting. For more information about configuring rate limiting for providers, see Configure rate limiting for providers.
    Component scope in Yokohama release
    The initial version supports few components. Components outside this scope don't appear in the generated automation workflow. For example, if you provide an instruction, such as Capture a screen shot and save it in the location at 'C:\Users\Screens', the generated automation workflow might not contain the Capture component because it isn’t included in the initial version components list. For more information about the list of supported components, see Supported components and connectors for Now Assist for RPA Hub in Yokohama release.
    Plugin version compatibility
    The feature uses Yokohama version plugins. If the large language model (LLM) returns a method that doesn’t exist in the loaded plugin version, then such methods are displayed as unknown components in the generated automation workflow. For example, if you’re using Washington DC version plugins within an existing automation project and provide an instruction to set or get values from an application, then the SetValue, GetValue, or Click methods of the Universal App connector are displayed as unknown components in the generated automation workflow.
    In the following example, to get the weather information, data reader components are required. Since they are not available in the current scope, they appear as UNKNOWN components in the automation preview.
    Figure 1. Unknown components in the Automation preview
    Automation preview section displays UNKNOWN components.
    If you select Next in the previous screen, the automation appears as follows on the Design surface.
    Figure 2. Unknown components on the Design surface
    Design surface displays UNKNOWN components.
    Usage of existing connectors in new activity using Now Assist or build automation context menu options
    During the automation workflow creation, if a method, such as the AddNewWorksheet method of Microsoft Excel connector is created, RPA Desktop Design Studio checks for an existing global object of the same connector type and uses the most recent one. In the following example, the Badging Data Microsoft Excel connector is used.
    Figure 3. Microsoft Excel connectors in Global Objects
    Project Explorer section displays Microsoft Excel connectors in the Global Objects. Badging Data Microsoft Excel connector is selected.
    Dynamic configuration
    Dynamic configuration for supported components isn’t available in the Yokohama release. You can configure components manually. For example, you must give inputs in the configuration window for the Microsoft Excel connector's SetCellValues method. Select the settings icon (Settings icon.) to view the configuration window.
    Data in the parameter values might not be populated in the large language model (LLM) generated components.
    Figure 4. Configuration window for SetCellValues method
    Configuration window for the SetCellValues method is displayed.
    Automation for Windows, Java, or browser applications
    For automating Windows, Java, or browser-based applications, RPA Desktop Design Studio suggests generic UI actions such as SetValue, GetValue, or Click. These actions are a part of the Universal app connector. You must configure these actions manually, including capturing screens and adding elements via the field window. For more information about these methods, see Universal app connector.
    Expression-based components
    For components that require expressions, such as Decision or Expression, and so on, expressions in these components aren’t automatically populated in the Australia release.
    Hallucinated components
    If the large language model (LLM) returns a method that doesn’t exist in the RPA Desktop Design Studio, then such methods are displayed as unknown components in the generated automation workflow.