Universal app connector

  • Release version: Zurich
  • Updated July 31, 2025
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Universal app connector

    The Universal App Connector (UAC) in RPA Desktop Design Studio enables ServiceNow customers to create automations for Windows, Java, and web applications (specifically Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge) using a single, unified connector. This eliminates the need to use separate connectors for each application type, streamlining automation development.

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    UAC is automatically included by default in attended, unattended, or skilled automation projects, supporting efficient configuration of application screens and elements from one place. Although individual connectors are still supported, it is recommended to use UAC for new automation projects.

    Key Features

    • Unified Connector: Configure and automate Windows, Java, and web applications from one interface.
    • Screen and Element Capture: Add application screens and elements open on your machine, modify match rules, and build automations using methods directly on these elements.
    • Windows Application Modes: Supports two modes for Windows apps—UI Automation (UIA) for modern apps and Active Accessibility (AA) for legacy apps. You can select the mode when capturing or showing elements.
    • Methods to Interact with Elements: Includes essential actions such as Click (perform click actions), GetValue (retrieve element values), SetValue (assign values), Start (launch browsers or applications), and WaitForAnyScreen (wait and find screens or elements within a specified time).
    • Element Locators: Uses locators of captured elements to identify and interact with elements during automation execution.
    • Additional Options: Provides validation and extended operations on screens and elements, tailored by application type.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    • Accelerate automation development by managing multiple application types through a single connector.
    • Improve maintainability and consistency of automation projects by standardizing on UAC rather than multiple individual connectors.
    • Leverage flexible modes to automate both modern and legacy Windows applications effectively.
    • Easily capture, validate, and manipulate UI elements with a comprehensive set of methods, improving reliability and control in automation workflows.
    • Ensure automations can start applications or browsers as needed, and wait dynamically for screens or elements before proceeding.

    Next Steps

    To implement automations using UAC, add the connector as an object in your project, capture required screens and elements on your machine, select the appropriate mode for Windows applications, and use the provided methods to build robust automation workflows. For updates or hotfixes, verify installation by following post-installation steps to ensure connector functionality.

    Create automations for your Windows, Java, and web applications by using the Universal App Connector (UAC) of RPA Desktop Design Studio. Configure the application screens and their elements from a single, unified connector instead of using the individual connectors of these applications.

    How UAC works

    UAC is automatically added as a default connector to any attended, unattended, or skilled automation project of RPA Desktop Design Studio. UAC currently supports Windows, Java, and web applications ( Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers only).
    Important:
    It is recommended that you create automations for Windows, Java, and web applications using UAC instead of using their individual connectors. However, RPA Desktop Design Studio still supports automation projects that are designed using the individual connectors.
    Tip:
    If you've installed a hot fix for UAC connector, to verify that the hot fix is accurately downloaded to your machine, perform the post requisite steps. For more information, see Post requisites after installing a hot fix.

    UAC is added as an object to Global Objects in Project Explorer similar to how the other connectors are added. For more information on how to use a connector, see Use connector method.

    Add the screens and elements of Windows, Java, and web applications that are open in your machine while you configure UAC. Modify the screens and elements match rules during the configuration. Add the methods related to the screens and elements from the Design surface, and then build your automation.

    For more information on using a UAC, see Use the Universal App Connector.

    Modes in UAC for Windows applications

    Starting from Yokohama release, Active Accessibility is supported when adding elements in the Universal App Connector, for Windows applications.

    Select the mode, UI automation or active accessibility, while capturing the elements and showing the captured elements. The mode determines which internal library is used for automating Windows applications. UI automation mode refers to UI automation library and active accessibility refers to active accessibility library of Microsoft. Active accessibility mode is for legacy Windows applications.

    To capture the elements from the screen, under the Screen and elements pane, right-click the added screen and select Capture Element. There are two modes UIA and AA. UIA is the default mode.
    Figure 1. Modes in Capture element
    UIA and AA modes appear when you capture an element in Windows application screen.

    For more information about capturing an element in the Windows application, see Use the Universal App Connector.

    From the Screen and elements pane, right-click the added screen and select Show Elements to display all the existing elements in the target application screen in a tree view. There are two modes UI Automation and Active Accessibility. UI Automation is the default mode.
    Figure 2. Modes in Show Elements options
    UI Automation and Active Accessibility modes appear when you select Show Elements option from the Windows application screen.

    For more information about showing captured elements of the Windows application, see Additional options for application screens and elements in Universal App Connector.

    For more information about the methods for UI Automation mode and Active Accessibility mode, see Methods of UI Automation mode and Active Accessibility mode.