What’s New in SAP Automation Pilot Q2 2024

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We’re excited to unveil a series of blog posts detailing the latest updates and new features for SAP Automation Pilot, a cloud application offering within the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) DevOps portfolio. SAP Automation Pilot is a low-code/no-code automation engine designed to simplify and automate complex manual processes and tasks for DevOps and Operations teams.

In this post, and in future updates, we will explore the latest enhancements and features that make SAP Automation Pilot an even more powerful tool for your automation and operational needs.

New look of SAP Automation Pilot with the Horizon theme #

You may have noticed that our user interface has recently been updated with a fresh, modern look following the Horizon theme. Although the icons, buttons, and text have been updated for a more contemporary appearance, all functionalities remain the same. Enjoy the new design!

Explore our updated UI!

Content Generation Assistant (BETA) #

The GenAl Content Assistant (BETA) was successfully launched in SAP Automation Pilot and it is designed to streamline your DevOps and SRE automation processes.

• Generates fully working DevOps automation flows for customers’ landscapes that can be implemented immediately;
• Enhances the variety and the quality of the commands delivered as coding knowledge (bash, python, etc.) is fully utilized;
• Improves command variety and quality by leveraging LLM's codding skills and API expertise during command generation & modification.
• Reduces time and effort by generating ready to use inputs with the correct type, sensitivity, and description keys.

Dry Run Feature #

The new Dry Run feature in SAP Automation Pilot streamlines the testing and validation of commands.

• Simplified Testing: Test and validate commands without executing them to ensure they perform as expected.
• Universal Availability: Available for all commands, providing consistent and reliable testing across your automation tasks.
• Easy Identification: Look for the flask icon to easily identify the executors configured with Dry Run.

Easy Configuration:

Choose the executor you want to configure with Dry Run and provide values for the output keys.

And execution:

Trigger the execution in Dry Run mode.

Easily identify the executors configured in Dry Run mode.

"Comment" Action #

 The new 'Comment' action feature is designed to enhance your troubleshooting by providing a streamlined way to document important information associated with your executions.

• Attach Additional Information: Add ticket URLs, internal notes, and other relevant details to each execution;
• Enhanced Documentation: Users can now leave up to 10 comments per execution, ensuring comprehensive documentation;
• Visible in Action Logs: All comments will be visible in the Action Logs section, facilitating better tracking and streamlined troubleshooting.

Add comments to each executor by clicking on the "Comment" button

The comments are visible in the Actions Log

Upgradable Free Plan #

Now it is possible to update your existing free subscription plan to a standard one.

• Upgrade Your Plan: Seamlessly switch from the free plan to a paid plan directly from the BTP cockpit.
• Increased Quotas: Enjoy the benefits of increased quotas with your new plan.
• Data Retention: All your data will be retained during the transition to the paid plan.
• Note: Downgrading back to the free plan is not possible once you upgrade.

Step-by-Step Guide:

Once you are in the navigation area of the SAP BTP cockpit, choose Services > Instances and Subscriptions. Find the Automation Pilot application, select the three dots at the end of the subscription row, and from the menu, select Update.

Select "standard" and click on Update Subscription.

Time Zones in Scheduled Executions #

SAP Automation Pilot now supports time zones in scheduled executions, allowing you to schedule automation flows with precise timing to ensure they run exactly as intended.

Executor Descriptions #

You can now add detailed descriptions to each executor, providing clear context and information about its purpose and functionality.

Catalog: AI Core Service #

Leverage the generative AI capabilities of the Generative AI Hub in SAP AI Core using the new commands in SAP Automation Pilot. Supported models include gpt-35-turbo, gpt-35-turbo-16k, gpt-4, and gpt-4-32k.

Explore our example Cloud Foundry Apps Insights to see these commands in action.

Catalog: SAP Alert Notification Service for SAP BTP #

Utilize new commands to efficiently manage events within SAP Alert Notification Service for SAP BTP, including producing new alerts, listing events matching customer subscriptions, and identifying any events that failed to be delivered.

Commands: Execute Python and NodeJS Scripts

New commands are now available for enhanced script execution: ExecutePythonScript and ExecuteNodeJsScript. These commands allow you to run Python and NodeJS scripts more efficiently and simplify package installations.

Command: SendEmail #

Effortlessly send email messages using a custom SMTP server with our new command - SendEmail, streamlining your email operations and communications.

Improved Catalog Importing #

The Import Catalog Dialog now offers enhanced flexibility and efficiency:

• Additional Configurations: The dialog includes checkboxes for "Skip existing commands" and "Skip existing inputs," allowing for more customization during import.
• Batch Import: Improved processing handles large catalogs more efficiently by supporting batch imports.

 

Filter Executions by Tag #

You can now filter executions in SAP Automation Pilot by tag, making it easier to categorize and locate specific executions quickly.

 

Fuzzy Search Filters #

Fuzzy search support is now available for all select filters in the Automation Pilot UI. This enhancement makes it easier to find options with partial or approximate matches, boosting search efficiency and improving the user experience. Enjoy a faster and more intuitive filtering process with this update.

How to stay tuned to recent and upcoming innovations? 

• What’s New in SAP Automation Pilot
• SAP Road Map Explorer for SAP Automation Pilot.
• Release Navigator for SAP Automation Pilot easing you the way to find product release related notes, blogposts, and webpages.
• Public GitHub Automation Pilot sample use cases;