In this tutorial we will create a very basic Action Project for a simple REST API which will return the list of ToDos.
The goal is to cover all the steps necessary to consume Actions in a Process, not to proivde a real Process use case.

This is part of a blog series for Actions:
SAP Process Automation – Consume APIs with <no-code> using Actions.

Overview of the Steps:

Create BTP Destination
Configure Destination for SAP Process Automation
Create Action Project
Test an Action
Release and Publish to Library
Consumption in Process
– Create Business Process and use an Action
– Release and Deploy the Process
– Test the Process which is using the Action
Consumption in Automation
– coming soon

Create BTP Destination

In the SAP BTP Cockpit, create a destination that will be used in the Action Editor to test the Action and in the Process execution.

Parameter	Value
URL	https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/
Additional Properties	sap.applicationdevelopment.actions.enabled = true
	sap.processautomation.enabled = true

Configure Destination for SAP Process Automation

To allow the usage of the BTP destination, you have to add the Destination in SAP Process Automation.

In the Settings or SAP Process Automation, select Destinations
Click New Destination
select the Destination from the list and press Add
The destination is now added to the lst and can be used in SAP Process Automation

Create Action Project

In this sample we will create a simple Action Project for a REST API.
We will not change input/output parameters or customize the action.

Important: You need an Open API specification for your API to create Actions

For this example, just copy the definition from here to a local text file called ToDoAPI.json and save the file. We will use the file to create the Action Project with one Action.

{ "openapi": "3.0.0",
    "info": {
        "description": "This is a fake API of todo list",
        "title": "fake.todo",
        "version": "1.0.0"
    },
    "servers": [ { "url": "https://jsonplaceholder.typicode.com/" } ],
    "paths": {
        "/todos": {
            "get": {
                "summary": "get list of todos",
                "description": "get list of todos",
                "operationId": "get.todos",
                "responses": {
                    "200": {
                        "description": "Successful response",
                        "content": { 
                            "application/json": {
                                "schema": {
   				        "type": "object",
					"title": "Collection of Tasks",
					"properties": {
					        "responseArray": {
							"type": "array",
							"required": true,
							"items": {
								"properties": {
									"userId": { "type": "number" },
									"id": { "type": "number" },
									"title": { "type": "string" },
									"completed": { "type": "boolean" }
} } } } } } } } } } } } }

In the Lobby of SAP Process Automation, create an Action Project.
Specify the name ToDo Actions and upload the API spec ToDoAPI.json, click Create
Select the actions from the list, click Add
Your Action Project will contain one action

Test an Action

You can test the execution of your action in the Action Editor. Lets test the Action ‘get list of todos’.

Select ‘get list of todos’ from the list, the action has no input parameters
Select Tab Output, shows the fields returned when the action is executed
Select Tab Test, you can see the different options available to test an action.
Connectivity Host allows you to test with an destination or Manual, you can enter the system details here.
Select the destination Demo, click Test
The Response Preview will show the results

Release and Publish to Library

To be able to use the Action in a Process, we have to release and publish the Action Project.

Click Release
Provide release information, click Release
Click Publish to Library
On Publish Project, click Publish

Consumption in Process

Create Business Process and use an Action

From the Lobby select Create Process
Enter the Project Name, e.g. Demo Process and select Create
On the Create Process Dialog, enter the Process Name myActionProcess and select Create
your canvas should look like here
Select the + to add a step to your process
Select Browse library, you will see all actions
here I have used a filter to show only Actions from ToDo Actions project
Lets use ‘get list of todos’ action, click Add
As a last step we have to define a Destination variable
This variable will be later used in the Execution to assign a destination created in BTP and configured in SAP Process Automation
Select Create Destination Variable, set system as Identifier and select Create
An Environment variable was created and your process should not display an error anymore
Now Save your process

Release and Deploy the Process

To test the action in the process, we will release and deploy the project.

clik Release
Enter a Version comment, click Release
click Deploy
On the Deploy a project dialog, select the Destination Demo, click Confirm
The Deploy button gets activated, click Deploy
Your project is deployed and the deployed version is shown

Test the Process which is using the Action

In the Monitor or SAP Process Automation, select Manage –> Process and Workflow Definitions
you can use filter myActionProcess
select the myActionProcess from the list, click Start New Instance
On the Start New Instance you can specify input parameters, we have no input so we can use {}, click Start New Instance and Close
The instance will be started
Select Monitor -> Process and Workflow Instances
Reset the Filters to show all instances
in the Search, enter myActionProcess
Select myActionProcess from the list to show the instance results