Browser Automation¶
Browser Automation lets workflows interact with websites directly, using a real browser session when needed. This is useful when a site doesn’t have a suitable integration or when the workflow needs to navigate pages, fill forms, and extract information from rendered content.
Because browser steps can click buttons and submit forms, they can be high-impact. Use Virtual Run and Safe mode to review what will happen before executing live.
[Screenshot needed: Browser step in the workflow editor with a preview in Virtual Run]
When To Use Browser Steps¶
Browser automation is a good fit when you need to:
- Extract data from pages that require JavaScript rendering
- Log into a site (where permitted) and retrieve information from dashboards
- Fill out internal forms or tools that don’t provide an API
- Capture screenshots as part of reporting or verification
If a first-class integration exists for the task, that is usually more reliable than browser automation. Prefer connected-app steps when possible.
What Browser Steps Can Do¶
There are eight browser actions available:
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
navigate | Go to a URL |
click | Click an element by CSS selector |
type | Type text into an input field |
select | Select a value from a dropdown or <select> element |
screenshot | Capture a screenshot of the page or a specific element |
extract | Extract text or an attribute from one or more elements |
wait | Wait for an element to appear on the page |
scroll | Scroll the page or scroll a specific element into view |
In Virtual Run, GloriaMundo can show the planned interactions and flag actions that are likely to modify data (for example, submitting a form).
Safety And Reliability Tips¶
- Treat “submit” and “save” actions like write operations: preview first, then confirm.
- Use stable selectors (IDs, data attributes) when available; avoid brittle selectors tied to layout.
- Add waits where pages load content dynamically.
- Be mindful of terms of service, access permissions, and rate limits of the sites you automate.
Troubleshooting¶
Element not found¶
The page structure may have changed or content may load late. Add waits, verify the selector, and consider extracting a smaller, more stable target.
Workflow gets stuck on a page¶
Add explicit navigation checks and timeouts, and avoid flows that require interactive challenges or multi-factor prompts unless your environment supports them.
Results look inconsistent¶
Web pages can differ based on logged-in state, locale, A/B tests, or dynamic rendering. Consider adding extra validation steps and logging outputs in the Action Log.