This article describes what happens when you use the Pega RPA Service and is provided for informational purposes. By using the RPA Service, you can schedule Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) sessions when you are using Pega Robotic Automation versions 8.0 SP1 2019 and later. If you are using version 8.0 SP1, update to version 8.0 SP1 2025 or later. For best results, update to version 19.1 or later.

The following steps describe how the RPA Service works:

1. The system administrator uses the Pega Robotic Automation Credentials Manager utility (credmgr.exe or credmgrui.exe) to store user credentials. These credentials are used to log in to the Pega Robot Runtime virtual machine.
   • Windows session user credentials are used to log in to the virtual machine.
   • Pega Robot Runtime session user credentials are used to define the user who starts the openspan.runtime.exe application.
   • Registration Operator credentials are used to communicate with Robot Manager.
2. If you set the mode to Scheduled, the system administrator configures the RpaSchedule.json file. This file contains the information that the RPA Service needs to schedule one RPA Runtime session per weekday.
3. The system administrator ensures that the Pega RPA Service (OpenSpan.WinLogon.Service.exe) is running. Restart the service any time you change the credentials, the RPAService.config file, or the RpaSchedule.json file.
4. The system administrator leaves the virtual machine on the Windows lock screen.
5. The system uses the user credentials that are defined in the Credentials Manager to log in to this session:
   • If you set the mode to Scheduled, at the time specified in the RpaSchedule.json file, the Pega RPA Service logs the virtual machine in to a Windows session.
   • If you set the mode to OnDemand, Pega Robot Manager uses the RPA Service to start and stop the robots.
6. The RPA Service creates a task in the Windows Task Scheduler to start the Pega Robot Runtime session within the next few minutes as the Pega Robot Runtime user that is specified in the Credentials Manager.
7. Pega Robot Runtime starts. As with any RPA session, the Registration Operator is used to begin the registration process. Pega Robot Runtime uses the robotName value in the CommonConfig.xml file as its operator ID. Pega Robot Runtime retrieves the work group information from the CommonConfig.xml file. For more information, see Common Configuration Settings.
8. Pega Robot Runtime registers with the Pega Robot Manager.
9. Pega Robot Runtime gets its package assignment.
10. Pega Robot Runtime retrieves the package from the Package Server.
11. vRuntime begins to process work assignments.
12. The RPA Service notifies Pega Robot Runtime when it is time for its session to end. The RPA Service retrieves information about how long the session lasts from the RpaSchedule.json file.
13. Pega Robot Runtime finishes processing its current work assignment and then shuts down.
14. The RPA Service logs out of the Windows session user.