For the Non-Developer

With AI coding tools, proper instructions, a thriving community, and training, it’s never been easier to build powerful automations. Traditional RPA tools still require you to understand programming primitives like loops, variables, and conditional logic - they had their own syntax you needed to learn.

While Bifrost Integrations may require a slightly higher initial investment to get started, the combination of AI-assisted development and a platform that abstracts the dangerous complexities (authentication, secrets management, API security) means the ceiling is dramatically higher.

Tip

The platform handles the hard parts - OAuth flows, credential encryption, multi-tenant isolation, and API authentication - so you can focus on solving business problems.

AI Tools Can Help You

AI tools like Claude Code, GitHub Copilot, and GPT Codex can help you:

Write Workflows from Descriptions

Describe what you want in plain English, and AI tools can generate the Python code for you.

“Create a workflow that pulls users from Microsoft Graph and creates tickets in HaloPSA”

Debug Errors

When something goes wrong, AI tools can explain the error message and suggest fixes.

They can even identify common mistakes and show you the corrected code.

Suggest Improvements

AI can review your code and suggest better ways to structure it, handle errors, or improve performance.

Generate Boilerplate

Common patterns like pagination, error handling, and API calls can be auto-generated so you don’t have to write them from scratch.

Traditional RPA vs. Bifrost with AI

Traditional RPA Tools

Pros:

• Visual interface (drag and drop)
• Lower initial learning curve
• Quick to get started

Cons:

• Proprietary syntax you must learn
• Limited by platform capabilities
• Expensive licensing as you scale
• Can’t keep pace with AI-powered development
• Vendor lock-in

Bifrost + AI Tools

Pros:

• Use real Python (more powerful, more flexible)
• AI helps you write code from descriptions
• Modern development tools (VS Code, Git)
• Open source (you control it)
• Scales without per-user licensing costs
• Access to the entire Python ecosystem

Cons:

• Slightly steeper initial learning curve
• Need to understand basic programming concepts
• Requires familiarity with command line tools

Note

The key insight: Traditional RPA tools still require you to understand loops, variables, and conditional logic - they just use their own syntax. With AI assistance, you can learn real Python while AI helps with the syntax and structure.

Getting Started as a Non-Developer

1. Install the Right Tools

   • VS Code (code editor)
   • Claude Code or GitHub Copilot (AI assistant)
   • Git (version control)

   See Installation Guide

2. Learn Basic Python Concepts

   You don’t need to be an expert, but understanding these basics helps:

   • Variables (storing data)
   • Functions (reusable code blocks)
   • Async/await (handling multiple tasks)
   • Error handling (what to do when things fail)

   With AI: You can ask your AI tool to explain these as you encounter them

3. Start with Examples

   Bifrost includes example workflows. Copy one, modify it with AI help, and see what happens.

   Build Your First Workflow

4. Use AI to Learn

   When you see code you don’t understand:

   • Ask AI to explain what it does line by line
   • Ask “why is this structured this way?”
   • Request alternative approaches

   Example prompts:

   • “Explain what this workflow does in simple terms”
   • “How would I modify this to also create a Teams message?”
   • “What does the @workflow decorator do?”

Real-World Workflow Development

Here’s how you might build a workflow with AI assistance:

Example: Onboard New User

Your description to AI:

“I need a workflow that creates a new user in Microsoft 365, adds them to specific groups based on their department, creates a mailbox, and sends a welcome email with their credentials.”

AI generates:

from bifrost import workflow, param, secrets, oauth

@workflow(name="onboard_user", description="Onboard new user to M365")
@param("email", "email", required=True, description="User email")
@param("first_name", "text", required=True, description="First name")
@param("last_name", "text", required=True, description="Last name")
@param("department", "select", required=True, description="Department")
async def onboard_user(context, email, first_name, last_name, department):
    # AI generates the implementation
    # with proper error handling, logging, etc.
    pass

Then you can ask:

• “Add error handling for when the user already exists”
• “Log each step to the execution logs”
• “How do I test this locally before deploying?”

What You Can Build

With the right guidance and AI assistance, you can build automations that would have required a full development team just a few years ago:

User Lifecycle Management

Onboarding, offboarding, role changes - all automated across multiple platforms

License Optimization

Monitor usage, reclaim unused licenses, automate assignments based on department

Ticket Automation

Auto-create, update, or close tickets based on events from monitoring tools

Compliance Reporting

Gather data from multiple sources, generate reports, deliver to stakeholders

Custom Integrations

Connect platforms that don’t normally talk to each other

Self-Service Portals

Build forms that let users request services without opening tickets

The Reality Check

Will you write perfect code on day one? No.

Will AI make mistakes? Sometimes.

Will you need to learn? Yes.

Is it worth it? Absolutely.

The combination of:

• Real programming power (Python)
• AI assistance (Claude Code, Copilot)
• Platform abstractions (OAuth, secrets, multi-tenancy)
• Open source freedom (no vendor lock-in)

…means the ceiling is dramatically higher than traditional RPA tools, and the path to get there is more accessible than ever before.

Start Small, Think Big

Begin with simple workflows (create a user, send an email) and gradually build more complex automations as you learn. AI tools help you bridge the gap between simple and complex.

Next Steps

Ready to dive in?

1. Install Bifrost - Get your environment set up
2. Build Your First Workflow - Hands-on tutorial
3. Join the Community - Ask questions, share ideas

This is your chance to own the tools you build your business on - with AI assistance making it more accessible than ever.