What is robot chaining?
Robot chaining allows you to connect multiple robots in sequence, where the output from one robot becomes the input for the next.
While Browse AI's Workflows feature lets you easily connect two robots, you can create more complex data extraction pipelines by linking multiple workflows together.
Learn more in How can I create a workflow connecting two robots?
When to use multi-robot chaining
Consider chaining multiple robots when you need to:
Navigate through several layers of a website (categories → subcategories → products → reviews).
Extract data that requires multiple steps to access.
Transform or filter data between extraction steps.
Create comprehensive datasets that combine information from different page types.
How to chain three or more robots
Since Workflows directly support connecting two robots at a time, you'll need to create multiple workflows and link them together:
Create workflow 1: Robot A → Robot B.
Robot A extracts initial data (like a list of category URLs).
Robot B processes each URL from Robot A's output.
Create workflow 2: Robot B → Robot C.
Robot B's output (perhaps product URLs) feeds into Robot C.
Robot C extracts detailed information from each product page.
Continue the chain as needed.
Add more workflows following the same pattern to extend your chain.
What data can I pass from one robot to the other?
URLs - Robot X tells Robot Y where to extract data (i.e. the output of Robot X becomes the Original URL of Robot Y).
Input parameters - data extracted from Robot X becomes an input parameter of Robot Y. For example a search term, or a form field.
Setting up monitors for automated extraction
Monitors are a powerful feature that automatically run your robots on a schedule, ensuring your data stays up-to-date without manual intervention:
Add a monitor to your first robot.
Navigate to your Robot A's dashboard.
Click on the Monitoring tab.
Select Add monitor.
Configure your monitoring schedule.
Choose a frequency (hourly, daily, weekly, or custom).
Select specific times if needed.
Set up any conditions for when the robot should run.
Enable notifications (optional).
Configure email alerts for successful runs or errors.
Set up custom notifications for specific data changes.
When your monitor triggers Robot A to run, it will automatically initiate the entire chain through the connected workflows. This creates a fully automated extraction pipeline that regularly collects and processes data across multiple levels.
Tutorial: How to chain multiple robots to build a product database
Imagine you're building a comprehensive product database, and have created the following robots:
Robot A: scrapes a list of product categories from an e-commerce homepage.
Robot B: for each category, extracts product listings with basic information.
Robot C: visits individual product pages to gather detailed specifications.
Robot D: collects customer reviews for each product.
To fully automate this process:
Set up a monitor on your first robot (Robot A).
Go to your Robot A's dashboard and select Monitoring.
Configure your preferred schedule (hourly, daily, weekly).
Ensure all workflows are properly connected.
Verify that Workflow 1 (A→B) and Workflow 2 (B→C) are correctly set up.
Test the entire chain by running Robot A manually once.
Integrate the data into 7,000+ tools and apps.
Tips for successful robot chaining
Test each robot individually before connecting them in workflows.
Start with small datasets when testing your chain.
Use consistent data formats between robots.
Consider adding data transformation steps between robots if needed. You can do this by using one of our automation integration tools like Zapier, Pabbly Connect, or Make.com.
Monitor the performance of your chain regularly to catch any issues.