If you work with UiPath queues and want data pulled out without a tantrum this guide will help. We will cover how to enqueue transactions in Orchestrator retrieve them with Get Transaction Item or Get Queue Items and read values from SpecificContent while handling the usual surprises that make automation engineers sigh.

Step 1 Create the queue and add transactions

Make a queue in Orchestrator and add your items as key value pairs. Think of the queue as a snack jar and each queue item as a labeled snack. Use Add Queue Item for manual pushes and Bulk Add for bulk loads when you are not in a rush to listen to errors one by one.

Step 2 Retrieve items with the right activity

For single transaction processing use Get Transaction Item and for batch reads use Get Queue Items. Assign the result to a variable named queueItem so your future self does not hate you. The returned object holds a SpecificContent bag which is where your actual payload lives along with other properties like Reference and system metadata.

Example reads

queueItem.SpecificContent("OrderId").ToString
Convert.ToInt32(queueItem.SpecificContent("Quantity"))
queueItem.Reference

Use the appropriate conversion for numeric values and dates. If a conversion fails do not blame the queue it was probably a bad input.

Step 3 Guard against missing fields and null values

Always check for keys before converting. SpecificContent is just a dictionary like object and it will not forgive missing fields.

If queueItem.SpecificContent.ContainsKey("FieldName") Then
    value = queueItem.SpecificContent("FieldName").ToString
Else
    value = String.Empty
End If

Wrap risky operations in a Try Catch activity. When an exception happens mark the transaction as Failed with Set Transaction Status and include meaningful logs. Verbose logs beat frantic searches later.

Step 4 Mark transaction status and requeue when needed

After processing call Set Transaction Status to update Orchestrator so dashboards reflect reality. If you want to requeue a failed payload use Add Queue Item with annotations or business rule info so the next run knows why the item came back.

Small helper pattern that saves time

Create a tiny helper that returns a typed value from SpecificContent. In UiPath you can implement this with simple If checks or a reusable workflow. The helper should check ContainsKey handle null and attempt a safe parse so the main flow stays readable and calm.

Common gotchas and quick tips

• Field names are case sensitive in SpecificContent so be consistent with keys.
• Always check ContainsKey before reading and log missing keys to help audits.
• Use Reference when you need a human readable identifier for a transaction.
• Prefer explicit conversions and Try Parse style logic for numeric and date fields.
• Bulk Add skips a lot of manual work but test with a small batch first so your Orchestrator does not throw a tantrum.

Follow these steps and you will extract data from UiPath queues with fewer surprises and fewer scream worthy moments. Automation is supposed to make life easier not encourage existential dread so keep your queue handling tidy and well logged.