On the salt, the only change you would need is to swap out the automatic chlorinator with the chlorine generator, which takes the salt and breaks it down into chlorine. Since you have pentair equipment, I assume it would be an IC40. Just a heads up, those generators are a bit pricey at $1,500-2k if I remember correctly. You just have to look at it as you are pre-paying for your chlorine for the next 3-5 years, which is essentially what buying chlorine would cost you ($30-50 a month), but you are making your life a whole lot easier since you will not have to buy and add chlorine for the next 3-5 years.
Did you ever hear back on the automation, if it was easy touch or intellicenter?
On the robots, that is a good move buying separate from the builder. Dolphin brand is generally the best robot manufacturer, but they also rebrand their manufactured robots to other companies like pentair, so it can be a bit confusing trying to compare models. Usually it is the same base robot (M200) with added features like bluetooth, a wheeled storage caddy. I've seen many members recommend a good place to order them called Marina Pool & Spa that can guide you through ordering them and have good prices. I've never used them, but here is one of the many threads of them:
Hello I am replacing a pressure side pump/Polaris 360 and am looking at going with a robot. We have a 15K kidney shaped gunite pool with a 12" ledge around the entire pool. The ledge sits about 15" below the water line. Looking for a robot that can navigate and clean the ledge as well as the...
www.troublefreepool.com