Category: Power Platform

New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1: Improve Approval Processes via Power Automate

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1.

The 3rd of the new functionality in the Adapt faster with Power Platform section is improve approval processes via Power Automate.

Approving documents or data changes in a modern company must be straightforward. Microsoft listen to feedback and continue to improve this area, making sure this experience matches business users’ expectations.

Enabled for: Users, automatically
Public Preview: Apr 2024
General Availability: Apr 2024

Feature Details

In previous releases, Microsoft introduced several new approval templates and a simplified experience based on Power Automate. With this wave, Microsoft improve this area by introducing several new changes:

  • The Approval User Setup page has been updated and exposed to Power Automate. Approvers don’t need to be defined manually on the Power
  • Automate side anymore, but the flow execution takes the relevant approver directly from Business Central.
  • The system passes information about user actions in Power Automate back to Business Central where the respective events are properly logged.
  • More templates are enabled for Power Automate approval integration.

Microsoft welcome your feedback on these improvements as they continue to innovate.

My Opinion

Approvals in Power Automate was one of the areas of which I have been most critical as it seemed to lack a lot of the functionality I would expect. The first two of the improvements look to be good enhancements, especially the second one of logging statuses back into Business Central.

The first one will vary in usefulness depending on the complexity of the approval workflow as the standard Approval User Setup page in Business Central only has very little flexibility.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1
Use Virtual Tables to Expose More Business Central Data in Dataverse
Improve Approval Processes via Power Automate
Add Table and Field Mappings for Existing Integration Tables
Find a Matching Record in a Power Automate Flow
Archive Projects
Usability Improves for Service and Projects
Use Deferral Codes in Purchase and Sales Journals
Define a Service Invoice Posting Policy for Various Users
Define Default Location for Project or Project Phase
Block Item, Item Variant or Service Item from Use in Service Management transactions
Connect Business Central With Shopify B2B
Set Up Financial Consolidation Runs More Efficiently
Simpler Shopify Connection
Use General Ledger Account Revaluation for More Accurate Financial Statements
Get More Productive While Entering Time Sheets
Create Projects That You Can Invoice to Multiple Customers
Assemble to Project
Invoice a Customer for Multiple Projects
Use New Excel Layouts for 35 Selected Reports
Use Standard Terminology for Project Management
Use Currencies When Posting Employee Transactions
Manage Work Orders in Field Service, Invoice Them in Business Central
Manage Document Attachments in Service Items and Documents
Export and Import Multiline Text Using Configuration Packages
Correct Errors in Service Invoices
Prevent Editing Number Series on Service Documents and Cards
Be More Productive When Approving Time Sheets
Inventory Package Numbers Work Like Item Tracking Dimensions
Assign Salesperson to Customer Ship-to Addresses
View Incoming Documents in Archived Quotes and Orders
Specify Dimensions on Posted Entries Applications With Realized Gains or Losses
Allow Lines with Amounts of Zero on Recurring General Journals
Automate the Reminders Process in Collections
See Improved Usability for Warehouse and Inventory
Ensure Accurate Inventory Valuation by Controlling Cost Adjustment
Use a New Role Center for Collection Management
Manage Subscription Billing and Revenue and Expense Recognition
Enable Sustainability Features for Integrations with APIs
Install Field Service Integration with Business Central from AppSource
Introduce Power Automate Copilot Integration with Business Central
Map e-Documents to Purchase Order Lines with Copilot
Create Sales Lines Easily with Copilot
Extend Copilot Using Richer Development Tools
Get to Insights Faster with Copilot-Generated Analysis Tabs
Complete Bank Account Reconciliation Faster With Copilot
Create Product Information Faster with Copilot
Learn More About Fields with Copilot
Chat with Copilot
Simplify collections with Copilot for Finance and Business Central
Automate Tests for your Copilot Extensions with the Business Central Test Toolkit
Automate IRS 1099 Form Submission in US
Enable Additional Countries and Regions
Install UK Localization as an App
Process Czech Bank Statements, Payment Orders More Productively
Improvement of Czech Localization Reports
Report Explorer has Additional Outputs in the Czech Version
Improved Updates of ARES Data in the Czech Version
Allow More Extendability of Advance Payments in the Czech Version
Print QR Codes on Sales Invoices in the Czech Version
Use Excel Layouts for Czech Reports
Handle Multiple File Uploads and File Drop Zones
Debug the System Application
Remove Friction When Working with External App Dependencies
Use In-client Page Scripting Tool for Acceptance Testing
Use AL-controlled Barcode Scanning For All Scenarios
Write flexible and performant code with NumberSequences
Use the OData V4 IN Operator in Web Service Queries
Define Extension Objects in Same App as Their Base Object
Use Cookies in HTTP Calls From Business Central
Define Tooltips on Table Fields
Use Linked Environment in Dataverse Integration
Audit Business Central Operations in Microsoft Purview
Encrypt Data At-Rest with Customer-Managed Encryption Key
Allow Customers to Consent to Microsoft Support Accessing Their Data
Link Business Central Environments to Power Platform Environments
Copy Companies with Dataverse Integration Safely
View and Filter Users With Additional User Details
Control partner access per environment
Analyze Telemetry Events Across Browser and Server for a Session or User
Use Premium License to Sign In to Environment with Essentials Licenses
Experience the New Embedded AppSource Marketplace Page
Migrate Record Links and Notes with Cloud Migration Tooling
See VAT Date in Posting Previews
Automate Country of Origin Listed for Item Tracking Code in Intrastat Reporting
Achieve Sustainable Compliance with Business Central
Discover Report and Data Analysis Content Easily
Use Drag and Drop to Attach Multiple Files
Use Actions to Navigate and Highlight or Fix Platform-Generated Errors
Share Error Details to Get Help from Another User
Access Worksheet Pages from Mobile Phones
Boost Productivity With the Modern Action Bar
Enhancements to the User Experience
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New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1: Use Virtual Tables to Expose More Business Central Data in Dataverse

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1.

The 2nd of the new functionality in the Adapt faster with Power Platform section is use virtual tables to expose more Business Central data in Dataverse.

Use virtual tables when you synchronize data between Business Central, Dataverse, and other Dynamics 365 apps to enhance the value of your Dynamics 365 investment. Virtual tables erase boundaries between Dynamics 365 apps and make your data accessible to users in their preferred app.

Enabled for: Users by admins, makers, or analysts
Public Preview: Mar 2024
General Availability: Apr 2024

Feature Details

When you synchronize data between Business Central and Dataverse, you can add a synthetic relationship between a synchronized entity and a virtual table if you enable virtual tables in Business Central. Virtual tables let you enrich the data you’ve set up to synchronize from Business Central with data you haven’t, without help from a developer.

My Opinion

On the surface this sounds useful, but I really need to take a look at how this feature works. It would be useful to access additional data with Power Automate, but I need to see how easy it is to expose tables and also how easy it is to replicate that between environments.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central 2024 Wave 1
Use Virtual Tables to Expose More Business Central Data in Dataverse
Improve Approval Processes via Power Automate
Add Table and Field Mappings for Existing Integration Tables
Find a Matching Record in a Power Automate Flow
Archive Projects
Usability Improves for Service and Projects
Use Deferral Codes in Purchase and Sales Journals
Define a Service Invoice Posting Policy for Various Users
Define Default Location for Project or Project Phase
Block Item, Item Variant or Service Item from Use in Service Management transactions
Connect Business Central With Shopify B2B
Set Up Financial Consolidation Runs More Efficiently
Simpler Shopify Connection
Use General Ledger Account Revaluation for More Accurate Financial Statements
Get More Productive While Entering Time Sheets
Create Projects That You Can Invoice to Multiple Customers
Assemble to Project
Invoice a Customer for Multiple Projects
Use New Excel Layouts for 35 Selected Reports
Use Standard Terminology for Project Management
Use Currencies When Posting Employee Transactions
Manage Work Orders in Field Service, Invoice Them in Business Central
Manage Document Attachments in Service Items and Documents
Export and Import Multiline Text Using Configuration Packages
Correct Errors in Service Invoices
Prevent Editing Number Series on Service Documents and Cards
Be More Productive When Approving Time Sheets
Inventory Package Numbers Work Like Item Tracking Dimensions
Assign Salesperson to Customer Ship-to Addresses
View Incoming Documents in Archived Quotes and Orders
Specify Dimensions on Posted Entries Applications With Realized Gains or Losses
Allow Lines with Amounts of Zero on Recurring General Journals
Automate the Reminders Process in Collections
See Improved Usability for Warehouse and Inventory
Ensure Accurate Inventory Valuation by Controlling Cost Adjustment
Use a New Role Center for Collection Management
Manage Subscription Billing and Revenue and Expense Recognition
Enable Sustainability Features for Integrations with APIs
Install Field Service Integration with Business Central from AppSource
Introduce Power Automate Copilot Integration with Business Central
Map e-Documents to Purchase Order Lines with Copilot
Create Sales Lines Easily with Copilot
Extend Copilot Using Richer Development Tools
Get to Insights Faster with Copilot-Generated Analysis Tabs
Complete Bank Account Reconciliation Faster With Copilot
Create Product Information Faster with Copilot
Learn More About Fields with Copilot
Chat with Copilot
Simplify collections with Copilot for Finance and Business Central
Automate Tests for your Copilot Extensions with the Business Central Test Toolkit
Automate IRS 1099 Form Submission in US
Enable Additional Countries and Regions
Install UK Localization as an App
Process Czech Bank Statements, Payment Orders More Productively
Improvement of Czech Localization Reports
Report Explorer has Additional Outputs in the Czech Version
Improved Updates of ARES Data in the Czech Version
Allow More Extendability of Advance Payments in the Czech Version
Print QR Codes on Sales Invoices in the Czech Version
Use Excel Layouts for Czech Reports
Handle Multiple File Uploads and File Drop Zones
Debug the System Application
Remove Friction When Working with External App Dependencies
Use In-client Page Scripting Tool for Acceptance Testing
Use AL-controlled Barcode Scanning For All Scenarios
Write flexible and performant code with NumberSequences
Use the OData V4 IN Operator in Web Service Queries
Define Extension Objects in Same App as Their Base Object
Use Cookies in HTTP Calls From Business Central
Define Tooltips on Table Fields
Use Linked Environment in Dataverse Integration
Audit Business Central Operations in Microsoft Purview
Encrypt Data At-Rest with Customer-Managed Encryption Key
Allow Customers to Consent to Microsoft Support Accessing Their Data
Link Business Central Environments to Power Platform Environments
Copy Companies with Dataverse Integration Safely
View and Filter Users With Additional User Details
Control partner access per environment
Analyze Telemetry Events Across Browser and Server for a Session or User
Use Premium License to Sign In to Environment with Essentials Licenses
Experience the New Embedded AppSource Marketplace Page
Migrate Record Links and Notes with Cloud Migration Tooling
See VAT Date in Posting Previews
Automate Country of Origin Listed for Item Tracking Code in Intrastat Reporting
Achieve Sustainable Compliance with Business Central
Discover Report and Data Analysis Content Easily
Use Drag and Drop to Attach Multiple Files
Use Actions to Navigate and Highlight or Fix Platform-Generated Errors
Share Error Details to Get Help from Another User
Access Worksheet Pages from Mobile Phones
Boost Productivity With the Modern Action Bar
Enhancements to the User Experience
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New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1: Ingest Process Data from Customers’ Data Lake

Ian Grieve2 minute read0 comment

Power AutomateThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1.

The 1st of the new functionality in the Process Mining section is ingest process data from customers’ data lake.

You no longer have to transform or port your data in specific sources for Process Mining. Instead, Power Automate Process Mining can connect directly to your existing data pipelines in your Azure data lake.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview: –
Early Access: –
General Availability: Apr 2024

Feature Details

You now have a choice to enable Power Automate Process Mining to connect directly to your Azure data lake with your existing data pipelines. This eliminates steps of data transformation or porting across sources, enabling easier data ingestion. Direct connection to your Azure data lake also enables scaling process data to hundreds of gigabytes.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1
Use Generative AI to Achieve a Process in AI Flows
Receive Intelligent License Recommendations for Admins
Be More Productive with Power Automate and Excel Desktop
View a Power Automate Visual in a Power BI Report
Monitor Performance for Cloud and Desktop Flow Activities
Connect to Other Environments from the Microsoft Dataverse Connector
Push Cloud Flow Execution Data into Application Insights
Use Your Own Encryption Key for Encrypting Data At-Rest for Existing Environments
Create Power Automate Flows in Excel
View Two Action Properties Panes Simultaneously
Use Undo and Redo While You Build Cloud Flows in the Designer
Use Copy-Paste for Container Actions Like Scope, Condition, and Apply to Each
Use a Simplified OData Editor in Actions like Get Items and Get Files
Manage Unpublished Solution-Aware Cloud Flows Using Admin APIs
Cancel all Flow Runs for a Version of a Flow
Create a Flow on a File in Teams
Cloud Flows are Automatically Defined in Dataverse Solutions
Use Workflows on Calendar Events in Teams and Outlook
Create AI Flows in Power Automate
Use Copilot with French Language
Recommendations to Reassign Orphaned Cloud Flows
Generate Descriptions for Cloud Flows using AI
Use Flows with Connections from Users in Copilot Studio
Use Process Mining Microsoft 365 Personal Recommendations
Create and Edit Expressions with Copilot
Get Quick Insights and Recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining
Troubleshoot with Copilot for Cloud Flows Execution
Automate With Ease Using the AI Recorder
Enter into a Conversation-first Copilot Experience to Build Flows
Transform Scripting Using AI-driven Natural Language
Maximize Your Productivity with Generative Answers
Streamline Workflow Creation with the Next Best Action
Generate Flow Description Using AI
Use Natural Language to Create a Flow in Teams
Leverage Desktop Automation with the Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot
Set Up Fallback UI Automation Mechanism
Power Fx Integration with Power Automate for Desktop
Use Power Platform Connectors in Power Automate for Desktop Actions
Use CyberArk Credentials in Desktop Flow Connections
Use Azure Key Vault Credentials in Flow Connections
Connect Your Own Virtual Network with Hosted Machine Group
View Attended Desktop Flow Runs Using Picture-in-Picture Execution Mode
Self-heal UI and Browser Automation Actions at Execution with AI
Use the Run Power Fx Expression
Use Python v3 in Power Automate for Desktop
Use Machine to Credential Mapping in Desktop Flow Connections
Create a Reusable Collection of UI Elements
Use Customer-managed Encryption Key for Hosted RPA
Automation Center to Monitor and Manage All Your Automations and Related Assets
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Cloud Flow Runs
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture Mode Through the Power Automate Console
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Desktop Flow Runs
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Work Queue Data
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Ask Power Automate Product Questions
Use New Data Table Actions
Use New Excel Actions in Power Automate for Desktop
Use the New Desktop Flow Running Timeout Property
Ingest Process Data from Customers' Data Lake
Scale Faster with Power Automate Process Mining Thin Client App
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Working with Power Automate: What Are Environment Variables and Why Should They be Used?

Ian Grieve5 minute read3 Comments

Power AutomateThis article is part of the Working with Power Automate series I am writing on my experiences working with the Power Automate, which is part of the Power Platform from Microsoft. I also have a related series of articles on Power Automate with Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC.

As I’ve commented in other articles, solutions should be used when developing Power Automate flows, and in fact form part of the recommended application lifecycle management (ALM) scenario of moving a flow between Power Automate environments.

Environment variables are only available within a solution and are used to store parameter keys and values used within the flows of the solution. This separation of settings from functionality allows the behaviour of a flow to be changed without needing to amend the flow in the development environment and the solution redeployed to the production environment.

While you can and should use environment variables for all parameters used by flows within a solution, the two which I would say should always be created for a flow used with Business Central are the ones for the environment and company.

The main benefits of using environment variables are:

  • Provide new parameter values while importing solutions to other environments.
  • Store configuration for the data sources used in canvas apps and flows. For example, SharePoint Online site and list parameters can be stored as environment variables; therefore allowing you to connect to different sites and lists in different environments without needing to modify the apps and flows.
  • Package and transport your customization and configuration together and manage them in a single location.
  • Package and transport secrets, such as credentials used by different components, separately from the components that use them.
  • One environment variable can be used across many different solution components – whether they’re the same type of component or different. For example, a canvas app and a flow can use the same environment variable. When the value of the environment variable needs to change, you only need to change one value.
  • Additionally, if you need to retire a data source in production environments, you can simply update the environment variable values with information for the new data source. The apps and flows don’t require modification and will start using the new data source.
  • Supported by SolutionPackager and DevOps tools enable continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD).
  • The environment variables can be unpacked and stored in source control. You may also store different environment variables values files for the separate configuration needed in different environments. Solution Packager can then accept the file corresponding to the environment the solution will be imported to.

More details on environment variables are available on < ahref='https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/data-platform/environmentvariables'>Microsoft Learn.

Working with Power Automate

Working with Power Automate
What is Power Automate?
What Type of Flow Are Available?
What Type of Cloud Flows Are Available?
Power Automate with Business Central
Working with Power Automate Solutions: What Are Solutions?
Working with Power Automate Solutions: What Types of Solution Are There?
Working with Power Automate Solutions: What is a Solution Publisher?
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Create a Solution Publisher
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Create a Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Publish a Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Version Numbering for Solutions
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Exporting An Unmanaged Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Importing An Unmanaged Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Exporting A Managed Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Importing A Managed Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Change the Managed Properties of a Solution Component
Create a Visio Diagram of a Flow
What Are Environment Variables and Why Should They be Used?
Create an Environment Variable
Create a New Cloud Flow From a Template
Managing Large Flows
What is a Scope?
Example of How to Use a Scope
Best Practice For Using Scopes
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: What are Child Flows?
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Create a Child Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Change Run Only Users For Child Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Add a Child Flow To a Parent Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Test the Parent/Child Flow Examples
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Error Encountered Saving a Flow Which Calls a Child Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Error Encountered With Surprise Extra Parameters for a Child Flow
Calculate 30 Days Ago
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New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1: Use Power Platform Connectors in Power Automate for Desktop Actions

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

error Important

The planned-features for this release wave have been updated and this feature appears to have been removed.

Power AutomateThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1.

The 3rd of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is use Power Platform connectors in Power Automate for desktop actions.

Using Power Platform connectors directly in Power Automate for desktop actions will reduce logical loops and minimize time to create flows.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview: Apr 2024
Early Access: –
General Availability: Jun 2024

Feature Details

As a maker, you’re now able to use more than 1,000 cloud connectors, currently available in cloud flows, straight through desktop flows. This feature helps reduce logical loops and minimize flow creation time. It also helps ensure all actions capabilities are available through desktop flows for the Power Platform connectors.

My Opinion

I’ve been meaning to take more of a look at desktop flows for a while now, but haven’t had the time. I was aware that you could call cloud flows from a desktop flow, but this enhancement will allow you to use cloud connectors directly from the desktop flow, which seems like a useful enhancement.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1
Use Generative AI to Achieve a Process in AI Flows
Receive Intelligent License Recommendations for Admins
Be More Productive with Power Automate and Excel Desktop
View a Power Automate Visual in a Power BI Report
Monitor Performance for Cloud and Desktop Flow Activities
Connect to Other Environments from the Microsoft Dataverse Connector
Push Cloud Flow Execution Data into Application Insights
Use Your Own Encryption Key for Encrypting Data At-Rest for Existing Environments
Create Power Automate Flows in Excel
View Two Action Properties Panes Simultaneously
Use Undo and Redo While You Build Cloud Flows in the Designer
Use Copy-Paste for Container Actions Like Scope, Condition, and Apply to Each
Use a Simplified OData Editor in Actions like Get Items and Get Files
Manage Unpublished Solution-Aware Cloud Flows Using Admin APIs
Cancel all Flow Runs for a Version of a Flow
Create a Flow on a File in Teams
Cloud Flows are Automatically Defined in Dataverse Solutions
Use Workflows on Calendar Events in Teams and Outlook
Create AI Flows in Power Automate
Use Copilot with French Language
Recommendations to Reassign Orphaned Cloud Flows
Generate Descriptions for Cloud Flows using AI
Use Flows with Connections from Users in Copilot Studio
Use Process Mining Microsoft 365 Personal Recommendations
Create and Edit Expressions with Copilot
Get Quick Insights and Recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining
Troubleshoot with Copilot for Cloud Flows Execution
Automate With Ease Using the AI Recorder
Enter into a Conversation-first Copilot Experience to Build Flows
Transform Scripting Using AI-driven Natural Language
Maximize Your Productivity with Generative Answers
Streamline Workflow Creation with the Next Best Action
Generate Flow Description Using AI
Use Natural Language to Create a Flow in Teams
Leverage Desktop Automation with the Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot
Set Up Fallback UI Automation Mechanism
Power Fx Integration with Power Automate for Desktop
Use Power Platform Connectors in Power Automate for Desktop Actions
Use CyberArk Credentials in Desktop Flow Connections
Use Azure Key Vault Credentials in Flow Connections
Connect Your Own Virtual Network with Hosted Machine Group
View Attended Desktop Flow Runs Using Picture-in-Picture Execution Mode
Self-heal UI and Browser Automation Actions at Execution with AI
Use the Run Power Fx Expression
Use Python v3 in Power Automate for Desktop
Use Machine to Credential Mapping in Desktop Flow Connections
Create a Reusable Collection of UI Elements
Use Customer-managed Encryption Key for Hosted RPA
Automation Center to Monitor and Manage All Your Automations and Related Assets
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Cloud Flow Runs
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture Mode Through the Power Automate Console
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Desktop Flow Runs
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Work Queue Data
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Ask Power Automate Product Questions
Use New Data Table Actions
Use New Excel Actions in Power Automate for Desktop
Use the New Desktop Flow Running Timeout Property
Ingest Process Data from Customers' Data Lake
Scale Faster with Power Automate Process Mining Thin Client App
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New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1: Power Fx Integration with Power Automate for Desktop

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

Power AutomateThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1.

The 2nd of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is Power Fx integration with Power Automate for desktop.

You can now create automation flows through scripting using Power Fx. Power Fx enables the full spectrum of development from no-code makers without any programming knowledge to pro-code for the professional developers. It enables diverse teams to collaborate and save time and effort.

note Note

Microsoft Power Fx is the new name for the formula language for canvas apps in Power Apps.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview:  Dec 18, 2023
Early Access: –
General Availability: Sep 2024

Feature Details

Power Fx is the low-code language for expressing logic across Microsoft Power Platform. It’s a general-purpose, strong-typed, declarative, and functional programming language. Power Fx is expressed in human-friendly text. It’s a low-code language that makers can work with directly in an Excel-like formula bar or Visual Studio Code text window. The “low” in low-code is due to the concise and simple nature of the language, making common programming tasks easy for both makers and developers.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1
Use Generative AI to Achieve a Process in AI Flows
Receive Intelligent License Recommendations for Admins
Be More Productive with Power Automate and Excel Desktop
View a Power Automate Visual in a Power BI Report
Monitor Performance for Cloud and Desktop Flow Activities
Connect to Other Environments from the Microsoft Dataverse Connector
Push Cloud Flow Execution Data into Application Insights
Use Your Own Encryption Key for Encrypting Data At-Rest for Existing Environments
Create Power Automate Flows in Excel
View Two Action Properties Panes Simultaneously
Use Undo and Redo While You Build Cloud Flows in the Designer
Use Copy-Paste for Container Actions Like Scope, Condition, and Apply to Each
Use a Simplified OData Editor in Actions like Get Items and Get Files
Manage Unpublished Solution-Aware Cloud Flows Using Admin APIs
Cancel all Flow Runs for a Version of a Flow
Create a Flow on a File in Teams
Cloud Flows are Automatically Defined in Dataverse Solutions
Use Workflows on Calendar Events in Teams and Outlook
Create AI Flows in Power Automate
Use Copilot with French Language
Recommendations to Reassign Orphaned Cloud Flows
Generate Descriptions for Cloud Flows using AI
Use Flows with Connections from Users in Copilot Studio
Use Process Mining Microsoft 365 Personal Recommendations
Create and Edit Expressions with Copilot
Get Quick Insights and Recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining
Troubleshoot with Copilot for Cloud Flows Execution
Automate With Ease Using the AI Recorder
Enter into a Conversation-first Copilot Experience to Build Flows
Transform Scripting Using AI-driven Natural Language
Maximize Your Productivity with Generative Answers
Streamline Workflow Creation with the Next Best Action
Generate Flow Description Using AI
Use Natural Language to Create a Flow in Teams
Leverage Desktop Automation with the Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot
Set Up Fallback UI Automation Mechanism
Power Fx Integration with Power Automate for Desktop
Use Power Platform Connectors in Power Automate for Desktop Actions
Use CyberArk Credentials in Desktop Flow Connections
Use Azure Key Vault Credentials in Flow Connections
Connect Your Own Virtual Network with Hosted Machine Group
View Attended Desktop Flow Runs Using Picture-in-Picture Execution Mode
Self-heal UI and Browser Automation Actions at Execution with AI
Use the Run Power Fx Expression
Use Python v3 in Power Automate for Desktop
Use Machine to Credential Mapping in Desktop Flow Connections
Create a Reusable Collection of UI Elements
Use Customer-managed Encryption Key for Hosted RPA
Automation Center to Monitor and Manage All Your Automations and Related Assets
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Cloud Flow Runs
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture Mode Through the Power Automate Console
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Desktop Flow Runs
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Work Queue Data
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Ask Power Automate Product Questions
Use New Data Table Actions
Use New Excel Actions in Power Automate for Desktop
Use the New Desktop Flow Running Timeout Property
Ingest Process Data from Customers' Data Lake
Scale Faster with Power Automate Process Mining Thin Client App
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Multiple Record Changes Volume Limitation for Power Automate in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Ian Grieve2 minute read0 comment

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business CentralThis isn’t something which I have an issue with at the moment, but, when researching for something else, I came across a blog post which mentioned it and thought it was worth noting for future reference.

You can configure a trigger in Power Automate for the When a record is created action in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, which will, as the name suggests, run when a record is changed.

However, if you update multiple records very quickly, such as when using a configuration package, the flow won’t be triggered as there is a design limitation of maximum 100 record changes per 30 seconds.

The blog post I found this discussed in was from Microsoft MVP, Stefano Demiliani, where he discusses the limitation and also proposes a solution of using Azure Queues, where an entry is added via JSON to the Azure Queue for each updated record; a Power Automate flow is set up to process when there are messages in the queue.

Stefano also notes that there is an annoucned change to the way Power Automate will hande record changes which will mitigate this issue in future releases.

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New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1: Set Up Fallback UI Automation Mechanism

Ian Grieve4 minute read0 comment

Power AutomateThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1.

The 1st of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is set up fallback UI automation mechanism.

This feature provides a reliable solution for UI and browser automation actions. With this feature, users can set up a fallback mechanism for UI automation actions in case the UI element cannot be found through the set selector(s). This mechanism can fall back to image recognition or other techniques as screen understanding. By implementing this feature, businesses can improve their automation processes and reduce the risk of errors and delays caused by missing UI elements. This feature can save businesses time and money, and ultimately improve the overall efficiency of their operations.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview: –
Early Access: –
General Availability: Jul 2024

Feature Details

The fallback automation mechanism feature provides a reliable solution for UI and browser automation actions. Users can set up a fallback mechanism for UI automation actions in case the UI element cannot be found through the set selector(s). This mechanism can fall back to image recognition or other techniques as screen understanding. To enable the feature, users should do it either on action level or flow level. From the respective setting, they can enable the feature and set up their preferred fallback options. This feature is designed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of automation processes and offers a reliable and flexible solution for UI and web automation, helping businesses to streamline their operations and improve their bottom line.

My Opinion

This sounds like it could be useful for making sure that automation of processes doesn’t fail unnecessarily.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1
Use Generative AI to Achieve a Process in AI Flows
Receive Intelligent License Recommendations for Admins
Be More Productive with Power Automate and Excel Desktop
View a Power Automate Visual in a Power BI Report
Monitor Performance for Cloud and Desktop Flow Activities
Connect to Other Environments from the Microsoft Dataverse Connector
Push Cloud Flow Execution Data into Application Insights
Use Your Own Encryption Key for Encrypting Data At-Rest for Existing Environments
Create Power Automate Flows in Excel
View Two Action Properties Panes Simultaneously
Use Undo and Redo While You Build Cloud Flows in the Designer
Use Copy-Paste for Container Actions Like Scope, Condition, and Apply to Each
Use a Simplified OData Editor in Actions like Get Items and Get Files
Manage Unpublished Solution-Aware Cloud Flows Using Admin APIs
Cancel all Flow Runs for a Version of a Flow
Create a Flow on a File in Teams
Cloud Flows are Automatically Defined in Dataverse Solutions
Use Workflows on Calendar Events in Teams and Outlook
Create AI Flows in Power Automate
Use Copilot with French Language
Recommendations to Reassign Orphaned Cloud Flows
Generate Descriptions for Cloud Flows using AI
Use Flows with Connections from Users in Copilot Studio
Use Process Mining Microsoft 365 Personal Recommendations
Create and Edit Expressions with Copilot
Get Quick Insights and Recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining
Troubleshoot with Copilot for Cloud Flows Execution
Automate With Ease Using the AI Recorder
Enter into a Conversation-first Copilot Experience to Build Flows
Transform Scripting Using AI-driven Natural Language
Maximize Your Productivity with Generative Answers
Streamline Workflow Creation with the Next Best Action
Generate Flow Description Using AI
Use Natural Language to Create a Flow in Teams
Leverage Desktop Automation with the Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot
Set Up Fallback UI Automation Mechanism
Power Fx Integration with Power Automate for Desktop
Use Power Platform Connectors in Power Automate for Desktop Actions
Use CyberArk Credentials in Desktop Flow Connections
Use Azure Key Vault Credentials in Flow Connections
Connect Your Own Virtual Network with Hosted Machine Group
View Attended Desktop Flow Runs Using Picture-in-Picture Execution Mode
Self-heal UI and Browser Automation Actions at Execution with AI
Use the Run Power Fx Expression
Use Python v3 in Power Automate for Desktop
Use Machine to Credential Mapping in Desktop Flow Connections
Create a Reusable Collection of UI Elements
Use Customer-managed Encryption Key for Hosted RPA
Automation Center to Monitor and Manage All Your Automations and Related Assets
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Cloud Flow Runs
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture Mode Through the Power Automate Console
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Desktop Flow Runs
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Work Queue Data
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Ask Power Automate Product Questions
Use New Data Table Actions
Use New Excel Actions in Power Automate for Desktop
Use the New Desktop Flow Running Timeout Property
Ingest Process Data from Customers' Data Lake
Scale Faster with Power Automate Process Mining Thin Client App
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New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1: Get Quick Insights and Recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining

Ian Grieve3 minute read0 comment

error Important

The planned-features for this release wave have been updated and this feature appears to have been removed.

Power AutomateThis post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1.

The 1st of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is get quick insights and recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining.

Copilot for Power Automate Process Mining can democratize process and task mining for business users and process mining experts by arming them with insights into their processes and guiding them to solutions using generative AI where available.

Enabled for: Users, automatically
Public Preview: –
Early Access:  Aug 22, 2023
General Availability: Apr 2024

Feature Details

With Copilot for Power Automate Process Mining, users can:

  1. Discover processes in event logs.
  2. Uncover top insights about a process, including details on durations of steps in the process, steps requiring rework, bottlenecks, and more.
  3. Get recommendations on automations and solutions to eliminate inefficiencies in the process.

My Opinion

This appears to allow users to use Copilot to get more detail son flows and how efficiently they are running. It’ll be interesting to see how useful it proves to be.

Click to show/hide the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1 Series Index

New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 1
Use Generative AI to Achieve a Process in AI Flows
Receive Intelligent License Recommendations for Admins
Be More Productive with Power Automate and Excel Desktop
View a Power Automate Visual in a Power BI Report
Monitor Performance for Cloud and Desktop Flow Activities
Connect to Other Environments from the Microsoft Dataverse Connector
Push Cloud Flow Execution Data into Application Insights
Use Your Own Encryption Key for Encrypting Data At-Rest for Existing Environments
Create Power Automate Flows in Excel
View Two Action Properties Panes Simultaneously
Use Undo and Redo While You Build Cloud Flows in the Designer
Use Copy-Paste for Container Actions Like Scope, Condition, and Apply to Each
Use a Simplified OData Editor in Actions like Get Items and Get Files
Manage Unpublished Solution-Aware Cloud Flows Using Admin APIs
Cancel all Flow Runs for a Version of a Flow
Create a Flow on a File in Teams
Cloud Flows are Automatically Defined in Dataverse Solutions
Use Workflows on Calendar Events in Teams and Outlook
Create AI Flows in Power Automate
Use Copilot with French Language
Recommendations to Reassign Orphaned Cloud Flows
Generate Descriptions for Cloud Flows using AI
Use Flows with Connections from Users in Copilot Studio
Use Process Mining Microsoft 365 Personal Recommendations
Create and Edit Expressions with Copilot
Get Quick Insights and Recommendations in Copilot for Process Mining
Troubleshoot with Copilot for Cloud Flows Execution
Automate With Ease Using the AI Recorder
Enter into a Conversation-first Copilot Experience to Build Flows
Transform Scripting Using AI-driven Natural Language
Maximize Your Productivity with Generative Answers
Streamline Workflow Creation with the Next Best Action
Generate Flow Description Using AI
Use Natural Language to Create a Flow in Teams
Leverage Desktop Automation with the Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot
Set Up Fallback UI Automation Mechanism
Power Fx Integration with Power Automate for Desktop
Use Power Platform Connectors in Power Automate for Desktop Actions
Use CyberArk Credentials in Desktop Flow Connections
Use Azure Key Vault Credentials in Flow Connections
Connect Your Own Virtual Network with Hosted Machine Group
View Attended Desktop Flow Runs Using Picture-in-Picture Execution Mode
Self-heal UI and Browser Automation Actions at Execution with AI
Use the Run Power Fx Expression
Use Python v3 in Power Automate for Desktop
Use Machine to Credential Mapping in Desktop Flow Connections
Create a Reusable Collection of UI Elements
Use Customer-managed Encryption Key for Hosted RPA
Automation Center to Monitor and Manage All Your Automations and Related Assets
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Cloud Flow Runs
Trigger Attended Desktop Flows in Picture-in-Picture Mode Through the Power Automate Console
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Desktop Flow Runs
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Analyze Work Queue Data
Use Copilot in Automation Center to Ask Power Automate Product Questions
Use New Data Table Actions
Use New Excel Actions in Power Automate for Desktop
Use the New Desktop Flow Running Timeout Property
Ingest Process Data from Customers' Data Lake
Scale Faster with Power Automate Process Mining Thin Client App
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Working with Power Automate: Create a Visio Diagram of a Flow

Ian Grieve5 minute read0 comment

Power AutomateThis article is part of the Working with Power Automate series I am writing on my experiences working with the Power Automate, which is part of the Power Platform from Microsoft. I also have a related series of articles on Power Automate with Microsoft Dynamics 365 BC.

When I work on projects with clients in areas like approvals, I always use a tool like Visio or draw.io to define the workflow approval which will be created.

One feature of Power Automate which looks quite interesting is the ability to create a flow from a Visio diagram; this is something I want to look into, but suspect that the flow created in Visio will still leave a lot of holes in the flow which gets created.

However, that got me thinking about creating a Visio diagram from a flow so that a diagram could be generated to pick up all of the changes made to the flow after the initial creation.

Unfortunately, while Microsoft allow you to create a flow from Visio, they don’t like you to create a Visio from the flow. It seems like quite a large gap in functionality.

However, there is a utility called the XrmToolBox which offers a fair bit of functionality. On their website they say:

XrmToolBox is a Windows application that connects to Microsoft Dataverse. Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) applications, like Dynamics 365 for Sales, Service or Talent also use Microsoft Dataverse as their foundational data service. XrmToolBox, provides tools to ease customization, configuration and operation tasks for anything built on Microsoft Dataverse, including Dynamics 365 CE (formerly CRM) and model-driven PowerApps. It is shipped with more than 30 tools to make administration, customization or configuration tasks easier and less time consuming. And more than 100 other tools are available in the Tool Library.

And one of the tools which is available for the XrmToolBox is Flow To Visio. This allows you to yuse the Business Central connection in the XrmToolBox to download a copy of the flow as a Visio diagram.

I need to do some testing with it, but my first impressions are positive. The video from Jon Levesque where he talks to creator of the Flow To Visio tool shows what the tool is capable of doing:

Working with Power Automate

Working with Power Automate
What is Power Automate?
What Type of Flow Are Available?
What Type of Cloud Flows Are Available?
Power Automate with Business Central
Working with Power Automate Solutions: What Are Solutions?
Working with Power Automate Solutions: What Types of Solution Are There?
Working with Power Automate Solutions: What is a Solution Publisher?
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Create a Solution Publisher
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Create a Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Publish a Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Version Numbering for Solutions
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Exporting An Unmanaged Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Importing An Unmanaged Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Exporting A Managed Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Importing A Managed Solution
Working with Power Automate Solutions: Change the Managed Properties of a Solution Component
Create a Visio Diagram of a Flow
What Are Environment Variables and Why Should They be Used?
Create an Environment Variable
Create a New Cloud Flow From a Template
Managing Large Flows
What is a Scope?
Example of How to Use a Scope
Best Practice For Using Scopes
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: What are Child Flows?
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Create a Child Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Change Run Only Users For Child Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Add a Child Flow To a Parent Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Test the Parent/Child Flow Examples
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Error Encountered Saving a Flow Which Calls a Child Flow
Working with Power Automate Child Flows: Error Encountered With Surprise Extra Parameters for a Child Flow
Calculate 30 Days Ago
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