Category: Power Platform

This 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 13th of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is use machine to credential mapping in desktop flow connections.

In many organizations, each machine must have a unique user session. This implies that they cannot use machine group. List of credentials will allow them to use unique credential for each of their machines. For organizations who want to use automations executed on agent machines, there’s no option to define a mapping between machine(s) and agent(s). List of credentials will allow to start an attended automation to the machine of the right agent.

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

Feature Details

Allow customers to define lists of credentials and use them in the desktop flow connections. These lists will also allow customers to define which machine(s) can use these credentials. These lists can be used as login credentials in the desktop flow connections and will benefit from the same credential management feature, such as:

• Encryption and data protection
• Password rotation with Azure Key Vault or CyberArk
• Application lifecycle management

This 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 12th of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is use Python v3 in Power Automate for desktop.

Python v3 support in Power Automate for desktop allows desktop flows to execute Python scripts created in version 3.

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

Feature Details

Power Automate for desktop now supports Python scripts created using version 3 of Python in addition to the already supported Python version 2. You can now invoke desktop flows Python scripts created using Python v3 using the Run Python script action.

This 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 11th of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is use the Run Power Fx expression.

Makers can use the Run Power Fx expression to directly perform data transformations on the desired data sources (such as data tables, lists, variables).

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

Feature Details

With the Run Power Fx expression, makers can perform Power Fx expressions directly on data. For example, use functions, such as Collect(), ClearCollect() to emulate the functionality of the Add to list and Update list actions.

This action is only available for Power Fx enabled desktop flows (currently in preview).

This 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 10th of the new functionality in the Desktop Flows section is self-heal UI and browser automation actions at execution with AI.

This feature is for Power Automate for desktop users that automate UI and web interaction scenarios. It improves success rates and handles cases where UI elements can’t be found.

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

Feature Details

Once enabled by users, the feature uses AI to locate elements in the screen at the execution time. The repaired selector is used in future executions. Plus, it’s optional and can be disabled if you prefer.

• Self-healing refers to the case that a UI element cannot be found at the execution time.
• Self-healing can be applied only for UI and web automation scenarios, and subsequently for Desktop and web UI elements.
• With self-healing, Power Automate for desktop can locate a UI element in the screen.
• When UI element and its selector are retrieved, a confirmation is required by the user in order the flow to be healed and saved.
• This feature can be disabled by the user.

This 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 10th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is leverage desktop automation with the Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot.

As a user, you’re always looking for ways to streamline your workflows and make everyday tasks easier. The Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot is here to assist. This tool is designed for users who handle repetitive desktop tasks, especially those who work with Excel, PDF, and file operations. You’ll enjoy the newfound ability to leverage AI-powered automation right on your desktop, cutting down on time spent on routine tasks and boosting your productivity.

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

Feature Details

The Power Automate Plugin for Windows Copilot is an AI-powered virtual assistant that introduces the ability to easily automate desktop tasks. This feature integrates popular Power Automate for desktop actions, such as Excel operations, PDF manipulations, and general file operations, right into the Windows Copilot interface. This allows you to automate routine tasks, increasing efficiency and freeing up time for more important tasks.

As we continuously improve this feature, you can look forward to more automation options in the future. The plugin is user-friendly and intuitive, making it easier than ever to get started with desktop automation.

Geographic areas

This feature will be released into the following Microsoft Azure geographic areas:

• Singapore
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• United States
• Asia Pacific
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• South America
• Canada
• India
• Japan
• Korea

This 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 9th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is use natural language to create a flow in Teams.

This feature helps you create a flow in Teams if the Workflows app doesn’t have a template that fits your scenario. To use this feature, type in a prompt to describe what you want the flow to do, and then the feature generates your flow for you. You no longer need to start from scratch.

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

Feature Details

This feature allows you to use natural language to create a flow from scratch when the Workflows app in Teams doesn’t have a template that supports your specific scenario. It uses AI to generate and suggest a flow based on what you typed. You can edit your prompt to generate a new flow suggestion if you need. Use this feature to take the guesswork out of creating a flow from scratch when you don’t know where to start.

This 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 7th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is streamline workflow creation with the next best action.

A new AI-powered suggestion feature in Power Automate for desktop provides you with the next best action for your workflow creation, by constantly analyzing your workflow and suggesting the most appropriate action. By leveraging this feature, you can automate repetitive tasks quicker and more efficiently, thus freeing up time to focus on higher valued work.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview:  Jan 29, 2024
Early Access: –
General Availability: Sep 2024

Feature Details

The next best action suggestion feature has been designed to streamline the automation process, making it easier for users to create and automate workflows without requiring extensive flow creation knowledge.

With this new addition, users will be able to create more complex workflows with ease. The feature will suggest the next action that makes sense based on the context of the current workflow and the actions that have already been added.

Geographic areas

This feature will be released into the following Microsoft Azure geographic area:

• United States

This 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 6th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is maximize your productivity with generative answers.

The AI assistant will provide you with the ability to ask product related questions using natural language and receive prompt, precise answers, eliminating the need for time-consuming searches and waiting for support responses. This feature will increase your productivity and allow you to have uninterrupted focus while developing your flows.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview:  Nov 12, 2023
Early Access: –
General Availability: Sep 2024

Feature Details

With the copilot generative answers functionality, you can easily find the information you need to create and manage your flows and any other aspect of Power Automate for desktop. The generative answers are integrated into the Power Automate for desktop UI in both the console and the designer, making it easy to access and use. Simply type your question in natural language, and the copilot will provide you with the most relevant information from our documentation. To use it, select the copilot icon in the console or designer UI and start getting answers to your questions.

Geographic areas

This feature will be released into the following Microsoft Azure geographic area:

• United States

This 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 5th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is transform scripting using AI-driven natural language.

You can enhance efficiency and save valuable time and resources by using natural language and AI to generate the code in the scripting actions in Power Automate for desktop. This added capability allows you to describe your desired scripts and have AI automatically generate the necessary code for you. By doing so, you can streamline your flows automation and reduce the time and the effort required to write code for simple tasks, such as running PowerShell, VB, CMD scripts or executing SQL statements.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview:  Nov 12, 2023
Early Access: –
General Availability: Sep 2024

Feature Details

Natural language to Code is a new AI capability that we are adding in Power Automate for desktop that allows you to quickly generate code that is used in the scripting actions by just describing it. This feature is available in the “Run PowerShell,” “Run VBScript,” “Run DOS command,” “Run Python,” and “Run JavaScript” actions. You can simply describe what you want to achieve, and the tool will generate the script for you. This feature makes it easy for users who are not familiar with scripting languages to automate their tasks.

This 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 4th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is Enter into a conversation-first Copilot experience to build flows.

This feature allows you to create flows with a conversation-first Copilot experience from the Power Automate home page.

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

Feature Details

Prior to this feature, you were limited to creating specifically phrased prompts in Copilot to generate a flow. This feature now enables you to enter less specific prompts. You can simply start by stating a business scenario, your business roles and responsibility, or pain points that you encountered in your work process. In any case, you can easily enter into a conversation-first experience to build flows.

The conversational experience extends the ability to ask Copilot using natural language to create a workflow into the ideation process. For example, Copilot might ask further probing questions to help you form a clear automation plan. This allows you to not only create, but refine, edit, and adjust through follow-up prompts. In addition, if you get errors with your workflow, you can use Copilot to fix them for you.