Category: Power Automate

This post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 10th of the new functionality in the Desktop flows section is connect your own virtual network with hosted machine group.

Users can run desktop flows using a hosted machine group connected to their own virtual network (VNet) in order to execute RPA jobs that require access to on-premises networks.

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

Feature Details

Users can now seamlessly integrate a hosted machine group (HMG) with their own VNet. This integration enables users to run desktop flows and execute RPA jobs that require access to on-premises networks. By leveraging their own VNet, users can ensure secure and reliable connectivity between the hosted machines and the on-premises networks.

This post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 9th 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. A list of credentials will allow them to use unique credential for each of their machines. For organizations that want to use automations executed on agent machines, there’s no option to define mapping between machine(s) and agent(s). The list of credentials will allow an attended automation to the machine of the right agent.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview: Nov 2024
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 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 8th 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.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview:  Dec 18, 2023
General Availability: Nov 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.

This post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 7th 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: Dec 2024
General Availability: Mar 2025

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 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 7th 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: –
General Availability: Oct 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 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 5th of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is maximize your productivity with generative answers.

Copilot provides 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 increases your productivity and allows you to have uninterrupted focus while developing your flows.

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

Feature Details

With Copilot’s 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. Just type your question in natural language, and Copilot provides 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 areas:

• Germany
• Norway
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• US GCC
• US GCC High
• United States
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• India
• Japan
• France
• Korea

This post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 4th 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
General Availability: Nov 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.

Geographic areas

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

• Germany
• Norway
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• US GCC
• US GCC High
• United States
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• India
• Japan
• France
• Korea

This post is part of the New Functionality In Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2 series in which I am taking a look at the new functionality introduced in Microsoft Power Automate 2024 Wave 2.

The 3rd of the new functionality in the Copilot for Power Automate section is automate with ease using the AI Recorder.

The AI Recorder in Power Automate for desktop revolutionizes task automation by allowing users to simply record and explain their tasks using their voice and showing a task. This intuitive feature not only saves time but also leads to improved productivity and streamlined operations for businesses.

Enabled for: Admins, makers, marketers, or analysts, automatically
Public Preview:  Sep 2, 2024
General Availability: Mar 2025

Feature Details

The AI Recorder leverages cutting-edge Generative AI to interpret voice, mouse movements, and screen sharing to create a desktop flow. It’s like having a digital assistant that understands your process and automates it for you, making it an invaluable tool for any user looking to build automations.

Geographic areas

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

• Germany
• Norway
• Singapore
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• United Arab Emirates
• US GCC
• US GCC High
• United States
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• United Kingdom
• Australia
• Brazil
• Canada
• India
• Japan
• France
• Korea