Power Automate Desktop Flow (RPA)
Power Automate helps businesses automate repetitive tasks across different systems and desktop applications. It is designed for teams that need to connect legacy software with cloud services.
At a glance
- Category
- Browse Operations tools
- Best for
- Small Businesses, Mid-Market Companies, Enterprise Companies, Microsoft 365 users
- Pricing
- Pricing starts at $15 per user per month for Power Automate Premium (paid yearly). A Process License for unattended bots is $150 per bot per month (paid yearly). A 30-day free trial is available.
- Key use cases
- Cross-Application Workflow Automation, Approval Process Management, Legacy System Integration, Microsoft 365 Task Automation, SAP Procurement Workflows
- Integrations
- Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft SharePoint, OneDrive, Dynamics 365
- Official website
- Visit Power Automate Desktop Flow (RPA) official website
Power Automate is a workflow automation tool from Microsoft that combines cloud-based flows with robotic process automation (RPA). It is designed to handle repetitive tasks across various environments, including web browsers, desktop applications, and legacy systems that lack APIs.
The software is aimed at a range of users, from small businesses to large enterprises. It supports a low-code approach, allowing users to create automations using prebuilt templates or natural language inputs via Copilot.
Buyers can use the platform to manage approval processes and data synchronization across different software platforms. It integrates with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem, which may be practical for organizations using Teams, Excel, and SharePoint.
Before choosing this tool, buyers should confirm whether they need attended RPA (where a human interacts with the bot) or unattended RPA (where the bot runs independently), as these options have different licensing requirements.
Key Features
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Automates user-interface actions on legacy systems, desktop apps, and websites.
Low-Code Workflow Creation
Supports building automations from scratch or using prebuilt templates.
Copilot AI Authoring
Helps users create and edit process automations using natural language.
API Connectors
Includes over 1,000 prebuilt connectors to link various cloud applications and services.
Task and Process Mining
Designed to identify automation opportunities by analyzing business processes.
AI Document Processing
Uses AI models to support the processing and analysis of documents and images.
Use Cases
Cross-Application Workflow Automation
Automating data movement and tasks across various systems, websites, and desktop apps.
Approval Process Management
Creating and sharing approval workflows across an organization.
Legacy System Integration
Using RPA to automate tasks in older software that does not have an API.
Microsoft 365 Task Automation
Automating actions within Excel, OneDrive, and Microsoft Teams.
SAP Procurement Workflows
Setting up automation for core purchasing processes using available solution templates.
Best For
- Small Businesses
- Mid-Market Companies
- Enterprise Companies
- Microsoft 365 users
Integrations
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft SharePoint
- OneDrive
- Dynamics 365
- SAP
- Salesforce
Pricing
Pricing starts at $15 per user per month for Power Automate Premium (paid yearly). A Process License for unattended bots is $150 per bot per month (paid yearly). A 30-day free trial is available.
FAQ
What is the difference between Power Automate Premium and the Process License?
- Power Automate Premium is a per-user license starting at $15/month for cloud and attended desktop flows. The Process License is $150/month per bot and is used for unattended desktop flows or flows accessed by unlimited users.
Can Power Automate connect to software that doesn't have an API?
- Yes, it uses desktop flows (RPA) to connect to systems and legacy applications by automating user-interface actions.
Does Power Automate work with non-Microsoft applications?
- Yes, it provides more than 1,000 API connectors for various services, including SAP and Salesforce, and can automate tasks on websites and desktop apps.
Source category: Operations
Source subcategory: Workflow Automation
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Categories
Software Type
How AI is used
Power Automate is a business process automation tool for small to large businesses that uses RPA and AI to automate tasks across desktop and web apps. It supports low-code workflow creation and integrates with Microsoft 365. Buyers should confirm if they require the per-user Premium plan or the per-bot Process License for unattended automation.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Native integration with Microsoft 365 apps like Teams and Excel
- Connectivity with over 1,000 API connectors
- Offers both attended and unattended RPA options
- Low-code interface and AI authoring for non-developers
Cons
- Process License for unattended bots has a higher monthly cost than the per-user premium plan
- RPA capabilities vary by licensing tier
- Some automation features may require setup via the on-premises data gateway
