The modern world is built on data and fueled by connectivity. User interfaces (UI) are widely used to input data, and application programming interfaces (APIs) are used to communicate data between functions. Not all applications have APIs, however, which means many legacy systems are unable to integrate with modern workflows. Robotic process automation (RPA) is often the answer — with clicks, keystrokes, and commands analyzed and repeated to automate data flows and ensure communication between diverse systems.
What is RPA?
RPA is an emerging force in the field of business process automation (BPA). Digital transformation endeavours are increasingly based on automation, with BPA helping to streamline business activities, improve service quality, and reduce business expenses. Within the context of BPA, analysts and programmers use APIs and scripting languages to automate specific tasks based on known and established actions.
In contrast, RPA services develop new and dynamic action lists by watching how a human user interacts with software applications. This process involves an additional step to BPA, but it can also produce more accurate results. The list created is based on real-world input, which can lead to more efficient workflows and a much lower barrier to entry.
From the factory floor to the desktop
In warehouses and manufacturing facilities, robots have been used for decades. They help to improve productivity, reduce errors, and free up human workers for higher-level tasks. The increased adoption of RPA in offices is based on the exact same benefits. While they might not have large operating arms and complex physical controls, software robots can be configured to trigger responses, manipulate data, and communicate with other digital systems.
What is Power Automate RPA?
Power Automate is a popular cloud-based automation platform operated by Microsoft. As part of the Microsoft Power Platform, it functions alongside products such as Power Apps and Power BI. This Microsoft RPA is used to automate user interfaces and unlock analog data with artificial intelligence (AI). With built-in connectivity options, it also helps to automate cloud applications and databases. Indeed, Power Automate Cloud Flow has 750+ Microsoft first-party and third-party connectors/APIs which lets you connect with data, and in case if your third-party application doesn’t have an API or connector built, then Power Automate Desktop (RPA) comes to the rescue and lets you work with that data using UI flows.
Unlike many APIs, Power Automate RPA is a low-code development environment, which makes it much more accessible. It allows businesses to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks through attended or unattended automation, which means with or without human interaction:
- Attended automation mimics the desktop and browser actions of a human user. It automates repetitive activities by recording and playing back actions in real time.
- Unattended automation doesn’t need human input, with bots doing all the work. Software processes record and play back actions based on triggers and scheduled events.
Introducing UI flows
Individual RPA functions in Power Automate extension are called UI flows. These functions allow users to use the browser as a conduit for the desktop. With preconstructed connectors for over 275 applications and services and both API and UI-based automation available, Power Automate is designed to function as an end-to-end automation platform.
To start making UI flows, you just have to follow these three steps:
- Ensure you have the required prerequisites
- Download the Chrome or Edge extensions
- Download and install Power Automate recorder