Automate the process of data entry into a legacy desktop application by leveraging UI flow (RPA)

[@FrancescoZit]

Really interesting demo! Thanks for the inspiration!

[@RezaDorrani]

Glad you liked it!

[@RezaDorrani]

Thanks for watching

[@RezaDorrani]

Most welcome

[@vikramreddy3940]

That's awesome feature and a nice demo. Need to see how can use in real time scenarios

[@RezaDorrani]

Check out the new Power Automate Desktop tool announced at Ignite 2020. Going forward recommendation is to build all UI flows (RPA) with this tool. I will plan to do a video on this after a few months.

[@amolmane8747]

Thank you so much Raza, please suggest how did you create database entity in this example/Demo.

[@RezaDorrani]

In Dataverse the entire process is GUI driven. Just followed the UI, Added a table and the columns.

[@ppei2012]

Thank you, Reza! That's great! I see there are a lot of potentials for this UI Flow.

[@RezaDorrani]

Thanks for watching

[@imafunnydude0o7]

Reza great work! Can this be used to automate opportunity creations in salesforce?

[@RezaDorrani]

Yes. However UI flows should only be used in scenarios where Api is not available. There is a SAP connector available in Power Automate.

[@sagarram4164]

Hii Rezza, Instead if "Registration information has been recorded" consider there is a number value which used to change dinamically for every run. In that case how to capture a value and store it in a variable. In the sense how to capture a dynamic value should I make any changes in the selector? Thankyou

[@RezaDorrani]

If there is a dynamic value in your system of record, you can select that once your legacy app showcases it and load it ina variable. Key will be to ensure you give the step enough time for the legacy app to showcase the dyanmic value.

[@MelwynRodrigues]

Nice demo Reza! Thank you!

[@RezaDorrani]

My pleasure!

[@seg8690]

Hi Reza.. Thanks for this clear explanation.. In my case,I tried recording of App in powerapps(app developed in canvas itself) and trying to automate tests with dynamic values.. so when I create instant flow,how can I feed the data from entities and run the script . ( here, you ve chosen option option as Run a UI flow desktop version)

[@RezaDorrani]

Hi Sushma, Power Apps does have an in built test framework which basically uses the same concept as UI flows. Check this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHWkpmN7eNl3a7M

[@prakash4190]

Thanks again! I have got a similar one. Is there anyway we can make the desktop ui flow faster? I want to make the key strokes faster. Currently iam trying to use the desktop ui flow on power virtual agent and it is timing out.

[@RezaDorrani]

When pva calls flow, the flow has to respond within 2 mins The desktop ui flow is in preview - expect things to speed up after it goes GA You can change the duration of each action captured in UI flows But when a flow calls a UI flow I have noticed it takes a while for the UI flow to start and return data back to flow

[@prakash4190]

@@RezaDorrani Thanks for the response. Yes, i have tried that too and made the UI flow to complete less than a minute, but still i didn't get a response back to virtual agent.

[@prakash4190]

Yay!!! Its working for me now! I could able to get the UI flow output as response back to my chatbot.

[@prakash4190]

Thank you Reza! This is really a powerful feature.

[@RezaDorrani]

Thanks for watching

[@Slash1066]

Great demo, I learned a great deal, such a cool application

[@RezaDorrani]

Thanks for watching

[@JodydeBruyn]

Good day Reza. This if for sure a great video. I worked through your video and replicated all the steps. First I did the UI Flow, and then did the normal Flow which then uses the UI Flow that was created. For the normal flow I read data from an excel table from my one Drive for Business, and then start with the Apply to Each section. At your video time of 12:13, I see you get a dropdown to access the UI Flows you created. I don't get that - On my build it prompts me to select a Gateway. Have I missed something here - What have I done wrong ?

[@RezaDorrani]

You will have to complete the pre-requisites mentioned in the video description. When using desktop UI flows, you need to install and configure the on-premises gateway. docs.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/ui-flows/setup

[@JodydeBruyn]

@@RezaDorrani Thank you

[@gabskzw]

Hi reza, can i do another task when this flow is running? if not, how can use the computer at the same time when the flow are running? Thank you, your's video are helping me a lot

[@RezaDorrani]

Cannot run another task when flow is running in attended mode. You can use the unattended mode to run the flow on a server.

[@BigLeafDropper86]

Nice on Reza, would like to see a move advanced senario

[@RezaDorrani]

PAD or Power Automate Desktop is the latest tool for RPA. I would recommend checking that out.

[@Brothercole1994]

Could you do this same process with excel? I.e. set up a flow that would copy data from one excel file to another?

[@RezaDorrani]

Yes, possible. Check Power Automate Desktop.

[@shivanandakki7257]

Can Power automate replace Automation Anywhere???

[@RezaDorrani]

This is a great question. I would probably not be the best person to answer this. Contact twitter.com/wearsy. He has done a lot of work with Power Automate Desktop.

[@markgillani2257]

Great presentation! Thank you so much.

[@RezaDorrani]

You're very welcome!

[@benoitpatigny]

Thank you Reza, it's very useful video

[@RezaDorrani]

Thanks for watching

[@jazibghafoor]

Can we use it to extract data from excel sheet. Any clear direction as we are just new to it

[@RezaDorrani]

Search for Power Automate Desktop. This video uses an old tool that no longer exists.

[@jazibghafoor]

@@RezaDorrani i did based on your other comment to someone else but could not find anything. Can you share link of the video that you are referring

[@RezaDorrani]

There are many videos on KZbin on PAD. I do not have a specific link handy.

[@jazibghafoor]

@@RezaDorrani Thanks alot.

[@brenainnmacthomais]

Great demo! I hate that it uses numeric delays! They should be conditional-wait for element to appear or webpage to load. That would work better and make this software even more competitive!

[@RezaDorrani]

Hi Brandon, the web UI flows (Selenium) does have that concept. Do agree that the desktop version also should get those features. Note that WinAutomation is also provided as part of UI flows - which does have some powerful capabilities. So check it out - flow.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/new-winautomation-connector-in-ui-flows-is-now-available/

[@brenainnmacthomais]

Reza, thank you for the quick response! My company uses UiPath, and I’m constantly looking for better technology at fair prices! We use UiPath for data entry, file uploads, data retrieval and comparison, and document retrieval.

[@gaudykyle101]

What is the definition of “legacy desktop application” ?

[@RezaDorrani]

Hey, this feature is now deprecated. Please look for “Power Automate Desktop”

[@alfrednisay]

Amazing 👌👌

[@RezaDorrani]

Thank you Alexis

[@vikramsingh-ws2nn]

Hi Reza, can we change multiple words in pdf with loop and replace.

[@RezaDorrani]

Yes can be done with UI flows. Going forward Power Automate Desktop is the preferred approach for creating UI flows. This was announced at Microsoft Ignite.

[@vikramsingh-ws2nn]

Hi Reza, in power automate flow can we remove duplicate row items and keep the latest item out of duplicate rows in share point list. Please suggest any video or any blog for the same. I will be highly obliged for the same. Thank you in advance

[@RezaDorrani]

@@vikramsingh-ws2nn Yes can be done. Do not have any references to video links. Will recommend posting your query on the power automate community forum.

[@vikramsingh-ws2nn]

Thank you

[@mohdshoaib3296]

how can i productionize these flows in case of desktop flows as my legacy app ill b only on my system n not on production servers

[@RezaDorrani]

Currently UI flows work in attended mode (user needs to be present). There is another feature call unattended UI flows which be coming in future. Also, UI flows talks to legacy desktop applications via the Data Gateway. So you would need to plan accordingly

[@LiAkula]

Video playback error 😅. It's corrupted it seems

[@RezaDorrani]

Playback seems fine. Tested it with multiple accounts.