New Delhi, October 12, 2020.

Microsoft India has announced the public preview of its Power Automate Desktop, a new desktop-based Robotic Process Automate (RPA) solution that expands low-code automation capabilities for organizations. Part of Microsoft Power Automate service, this solution enables coders and non-coders alike to automate processes and tasks across desktop and web applications with minimal effort from a single intelligent platform. From simple data transfers to complex business workflows, the solution helps businesses automate repetitive, manual tasks and focus on higher-value work to achieve more.

Power Automate Desktop’s intuitive design environment allows non-coders to automate processes quickly without writing a single line of code. It also provides complete control and flexibility for advanced users, programmers and developers in a scalable and secure environment. It further democratizes the RPA capabilities within Power Automate by providing a desktop automation option for citizen developers and business users.

Commenting on the announcement, Irina Ghose Executive Director - Cloud Solutions, Microsoft India, said, “Organizations and IT departments are seeking ways to quickly adapt to the unprecedented pace of change across every industry around the world. With Microsoft Power Automate Desktop, we aim to empower organizations automate tasks across the desktop and web, using an integrated platform to complete tasks at speed and scale. It enables businesses to free their knowledge-workers from time-consuming and repetitive jobs and focus on strategic tasks to deliver higher value to customers. Organizations can minimize human errors, simplify workflows, reduce maintenance effort and cost, and improve scalability while ensuring security. This will play a vital role in transforming and reimagining their  businesses in the new normal.”  

Power Automate Desktop handles both Attended RPA (repetitive tasks like front-office activities) and Unattended RPA (back-office processes) with equal efficiency. The advanced functionalities in the Power Automate Desktop environment enables organizations to:

·         Accelerate automation with an easy-to-use visual designer: Power Automate Desktop empowers all users to automate tasks or processes right from their Windows machines. The drag-and-drop visual designer and live debugging tool make it possible to automate processes by placing the steps in a logical manner, helping turn ideas into reality in a clear, simple way.

·         Simulate multiple scenarios with the web and desktop recorders: Users can automate their favorite web apps with the Web Recorder or capture on-screen elements for Windows apps with the Desktop Recorder. The recorders track keyboard and mouse interactions and translate them into a clear automation path that can be replayed across web apps and any Windows applications.

·         Automate between Windows applications with key actions: Users can automate both modern, Windows applications and legacy systems with a diverse set of actions—without making changes to their existing IT infrastructure. A single flow can support tasks across systems that include SAP, websites, and legacy terminals such as mainframes and AS/400, Citrix, among others

·         Reduce bottlenecks with flexible exception handling: The solution enables users to prepare handler errors at any point in the automation process. It ensures automations run with precision and speed by setting up safeguards such as retries, alternate execution or notifications when errors occur. Each action in the script supports no-code error and exception handling, and execution logs that include error details and screenshots to help with troubleshooting.

Power Automate Desktop is available worldwide in English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish. Earlier this year, Microsoft acquired Softomotive, a London-based RPA solutions provider, to expand low-code, robotic process automation capabilities in Microsoft Power Automate, strengthening the ability for anyone to automate processes. Microsoft Power Automate service is being used by more than 350,000 organizations worldwide to build and deploy custom, end-to-end business solutions using low-code solutions