Try the desktop operation automation tool "Power Automate Desktop" that can be used for free on ASCII.jp Windows 10

Power Automate Desktop is available for free, but there are confusion in how to use terms.

In March, Windows 10 announced that "Power Automate Desktop" (hereinafter abbreviated as PAD) will be available for free.Pad is an automation tool for application operations that operate on a local computer.Simply put, it is a tool for automatically operating Windows applications and web browsers operated by users by hand.

With Power Automate Desktop, you can create information from GUI apps and web browsers and create "flows" to work.

Basically, it can be automated by creating a "flow" for operating an application and executing it.For those who have programming experience, the "Excel Macro" and "GUI version Batch file" are scripted languages.

For the time being, even if you do not have knowledge of programming, it is possible to record the operation (script, or macro) called "flow" and execute the same procedure repeatedly.。

As always with Microsoft material, this Pad is also a bit confusing, and there are some things to be aware of when searching on the Internet.First, Microsoft products include "Power Automate" and "Power Automate Desktop".Pad is a part of a product (service) product (service) called Power Automate.

Power Automate is for automating various tasks on the cloud side.The flow to be executed here is called "cloud flow".From here, the function for operating the local computer is PAD, and the pad runs are called "desktop flow" and is distinguished from "cloud flow".

For those who used Power Automate earlier, this distinction seems to be obvious, but for those who use PAD for the first time this time, it is a source of confusion.When you look at the search results, you need to be careful whether they are talking about "Power Automate" (or cloud flow) or Pad (or desktop flow).For example, the Microsoft site has the following descriptions ("Power Automate Desktp Run maned and Unmanned Desktop Flow").

After creating and testing the desktop flow, you can run from the event, schedule, or button.To enable this, add the desktop flow to the automated flows, instant flows, scheduled flows, or business process flows.

From here, it seems that PAD can run the flow on a schedule.However, if you click the linked "automated flow" part ("Power Automate Desktp manned and unmanned desktop flow")

Create a cloud flow that automatically executes one or more tasks after triggered by an event.

The story becomes "Power Automate" and the story of "cloud flow".In other words, in order to launch a desktop flow from the "event and schedule", it is necessary to create a "cloud flow" with Power Automate.If you are not aware of the difference between "Power Automate" and "Power Automate Desktop", you will not be able to understand it at all.

Power Automate also used the name "Microsoft Flow" in the past.It is important to note that the document may still have Microsoft Flow (may be abbreviated as Flow).In the first place, it is a remnant at this time that the script created with PAD is called "flow".

Let's actually use PAD

Pad can be downloaded from Microsoft site and installed on Windows 10.However, it is now a preview version, and there is no need to start using it in a hurry.When installed, Power Automate Desktop will be resident as a service, and the flow can be automatically started according to events.

With PAD, it is possible to create a flow of manual and operation records and execute flow.The start and creation of the flow are started from the program called "Pad Console".When you create a flow, a window called "Flow Designer" opens.

Power Automate Desktop console.The created flow is displayed here, and it is possible to start by clicking.

The flow designer is a window for creating flow.By dragging the left action and dropping to the center flow area, the action (flow) is created by arranging the action.The operation of each action can be specified in the dialog box displayed by double click.

In the PAD, we use a GUI called "visual programming".Instead of writing a program in text, you can line up a strip -shaped object called action in the window.Each action has a dedicated dialog box and can enter and edit the necessary parameters.

It is also possible to record the user's operation on applications and web browsers using the "desktop recorder" or "Web recorder" and add it to the editing flow.The major difference from the general programming language is around here, and various functions have been added for Windows applications and the purpose of automating work on web browsers.

With a desktop recorder, you can record operations for GUI applications.When the record is over, the action is inserted into the flow

The created flow can be started manually from the Pad console.If you have a Power Automate account, the desktop flow can be launched from the cloud flow, but in that case it seems that you need to install an on -premisesway.For the time being, there is no mistake if you can create a desktop flow and understand that it can be started by clicking.Power Automate can be used for free by using the Power Apps community plan.

Power Automate, which runs the cloud flow, is available by registering with a free Power Apps Communication Plan.

● Power Apps Community Planhttps: // PowerApps.Microsoft.COM/JA-JP/CommunityPlan/

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