Power Automate Desktop: Best Practices for Advanced Users

Learn all the Power Automate Desktop practices in this advanced step-by-step tutorial. We'll go through building a config, do error handling, logging, input validation, dynamic waits, and work queues. Learning the best practices is crucial as a Microsoft Power Automate Desktop developer. It makes your workflows more effective, robust, easier to maintain, and faster to build because of reusability.

By the end of this video, you've improved your chances of getting a job or passing a Power Automate Desktop developer certification.

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⌚ TIMESTAMPS
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:27 Building the Basic Flow
0:20:36 A Simple Log
0:25:49 Dynamic File Naming
0:31:41 Error-Handling
0:32:53 Business Exceptions
0:52:08 System Exceptions
0:58:29 Advanced Logging
1:16:15 Input Validation
1:30:51 Dynamic Waits
1:37:29 Work Queues
1:45:50 Dispatcher
1:53:30 Config

#powerautomatedesktop #powerautomate #powerplatform

[andersjensenorg]

We're more than 8000 RPA developers ready to network and help you.

[miraitube]

My learning journey on Power Automate is much better with your videos! Thanks!

[jannicksrensen]

I've been looking for something like this for a while now. Great to finally have a video on it! Thank you very much

[Peterson]

Here are some effective programming techniques I have honed over my career as a developer:

Regardless of the language or automation software I'm using, I generally start with a copy of a pre-developed layout, which will be the standard for all automations. Here are the steps I usually follow:

The first subroutine or subflow of the project is at this point, I define directories, parameters, keys, and everything related to the automation workspace, using regions.

The second subroutine or subflow of the project is Sub_Control_room: this section houses Boolean variables that can change the systems environments and logins. It includes everything related to environments and logins.

The third subroutine or subflow of the project is Sub_Error_handling: in case of error, I direct it to this routine, which is responsible for recovering the cause of failure, sending emails, inserting information into SQL, and everything related to the last action that the automation will perform in case of failure.

Here's a tip for beginners or for those who want to make their projects more scalable and easy to maintain:

It's useful to differentiate your subroutines or subflows using the initial prefixes: Sub_ or Func_. To me, the difference is clear: Sub_ is used to store variable assignments, large sections of code, or even a small "function". However, what differentiates it from Func_ is that the latter mimics a function, as it allows to perform a task using unique variables as internal input and output. This way, when someone goes to perform maintenance on your automation, they will know that the Func_Function_name routine receives or returns parameters that are exclusive to it.

[FairviewRCflier]

Absolutely amazing job! I had a goal of learning better logging methods and learning how to do error handling better and this video nailed it! Thanks so much

[yogeshrao]

One of the best use case covering all best practices of PAD. Thank you a lot Anders.

[FlavioTraiano]

There's so much valuable information in this video. I'll share with my team. Thanks again!

[thomasshakypetersen]

Love it, especially the fact that the info reaches a lot of people. Thx for the plug :)
Quick tip, if you want to include the subflow in your tracelog, you can create an error on purpose (convert 'penguin' to a number), force the flow to continue, get the last error and read the subflow from %lastError% :)

[betharceo]

This video really helped me learning PowerAutomate from UIPath. Thanks alot! I hope you also have a tutorial on form modification (edit) with checkboxes soon. 👏🏻

[yaronbeen]

Exactly what I was looking for.

Appreciate it.

If you can create more advanced videos that would be great

[oneBoredFish]

In your loops, I noticed you use the Set Variable to increase the LoopIndex by 1 each time. There is a dedicated function called 'Increase Variable' that is made specifically for that.
I never use the search bar to find functions because looking through the list helps me remember what commands are available and sometimes I spot one I've never noticed before that's perfect for what I need.

[kensleylewis]

Excellent course - wish I could continue from the Work Queues portion and on because PA users require an attended RPA' license for that. But thanks anyway for teaching that if we did have it.

[warrenjanuschka]

Hi Anders, Great Youtube videos. I'm new to PA Desktop. Do you do offer one on one tutoring (through Teams or other platforms)
Cheers Warren

[rolandscott]

Thank you Ander, keep up the good work

[shubhambajpai]

your videos are amazing just the issue I face is with volume, its too low

[kowal]

Anders, great video. In future videos could you please set the volume louder, so that I don't get earraped with ads? 😅

[ebode]

Dear Anders, I would like to express my deep appreciation to you because of your interruptions.
Everyone in my company has come to think that I am a great programmer. Thanks a lot for your wonderful explanation.
I would like to ask a question.
When you are creating (FOR EACH) action you put a set variable before it, that is clear for me.
Then you put another (set variable +1) action before end, why not use the (increase variable) action instead of (set variable +1) action what is the difference.

[steve_aventura]

In the log I suggest you include the loop index, where appropriate, in the comment field

[shobinb]

Thanks for the video . Very informative.. one question - How do we implement auto re-queue in case of system exception?

[mrnock]

Hello Anders, thank you for your videos and detailed explanations. I was wondering if there is an option to set the modal option to True in order to prevent users to change the focus from the Input Dialog to the web page behind. I cannot see this option neither in the Display Input Dialog nor the Custom Form, and I was wondering that maybe there is an option by copy-pasting the code in NotePad and adding a new parameter like \"modal\": true or \"focus\": true. However, all my manipulations didn't work... Do you have any idea on how to solve this? Thank you