Preface

We’re all familiar with the situation, in both our private and professional lives, where we have to perform repetitive and boring IT tasks. Microsoft provides Power Automate Desktop, a free tool that can be used to solve both small and large automation scenarios.

In this book, you’ll learn everything you need to automate repetitive and monotonous processes with Power Automate Desktop to free up more time for more important things. The book provides insights into the history of the program and its current role in the Microsoft Power Platform. It then explains the concept of user interface automation and how locally installed programs or processes as well as a web browser can be implemented with Power Automate Desktop.

As you progress, you’ll learn about the complete feature set of Power Automate Desktop through numerous examples, from basic concepts, such as variables, conditions, and branching, to capabilities with the local desktop, such as file and folder management, to connecting to databases, mainframe computers, and SAP automation.

The final chapters also cover the topic of artificial intelligence and how it can be incorporated into processes, as well as how Power Automate Desktop can be used in large enterprises, where additional topics, such as governance, compliance, scaling, and security, play a role.