--- description: Today, at Microsoft Ignite 2019, Microsoft announced a slew of new features and updates to the company’s Power Platform. The new features include the... title: Microsoft Announces Robotic Process Automation for Power Platform image: https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/microsoft-ignite-logo-2-copy-100773064-large.jpg --- [![Storage Review]()](https://storagereview.com/) --- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [![StorageReview.com](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Storage-Review-2x.png)](https://www.storagereview.com) ≡ Menu - [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) - [Storage Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/review) - [End User Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer) - [Enterprise Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise) - [Ubiquiti Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/best/ubiquiti-reviews) - [SR Merch](https://store.storagereview.com) - [Leaderboards](https://www.storagereview.com/best) - [Best Storage Arrays](https://www.storagereview.com/best/storage-arrays) - [Best Enterprise SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-ssds) - [Best Servers](https://www.storagereview.com/best/servers) - [Best Enterprise GPUs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-gpus) - [Best Desktops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktops-local-ai) - [Best Laptops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptops-local-ai) - [Best Local LLM Tools](https://www.storagereview.com/best/local-llm-tools) - [Agentic AI Hardware](https://www.storagereview.com/best/agentic-ai-hardware) - [Best SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.storagereview.com/best_drives) - [Best Portable SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/portable-ssds) - [Best Business Laptops](https://www.storagereview.com/best/business-laptops) - [Best Mobile Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mobile-workstations) - [Best Desktop Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktop-workstations) - [Best Mini PCs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mini-pcs) - [Best Laptop Battery Life](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptop-battery-life) - [Storage Reference Guide](https://www.storagereview.com/storage-reference-guide) - [About SR](https://www.storagereview.com/about-storagereview) - [StorageReview.com Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview-com-sweepstakes-rules-and-regulations) Search [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) » [News](https://www.storagereview.com/news) » Microsoft Announces Robotic Process Automation for Power Platform # Microsoft Announces Robotic Process Automation for Power Platform by Michael Rink on November 4, 2019 [Enterprise](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise)  ◇  [Software](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise/software) Today, at Microsoft Ignite 2019, Microsoft announced a slew of new features and updates to the company’s Power Platform. The new features include the addition of Robotic process automation (RPA) added to Power Automate (previously named Microsoft Flow) and an even lower code approach to creating automated processes called Power Virtual Agents. ![](https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/StorageREview-Microsoft-flow_renamedtopowerautomate_850px.jpg) Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a buzzword, and like all buzzwords, the meaning is fluid; depending as much on who is using it as on anything else. In Microsoft's case, adding RPA to Power Automate means adding a feature that can record a human filling out fields in different software systems like browser applications, legacy tracking programs, and billing process. This recording can then be used to repeat the task automatically, turning what used to be tedious and time-consuming duplication of information that still required a human, into a custom software script that can do the same process much more swiftly. We’ve seen other companies’ implementation of RPA tools for the last few years, and they generally work very well, as long as the process being automated doesn't have much ambiguity or depend on human-level decision-making ability. What makes RPA different from previous automation tools is that it requires less (but not no) software engineering skills because recording and then repeating actions bypasses the need for most API knowledge. Microsoft is calling their new RPA feature for Power Automate, UI flows, and notes that it is particularly good at setting up a script to digitize paper records. Microsoft is also announcing a no-code graphical user interface (GUI) feature called Microsoft Power Virtual Agents. Microsoft Power Virtual Agents is different from UI flows in two ways. First, UI flows still requires the assistance of software engineers to build the scripts, where Microsoft Power Virtual Agents claims to need no software development experience, only the guidance of the people in the company who were previously doing the task to be automated. For example, customer service, sales, or marketing employees. The second is that Microsoft Power Virtual Agents is much more limited in its abilities than UI flows. Microsoft Power Virtual Agents depends on combining pre-built process to automate tasks. If you want to do anything more complicated, you have to fall back to software engineering tools and API calls. While we’re talking about automation tools, Microsoft released AI Builder at the start of last month (GA started October 1st, 2019). AI builder attempts to provide point-and-click solutions for standard tasks like form processing, object detection, and text and binary classification. Today, Microsoft released some new tasks into public preview. The tasks include key phrase extraction and sentiment analysis. Since Microsoft has also announced that Cortana will now be attempting to match its tone when reading emails to the emotional intent of the reader, I hope they nailed their sentiment analysis tools. If they didn't, Cortana is going to sound rather odd. **Availability** Public Preview of the new features and updates is available immediately. [Microsoft Power Platform](https://powerplatform.microsoft.com/en-us/) [Discuss this story](http://forums.storagereview.com/index.php?/topic/42168-microsoft-announces-robotic-process-automation-for-power-platform/) [Sign up for the StorageReview newsletter](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview_newsletter_signup) **Engage with StorageReview** [Newsletter](https://www.storagereview.com/storage_newsletter) |  [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/StorageReview "Opens in a new window") | Podcast  [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/storagereview-com-storage-reviews/id1060681115 "Opens in a new window")/ [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0 "Opens in a new window") |  [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/ "Opens in a new window") |  [Twitter](https://twitter.com/storagereview "Opens in a new window") |  [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview? "Opens in a new window") |  [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) ![]() ### Michael Rink I'm a content contributor at StorageReview and a senior full stack software engineer. I've led both devops and development teams ranging from single engineer projects to flagship projects requiring triple-digits of engineers with teams spread all across the globe. I also enjoy dancing, writing, reading, making games, and tending to my garden. 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