Power Platform Community Forum Thread Details

Hello Power Automaters!

My team is looking to implement a power automate unmanned RPA licence and whilst reading information on what it can do i was hoping to get some clarity on a few things

For context, my business needs to download a series of files from different vendor websites. these are pre built excel reports. I have built the flow in power automate desktop where i currently have the premium version to pull these when i click run. We're hoping to have this all automated on a machine in the middle of the night though. Am i correct in saying the below

1) The licence will be assigned to a machine

2) That machine needs to be accessible in case of any errors eg unexpected prompts

3) I can run as many flows sequentially eg at 0300, then at 0400, but not in at the same time

4) As the designer of the flows, I need to ensure I have a premium licence, but the machine we are assigning the RPA licence to does not need premium

5) Does the machine need any particular licence? I've read something about a process licence, but would that be covered in the RPA licence anyway?

6) The machine needs power automate run time app - i can download this from the power automate app though?

7) I am blessed with having 2 machines at my work, my intention was to assign this RPA to the 2nd machine. I assume i can still log in to that machine whilst the processes are not running and adminster the process flow where required? IS there a best practice when it comes to all of this though eg as my org to make a dedicated set of credentials for that 2nd machine with all the required apps, licences like e3 for apps.

would there be anything else i need to consider from a licencing point of view? This is all very exciting and I'm looking forward to unlocking the capabilites this will all bring, just want to make sure I cover the licencing side of things first!

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Hello there,
I am trying my best to answer these questions here with my experience (please find my comments inline in blue color), I hope it helps:

1) The licene will be assigned to a machine

A process license is assigned to a machine (a dedicated server but not the user machine) to run an automation or bot in unattended mode. Premium license is specific to the user which helps to develop and test the automation in attended mode.

Here is what documentation says about them:

Power Automate Premium ($15/user/month): Enables attended RPA (running on your machine while you are logged in) and cloud flows with premium connectors.
Power Automate Process ($150/bot/month)
:

Covers one bot for unattended RPA (running on virtual machines or servers without a user present).

2) That machine needs to be accessible in case of any errors eg unexpected prompts

To analyze any errors, logging in to the machine is not needed, instead analysis can be done by going to

My Flows section in Power platform and specific run and see the logs.

3) I can run as many flows sequentially eg at 0300, then at 0400, but not in at the same time

This is correct with the premium license.

To run multiple flows at the same time, the following are required:

Number of process licenses = Number of flows to run simultaneously

Number of machines = Number of flows to run simultaneously

4) As the designer of the flows, I need to ensure I have a premium licence, but the machine we are assigning the RPA licence to does not need premium

On the machine the development takes place premium license is needed

But the machine on which automation runs needs a separate process license (This machine has to be connected to Power Platform environment)

5) Does the machine need any particular licence? I've read something about a process licence, but would that be covered in the RPA licence anyway?

Process license has to be procured separately per machine (server)

6) The machine needs power automate run time app - i can download this from the power automate app though?

That's right. The machine (server) where the automation runs has to be connected to Power Platform environment using machine runtime, which can be installed from power automate installed exe itself.

I recommend, to try the following steps:

1. Go to https://make.powerautomate.com and sign in with work account

2. Create a Power Platform environment

3. Create a solution

4. Create a cloud flow inside the solution by defining the schedule you want to run

5. Connect with your IT admin team to provide a virtual machine

6. Install Power Automate run time on the virtual machine

7. Create a Desktop flow connection

8. Call the desktop flow created by you from the cloud flow

You may also raise request here for support from Microsoft:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-in/power-platform/products/power-automate/support

Wish you good luck with the implementation.