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Power Platform Community / Forums / Power Automate / Power automate desktop
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Power automate desktop

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Posted on by 12

In Power Automate Desktop, I am currently constructing a flow that involves the utilization of "send keys," UI automation, and focus on sending keys within the flow. However, I aim to substitute these elements with alternative methods. The reason for this change is that, during production runs, conflicts occasionally arise, and I wish to avoid such issues. Could you suggest suitable alternatives to replace "send keys," UI automation, and focus in this context?

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  • DeepaliJagtap Profile Picture
    68 on at

    hi

    You can use vb script action or the other scripting options as well if compatible with application that you're working on. or some other action could be from backend like using command prompt using command actions or the http actions. 

    Please mark this as solution if it helps you solve issue. Happy to help you more.

  • Agnius Bartninkas Profile Picture
    Most Valuable Professional on at

    I have seen the same message on the I Love Automation Discord server, and assume you are the same person. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

     

    But I remember that the OP of that message mentioned their flow is all about extracting data from a PDF file, and then writing it to Excel and a SQL database. If that is the case, there is no UI automation involved here. All of these can be done with native PAD actions in the background: there are actions to read a PDF file without opening it visibly (under the "PDF" actions group), there are also actions to interact with Excel and write data to it without visibly opening the Excel app (via the "Excel" actions group), as well as writing to a database (under the "Database" actions group).

     

    So, I really don't see why you would even need any UI automation here, not to mention the use of Send keys. Can you please elaborate on why and where exactly in your flow you're using it?

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    I also provide paid consultancy and development services using Power Automate. If you're interested, DM me and we can discuss it.

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