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Usage of New Desktop Flows vs New Subflows for Large Processes

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Posted on by TConner

Hello all,

I am currently working on the implementation of PAD processes, varying in complexity and length.

In PAD (unlike other RPA tools) variables are shared amongst flows and subflows. This is a nice feature for small tasks but for larger processes there could be hundreds of variables to manage which can be confusing with the current PAD UI.

With this in mind, is it better to have specific stages of a process (i.e. log in, process emails, add to system, send emails) as independent desktop flows, then use the 'run desktop flow' action to call this desktop flow, OR is it better to just use one flow and have the specific stages of the process as individual sub flows?

Are there performance issues with using one desktop flow vs calling several desktop flows?
Are there performance issues with having more than x number of variables within a desktop flow?
Is there any internal MS developer guidance on overall flow and variable management when implementing a PAD process?

Any information around specific performances of desktop flows and limitations around variables or # of subflows would be most appreciated! Thanks in advance

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Power Automate Desktop

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CU31080729-3 500 Moderator on at

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Hi, TConner
if your process is very long or complex then you can create separate process or separate sub desktop flow and then you can call this sub desktop flow in your main flow.
but as my concern you can also crate different different sub flow and specify your variable in unique name with respective your sub flow for your (i.e. log in, process emails, add to system, send emails) and then call this sub flow on your main flow you can use this approach.

thanks & regards
chetan ninghot

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Agnius Bartninkas Most Valuable Professional on at

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You will have some delay when calling a desktop flow. Calling a sub-flow is faster. So, if performance is of importance, it is better to do a single flow.

The more variables with data you have (and the longer your flow takes to run), the more memory the flow will consume. So, you need a lot of memory on your machine. A recommendation would be to clear unused variable values - especially larger variables, such as data tables and lists.

If you plan on having several flows that use the same actions (such as logging in to the same web page) it might make sense to make a separate desktop flow that does it and then call it from the parent flows. This is not as much because of performance, but because of having a re-usable component and, when needed to modify it (because of some changes to the target UI), you have less maintenance to do - only one flow to modify.

I don't think there is a generally accepted guidance or framework for how to do it properly. Everyone needs to come up with their own preferred practices. Me and my team, for example, usually split our flows into large chunks that are responsible for a single interface. For example, if I have to read data from system A and put it into system B, I will create two flows - one for system A and one for system B. But that is still larger than having separate flows for smaller tasks within the flow itself. That's different.

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