Study guide for Exam PL-500: Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer
Purpose of this document
This study guide should help you understand what to expect on the exam and includes a summary of the topics the exam might cover and links to additional resources. The information and materials in this document should help you focus your studies as you prepare for the exam.
| Useful links | Description |
|---|---|
| Review the skills measured as of June 27, 2023 | This list represents the skills measured AFTER the date provided. Study this list if you plan to take the exam AFTER that date. |
| Review the skills measured prior to June 27, 2023 | Study this list of skills if you take your exam PRIOR to the date provided. |
| Change log | You can go directly to the change log if you want to see the changes that will be made on the date provided. |
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Updates to the exam
Our exams are updated periodically to reflect skills that are required to perform a role. We have included two versions of the Skills Measured objectives depending on when you are taking the exam.
We always update the English language version of the exam first. Some exams are localized into other languages, and those are updated approximately eight weeks after the English version is updated. While Microsoft makes every effort to update localized versions as noted, there may be times when the localized versions of an exam are not updated on this schedule. Other available languages are listed in the Schedule Exam section of the Exam Details webpage. If the exam isn't available in your preferred language, you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete the exam.
Note
The bullets that follow each of the skills measured are intended to illustrate how we are assessing that skill. Related topics may be covered in the exam.
Note
Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.
Skills measured as of June 27, 2023
Audience profile
Candidates for this exam automate Windows-based, browser-based, and terminal-based applications that are time-consuming or contain repetitive processes. They use a mix of approaches like UI, API, and database automations.
Candidates analyze and design processes for automation and implement automations using Power Automate for desktop and Power Automate cloud flows. RPA developers use actions for logic and to work with data, applications, and services.
Candidates work with business stakeholders to optimize business workflows. They work with administrators to deploy solutions to other environments and support solutions.
Additionally, candidates should have experience with the Windows desktop environment, scripting languages, Power Automate cloud and desktop flows, AI Builder, Process Advisor, and Microsoft Dataverse.
Design automations (30–35%)
Develop automations (40–45%)
Deploy and manage automations (20–25%)
Design automations (30–35%)
Describe Power Automate features and capabilities
Identify the Power Automate ecosystem and offerings
Identify the differences among cloud flows, and desktop flows, and business process flows
Identify when to use a desktop flow or a cloud flow, and when to use them together
Identify the different trigger types for cloud flows
Identify options for interacting with target applications and browsers
Identify the different methods for running a desktop flow
Identify considerations for running cloud and desktop flows concurrently
Identify considerations for running desktop flows attended versus unattended
Differentiate HTTP actions in cloud and desktop flows
Work with other Microsoft Power Platform offerings
Identify how canvas apps and model-driven apps work with automation
Identify use cases for connectors, custom connectors, connection references, and connections for cloud flows
Identify use cases for Microsoft Dataverse
Record and analyze processes
Create processes in Process Advisor
Identify the steps for Process mining
Identify the steps for Task mining
Identify the use cases for Process Advisor
Identify how to analyze and enhance data and documents
Identify Microsoft AI options for processing documents in desktop and cloud flows
Identify Microsoft AI options for processing data in desktop and cloud flows
Identify optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities in desktop flows
Identify use cases for the Document Automation Toolkit
Identify use cases for scripting languages in desktop flows
Identify use cases for scripting languages including PowerShell and VBScript
Identify use cases for application-specific macro languages including VBA in Microsoft Excel and Office Scripts
Identify use cases for using JavaScript
Identify how to use the document object model (DOM) in automation
Develop automations (40–45%)
Create and manage cloud flows
Create a cloud flow
Create a cloud flow that calls a desktop flow
Create and use child cloud flows including how to pass data to a child cloud flow and return data back
Perform actions in cloud flows by calling external APIs
Configure filter conditions and concurrency in cloud flows
Configure timeout and retry policies in cloud flows
Implement data objects in cloud flows
Identify common processes for parsing text including JSON, XML, and CSV in cloud flows
Configure cloud flow action to run Microsoft Office Scripts
Create and manage desktop flows
Create desktop flows to launch, connect to, and authenticate target application
Configure user interface (UI) options
Configure datatables, lists, and custom objects in desktop flows
Implement subflows in desktop flows
Add desktop actions to exit from target applications
Perform actions in desktop flows by calling external APIs
Configure timeout and retry in desktop flows
Implement data objects in desktop flows
Identify common processes for parsing text including JSON, XML, and CSV in desktop flows
Implement logic in cloud and desktop flows
Configure flow control in cloud and desktop flows including loops
Configure expressions in cloud flows
Configure variable actions for cloud and desktop flows
Configure secure input and output data in actions in cloud flows
Configure secure variables in desktop flows
Configure priority for desktop flows in a queue
Create exception handling blocks in cloud and desktop flows to handle system exceptions
Create error handling routines in cloud and desktop flows to handle business exceptions
Configure document processing by using AI Builder
Create and configure custom connectors
Create a custom connector
Implement authentication for custom connectors
Identify custom connector policy templates
Write code in a custom connector
Manage automation infrastructure
Configure credential management
Connect cloud flows to on-premises data by using the on-premises data gateway
Create and manage components in Microsoft Dataverse solutions
Test automations and finalize development efforts
Run and test a cloud flow
Run and test a desktop flow
Manage configurations by using environment variables and configuration files
Debug solutions by using Power Automate cloud and desktop flows debugging features
Deploy and manage automations (20–25%)
Prepare target environments
Implement Microsoft Power Platform application lifecycle management (ALM)
Differentiate credentials used for different environments
Deploy RPA solutions to other environments
Prepare virtual desktop environments for unattended desktop flow execution
Evaluate data loss prevention (DLP) policies for RPA execution
Identify Microsoft Power Platform data loss prevention (DLP) policies
Identify how DLP policies impact actions in cloud and desktop flows
Identify how DLP policies apply to custom connectors
Manage access to RPA components
Share a cloud flow
Share a desktop flow
Share machines and machine groups
Identify security roles required to run and monitor cloud and desktop flows
Create service accounts and service principals
Configure machine groups and queues required for desktop flow automations
Identify use cases for and capabilities of machines and machine groups
Manage machine registrations
Create and manage machine groups
Implement load balancing of desktop flows by using machine groups and queues
Work with queues and queue operations for desktop flows
Evaluate cloud and desktop flow run history from the Power Automate portal
Study resources
We recommend that you train and get hands-on experience before you take the exam. We offer self-study options and classroom training as well as links to documentation, community sites, and videos.
| Study resources | Links to learning and documentation |
|---|---|
| Get trained | Choose from self-paced learning paths and modules or take an instructor-led course |
| Find documentation | Microsoft Power Platform documentation Power Automate documentation |
| Ask a question | Microsoft Q&A | Microsoft Docs |
| Get community support | Power Platform Community (microsoft.com) |
| Follow Microsoft Learn | Microsoft Learn - Microsoft Tech Community |
| Find a video | Exam Readiness Zone #LessCodeMorePower | Shows |
Change log
Key to understanding the table: The topic groups (also known as functional groups) are in bold typeface followed by the objectives within each group. The table is a comparison between the two versions of the exam skills measured and the third column describes the extent of the changes.
| Skill area prior to June 27, 2023 | Skill area as of June 27, 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Audience profile | Major | |
| Design solutions | Design automations | **% of exam increased |
| Determine how to interact with an application targeted for automation | Removed | |
| Determine which types of Power Automate flows to implement | Describe Power Automate features and capabilities | Major |
| Design the solution | Removed | |
| Work with other Microsoft Power Platform offerings | Added | |
| Record and analyze processes | Added | |
| Identify how to analyze and enhance data and documents | Added | |
| Identify use cases for scripting languages in desktop flows | Added | |
| Develop solutions | Develop automations | **% of exam decreased |
| Create and manage cloud flows | Added | |
| Create core solution components | Create and manage desktop flows | Major |
| Configure solution components | Removed | |
| Enhance solution components | Implement logic in cloud and desktop flows | Major |
| Integrate AI Builder and Azure Cognitive Services with solutions | Removed | |
| Create and configure custom connectors | Added | |
| Manage automation infrastructure | Added | |
| Finalize development and test solutions | Test automations and finalize development efforts | Major |
| Deploy and manage solutions | Deploy and manage automations | **No change in % of exam |
| Deploy and manage solutions | Prepare target environments | Major; reordered |
| Configure solution infrastructure | Evaluate data loss prevention (DLP) policies for RPA execution | Major; reordered |
| Share solutions and collaborate with others | Manage access to RPA components | Major; reordered |
| Prepare solutions for deployment to production | Configure machine groups and queues required for desktop flow automations | Major; reordered |
Skills measured prior to June 27, 2023
Audience profile
Candidates for this exam automate time-consuming and repetitive tasks by using Microsoft Power Automate. They review solution requirements, create process documentation, and design, develop, troubleshoot, and evaluate solutions.
Candidates work with business stakeholders to improve and automate business workflows. They collaborate with administrators to deploy solutions to production environments, and they support solutions.
Additionally, candidates should have experience with JSON, cloud flows and desktop flows, integrating solutions with REST and SOAP services, analyzing data by using Microsoft Excel, VBScript, Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), HTML, JavaScript, one or more programming languages, monitoring and understanding the health of flows, and the Microsoft Power Platform suite of tools (process advisor, AI Builder, Power Apps, Dataverse, and Power Virtual Agents).
Design solutions (25–30%)
Develop solutions (40–45%)
Deploy and manage solutions (30–35%)
Design solutions (25–30%)
Determine how to interact with an application targeted for automation
Evaluate whether a target application can be automated
Choose which automation technology to use to interact with a target application, including using selectors and user interface element inspection
Plan connection, payload, and other relevant information for required APIs
Verify access to target applications
Determine which types of Power Automate flows to implement
Differentiate cloud flows and desktop flows
Select which logical components are required for a solution, including flows, trigger connectors, canvas apps, and model-driven apps
Develop a strategy for running flows, including running flows serially or in parallel
Choose connectors for a solution, including custom connectors
Design the solution
Design an automation model that includes required flow types and automation methods
Select the types of triggers to use to meet specific business requirements
Choose whether to run a desktop flow attended versus unattended
Develop fault tolerance requirements for the solution
Design required user interface elements for a solution
Design retry and exception handling logic
Design a strategy for scaling a solution and reusing solution components
Design required variables and variable types
Develop solutions (40–45%)
Create core solution components
Create custom connectors
Create components to launch, connect to, and authenticate with target applications
Create components to perform business logic and process transactional work
Create components to safely exit from and close target applications
Create components that perform actions by calling external APIs
Implement actions to perform application integration tasks
Implement system actions to run custom scripts and change target screen resolution
Implement Power Automate actions to run Office Scripts
Create flows by using Microsoft Visio, the mobile app for Power Automate, and other tools
Configure solution components
Select an environment for the solution, and configure environment details
Map target application accounts to environments and other solution components
Configure connection features, and manage references to connections
Configure flow queues, triggers, and schedules
Enhance solution components
Create exception handling blocks to manage business and system exceptions
Create routines to handle and log errors and business exceptions
Create routines to manipulate Power Automate data objects, including JSON objects
Configure role-based security
Configure security for sensitive data
Integrate AI Builder and Azure Cognitive Services with solutions
Describe use cases for and capabilities of AI Builder
Describe the Bring your own AI model feature
Differentiate between prebuilt and custom-trained AI Builder models
Select the appropriate AI Builder model for a solution
Finalize development and test solutions
Differentiate between features and behaviors of debug and compiled solutions
Create and implement a test plan
Perform unit testing, and resolve identified issues
Configure and run attended and unattended desktop flows
Debug solutions by using Power Automate debugging features, including Run from here and breakpoints
Identify machine-level differences and dependencies
Prepare and deploy solutions to a user acceptance testing (UAT) environment
Deploy and manage solutions (30–35%)
Configure solution infrastructure
Configure machine management options, including machine registration and machine groups
Implement queue management to distribute workloads
Implement logging and alerts
Implement role-based access control (RBAC)
Manage credentials by using Azure Key Vault
Determine whether to implement data loss prevention (DLP) policies at the tenant level or the environment level
Implement Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies and other options to help prevent exposure of sensitive and confidential data
Connect to on-premises data sources by using an on-premises data gateway
Prepare solutions for deployment to production
Create and manage environment variables and solution configuration files
Select a package type, and prepare a solution package
Configure priority for flows
Configure machines and machine groups
Configure child flows
Deploy and manage solutions
Replicate settings from development and user acceptance testing (UAT) environments to production
Deploy a solution to a production environment
Describe use cases for and capabilities of process advisor
Monitor solutions by using process advisor
Upgrade and update solutions
Share solutions and collaborate with others
Describe the process for sharing solutions
Create a copy of a cloud flow, and send the flow to other users
Share a cloud flow with a user as a co-owner or run-only user
Share a desktop flow
Share machines and machine groups