Study guide for Exam PL-500: Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer
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 |
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Review the skills measured as of July 8, 2024 | 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 July 8, 2024 | 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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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.
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.
Most questions cover features that are general availability (GA). The exam may contain questions on Preview features if those features are commonly used.
Audience Profile
As a candidate for this exam, you automate Windows-based, browser-based, and terminal-based applications that are time-consuming or contain repetitive processes. You use a mix of automation approaches like:
UI
API
Database
You analyze, design, and implement automations by using Power Automate desktop flows and cloud flows. As a robotic process automation (RPA) developer, you use actions for logic and work with:
Data
Applications
Services
You work with business stakeholders to optimize business workflows. You partner with administrators to deploy and support solutions in other environments.
Additionally, as a candidate, you should have experience with:
The Windows desktop environment
Scripting languages such as VBScript and JavaScript
.NET Framework for use in custom actions
Microsoft Dataverse
Design automations (25–30%)
Develop automations (45–50%)
Deploy and manage automations (20–25%)
Leverage the Power Automate ecosystem
Differentiate between cloud flows and desktop flows
Design automations using desktop flows and cloud flows
Differentiate trigger types for cloud flows
Differentiate options for interacting with target applications and browsers
Differentiate the different methods for running a desktop flow
Assess the ability to run cloud and desktop flows concurrently
Recommend running desktop flows attended versus unattended
Differentiate HTTP actions in cloud and desktop flows
Assess if work queues are applicable for the automation
Design custom actions
Design automations that include canvas and model-driven apps
Design automations using connectors, custom connectors, connection references, and connections for cloud flows
Design automations that include Microsoft Dataverse
Differentiate Microsoft AI options for processing documents in desktop and cloud flows
Differentiate Microsoft AI options for processing data in desktop and cloud flows
Recommend optical character recognition (OCR) capabilities in desktop flows
Recommend Document Automation Toolkit for use in automation design
Design automations using scripting languages including PowerShell and Visual Basic Script (VBScript)
Recommend automation use cases that use JavaScript
Design an automation that uses the document object model (DOM)
Develop a cloud flow that calls a desktop flow
Develop and use child cloud flows including passing and returning data
Perform actions in cloud flows by calling external APIs
Implement trigger conditions and concurrency in cloud flows
Implement timeout and retry policies in cloud flows
Implement data objects and data operations in cloud flows
Perform text parsing including JSON, XML, and CSV in cloud flows
Implement UI options
Implement datatables, lists, and custom objects in desktop flows
Implement subflows in desktop flows
Perform actions in desktop flows by calling external APIs
Implement timeout and retry in desktop flows
Implement data objects and data operations in desktop flows
Perform text parsing including JSON, XML, and CSV in desktop flows
Implement custom actions in desktop flows
Implement flow control in cloud and desktop flows including loops
Implement expressions in cloud flows
Implement variable actions for cloud and desktop flows
Implement secure input and output data in actions in cloud flows
Implement secure variables in desktop flows
Implement priority for desktop flows in a queue
Implement exception handling blocks in cloud and desktop flows to handle system exceptions
Implement error handling routines in cloud and desktop flows to handle business exceptions
Implement work queues in cloud and desktop flows
Build a custom connector
Implement authentication for custom connectors
Implement custom connector policy templates
Develop code in a custom connector
Recommend credential management practices
Utilize on-premises data gateway to connect resources from cloud flows
Build components in Microsoft Dataverse solutions
Test a cloud flow
Test a desktop flow
Utilize environment variables and configuration files to manage configurations
Utilize debugging features in cloud and desktop flows
Implement Microsoft Power Platform application lifecycle management (ALM)
Differentiate credentials used for different environments
Recommend how to deploy solution components to other environments
Build virtual desktop environments for unattended desktop flow execution
Assess Microsoft Power Platform DLP policies
Assess how DLP policies impact actions in cloud and desktop flows
Assess how DLP policies apply to custom connectors
Perform sharing of cloud and desktop flows
Perform sharing of machines and machine groups
Recommend security roles required to run and monitor cloud and desktop flows
Implement service accounts and service principals
Assess machine and machine group requirements
Perform machine registration management
Perform machine group management
Implement load balancing of desktop flows by using machine groups and queues
Perform operations on the run queue to manage desktop flows
Analyze cloud and desktop flow run history from the Power Automate portal
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 |
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 July 8, 2024 | Skill area as of July 8, 2024 | Change |
---|---|---|
Audience profile | Major | |
Design automations | Design automations | % decrease |
Describe Power Automate features and capabilities | Design automations using Power Automate features and capabilities | Major |
Work with other Microsoft Power Platform offerings | Design automations using other Microsoft Power Platform features and capabilities | Minor |
Record and analyze processes | Removed | |
Identify how to analyze and enhance data and documents | Design automations that analyze and enhance data and documents | Minor |
Identify use cases for scripting languages in desktop flows | Design automations using scripting languages in desktop flows | Minor |
Develop automations | Develop automations | % increase |
Create and manage cloud flows | Develop cloud flows | Minor |
Create and manage desktop flows | Develop desktop flows | Major |
Implement logic in cloud and desktop flows | Implement logic in cloud and desktop flows | Minor |
Create and configure custom connectors | Build custom connectors and implement connector configurations | Minor |
Manage automation infrastructure | Perform automation infrastructure management | Minor |
Test automations and finalize development efforts | Test automations and finalize development efforts | Minor |
Deploy and manage automations | Deploy and manage automations | No % change |
Prepare target environments | Perform target environment preparation | Minor |
Evaluate data loss prevention (DLP) policies for RPA execution | Assess data loss prevention (DLP) policies for RPA execution | Minor |
Manage access to RPA components | Implement access to RPA components | Minor |
Configure machine groups and queues required for desktop flow automations | Implement machine groups and queues required for desktop flow automations | Minor |
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%)
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
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
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 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 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
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 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
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 a custom connector
Implement authentication for custom connectors
Identify custom connector policy templates
Write code in a custom connector
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
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
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
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
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
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