Cloud Connectors as Power Automate for desktop actions

Cloud Connectors available for Power Automate are now available for desktop flows as well.

Prerequisites and limitations

• You need an Attended RPA license.
• Specific endpoints must be included in the allowlist for desktop flows containing cloud connector actions to work properly. More information: Desktop flow services required for runtime
• For Office 365 Outlook actions, if you're using an EWS application access policy, ensure that the following user-agents are allowed (on top of the user agents listed here) for successful desktop flow execution: PowerAutomateLocal/, PowerAutomateCloud/
• Sharing desktop flows with cloud connector actions is currently supported with certain requirements. Learn more in Share desktop flows that contain connector actions. Learn about connector actions and their association with connections and connection references in Use connector actions.
• To enable attended or unattended runs (cloud-initiated runs), make sure your desktop flow uses the Power Automate v2 schema and all connection references are marked as embedded, in case your flow is shared.
• The use of embedded connection references is only available for co-owners. Users (run-only) can run flows shared with them only via Power Automate for desktop's console using their own connections.
• The Microsoft Dataverse connector supports the option Current in the Environment parameter of its operations in desktop flows. This option allows dynamic resolution based on the environment. This connector also has the following limitations:
  • The following actions are currently supported in desktop flows:
    • Add a new row to selected environment
    • Delete a row from selected environment
    • Download a file or an image from selected environment
    • Get a row by ID from selected environment
    • List rows from selected environment
    • Perform a bound action in selected environment
    • Perform an unbound action in selected environment
    • Relate rows in selected environment
    • Unrelate rows in selected environment
    • Update a row in selected environment
    • Upload a file or an image to selected environment

Use files in cloud connector actions

To pass a file as an input to a cloud connector action, you must first convert it to binary data, using the Convert file to binary data action.

Cloud connector actions that create or retrieve files actually produce binary data representing the respective files. To access the actual file, make sure to use the Convert binary data to file action first.

Embed connection references on a desktop flow

With connection reference embedding, you can give other co-owners access to your connection references and their underlying resources. You do this process only in the scope of the respective shared desktop flow.

To embed a connection reference to a flow that you can access as an owner or co-owner:

• Select the desktop flow in Power Automate (make.powerautomate.com), and then select Details.

• In the Connection references section, select Manage.

  

• In the Connection references screen, all of the connection references used in the flow are displayed.

• Set the Embedded in desktop flow option to Yes to enable it.

  

After you confirm your selection, the connection reference is embedded in the desktop flow.

Note

You can only embed or remove connection references that you own. Connection references added by other co-owners can only be managed by them.

Important

To enable attended or unattended runs (cloud-initiated runs), make sure that your desktop flow uses the Power Automate v2 schema and all connection references are marked as embedded, in case your flow is shared.

Bring your own connection in console runs

If you're a co-owner, you need to bring your own connection (BYOC) in console runs for connection references that aren't embedded. If you're a run-only user, you need to bring your own connection, even if the connection references are embedded.

Note

The BYOC window is generally displayed during console initiated flow runs to owners, co-owners and run-only makers.

Important

The BYOC window is suppressed and isn't displayed if:

• Only user-owned connections exist for each connector used in the flow, and/or
• Embedded connections are also owned by the user running the flow, and
• All available connections for each connector correspond to the same email account, and
• Valid connections are available for all connectors.

List of cloud connectors

These cloud connectors are added by default to desktop flows in Power Automate for desktop and are always visible in the actions pane:

• Microsoft Dataverse
• SharePoint
• Excel Online (Business)
• Microsoft Forms
• Microsoft Teams
• Office 365 Outlook
• OneDrive
• OneDrive for work or school
• OneNote (Business)
• RSS
• Word Online (Business)

You can add the rest of the (non-custom) Power Automate cloud connectors to a desktop flow through the Assets library.

Note

Future updates and additions to non-custom Power Automate connectors and their operations automatically appear in Power Automate for desktop.

Known limitations

• Create a connection for a connector in desktop flows through the sign-in dialog. If an error occurs, create the connection through the corresponding portal page.

  

• Not all connection types are supported to be created through Power Automate for desktop. For these connectors, create a connection through the corresponding portal page.

  

• To create a connection in Power Automate for desktop, install WebView2 on your machine.