Can we add machines with individual logins to a Power Automate Machine Group

[csajal]

Hi,

We have a requirement where we are re-platforming an automation to Power Automate and the existing automation uses are large number of individual robot VDIs each with it's own login, because the automation deals with applications which need SSO. In order to convert to Power Automate As-Is, we would need to create individual Cloud Flows to connect to the individual Desktop Flows with the individual VDIs using their own Credentials. Is there a way we can create a Machine Group of these VDIs, so that we can use just one Cloud Flow to call the Machine Group and the Machine Group manages the individual machine login? We can write a custom code to achieve this, but we want to avoid this and use any out of the box solution approach and recommendation.

Warm Regards,

Sajal

[Deenuji]

@csajal 

In Power automate also we can create machine group. please refer the below guide from ms.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/manage-machine-groups 

Thanks,

Deenu

[csajal]

Hi @Deenuji , Thank you for your response, but as my question states, I am already considering Machine Groups, my question is, can we add machines with different user logins to a Machine Group, because when we create a Cloud Flow to call a Desktop flow, it requires a Credential to be entered. So, if a Machine Group has machines with different user credentials, how would that work?

[Deenuji]

@csajal 

I don't think we can use different credentials for all VM's. When we add our machines in machine group then we have to use same local account with same password. Please refer the below MS guidance on the same.

Power Automate enables you to trigger desktop flows from cloud flows using events, schedules, and buttons.

1. Edit an existing cloud flow or create a new cloud flow.

2. Create a desktop flow connection using the instructions in Create desktop flow connections.

3. Follow the instructions in Trigger desktop flows from cloud flows to trigger a desktop flow from your cloud flow.

 Important

• If you use local Windows accounts, all machines in the group must have the same local account with the same password. Use these credentials when you create the desktop flows connection.
• If you use Active Directory or Microsoft Entra joined machines, confirm that the user account in the desktop flow connection can access all the machines in the cluster.

More Details - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/manage-machine-groups#trigger-a-deskt... 

Thanks,

Deenu

[csajal]

@Deenuji Thanks for your detailed response. This gives me a clear picture. It's kinda bummer as it's a critical consideration from an RPA scalability standpoint. Would you happen to know there's something in the pipeline around this feature?

[Deenuji]

@csajal 

To my knowledge, Microsoft's pipeline does not include such a feature.

You can also refer power platform release portal for the same -

 https://releaseplans.microsoft.com/en-US/?app=Power+Automate&status=coming-soon

Have you investigated Power Automate's hosted RPA for scalability? It can offer substantial cost savings on VM expenses.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-automate/desktop-flows/hosted-rpa-overview 

Thanks,

Deenuji Loganathan

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[Agnius]

You could also have different Power Automate user accounts running the flows on each machine. Create the flow itself in a Solution in Power Automate with a connection reference to a single machine, and share it to as many users as you need (one for each machine). When a Solution with a connection reference is run on a different user, they'll need to have their own connection set up. So, set up one connection per user and have as single flow shared with all of them.

[csajal]

Hi @Deenuji ,

Thank you so much for looking into this. Currently there are no plans for moving into hosted RPA, but that's something I have already flagged with the team as a roadmap item. However, the way the current Machine Group works, I think it would be same with hosted RPA too. It baffles me to think that while other RPA platforms like UiPath had this feature from the very beginning, Microsoft is still not thinking to implement this basic requirement around Machine Groups.

Hi @Agnius ,

Thank you so much for your response. I am not able to follow your solution. It would be really very helpful if you could explain it a bit more. The "users" here are Service Accounts that the VDIs would be using to create a login session into a VDI to run the un-attended Desktop Flow. The Cloud Flow would be basically scheduling the Desktop flow.

Warm Regards,

Sajal

[Venkat_Vattem]

@csajal @Deenuji any recent update from Microsoft on this?