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Process Specialist - Operational Excellence at a government with 51-200 employees
Real User
An agile, low-code environment that allows linking multiple connectors in the same workflow
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the ability and ease of linking multiple connectors within the same flow."
  • "I would like to have chatbot assistance available, where you can open it and receive help on the spot."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is the automation of tasks.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the ability and ease of linking multiple connectors within the same flow. For example, you can have the same flow connections with Outlook, SharePoint, and DLLs.

It is a low-code environment, which means that it is more agile in terms of automation. You are able to start with one automation and then easily modify it for other uses.

The interface is user-friendly. It took me perhaps a month or two to understand what the dynamic is and how it works, and then how it can be linked to the sprint. I would say that it takes two or three weeks to learn the basics, but then it becomes easy to work with. The more you learn, the more you can evolve the flow, and you can implement additional scenarios.

What needs improvement?

I would like to have chatbot assistance available, where you can open it and receive help on the spot. For example, if you are struggling in the middle of implementing a flow, you can easily communicate with the chatbot, perhaps providing the error message, and it will search for a resolution. In my case, I posted my error message on Google and saw that other people had similar problems. I was able to check the community platforms and I found the solution in one of the posts.

The documentation can be improved because although they do have a manual of about 500 pages, it does not cover all of the possible scenarios. It would be good to have one that covers different scenarios or different commands, provides basic knowledge about the commands, and even basics about JSON. Also, the user manual and learning guides that they have can be made more user-friendly.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Microsoft Power Automate for about six months.

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have had some issues with stability where I received a surprising error message and still don't know why it happened. While it has been primarily stable, so far, we are not yet in production so I am not fully certain how it will perform. If the performance is good and there are no glitches or automation errors, then I will feel confident in the stability.

My impressions at this point, from what I have experienced, is that the stability is high.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

With respect to scalability, because we haven't implemented the solution yet, I am not sure if it will scale or not. My feeling is that it will scale because it already has multiple connectors for what most organizations frequently use.

It is fully designed but until it is implemented and I see the results, I will not feel comfortable commenting on whether it will scale well. My feeling at this point is that it is of medium scalability.

At this point, as the solution architect, I am the only one who is using it. In the future, we will have other people in my team using it.

How are customer service and support?

I have not posted to the community, so I don't know how reactive they are. From what I have seen, as I searched the forums, it seems that people are responsive. My feeling is that community support should not be an issue.

At the same time, I still think that they should have more friendly documentation and chatbot assistance.

I would rate the support a three out of five.

How was the initial setup?

I would say that the initial setup is easy and user-friendly, but you should still have basic knowledge in advance to do it properly.

Power Automate is included with Office 365.

What was our ROI?

In terms of resources and in terms of cost, this solution is efficient.

What other advice do I have?

I see Power Automate as a quick-win solution for many enhancements that can be used in any organization. Rather than a task that involves heavy coding on a third-party application, such as a CRM or with Salesforce, Power Automate can be leveraged for good results.  Overall, I would say that my experience using this product has been good.

My advice for anybody who is considering this product is to create a prototype or a proof of concept, first. At the end of the day, management needs to buy into the solution. They should see, however, that it brings value to the business. It is a product that I recommend, although they do need to fix the small glitches that I experienced in the flow.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud

If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Information Technology Consultant at Evolve
MSP
Monitoring solution that alerts when there is a problem and integrates across multiple systems
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is the ability to integrate across multiple systems."
  • "One of the challenges is dealing with OCR text recognition."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution is for IT service checks within our daily process automation. 

It monitors consoles and raises alerts when things need to be alerted. For example, when a business rule is broken then an alert is raised, or if we are looking at the backup management and server availability and there is a problem with the backup then we raise an alert.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is the ability to integrate across multiple systems. For example between web portals, excel and email. 

The ability to write a process that covers all of those different areas of technology.

What needs improvement?

One of the challenges is dealing with OCR text recognition. They link out to Google, IBM, and Microsoft AI services for text recognition. This area needs to continue to improve because recognizing forms and what's on a form, and then when you try to translate that into information that you can use, is very difficult. I have not been able to make that work. I think that the technology is there, but it would require too much coding and it would be too much of an investment of time to make it work.

WinAutomation doesn't have the management abilities for remote management, but we are using Splashtop to access the device that is running the software.

In the next release, I would like to see form recognition added. AI form recognition for processing things like invoices and timesheets would be number one.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with WinAutomation for two months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's a stable solution.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We are not scaling it much beyond a single work station, but it does seem to be scalable.

We have two users in our company. There are plans to increase our usage.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have only used technical support a few times but they have been good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Previously, we were not working with other similar products.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and it only took a few minutes to deploy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This solution is reasonably priced and offers a free trial period.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We looked at some other tools, but we chose WinAutomation because it was a low cost of entry and a free trial.

What other advice do I have?

It takes slightly longer than you would expect to set something up that's resilient. Building resilience takes as long as building in the logic.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
PeerSpot user
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Chief Operating Officer at NGMROBOTICS LTD
Real User
An inexpensive and scalable way to create custom automations
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is very easy to use. It's a code three platform that works very easily with documents to create custom automations."
  • "The solution could use some more advanced AI tools. It's one of the solution's only weaknesses."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for operations related to HR activity.

What is most valuable?

WinAutomation is very easy to use. It's a code three platform that works very easily with documents to create custom automations.

It also allows users to share their automations with colleagues, so users can send and receive automations quite easily.

What needs improvement?

At this time, I can't say the solution is lacking any features.

The solution could use some more advanced AI tools. It's one of the solution's only weaknesses.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for the past three years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is very good. We've been very happy with it in general.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's very easy to scale the solution, and at a very low cost as well. Scaling isn't expensive at all. 

Currently, we have nine users on the solution. They are all heads of departments.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've been in touch with technical support often. I'd rate their support as excellent. We've been very satisfied with them so far.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We didn't previously use a different solution.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward. The products are basically plug-and-play in design. It makes it very easy to implement everything.

In our case, for deployment, it took us a month from trial to scale.

What about the implementation team?

We handled the implementation in-house. Our internal team was able to manage the deployment.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The solution is relatively inexpensive.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did evaluate other major players like Automation Anywhere, among others.

What other advice do I have?

We're partners with Softomotive.

We're currently using the 2019 version of the solution.

I would recommend the solution to those who want to start exploring RPA and the benefit of RPA without investing too much money. It's a helpful way to get to know the technology.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Technical Lead & Consultant at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
Consultant
Easy to set up but needs better recommendation features and not very user friendly
Pros and Cons
  • "The solution is comparatively quick to deploy for making smaller automation processes."
  • "We find the solution to be not that user-friendly, and might be using the older version, which really did not have a lot of features, so my review is mostly based on the older version."

What is most valuable?

The solution has drag and drop features, and a development console that's in simple English, so even a non-tech can understand what the code means.

It has controls in boxes, just like Automation Anywhere, which helps alert the developer to take care of the smaller-level details which reduce errors. It's a very good feature.

The solution is comparatively quick to deploy for making smaller automation processes.

What needs improvement?

The solution's recommendation feature needs improvement. So many times it fails, which tells us that although the hardware configuration and software configuration and the environment stay the same, we should expect the automation tool to recognize images correctly, but it does not. There have been issues in which it has failed, and it remains a concern. At times, it crashes, for some unknown reason. We avoid automating any complex automation processes. 

We find the solution to be not that user-friendly, and might be using the older version, which really did not have a lot of features, so my review is mostly based on the older version.

WinAutomation could work on a simpler process of providing a development of something that proactively tells us what is wrong in the code, because what is happening right now is that we make the scripting code in some other place and some other control, and we identify errors over there. We simply copy it to this control, which is not even providing any color-coding, or any other assistance to the developers. Copying it from elsewhere is necessary to pick up any errors with ease.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution since 2015.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We were really fortunate to use the version which has extended the EXEs, so once we make a development in the studio and we compile it, and make an EXE out of it, that EXE can be used on any number of systems. When it comes to identifying images and creating logic based on those images, or moving the mouse to an image, the image recognition randomly fails for unknown reasons, although we've had a lot of assistance around it, and the developers have put a lot of effort to make a way around it, but when the image recognitions fail, it just stays on the system. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It definitely is a scalable solution. The components that we use enable us to deploy as many  EXEs on the system as we would like. 

We have about four people working on the solution. In terms of execution, so the development team develops robots and creates and compiles EXEs, and the execution team actually executes manually. It is an assisted automation, it's not fully automated, so the trigger has to be done manually.

How are customer service and technical support?

In terms of technical support, response times were not that great, and the technical documentation provided was very limited. There is no forum where one could read other experiences or share advice.

There was a community when WinAutomation formed, but eventually, when the older versions ended support it went away. 

We're pretty much left on our own to find solutions to problems at this point. They should at least provide documentation.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward.

It was easy to wait for the deployment of the mission tasks. It's a quick implementation. When it comes to complex processes, there's a lot of handoffs required, and that's when it becomes a little bit difficult to manage. I'm sure with the new version they have improved this feature.

How long deployment takes depends on the complexity of the processes and the amount of testing planned. It takes a couple of days for a smaller process, and possibly up to two weeks for complex ones.

What other advice do I have?

We've used versions 4.0, 5.1, and 6.0 as well. We use the on-premises deployment model.

In terms of advice I'd give to others, I'd say, first of all, they should make sure they are implementing the most recent version, not the old version that I have used.

However, I'd suggest having a limited scope and to plan to work meticulously because if there is a bigger project, instead of making something wherein you're not able to reuse the components which you have already done for one project, and reuse it for the other project, a lot of time is wasted in copy-pasting code.  

I'd rate the solution six out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Associate Partner at Inodev
Real User
An intuitive and easy-to-use solution
Pros and Cons
  • "Microsoft Power Automate is very easy to use."

    What is our primary use case?

    I'm using it for internal purposes at the moment. We are a consulting company and we are exploring goals with the option of implementing automation for our clients.

    Currently, I am assessing Microsoft Power Automate, comparing it with UiPath to see if it's good enough for our clients and for our purpose.

    We plan to use this solution for getting information from one application to another, for producing sheets and text files for Power BI, and also for integration and displaying dashboards and business intelligence for the business. It will also be used for invoicing and notifications — mainly business processes in general.

    What is most valuable?

    Microsoft Power Automate is very easy to use. It's very complete with a lot of activities available. It's intuitive and it seems very stable. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I was using this solution when it was called Microsoft Flow. Currently, I've been evaluating it for the last two weeks. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    This solution is very stable. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I can't comment on the scalability yet as I haven't tried to scale it yet. Still, I know it will be scalable because it's in the DNA of the project. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I haven't had to contact technical support as of yet. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was very straightforward. It only took five to ten minutes to get it up and running. 

    What about the implementation team?

    I installed this solution by myself. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Microsoft Power Automate is expensive. The full license is quite expensive. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I would absolutely recommend this solution to others. At this point in time, I would give it a rating of eight out of ten. 

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1552464 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Student at a educational organization with 5,001-10,000 employees
    Real User
    Good templates with zero implementation required but there are stability issues
    Pros and Cons
    • "The templates on offer are very good."
    • "I've had some issues with the stability."

    What is our primary use case?

    The primary use of the product is for automating business processes.

    What is most valuable?

    The templates on offer are very good. It's quite helpful to have them.

    The initial setup is fast as there really isn't anything to implement if you use the cloud.

    Overall, it's been a positive user experience.

    What needs improvement?

    I've had some issues with the stability.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've only been using the solution for a few weeks. I don't have a lot of experience with the solution just yet. It's still quite new to me.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability is not very reliable. I've had some issues. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I can't speak to the scalability of the product. I haven't used it for that long just yet and have not attempted to scale it. Therefore I can't really speak very well to its potential capabilities. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I've never been in touch with technical support. I cannot speak to how responsive or knowledgeable they are as I have not had an opportunity to communicate directly with them just yet.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I did previously use another solution. I've used UiPath in the past.

    How was the initial setup?

    Only the desktop version has an installation process. You do not need to install anything if you use the cloud version. It's quite straightforward. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I'm a student and an end-user. I don't have a business relationship with Microsoft.

    I'm writing my thesis about RPA, but I don't have much developing experience.

    I'm using the latest version of the solution. I am unsure of the exact version number.

    I'm using the trial version of the product.

    I have not decided if I will keep using the solution going forward. 

    Although the solution is still new to me, from what I have experienced, I would recommend the solution to other organizations.

    I would rate it at a seven on a scale from one to ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Senior Manager - RPA & Transition at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    Useful for low and medium complexity work and easy to learn and use, but needs better stability, support, and integration with third-party tools
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is very easy to learn and use. It is quite useful for any sort of back-office work. Any kind of work with low and medium complexity is very doable in ProcessRobot. For higher complexity, some refinement is required, but it is doable."
    • "It should be more stable, and their technical support should be faster. It should also have more integration with tools from other vendors, such as SAP and Oracle, and technology partners, such as Salesforce."

    What is most valuable?

    It is very easy to learn and use. It is quite useful for any sort of back-office work. Any kind of work with low and medium complexity is very doable in ProcessRobot. For higher complexity, some refinement is required, but it is doable.

    What needs improvement?

    It should be more stable, and their technical support should be faster.

    It should also have more integration with tools from other vendors, such as SAP and Oracle, and technology partners, such as Salesforce.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using this solution for two years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It is not very stable. They're working on the refinements. I would rate it a six or seven in terms of stability.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It is scalable but not to an optimum level. It is more scalable than WinAutomation, but it is not as scalable as UiPath or Automation Anywhere where you can scale to 50 bots at a time.

    We have 20 to 30 users of this solution. In terms of increasing its usage, it depends on the customers. Customers who already have this solution will keep using it. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Their technical support should be faster.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We also use WinAutomation. ProcessRobot is any day better than WinAutomation. It is newer and has more capabilities than WinAutomation. ProcessRobot is also better than WinAutomation in terms of scalability.

    How was the initial setup?

    Its initial setup is easy.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Licensing is on an annual basis.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend this solution for small to medium deployments but not for very large-scale deployments.

    I would rate ProcessRobot a seven out of ten.

    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1248864 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Director, Km & Bpo Innovation at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    The setup is easy for people to pick up
    Pros and Cons
    • "The initial setup was easy. It was very easy for people to pick up. The deployment took a few hours."
    • "It should be faster and more user-friendly."

    What is our primary use case?

    We use it to monitor the net flow of all the emails. It is really helpful.

    What is most valuable?

    It is stable. 

    What needs improvement?

    It should be faster and more user-friendly. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Power Automate for around three years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It is stable and scalable. We have around 300 users. It doesn't require any dedicated IT to help run the appliance. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We don't need much of their support. We have opened a ticket and their support was handy. It's very easy for us to communicate with them via email. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was easy. It was very easy for people to pick up. The deployment took a few hours. 

    What other advice do I have?

    I would recommend it.

    I would rate Power Automate an eight out of ten. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Public Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Microsoft Power Automate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: December 2024
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