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Training Manager at a financial services firm with 201-500 employees
Real User
Oct 14, 2020
It works perfectly and lets me do everything very quickly
Pros and Cons
  • "Its integration with SharePoint and Outlook is the most valuable. I found it very easy to use. I could do everything that I wanted very quickly, and I didn't have any complications at all. I never had a problem in using Microsoft Power Automate."
  • "Everything has been perfectly fine."
  • "If someone was just about to start using it, it would be better if it was a bit more user-friendly in terms of understanding function references. I come from a bit of development background. To me, it all makes quite a lot of sense, but someone using it for the first time would probably battle understanding how the functions work. This might be something they could improve on. It would be really useful if it could publish data to Power BI. We like to use Power BI for our reporting, but we can't directly integrate the data across. If there was a way to automate the collection of the data and push it straight into the Power BI platform, it would be quite useful."
  • "If someone was just about to start using it, it would be better if it was a bit more user-friendly in terms of understanding function references."

What is our primary use case?

We use SharePoint to collect information from tests, exams, and similar things that we do in our office. When people complete the tests, we use Microsoft Power Automate to collect the results and email them to appropriate people. We are currently using the latest version of Microsoft Power Automate. 

What is most valuable?

Its integration with SharePoint and Outlook is the most valuable. 

I found it very easy to use. I could do everything that I wanted very quickly, and I didn't have any complications at all. I never had a problem in using Microsoft Power Automate.

What needs improvement?

If someone was just about to start using it, it would be better if it was a bit more user-friendly in terms of understanding function references. I come from a bit of development background. To me, it all makes quite a lot of sense, but someone using it for the first time would probably battle understanding how the functions work. This might be something they could improve on.

It would be really useful if it could publish data to Power BI. We like to use Power BI for our reporting, but we can't directly integrate the data across. If there was a way to automate the collection of the data and push it straight into the Power BI platform, it would be quite useful.

For how long have I used the solution?

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

Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Power Automate
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Power Automate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
915,383 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It seems to be very stable. It has been running now for about three months, and it regularly gets used, probably about 30 times per day. I haven't had a single missed event. I have received all the emails, and everything works great. Today, funnily enough, I have started building a new solution for something similar. So, I went back and actually checked the records for the last three weeks, and everything was perfect. I haven't had any issues with it at all. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I am sure that it is going to be perfectly fine for what we need. We are looking at about 30 people using it in one day over the last three months, which is not a very high volume. We are not going to do more than probably a maximum of 50 users a day. 

How are customer service and support?

I did not have any need to contact them.

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

Previous to this, I used Microsoft Flow, and before that, I used the SharePoint workflow. We switched from Microsoft Flow because Microsoft actually changed their product and went from one to the next. It used to be Microsoft Flow, and then they revamped it and re-introduced it with a new name. I just carried on basically using the same platform. It is better than what they used to have. That's for sure, but I'm still effectively using the same product. They had advertised through emails and other mediums that they have switched to a new product, and it has been rebranded. I thought I'm going to try it, and I just found it very friendly and easy to use. So, I just stuck with it.

How was the initial setup?

It is integrated completely with our Office 365, so I didn't have to set up anything. Everything just works automatically. The security works from the first time. When I logged in, it straight away identified me. I could immediately get a list of all the people to whom I needed to send the stuff. It connected straight away to the SharePoint. I didn't have any problems at all.

What about the implementation team?

The original product was set up by the consultant firm that looks after our IT. We don't do it on our own. They set up everything and configure it. All I had to do was just log in and make sure everything works the way I wanted it to do.

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

I don't deal with the financial side. I know that we pay for a per-user license. It is probably less than $20 a user, but I am not sure about the exact figures.

What other advice do I have?

To use this solution, you need to maybe brush up a little bit on how to use the function references that are available in Microsoft Power Automate. The code that you use for the functions is a little bit different from what you would use if you were using Excel or anything like that. So, you just need to brush up on how the functions work. Once you understand them, it is pretty simple.

I would rate Microsoft Power Automate a ten out of ten. Everything has been perfectly fine. I am a happy user.

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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Co-Founder & Director - Technology at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Reseller
Sep 30, 2020
Execution of workflows could be improved; connectors are a good feature
Pros and Cons
  • "The connectors are a very good feature."
  • "The connectors are a very good feature in this solution because they allow you to connect to multiple applications within the Microsoft environment."
  • "Execution of workflows could be improved."
  • "It's not stable yet, because it's still in development."

What is our primary use case?

This is one of the solutions we sell to our customers. I'm an automater and we are customers of Microsoft. 

What is most valuable?

The connectors are a very good feature in this solution because they allow you to connect to multiple applications within the Microsoft environment. The solution is readily integrated. 

What needs improvement?

I'd like to see an improvement in the execution of workflows, which is currently an area of concern. It takes a lot of time and when you integrate these workflows, you have to be very careful because even a tiny error can break the workflow. Microsoft needs to make it more resilient.

An additional feature should be interoperability. It's the idea that you should be able to leverage other Microsoft technologies, let's say .NET, C#, VB macros, so that they can be integrated. It will make the solution more powerful, and they could provide a facility where we could run scripts written in other languages through Power Automate seamlessly. That would make this a very powerful product. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for 18 months. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It's not stable yet, because it's still in development. There are a lot of things happening right now. If they bring in a new feature, an old feature can change and that's why we're not able to deploy it fully on all our client premises.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's scalable because almost everything which is available within the Microsoft environment can be connected. But when you go outside the Microsoft environment, with respect to legacy systems and with third-party applications, the scalability is a somewhat limited right now. You can't connect very easily to Oracle or SAP or even third-party standalone custom applications. We don't have plans to increase usage for the time being. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We haven't contacted technical support, mainly because we've been in a Microsoft related environment for the last 30 years. Most things that we solve ourselves, rather than talking to Microsoft.

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

We have not yet fully switched to Microsoft Power Automate. We still consider it an option for clients who are purely in a Microsoft environment. It's definitely an option, but we also have seven other RPA tools we use including UiPath, Automation Anywhere, Blue Prism, Kryon, Kofax. We also have an option for customers who don't want to go for any RPA tools that enables them to get custom automation.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is complex. You need to know what you are doing, because it connects to so many things on your system which could be different for different systems. It took us about half a day to understand what we needed to do, and then after that it took just an hour. We did it ourselves. 

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

The solution is affordable and supportable, but the licensing is complex because you're paying for multiple services. You pay a license for Automate and a license for Azure Cloud. There could be a situation where you're managing more licenses than the bots.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We have evaluated 22 options in this area. 

What other advice do I have?

Choosing a solution really depends on what the customer needs. If they're looking for something that's easy to maintain, we might go for UiPath or Automation Anywhere. And if we don't have the budget we tell them to look at Microsoft Power Automate. If you don't have a budget for that, then you look at a custom automation which doesn't need any RPA tool. It all depends on the customer's requirements and constraints.

This solution has the potential to go further, but for now I would rate it a five out of 10. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Microsoft Power Automate
September 2026
Learn what your peers think about Microsoft Power Automate. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: September 2026.
915,383 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Senior Manager - RPA & Transition at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees
Real User
Sep 18, 2020
Easy to use and deploy but needs better documentation
Pros and Cons
  • "The sequencer programming mode's ease of use is its most valuable aspect. The ease of calling out the functions in a sequence, basically from the functional side, is great."
  • "The solution could benefit from mirroring Oracle's use of videos and community forums to help users get acquainted with the product. It could use better online training and/or documentation."

What is our primary use case?

The use cases for the solution would be banking related, typically, and specifically surrounding BFS, Banking Financial Services.

What is most valuable?

The sequencer programming mode's ease of use is its most valuable aspect. The ease of calling out the functions in a sequence, basically from the functional side, is great.

What needs improvement?

The solution lacks certain items.

I'm not really qualified for judging the solution. A developer could give better pros and cons. 

We would not miss Microsoft Power Automation that much. As still has a long way to cover tasks when it comes to the ease of use like UiPath, which is pretty user-centric.

The solution needs to improve its integration with SAP and Oracle models.

The solution's automation is still evolving and still has a way to go.

The solution could benefit from mirroring Oracle's use of videos and community forums to help users get acquainted with the product. It could use better online training and/or documentation.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've been using the solution (as Softomotive) for four years now. It's only recently become Microsoft Power Automate. Previously, Microsoft didn't have a similar solution.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is pretty stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable, but there are issues. It's not perfect.

We have about 100 users on the solution currently.

We do plan to increase the usage of the product in the future. However, we do have our own internal tool we also plan on using more often.

How are customer service and technical support?

I myself have not contacted technical support. It's the development team that does any outreach, so I cannot answer on their behalf.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was not complex. It was pretty straightforward.

In terms of deployment, how long it takes varies. It depends upon the nature of the use case. Usually, it ranges between six weeks to 12 weeks. We used ten to 12 people for the deployment process.

What about the implementation team?

We handled the implementation internally with our own team members. We didn't need the assistance of integrators, or consultants.

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

There are licensing costs, however, I do not know the exact pricing. It's not part of my scope of work.

What other advice do I have?

We're simply customers. We don't have a business relationship with the solution.

We use the solution, however, not in its full capacity. It's just there as and when there is a need. The product earlier was in Softomotive. Microsoft just took over Softomotive, which has WinAutomation, so yes, technically, it is now Microsoft.

We're using an earlier version of the solution, not necessarily the latest.

I'd recommend the solution. We don't have very complex use cases to compare it to, however, for small to medium complexity projects, it would work well.

Overall, I'd rate the solution seven out of ten.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Senior Programmer Analyst at Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Real User
Sep 17, 2020
Very good RPA, and lots of documentation but needs to be more mature
Pros and Cons
  • "The RPA robotic process automation is a good feature. We can make a flow within a flow. We just made a UI flow. The flow is to run every day so far it's been quite helpful."
  • "Tech support could be more hands-on. Right now, they simply direct users to documentation instead of directly dealing with issues."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution for testing. For example, we made a website solution and we're open to trying new things because it's not on production yet. We use your flows in order to make some data automation. We fill our flows with some data and test to see if it's all correct.

What is most valuable?

The RPA robotic process automation is a good feature. We can make a flow within a flow. We just made a UI flow. The flow is to run every day so far it's been quite helpful.

There's good Microsoft documentation that makes setup easy.

What needs improvement?

I am now a member of the digital transformation team, so we are making various products. We are just making the new projects, and developing them in the store. However, everything is new to us. We have are not working with this tool for more than six months. Therefore, it's hard to really know how well it works or what is lacking.

The solution needs more features so that it can better compete with competitors that have been on the market longer and are more mature.

Tech support could be more hands-on. Right now, they simply direct users to documentation instead of directly dealing with issues.

For how long have I used the solution?

We've only just started using the solution. We have been using it for six months so far. It's been less than a year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is quite good. We're not in production, so we can't verify it 100% as we're just testing its capabilities. It's a rather new tool as well, so I don't know how much it's been tried and tested overall. However, overall, from what I've witnessed, it's been good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is quite new, both for us and on the market. I can't speak to the scalability as we haven't tried to scale it, and I don't know if many companies have really tried.

Although we have about 1,500 employees, we're still testing the solution, so not everyone has access to the product. Maybe five or six of us are actually on it and trying it out. We're all programmers.

How are customer service and technical support?

As a developer, I can open a ticket with Microsoft, even though our DBA did teach us a lot about the solution. There's a lot of documentation and support online, so there's rarely a reason to have to actually open a ticket. So far, we've been satisfied with the arrangement, although, for the most part, their assistance is simply directing users to specific documentation.

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

Currently, we're just testing this solution, however, our organization is also using UiPath.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup isn't too complex. It's rather straightforward. You can just follow the documentation provided. Microsoft makes it very easy.

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

The solution is offered as part of a larger Microsoft license. It came as a solution in a bigger package. I'm not sure what the exact cost of it it, as it's not my area of expertise.

What other advice do I have?

We have the Microsoft Dynamics Customer Enterprise license, and that covers for Automate and VI. Right now, we are doing some tests.

We're just working with four workflows. We're just really starting and haven't begun any big projects yet. We have 15 ongoing small projects.

I'm not sure of the exact version we are using.

I'd rate the solution seven out of ten. We're still testing it in production. We need more time with it to really get a sense of what it can do.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
IT Team Lead at Kantar
Real User
Sep 13, 2020
An RPA specifically for Microsoft applications, but very limited in process complexity and integrations
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use."
  • "If people have a Microsoft Enterprise license, they could actually use the Power Automate tool to make their processes much more lean and efficient."
  • "The tasks that can be automated are limited to Microsoft applications only."
  • "Any task that is automated needs to be very simple. This tool does not seem to handle complicated tasks very well."

What is our primary use case?

The reason why we are using this product is that we like to use it where we have automation projects specifically for Microsoft products. We can automate to improve productivity and for those applications and simple tasks, it is easy to use.  

For example, suppose I get my email with Outlook. There are certain times I will get specific Excel files from a pre-determined output which I have to always place into a particular SharePoint folder. From there, some other automation gets triggered and the file is processed in a certain way. Those are the sort of things we can automate with Power Automate. It is very good at working with those simple Microsoft-product-related processes.  

We use it wherever we have workflow processes in which Microsoft products are interacting. Before using this solution, people would get those emails and the recipient had to download the file and then manually put it into SharePoint. Now, as soon as it comes into the inbox, Power Automate gets triggered and it automatically copies the file to the correct SharePoint. There is no reason that a repetitive task of this sort needs to be done manually.  

How has it helped my organization?

It offers a different option than using UiPath which is much more complicated and more expensive for simple tasks that Power Automate can do more easily.  

What is most valuable?

It is very hard to say what the most valuable features are in Power Automate because we are still exploring the product and utility. I like the simplicity of how we can create those automated activities quickly. For now, the most valuable feature is that it is very easy to use.  

What needs improvement?

There is definitely a lot of enhancement that Microsoft can incorporate into Power Automate. For example, we have quite a lot of .NET applications that we created. These are custom applications that we created using something like VB.NET or C#.NET. These are obviously applications that are not published by Microsoft. I would like it if Microsoft could enhance the capabilities of Power Automate to allow users to connect to other tools and applications in some way. That will help us create better processes without making them more complicated or having to use another automation tool. Right now, we have to use UiPath to help us make processes such as the one described. I have not seen any way that Power Automate can do that type of integration. So if we could get better integration with non-Microsoft solutions as a feature for Power Automate, that will be very useful.  

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Microsoft Power Automate (formerly Flows) for the last three months.  

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

We have not created anything complex, so we have not faced any issues in the form of glitches or any bugs to this point. When we start doing more sophisticated workflows, that may end up being a different story.  

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I have not really had much of an opportunity to test the scalability of the solution yet. If we find a particular workflow that requires a change or something, it is easy to drop that version and recreate something new from scratch. It does not take much time. Scaling the number of processes up or down at this point does not seem to be an issue.  

The number of users in our company right now remains pretty small. I think there are only around 15 to 20 of us are actually exploring the capabilities. Eventually, that group should be much larger.  

How are customer service and technical support?

We have not had any reason to work with the technical support team at this point. One of my colleagues did drop them a note asking if there is a way we can use Power Automate to connect to any of the custom tools that we created. I do not believe that we have got an answer to that question yet, so it is taking some time.  

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was quite good and went smoothly. It was not complex at all. It is good that it was relatively easy because we understood that it would mostly be used for easy processes to do some small tasks. We went that way and are using the tool only for working with simple automation processes. We did spend some time trying to automate more complex processes, but as the processes became more complex the tool became more complex to use. It is much easier to use it to do non-complex things. The setup for the processes themselves is fairly easy to do.   

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

This solution can save money when used for simple tasks specifically using only Microsoft products.  

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We are currently working on evaluations of various products. The thing is, we have just started to embark on our journey into RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and we have brought in UiPath to act in that capacity. We are very much, at a nascent stage of the discovery of what we can do and what the product is capable of. We are identifying processes that can be automated and we are planning to work mostly with UiPath on those solutions. We have already engaged in a contract with UiPath for use of their product at this point in time.  

Most of our work is going towards UiPath currently but we also have this Microsoft Enterprise licensing. There seems to be no reason we should not use that as well if there are ways it can provide an advantage. We are also exploring if the enhancements we would need to tie in other applications and processes to Power Automate are something that we could do internally. At this time we are working with a combination of solutions that falls somewhere between our existing processes and new capabilities with automation tools.  

What other advice do I have?

I have a few comments and advice for people considering the addition of RPA in their workflows. I would suggest that they do as much streamlining of their processes as possible. If they can get smaller things up and running by creating the process with a simple tool it may help their efficiency as well as their bottom line. When you go for big tools like UiPath and all the other robust RPA solutions, the cost of creating those smaller processes will be higher than they need to be. If people have a Microsoft Enterprise license, they could actually use the Power Automate tool to make their processes much more lean and efficient. Doing the same thing by employing any of the RPA-related solutions and tools might be a lot more effort.  

On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate Power Automate, overall as a product as a six-of-ten at this point. It has got a lot of room for improvement.  

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Hybrid Cloud

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

Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
PeerSpot user
Sr. Software Engineer at Globant
Real User
Jul 31, 2020
Easy to set up with great templates and reasonable pricing
Pros and Cons
  • "In just in one click, we can see any documentation, etc., that we need. It makes it very easy to navigate."
  • "The solution is also excellent for businesses due to the fact that it's totally based on the cloud."
  • "All the services on the Microsoft platform are great. If we want to try something like with SharePoint or Azure or the 365 CRM, then we can't with the everyday community edition of the Microsoft Power Automate. It would be a good thing if there was some sort of trial period. Let's say you have 14 days. That way, can log into the loading screen with Power Automate, and get to utilize services like SharePoint, OneDrive, 365 CRM or etc. to see if they like them. It would be a good way for Microsoft to cross-sell or up-sell."
  • "Otherwise, it's expensive to buy all these extra applications, without knowing if or how you could use them or integrate them into your work."

What is most valuable?

I really like the Excel operations and the templates that the solution has available. If you're looking for 10 items, chances are there are templates already for six to eight of them. We just have to download or integrate that template and our work has been done for us, in a sense. 

It's really user friendly. One of the coolest features that I've found is when we are writing some functions or some custom line of code, there is specific virtualization that we are working with that we are utilizing for recording. 

In just in one click, we can see any documentation, etc., that we need. It makes it very easy to navigate. 

What needs improvement?

I'm still new to Microsoft. I don't know if there are features or aspects of the solution which are lacking. I need more time to work with it to really decide if there's anything I'd like to have on the solution that's not already there.

All the services on the Microsoft platform are great. If we want to try something like with SharePoint or Azure or the 365 CRM, then we can't with the everyday community edition of the Microsoft Power Automate. It would be a good thing if there was some sort of trial period. Let's say you have 14 days. That way, can log into the loading screen with Power Automate, and get to utilize services like SharePoint, OneDrive, 365 CRM or etc. to see if they like them. It would be a good way for Microsoft to cross-sell or up-sell.

Otherwise, it's expensive, to buy all these extra applications, without knowing if or how you could use them or integrate them into your work.

One thing that I would really like to recommend is that they should get an actual learning environment or LMS where we can go and find all the different tools, how to utilize the different tools of Power Automate, and documentation or tutorials in video form on how we can create our own custom templates. 

Right now, what we have to do is we have to navigate to a different platform, for example, YouTube, and search on YouTube to see whether there are different kinds of techie guys that have updated their information about the Microsoft Power Automate. Microsoft Power Automate needs its own in-house LMS, where we can get the entire knowledge of the product from beginning to end. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've only been using the solution for two or three weeks.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I have not tried any kind of real-world problems so I can't say too much about the solution's stability. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I haven't used the solution long enough to really test the scalability. I'm not sure how scalable it is.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is very straightforward. Even a person who has one or two years of coding skills can install the solution quite easily. It's pretty simple. You don't have to be a Microsoft expert. I, for example, would be able to handle it, and I am very new to Microsoft.

What other advice do I have?

I'm using the latest version of the solution. I tried to follow some YouTube tutorials from different people who are actually doing some good work with Microsoft Power Automate, however, they're using different versions as compared to the latest version that I'm using. The layout and the modules and everything is different as compared to the previous versions.

I use the cloud deployment model because it has some free storage or free allocation with the subscription.

I would definitely recommend the solution. Even small businesses would benefit from the solution. Any company would be able to integrate it. There are a lot of tasks you could handle with the solution. It's great for handling customer inquiries, for example, if you had a business with inquiry forms on sales sites.

It also offers one of the cheapest rates as compared to other automation tools. Other automation tools charge a huge amount for license fees. Microsoft Power Automate offers decent fees for the automation tools they offer. 

The solution is also excellent for businesses due to the fact that it's totally based on the cloud. You can use it in anywhere and you can execute your flows from your mobile. 

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. If they offered some better tutorials, I'd rate them higher. No one wants to go and read through dozens or hundreds of web pages. The tutorials need to be interactive or video so that it's easy and engaging. If Microsoft was able to offer that, they'd be close to perfect.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Technical Team Lead at emids
Real User
Jul 30, 2020
Supports multiple automations running in parallel and captures video for troubleshooting
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is that you can run multiple automations at the same time, in parallel."
  • "Using WinAutomation helps us to reduce our resource costs."
  • "The OCR functionality needs to be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We use this product for automation.

How has it helped my organization?

Using WinAutomation helps us to reduce our resource costs.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is that you can run multiple automations at the same time, in parallel.

It is possible to capture the video, which is better than saving only a snapshot or an error message.

What needs improvement?

It would be helpful to have features that are fine-tuned for Microsoft products because most of our clients are using products like SharePoint and OneDrive.

The OCR functionality needs to be improved. We are not getting the same accuracy as other tools when reading things like PDFs.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with WinAutomation for six months.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

One of the biggest features is scalability, as we can run multiple activities in parallel.

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

We work with several RPA tools including UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere, and we are also implementing Microsoft Power Automate.

UiPath has a very good OCR that can read PDF files well. It is more accurate than WinAutomation.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward. It is easy to install, and it works in a plug-and-play fashion.

What other advice do I have?

My advice for anybody who is considering WinAutomation is that it is a very good tool. They definitely need to use it. 

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
it_user1245768 - PeerSpot reviewer
RPA Developer at a tech consulting company with 11-50 employees
Real User
Jul 17, 2020
You can build your RPA solutions with this easy-to-use product but the stability is questionable
Pros and Cons
  • "This product has an easy-to-use interface with nice detail in the features."
  • "The most valuable thing about the product is that it is simple."
  • "The stability of the product is not very good and can even fail with simple projects."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use we have for this product is a solution we created for a client to download daily data from a big company's website. It is a website tool for helping the company monitor the channel for managing their associate or partner responsibilities. They needed to visit the website every day — or as often as possible — so they could get information from the parent company, or collect orders or complaints from there.  

What is most valuable?

The most valuable thing about the product is that it is simple. When you go into the UI — and probably because Softomotive has about a 20-year long history in the IT industry — there are small details in the features that simplify how you work with it. It has all the big features like competing products but the detail is the kind of thing that makes users feel more comfortable using the product than if the details were not there. So those kinds of ease-of-use details are good things for Softomotive. The design is a GUI interface which is really for non-programmers. There is only the graphic user interface so it is simple to use.  

What needs improvement?

I think the primary thing that needs improvement in this product is the stability. It looks like it is easy-to-use and that is very nice, but it is more important to have a stable product and not just one that is easy-to-use. If I am working to create a simple process, odd errors occur quite often and in the middle of creating the process.  

The additional features I might like to see in the next release would be adding in some capabilities that other products already have. For example, some RPA process management framework. UiPath has something like that, RE Framework (Robotic Enterprise Framework), which is something in Softomotive we have to develop by ourselves. They have some premade processes in WinAutomation, but in running a process they should have some kind of error handling. For example, if there are tasks that should be run like 100 times and maybe it will freeze up at the 50th cycle, then the process should start again from 50, not from number one.  

If they can come up with some kind of framework and error handling, that will enhance the stability of the running processes made out of their solution. Right now I cannot resolve these main issues on my own and they should be added to the product.  

For how long have I used the solution?

I started testing it out three months ago and have been using it for about two months.  

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the product is not always good even when working on simple projects. This is not a bad product — I still use it — but the stability is something that they need to improve.  

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scalability is just buying more licenses. I worked for RPA consulting company and a development company and then I worked as an RPA developer. Then I was dispatched to a company to develop a process for that company. That company at the time purchased ProcessRobot, and then recently WinAutomation — I think five copies. They tested it and they are now trying to expand usage.  

How are customer service and technical support?

I have been in touch with the technical support for WinAutomation by Softomotive a lot, really. The support is good and they provide the information or answers I need.  

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

I have used other products in the past. For example, by comparison, UiPath might be a little bit more stable but it is also a little bit more complicated in the UI/UX (User Interface/User Experience) than Softomotive. UiPath has not got some of the fancy features — just the basic ones. You just collect your UI elements or web elements and use the basic features. But say you maybe run a process 1000 times in both tools. UiPath seems to me in our testing to have fewer errors than Softomotive. But the complexity of the project or the stability would make me choose one product over the other.  

How was the initial setup?

The setup in WinAutomation is kind of straightforward. I did not experience any trouble in the installation. ProcessRobot is a bit different and then UiPath is a little bit more complicated in the installation, but I think it is manageable as well.  

To actually get the product to work from the point of installation to where I could start running some processes took maybe a month the first time. But this included learning the product. Development with a little experience using the tool usually takes 15 days or about two weeks.  

What about the implementation team?

We did the deployment of this by ourselves.  

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Because I am in this industry, I am gathering information about different tools all the time. I use mainly WinAutomation and ProcessRobot and maybe UiPath for only a month. It is sometimes just to collect information and other times to consider other products.  

What other advice do I have?

I think the advice I can give someone considering this solution has to do with making a smart choice. If someone wants to do some RPA project without already knowing a product, then he or she needs to take quite a long time to learn about RPA. You can look at the subject to learn about it and then learn a little bit about programming. There is not just one place to find this kind of tutorial and educational material. A single vendor will only provide what you need to use their product. Each vendor has different educational materials from different perspectives and different methods of teaching.  

If they want us to use Softomotive as a solution, they may have to do less work in learning about RPA because it is easy to use. But they should probably also visit the UiPath website or maybe AutomationAnywhere to compare the products and features. In many ways, the products are the same with the ultimate goal being that of creating a working RPA process.  

But I think there is a difference in the availability of information and user communities. UiPath has a little bit more structured education system and their community is larger. Because Softomotive is not as widely used it is more difficult to ask other users questions. You may have to direct your questions to the software team. But with UiPath, they can ask questions through a web portal like forum.uipath.com. It is less stressful to ask a question and get an answer from other users.  

ProcessRobot users also have a smaller community but they cannot ask questions from support unless they have the license for the product. WinAutomation is different. It is kind of a semi-commercial product but it is not totally free like open-source. There is also a little restriction on which questions you can ask of support before you invest in the product. They are very responsive and also helpful and their company helps people directly. You go through a sort of process. Maybe Softmotive might not always find an answer or give you a particular solution. Then you can also be a little creative and look for how something is solved using other RPA tools like consulting UiPath Academy. This might give you some hints about what you are trying to accomplish.  

Sometimes I have found that I kind of I reached a dead end. I had no answer as to where to go. I was just confused and then I could not find any answer from the Softmotive website and there was nowhere to ask the question that I had. Other vendors also have wonderful features and then I tested those to see what they could do. It is kind of a long process to develop a stable process and you have to continue to learn.  

On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate this product as a seven. Of course to rate this software higher, they would need to work on the stability issues, enhance the available resources for users, and fill in some of the features that are missing which other products already have. 

* Added on 2020-07-17 : Now that Softomotive is acquired and WinAutomation have become a part of PowerAutomate and the price has gone down almost to half of its original price, the future is quite promising for this product.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
PeerSpot user
Process and Performance Improvement Consultant at a consultancy with self employed
Real User
Jun 30, 2020
Process automation that is easy to use and the pricing is flexible
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features of this solution are the cost and ease of use, it's very simple, and they have many, easy-to-use features."
  • "They need to come up with a little more on AI and precision discovery path to be able to record the processes."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution is for process automation.

How has it helped my organization?

With regards to the process on the server-side, you are giving the client the opportunity to run from a very small deployment and to take it from one office location to another, and globally.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features of this solution are the cost and ease of use, it's very simple.

They have many, easy-to-use features.

What needs improvement?

When this solution is sold to the clients there is no automated process in place as many other RPA products have. I have to fully understand the product so that I can go over the processes with the client and all staff they may have. 

It would be good to record all of the processes and automate them.

The Kryon product has that option, where when you are doing something automatically it can record it on an AI interface. If they could have that feature included, it would benefit the client.

They need to come up with a little more on AI and precision discovery path to be able to record the processes.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been working with this solution for nine months.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is scalable. It allows you to expand not only from one geography, but across as well.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not contacted technical support. I am not a part of the technical support, but an advisor. I have been asked to go in for implementation analyzing.

How was the initial setup?

The deployment depends on the requirements of the client. For most of our clients, I recommend it in two processes.

A smaller process with approximately 50 users using it would take one and a half months to develop, depending on availability and time.

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

There is flexibility in pricing.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I studied five to eight different tools and narrowed it down to the two or three tools that I felt would suit our client's needs.

Some of the other products that were included in my narrowed down studies were Kofax, Automation Anywhere, and UiPath.

There is a very different approach when it comes to Kofax, and I wouldn't recommend UiPath because there is a lot of coding in terms of implementation. UiPath was one of the first ones to have the market and has now lost market share because there are too many available that are smaller, such as Kryon and Kofax.

One other solution that I am studying is NICE. I am trying to get a better understanding of it as an option for my clients.

What other advice do I have?

I am a consultant who advises his clients about the solutions that are best for them. I make recommendations based on their requirements.

Clients have two options, one is the desktop solution and the other is an enterprise version.

For smaller clients what I recommend is to start with the desktop version. I ask them to try it out and if they think that it works in their organization and it's helping, they will get better ROI after proving it to them in the trial POC that I conduct. I have them try it out for six months to a year and then suggest they move to the enterprise version.

My philosophy is value addition. I have seen that with most of the products that we have purchased, we may use only 40% to 50% of the features. I want to change that and cause a disruption in the consulting industry. What I want to do is recommend products to my clients where I see value addition and minimum utilization of features and functionality of the product to 80%.

It's a very different approach and very difficult for clients to understand at first. I am using the years of experience that I have and doing what is in the best interest of the client.

My advice would be not to go directly to process robot. Instead, try the desktop version with smaller processes, small implementation, and get comfortable with it first. 

Start off small then go big. Going big is a huge investment if you are not sure.

Do it one step at a time. Get a few processes, try it out, develop the methodology of implementation, and make it a small mini project or a work in progress then decide. If you are in a hurry and you take a big bang approach without doing it systematically, however good the product is, it could be disastrous.

At the end of the day, this is going to cost you, not only in terms of dollars but in terms of time invested. You will be running with your production environment and existing systems, and there is going to be a lot of effort required to do this, so you have to be convinced that this works for you. Do a POC from three different vendors.

In terms of cost, ease of use, and comfort, I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Process Specialist - Operational Excellence at a government with 51-200 employees
Real User
Jun 24, 2020
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 see Power Automate as a quick-win solution for many enhancements that can be used in any organization."
  • "I would like to have chatbot assistance available, where you can open it and receive help on the spot."
  • "I have had some issues with stability where I received a surprising error message and still don't know why it happened."

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.

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 technical 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: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Power Automate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: September 2026
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Microsoft Power Automate Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.