In this tutorial, Jonathon Silva walks through the process of setting up Power Automate Machine Connections for desktop flows to be able to connect and run from the cloud. This tutorial is ideal for those using Power Automate Desktop and working with multiple tenants. Below, we outline the key steps involved in making this connection and ensuring it runs smoothly across different tenants.
Step 1: Opening Machine Settings
- Open Power Automate Desktop and go to the settings tab.
- In the settings, select "Machine Settings" from the lower-right corner.
- Click on "Open Machine Settings" to access the Power Automate Machine Runtime application.
Step 2: Choose the Environment
- Within the Power Automate Machine Runtime, select the environment you want to connect to.
- This environment should match the tenant and license structure that allows running the desktop flow from the cloud.
- For developer or trial environments, the process remains the same, but ensure the correct licensing is in place.
Step 3: Dealing with Errors - Tenant Allow List
- If you encounter an error indicating that the environment isn’t in the tenant allow list, follow the provided link to set up the "Tenant Allow List".
- Click on the "Learn More" button for a step-by-step guide to configuring the tenant allow list.
Step 4: Using the Registry Editor for Tenant Switching
- Search for the "Registry Editor" by typing "regedit" in the search bar.
- Navigate through the editor to the path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Microsoft > Power Automate Desktop.
- Create a new string value under the "Power Automate Desktop" registry folder called "Allowed Registration Tenants".
- Input a comma-separated list of tenant IDs for the environments you want to allow.
- You can find the tenant IDs by either accessing
make.powerautomate.com or using the Control + Alt + A shortcut in Power Apps or Power Automate.
Step 5: Adding Tenant IDs
- After obtaining the tenant IDs, add them to the "Allowed Registration Tenants" list in the registry editor.
- Separate each tenant ID with a comma, then save the changes.
- Go back to the Power Automate Desktop machine settings to confirm the machine is connected with the updated environment list.
Step 6: Testing the Connection
- After configuring the machine connection, you should see a green confirmation that the machine is registered and connected.
- Now, you can create and run flows from the cloud. To do this, create an instant cloud flow and use the "Run Desktop Flow" action.
- Provide necessary variables such as username and date from your desktop flow, then execute the flow.
Step 7: Running the Desktop Flow
- Once the desktop flow is triggered from the cloud, it will run on the connected machine in attended mode, as long as you have the appropriate RPA license.
- The flow will display the input and output variables, ensuring all data is properly transmitted between cloud and desktop environments.
Step 8: Disconnecting and Cleanup
- If you need to disconnect the machine from a tenant, navigate to the "Machines" tab in Power Automate.
- Delete the machine from the environment, and remove the tenant ID from the registry editor if necessary.
Conclusion
By following these steps, you can successfully set up a Power Automate desktop flow to connect and run across multiple tenants. Whether you're working with trial environments, developer accounts, or multiple production tenants, this guide helps you ensure a smooth integration for running automation tasks in the cloud. For further assistance, stay tuned for more tutorials from Jonathon Silva on Power Automate.
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