Microsoft Power Automate is a tool that allows you to streamline and automate repetitive, time-consuming processes in your workflow. One of the effective ways to use this tool is by leveraging the Process Advisor feature. This feature is a process mining capability of Power Automate which helps businesses understand their workflows better, uncover process inefficiencies, and make informed decisions to improve them.
To help you navigate this feature, we’ll walk you through the steps to create processes in Process Advisor as part of your preparation for the PL-500 Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer exam.
Creating a Process in Process Advisor:
- Launch Process Advisor: Click on the left navigation pane in your Power Automate site to access Process Advisor.
- Start a new process: Click ‘New Process’ at the top of the Process Advisor page. Provide a name and description for your process to help users understand its purpose and function.
- Define Activities: Once you’ve created a process, the next step is to define the activities that make up the process. Click ‘Add Activity’ to name and describe each function that is part of the process. You can edit or delete these activities later, if required.
- Add Participants: Here, you’ll have to add the persons involved in the process. You can choose between Machine (for automated steps) and Person (for manual steps).
- Record Activities: Once the activities and participants are defined, you’re now ready to record the actions that constitute the process.
Recording Activities:
In Process Advisor, you can use the recorder tool to capture the activities of your process. Follow these steps:
- Start the recorder: Click on ‘Record Activity’ to launch the recorder.
- Perform the activity: Carry out the sequential actions involved in your process on your computer. The recorder captures each step, providing visible timestamps for analysis.
- End Recording: After performing the activity, stop the recording.
- Review the recording: Once the recording is stopped, you can review, edit, or delete the steps captured.
- Save and Close: After reviewing, click on ‘Save & Close’. Now, you have successfully completed recording an activity.
Analyzing the Process:
After creating and recording the process, the next step is to analyze it. Process Advisor provides analytical tools to assess the time taken for each activity, idle times, repetitive steps, and more. It’ll help you identify areas of improvement and optimize the process accordingly.
Publishing the Process:
Once everything is reviewed and completed, you can publish the process making it accessible to others. Click on ‘Publish’ on the Process page. Be sure to add an informative description and specify the process owner before publishing.
From creating a new process to analyzing and publishing it, the Process Advisor provides a comprehensive way to understand and optimize business processes. This concept plays an important role in the PL-500 Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer exam and understanding it thoroughly will help you excel in the exam.
Note:
The Process Advisor and its features are continuously updated and enhanced to handle complex business scenarios. So, always consider checking the official Microsoft documentation regularly to stay updated with the latest features and functionalities.
Practice Test
True or False: Process Advisor is a tool that helps you understand, visualize and diagnose the time and efficiency of processes in Microsoft Power Automate.
– True
– False
Answer: True
Explanation: Process Advisor provides a visual of how your processes operate and offers insights for optimization.
Which of the following are valid steps to create a process in Process Advisor? (Multiple Select)
– A. Create a process recording
– B. Create a process trace
– C. Creating a process map
– D. Analyze the process
Answer: A, C, D
Explanation: The correct step to create a process in Process Advisor is creating a process recording, creating a process map, and analyzing the process.
True or False: You need to be a Power Automate licensed user to access Process Advisor.
– True
– False
Answer: True
Explanation: To access Process Advisor, you need to have a Power Automate per user plan with attended RPA or per flow plan.
In Process Advisor, what is a process recording used for?
– A. To document a one-time task
– B. To identify bottlenecks in a process
– C. To visualize a process
– D. All of the above
Answer: C. To visualize a process
Explanation: A process recording in Process Advisor is used to visualize a process step by step, record the actions during the process and estimate the time taken for each step.
Multiple Select: Who typically uses the Process Advisor tool?
– A. Process owners
– B. Process performers
– C. Process analysts
– D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: Process Advisor tool is typically used by Process owners, performers and analysts to help document, analyze and improve business processes.
True or False: Process Advisor allows you to document multiple processes at once.
– True
– False
Answer: False
Explanation: Process Advisor allows you to document a single process at one time where various processes are recorded separately.
Multiple Select: What are the key benefits of using Process Advisor?
– A. Allows for process documentation
– B. Analyzes potential bottlenecks
– C. Improves efficiency
– D. All of the above
Answer: D. All of the above
Explanation: Process Advisor aids with documenting and visualizing processes, highlighting bottlenecks, and suggesting improvements, thereby contributing to improved efficiency.
Which license plan is required to create a process in Process Advisor?
– A. Power Automate per user plan
– B. Power Automate per flow plan
– C. Power Automate per user plan with attended RPA
– D. All of the above
Answer: C. Power Automate per user plan with attended RPA
Explanation: To create a process in Process Advisor, a Power Automate per user plan with attended RPA is required.
True or False: The Insights feature in Process Advisor helps you understand process performance.
– True
– False
Answer: True
Explanation: The Insights feature of Process Advisor provides step-by-step statistics that helps one in evaluating and improving process performance.
Which of the following browser is recommended for Process Advisor?
– A. Chrome
– B. Firefox
– C. Edge
– D. None of the above
Answer: C. Edge
Explanation: Microsoft recommends using Edge as the browser of choice for the best experience in Process Advisor.
Interview Questions
What is the primary function of Process Advisor in Power Automate?
Process Advisor is a tool in Power Automate that provides an in-depth analysis of business processes, helps identify bottlenecks in the process flow, and suggests opportunities for automation.
How can you create a new process in Process Advisor?
A new process can be created in Process Advisor by clicking on the ‘+New’ button, naming the process, and then defining the stages and steps of the process.
Can multiple users record the same process in Process Advisor?
Yes, multiple users can record the same process in Process Advisor. This feature allows for the collection of variety of data points and perspectives on the same process.
How can one assign people to a process in Process Advisor for recording?
To assign people to a process for recording, select the process, click ‘Assign’, add the names or email addresses of the users and click ‘Assign’ again.
What is the role of ‘Process expert’ in Process Advisor?
A ‘Process expert’ in Process Advisor is responsible for defining and refining the process by adding stages, steps, and decision points.
How can Process Advisor help in improving an existing process?
Process Advisor can help in improving an existing process by providing insights about the time taken at each stage of the process, helping identify bottlenecks and areas where automation can improve efficiency.
What is a ‘recording’ in the context of Process Advisor?
A ‘recording’ in Process Advisor is a record of actions performed during a process, captured by a user who executes the process.
How can you share a process in Process Advisor with other users?
A process in Process Advisor can be shared with other users by clicking on it, then clicking ‘Share’, entering the user’s names or email addresses, and choosing the appropriate permissions.
How can you analyze a process in Process Advisor?
Once the process is recorded and refined by the process expert, a process can be analyzed in Process Advisor by clicking ‘Analyze’. This will provide detailed statistics and insights about the process.
Can you delete a process in Process Advisor?
Yes, you can delete a process in Process Advisor by clicking ‘More options’ (represented by three dots) for the specific process and then selecting ‘Delete’.
What are the different types of permissions that can be assigned to a process in Process Advisor?
The different types of permissions in Process Advisor are ‘Can view’, ‘Can edit’, and ‘Is owner’.
What data is included in the Process Advisor analysis report?
The analysis report in Process Advisor includes data on average completion time for the process, number of times the process was executed, steps and stages of the process, time spent on each step and stage, and possible improvement opportunities.
How can you export the analysis report from Process Advisor?
You can export the analysis report in Process Advisor by opening the report and clicking ‘Export’. The report will be exported as an Excel file.
Does the Process Advisor provide recommendations for automation in Power Automate?
Yes, Process Advisor can identify steps in the process that could potentially be automated using Power Automate, helping businesses improve their efficiency.
How can one contribute a recording to an assigned process in Process Advisor?
A user can contribute a recording to an assigned process in Process Advisor by selecting the process, clicking ‘Contribute’, and then recording the actions as they execute the process.