Microsoft Power Automate has various in-built roles that provide granular access control to various resources including automation flows, environments, and gateways. These roles could either be Environment roles (that allow users to perform specific tasks within a specific environment) or Tenant roles (that give users ability to perform tasks across all environments in a tenant). Some of the most important roles include:
- Environment Admin: This role allows the user to administer and manage environments, policies, and settings. An Environment Admin can manage and run flows, and access all data in an environment, across all databases and settings.
- Environment Maker: This role allows the user to create and manage flows, apps, connections, custom connectors, gateways, and other resources within the environment where they are assigned this role.
- Flow User: This role only allows the user to run flows they have been explicitly shared with. However, this role doesn’t have the permission to create or manage flows.
- Flow Maker: This role gives the user permissions to create, manage, and share flows.
Essential Security Roles for Running and Monitoring Flows
The security roles required to run and monitor cloud and desktop flows in Power Automate largely depend on the specific requirements of the flow. Here are some key roles:
1. Run Cloud Flow
To run a cloud flow, a user must be assigned one of the following roles:
- Environment Admin: Can run any flow within the environment.
- Environment Maker: Can run any flow they have created within the environment.
- Flow User: Can only run flows shared with them.
2. Monitor Cloud Flow
To monitor a cloud flow, a user must be assigned one of these roles:
- Environment Admin: Can see the run history of any flow in the environment.
- Environment Maker: Can see the run history of any flow they have created.
- Flow Maker: Can see the run history of any flow they have created.
3. Run Desktop Flow
Running desktop flows requires the Desktop flows user role. This role allows the user to run desktop flows in either an unattended or an attended mode, with the machine where the flow is running requiring a Gateway.
4. Monitor Desktop Flow
To monitor a desktop flow, a user must be assigned the Desktop flows user role.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the security roles required to run and monitor cloud and desktop flows is crucial for managing resources and access in Microsoft Power Automate. These roles provide targeted permissions that aid in managing the lifecycle and usage of automation flows. As you prepare for the PL-500 Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer exam, be sure to familiarize yourself with these security roles and their permissions.
Please note that the specific roles required might change based on the updates and additions to Power Automate, so always cross-verify from official Microsoft documentation.
Practice Test
True or False: The ‘Power Automate user’ role is necessary to run flows that are created by Microsoft Power Automate Desktop.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The Power Automate user role allows you to run and execute flows.
Which of the following roles are required to run and monitor cloud and desktop flows in Power Automate?
- A. Office 365 admin
- B. Power Automate user
- C. Data Gateways manager
- D. System admin
- E. System customizer
Answer: B, C, D, E
Explanation: The Power Automate user, Data Gateways manager, System admin and System customizer roles have the necessary permissions to run and monitor flows in Power automate.
True or False: The ‘Office 365 admin’ role can only monitor cloud flows and not the desktop flows.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The Office 365 admin role has wide-ranging authority including the ability to monitor both cloud and desktop flows.
Which security role is necessary for accessing the Power Automate activities in Common Data Service?
- A. System Administrator
- B. Data Gateways manager
- C. Power Automate user
- D. Power Automate community member
Answer: A. System Administrator
Explanation: The System Administrator role has full access to Power Automate activities in the Common Data Service.
True or False: A user must have the ‘Power Automate operator’ role to execute flows.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: The Power Automate operator role is not necessary to run flows, this action can be performed by the Power Automate user role.
What role should you assign to a user to allow them the ability to manage data gateways in Power Automate?
- A. System Administrator
- B. Power Automate user
- C. Data Gateways manager
- D. Power Automate operator
Answer: C. Data Gateways manager
Explanation: The Data Gateways manager role gives users the ability to manage data gateways.
True or False: A user with a ‘System customizer’ role can create, update, and delete connections to cloud flows.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The System customizer role provides the necessary permissions to manage connections to cloud flows.
Which role provides full access to all administrative functions in Power Automate?
- A. Power Automate community member
- B. Power Automate operator
- C. Data Gateways manager
- D. System Administrator
Answer: D. System Administrator
Explanation: The System Administrator role provides full access to all administrative functions in Power Automate.
True or False: A user with a ‘Power Automate user’ role can monitor all running flows.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The Power Automate user role provides the necessary permissions to monitor all running flows.
Which of the following Power Automate roles can manage the connections used by flows?
- A. Power Automate user
- B. Data Gateways manager
- C. System customizer
- D. Office 365 admin
Answer: A. Power Automate user, C. System customizer
Explanation: Both the Power Automate user and System customizer roles provide the necessary privileges to manage connections used by flows.
Interview Questions
What are the security roles in Power Automate Cloud Flow?
The key security roles in Power Automate Cloud Flow are the Flow Maker, which grants permissions to create and manage flows, and the Environment Maker, which allows the creation of environments, apps, flows, and databases within an environment.
How can you monitor the performance of your cloud flows in Power Automate?
You can monitor the performance of your cloud flows using the built-in analytics feature of Power Automate. This provides detailed reports about flow run history, performance of triggers, and actions and overall run distribution.
Can any user run a desktop flow in Power Automate?
No, only users who have an appropriate Power Automate license and have been assigned the ‘User’ role in the Capacity admin center can run the desktop flow.
What is the purpose of the Admin role in Power Automate?
The Admin role in Power Automate has the highest level of permission. Individuals assigned to this role can manage the entire environment, including creating and managing flows, managing permissions and roles, and managing the settings for the environment.
Which security role is required to share flows and add others as owners in Power Automate?
The ‘Flow Maker’ role is required in Power Automate to share flows and add others as owners.
Who can manage flow permissions in Power Automate?
Only users who are assigned to the Admin, Environment Maker, or Flow Maker roles can manage flow permissions.
What role would you need to manage the Power Automate environment settings?
You would need the “Admin” role to manage the environment settings in Power Automate.
What role is necessary to create and manage flows in Power Automate desktop?
The ‘Flow Owner’ role is necessary to create and manage flows in Power Automate desktop.
Who can conduct administrative tasks such as adding and removing capacity in Power Automate?
Only the administrator can conduct such tasks in Power Automate.
What does a ‘Run-Only User’ role do in Power Automate?
A ‘Run-Only User’ in Power Automate is able to run flows that have been shared with them, but they can’t create, modify, or share flows.
How can you view the detailed error messages if a flow fails in Power Automate?
By navigating to the flow details page, you can view the run history. Clicking on a failed run will expose the detailed error messages for debugging.
Can a user without any role run a flow in Power Automate?
A user without any role other than a ‘Run-Only User’ can execute a flow in Power Automate, but they cannot create or manage flows.
Who can share and manage connections that are used within flows in Power Automate?
Only the ‘Environment Maker’ and ‘Admin’ roles have permission to share and manage the connections used within flows.
Can a ‘Flow Owner’ change the role of other users in Power Automate?
No, only the ‘Admin’ has the ability to change the roles of users in Power Automate.
What role is required to add and remove users in Power Automate?
The ‘Admin’ role is required to add and remove users in Power Automate.