Power Automate RPA consultant, UKAutomate the screens and legacy systems your team still keys data into.
Power Automate Desktop flows that click, type and copy so your people do not have to, connected to cloud flows and Microsoft 365. Start with an Automation Sprint from £1,750 and a fixed-price quote for the first bot.
Sound familiar?
Work that a desktop flow could do instead.
Robotic process automation earns its place where systems cannot be connected any other way. If the work below eats hours every week, it is worth a look.
Copying between two systems all day
Someone reads a value from one screen and types it into another, hundreds of times a week, because the two systems do not talk to each other.
A legacy application with no API
An old finance package, a green-screen terminal or a supplier website holds the data you need, and replacing it is not on the cards this year.
Month-end reports built by hand
Exports from three systems are downloaded, pasted into a workbook, reformatted and emailed. It takes a day and goes wrong when someone is off.
An RPA tool that costs more than it saves
You bought a separate RPA platform for a handful of bots and now pay for licences, servers and specialist support you rarely use.
What you get
Power Automate Desktop flows built to keep running.
A bot that works in a demo and fails on Monday morning is worse than no bot. We build for the real screens, the real exceptions and the people who will support it.
Desktop flows for legacy systems
Power Automate Desktop drives Windows applications, terminal emulators and browsers through their user interface, the way a person would, when there is no API to call.
Cloud and desktop working together
Cloud flows handle triggers, approvals and Microsoft 365. Desktop flows do the screen work. One process, orchestrated end to end.
Documents and data extraction
Invoices, forms and PDFs read with AI Builder or document processing, validated, then keyed into the target system by a desktop flow.
Excel and report automation
Downloads, macros, reformatting and distribution of recurring reports, run on a schedule instead of on someone's afternoon.
Credentials and error handling
Credentials stored securely rather than in the flow, retries for flaky screens, screenshots on failure and alerts to a named owner.
Machines and runtime set-up
Machine registration, machine groups and the gateway or connectivity your desktop flows need, documented so your IT team can support them.
Cloud flows vs desktop flows
Use an API when there is one. Use a desktop flow when there is not.
We always check for a connector or API first, because it is more reliable. Desktop flows are for the systems that leave you no other option.
| Factor | Cloud flows | Desktop flows (RPA) |
|---|---|---|
| What it automates | Cloud services and APIs: Microsoft 365, Dataverse, SaaS apps with connectors | Windows applications, legacy systems, websites and files through the user interface |
| Where it runs | Microsoft's cloud, no machine needed | A Windows machine or virtual machine registered to your environment |
| Reliability | High, because it uses supported APIs | Good when built carefully, but sensitive to screen and application changes |
| Typical use | Approvals, notifications, document handling, system sync | Data entry into systems with no API, report downloads, legacy terminal work |
| Licensing | Standard connectors often covered by Microsoft 365; premium needs Power Automate Premium | Attended runs need a user licence that includes RPA; unattended runs need a process-based licence |
Attended RPA
A bot that works alongside a person
Runs on the user's own machine while they are signed in. Good for tasks a person starts and checks, such as pulling a customer record from three systems before a call, or keying a batch of approved invoices into a finance package.
Unattended RPA
A bot that works on its own
Runs on a dedicated machine or virtual machine, on a schedule or a trigger, with nobody signed in. Good for overnight data entry, report downloads and high-volume repetitive work. Needs secure credentials, solid error handling and the right licence.
A UiPath alternative?
When Power Automate fits, and when UiPath or Blue Prism may be the better choice.
Dedicated RPA platforms are mature, capable products. The right choice depends on your scale, your existing stack and who will support the bots.
Read the full RPA platform comparisonPower Automate tends to fit when
- You already run Microsoft 365 and Entra ID
- You need a handful to a few dozen bots
- Bots sit inside wider flows, approvals and apps
- You want one governance model across Power Platform
A dedicated RPA platform may fit when
- You run a large automation programme with many bots
- You already have a team and investment in that platform
- You need specialist features your processes depend on
- Much of your estate sits outside the Microsoft ecosystem
Pricing
Find the right processes first, then fix the price.
The Automation Sprint ranks your candidates by hours saved and build effort, and ends with a fixed-price quote. If you already know the process, go straight to a two-week proof.
Automation Opportunity Sprint
We map your manual processes and rank the ones worth automating by time saved and effort.
from£1,750
2 days of workshops plus write-up
- Two half-day process discovery workshops
- Process maps for the top candidates
- Ranked backlog with estimated hours saved and build effort
- Fixed-price quote for the first build
2-Week Proof of Value
A working Power App, flow or Copilot agent on your own data, built in two weekly sprints.
from£4,950
2 weeks
- Scoping session and success criteria agreed up front
- Working app, automation or agent in your tenant
- Two demos, one at the end of each week
- Recommendation and quote for production rollout
Care Plan
Ongoing support, monitoring and small changes for the apps and flows you rely on.
from£495/month
Monthly, cancel with 30 days notice
- Monthly block of support hours, unused hours roll over one month
- Flow failure monitoring and fixes
- Small enhancements and licence changes
- Quarterly review call
The fee for a Licensing Review, Health Check or Automation Sprint is credited in full against a build that follows within 60 days.
All prices exclude VAT. Final fixed price confirmed in writing after a free scoping call.
A note on RPA licensing
At the time of writing (October 2026), attended RPA is included in Power Automate Premium per user, while unattended desktop flows are licensed per bot or process through Power Automate Process, with a hosted option that includes a Microsoft-managed machine. You will also need a Windows machine or virtual machine for each unattended bot unless you use the hosted option. Microsoft changes licensing regularly, so check current Microsoft pricing. We confirm the licences your process needs in writing and take no margin on them.
Get plain-English licensing adviceHow it works
From first call to a bot in production.
This week
Free 20-minute call
You explain the problem. You get an honest view on whether Power Platform fits and a rough budget range.
Within 3 working days
Scope and fixed price
A one-page scope with deliverables, licensing implications, timeline and a fixed price in GBP.
Usually 1 to 6 weeks
Build in weekly sprints
Working software every week, demoed live in your tenant. You steer as it takes shape.
Go-live
Handover and warranty
Managed solution, documentation and a recorded walkthrough, plus a 30-day defect warranty.
Honest fit check
Is legacy system automation with RPA right for you?
A good fit when
- A rules-based task repeats many times a week with the same steps
- The system involved has no API or connector, and replacing it is not planned soon
- The screens are stable and change only with planned upgrades
- You run Windows and Microsoft 365 and want bots inside the same governance
Probably not the right tool when
- The system has a usable API, so a cloud flow will be more reliable
- The task needs judgement on most cases rather than following rules
- The application changes its screens every few weeks
- The system is due to be replaced within a few months
FAQ
Power Automate RPA questions
What is the difference between Power Automate cloud flows and desktop flows?
Cloud flows run in Microsoft's cloud and connect to services through APIs, such as Outlook, SharePoint and Dataverse. Desktop flows run on a Windows machine and drive applications through their screens, which is how you automate systems with no API. Many processes use both: a cloud flow triggers and orchestrates, a desktop flow does the screen work.
What is the difference between attended and unattended RPA?
Attended RPA runs on a user's own machine while they are signed in, often started by them, and suits tasks a person kicks off and checks. Unattended RPA runs on its own on a dedicated machine or virtual machine, on a schedule or trigger, with nobody watching. Unattended needs more care over credentials, error handling and licensing.
Do unattended desktop flows need a Power Automate Process licence?
At the time of writing (October 2026), Microsoft licenses unattended desktop flows through a process-based licence, such as Power Automate Process or the hosted process option, rather than a user licence. Attended RPA is included with Power Automate Premium per user. Microsoft changes licensing terms, so check current Microsoft pricing before committing.
Is Power Automate Desktop free?
Power Automate Desktop can be used at no extra cost on Windows for personal, manually started automation. Running desktop flows from the cloud, on a schedule or unattended needs paid licensing. We set out exactly which licences your process needs in the written scope, and we do not resell licences.
Is Power Automate a good UiPath alternative?
For organisations already on Microsoft 365 that need tens of bots rather than hundreds, Power Automate is often a strong fit because it shares licensing, identity and governance with the rest of Power Platform. Dedicated RPA platforms can suit very large automation programmes. We compare both honestly for your process.
How much does a Power Automate RPA project cost?
Our Automation Opportunity Sprint starts from £1,750 and ends with a ranked backlog and a fixed-price quote for the first build. A single desktop flow automating one well-defined task can start with a two-week proof from £4,950. Licensing for the machine or bot is a separate Microsoft cost.
Related
Related reading and services
Show us the screen your team types into all day.
A free 20-minute call with the consultant who would build the bot. You get an honest view on whether RPA or an API is the better route, the licensing picture and a rough budget.