Forum Discussion
How to use Power Automate Desktop Flow op Power BI
I would like to trigger a Desktop flow with Power Automate, using the Power Automate visual in Power BI. But I only get the option to use Cloud flows. Is there an option to use desktop flows on PBI?
Thank you in advance.
Your only semi viable option for data write back at the moment is to use a PowerApp visual, a data source in direct query mode, and automatic page refresh. That disqualifies any local data sources, and will require you to have PowerApp licenses for SQL server (for example).
Another hack is to use Sharepoint lists and powershell shenanigans to sync these with a SQL server table. Makes the UX worse.
If this is important to you please consider voting for an existing idea or raising a new one at https://ideas.powerbi.com
6 Replies
- lbendlin
Super User
Is that just for you or are you planning to roll this out to other users at some point? Sounds like a solution looking for a problem?
Update:
It is possible to link an 'instant cloud flow' to a Desktop Flow from PBI Power Automate.
However, this flow is then saved as a Desktop Flow, which can't be opened from PBI.
So the flow can be created from PBI, but after it can't be opened or edited from PBI anymore.
The only way to execute the flow is to go to the web version of Power Automate, but I want to execute the flow fom PBI, and also fill in the variables from PBI.
- lbendlin
You can technically trigger a Desktop flow from a Cloud flow. The question is still - what are you ultimately trying to achieve?
