Implement data objects in desktop flows

Data objects are an essential part of developing desktop flows using Microsoft Power Automate. They allow you to store and manipulate data within your automation process, enabling you to perform complex operations and make informed decisions. In this article, we will explore how to implement data objects in desktop flows and leverage their capabilities.

Creating Data Objects

To create a data object, you can use the “Initialize variable” action. This action allows you to define the variable’s name, type, and initial value. Let’s create a data object called “CustomerName” of type String with an initial value of “John Doe”. Here’s how the code would look like in a desktop flow:

Initialize variable
  Name: CustomerName
  Type: String
  Value: John Doe


Once you have created a data object, you can access its value and perform various operations on it. For example, you can update the value of the “CustomerName” data object using the “Set variable” action. This action allows you to modify the value of a data object dynamically during the flow’s execution. Let’s update the value of the “CustomerName” data object to “Jane Smith”. Here’s the code:

Set variable
  Name: CustomerName
  Value: Jane Smith


Working with Arrays

You can also use data objects to store and manipulate more complex data structures, such as arrays. For example, you can create an array data object to store a list of customer names. To create an array data object, use the “Initialize variable” action and specify the type as an Array:

Initialize variable
  Name: CustomerNames
  Type: Array
  Value: []


The empty brackets [] indicate that the array is initially empty. You can later add elements to the array using the “Append to array variable” action. This action allows you to add new items to an existing array data object.

Let’s say we want to add a customer name to the “CustomerNames” array. Here’s the code:

Append to array variable
  Name: CustomerNames
  Value: John Doe


You can repeat this action to add multiple customer names to the array.

Working with Objects

In addition to arrays, you can create data objects of type Object to store more complex structures. Objects allow you to store key-value pairs, where each key represents a property and its associated value.

To create an object data object, use the “Initialize variable” action and specify the type as Object:

Initialize variable
  Name: CustomerInfo
  Type: Object
  Value: {}


The empty brackets {} indicate that the object is initially empty. You can later add properties to the object and assign values using the “Set variable” action. Here’s an example:

Set variable
  Name: CustomerInfo.Name
  Value: John Doe


In this example, we created a property called “Name” within the “CustomerInfo” object and assigned the value “John Doe” to it.

Conclusion

By leveraging data objects in your desktop flows, you can effectively store and manipulate data throughout the automation process. Whether you need to store simple values like numbers or text, or more complex data structures like arrays and objects, data objects provide the flexibility to handle various data scenarios. Start implementing data objects in your desktop flows today and unlock the full potential of your automation solutions.