How to Export and Import Power Automate Desktop Flows?

I recently worked on a Power Automate desktop flow for a client. We then received a requirement to export and import those desktop flows to another environment. In the Power Automate desktop app, there is no direct option to export and import desktop flows.

To achieve this, you need to follow the approach mentioned below:

1. Create a New Solution in Power Automate Cloud [Since Power Automate Desktop does not provide].
2. Add the Existing Desktop Flow into the Solution in Power Automate Cloud
3. Export the Solution from Power Automate Cloud
4. Import Solution into Power Automate Cloud Destination Environment.

In this tutorial, I will explain a step-by-step process for exporting and importing Power Automate desktop flows across different environments of the same tenant.

Export Power Automate Desktop Flows using Solution Approach

Let’s see how to export the Power Automate desktop flows.

Here, I have two environments in my tenant: the MFST (default) Environment and the Trail Environment. Now, I want to export the desktop flow present in the MFST (default) environment to the “Trail” environment.

Note:

Ensure that you have logged in to both Power Automate Desktop and Power Automate Cloud using the same user account and same environment.

So, that the desktop flows will be reflected in the Power Automate cloud. Therefore, you can add desktop flows to the Solution from the cloud.

Step 1: Create a New Solution in Power Automate Cloud

Here, I have opened my Power Automate desktop App, where the flows are present. See the connected Environment [MSFT (default)].

In the Power Automate Cloud, under the “Desktop flows” section, the desktop flows will be reflected, as shown in the screenshot. Here, the Power Automate cloud is also connected to the [MSFT (default)] Environment.

The solution package should be created on the Power Automate cloud. If you do not have an existing solution, you can add a new one. Here, I’m adding a new solution package.

1. On the Power Automate cloud, click the Solutions option in the left navigation pane. Click on + New solution.

2. Then, the ‘New Solution‘ pane will appear to create a new solution. Provide the Display name, Name, and select the Publisher from the drop-down list in your organization options. In my case, I have chosen the ‘Default Publisher for org‘ option.
3. Next, click on the Create button at the bottom.

Now, the Solution has been created. You can find the solution that we created under the Solutions window. Refer to the image below.

Check out Find and Replace Text in Power Automate Desktop

Step 2: Add the Existing Desktop Flow into the Created Solution in Power Automate Cloud

Then, let’s add the desktop flow to the solution package in Power Automate cloud.

1. Under the Solutions window, click on the solution that has been created.
2. Next, it will navigate to another window, where you can add flows. Expand the “Add existing” drop-down. Click Automation and select Desktop flow.

3. Here, the “Add Existing Desktop Flows” window opens. Select the flow you want to export and click “Add.”

4. Then, under “Objects,” you can see that Desktop flows have been updated to (1). See the image below.

Read Update Data Table Items using Power Automate Desktop

Step 3: Export the Solution from Power Automate Cloud

Here, let’s see how to export the solution that has been created in Power Automate cloud [MFST (default) Environment].

1. Return to the Solutions window, and select the solution you have created. Click on the Export solution option.

2. A window opens on the right side; click on “Publish” to publish all the customizations, and then click the “Next” button.

3. Next, in the Export this solution window, the Managed option is selected by default when moving across different environments. Select the Run solution checker on export option. Click on the Export button.

Note:

You can choose the ‘Unmanaged‘ option if the solution is being moved to another tenant’s development environment.

4. Within a few seconds, you can see a banner with your solution name as ‘Solution “Attachment Flow 1.0.0.1” exported successfully. Click on the Download option. The solution will be downloaded to your Desktop in the Downloads folder.

This is how to export a desktop flow in a solution in Power Automate cloud.

Check out Extract Data From a Web Page to Excel Using Power Automate Desktop

Import Power Automate Desktop Flows using Solution Package

Since there is no option available in Power Automate Desktop to import the solution directly, it needs to be imported into the Power Automate cloud destination environment.

Then, the imported flows will be reflected in the destination environment of the Power Automate desktop app.

So, I will switch to [Trail Environment] in my Power Automate cloud.

In the image below, you can see that there are no Desktop flows in the Trail Environment.

Steps to Import the Solution with Desktop Flow:

1. On the Power Automate Home page, click on Solutions in the left navigation. Select Import Solution.

2. In the Import a solution window, click on Browse to select the solution package. Then, click on the Next button.

3. In the next window, click the Import button.

4. Then, wait for a few seconds, and soon you will see that the solution has been imported successfully. You can find the imported solution under the “Solutions” section. Refer to the image.

5. Then, go to the “My Flows” section and check the “Desktop Flows.” You can see the flow that has been imported into the Power Automate cloud destination environment.

6. Next, open your Power Automate Desktop app and switch to your destination environment. You can find the flow under the “My Flows” section. Here, I have changed the MFST (default) environment to the destination environment [Trail Environment].

This guide explains how to export and import Power Automate desktop flows across different environments within the same tenant.

I hope you find this tutorial informative and that you have learned how to export and import your Desktop flows across different environments within the same tenant. You can also follow the same steps to export the flow into a different tenant.

You may like the following tutorials:

• Export SharePoint List to Excel in Power Automate
• Export Power BI Report to Excel using Power Automate
• Import CSV Data to SharePoint List in Power Automate
• Import Data from Excel to a SharePoint list Power Automate
• Send Outlook Email with Attachments using Power Automate Desktop

Bijay Kumar

After working for more than 18 years in Microsoft technologies like SharePoint, Microsoft 365, and Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, and Power BI), I thought will share my SharePoint expertise knowledge with the world. Our audiences are from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, etc. For my expertise knowledge and SharePoint tutorials, Microsoft has been awarded a Microsoft SharePoint MVP (12 times). I have also worked in companies like HP, TCS, KPIT, etc.