Attended vs Unattended RPA in PL-500: What’s the Difference? (2026 Guide)
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If you're preparing for the PL-500 Microsoft Power Automate RPA Developer , you must clearly understand the difference between Attended and Unattended RPA . This is one of the most tested topics in the exam. Microsoft evaluates whether you can: Choose the correct automation model Recommend the right license Design cost-effective automation Understand security implications Identify infrastructure requirements Let’s break it down clearly. What Is RPA in Power Automate? In Microsoft Power Automate , RPA (Robotic Process Automation) refers to Desktop Flows that automate: Legacy desktop applications Web apps without APIs Windows UI interactions File system operations On-prem systems RPA uses UI automation rather than APIs. Now let’s compare the two models. What Is Attended RPA? Attended RPA runs with human interaction . It is triggered manually by a user and executes on that user’s machine. Key Characteristics User must be logged in Tr...