Top 5 Power Automate Developer Extensions

We’re in the new age of automation, with organisations looking for more than just keyboard shortcuts to steal back time in their busy days. That’s where platforms like Power Automate (part of the Power Platform) come in. With its incredibly friendly User Interface (UI), it is a powerful tool for automating tasks and streamlining processes. However, when it comes to the specific needs of developers, it may lack certain functionalities. That’s where extensions come in.

What are Power Automate Extensions? 

Power Automate extensions, also known as add-ons or plugins, are tools that allow developers to extend functionality. They provide additional features and capabilities to enhance overall performance and productivity. 

By integrating Power Automate Edge extension or Chrome extension, developers can automate tasks and workflows, simplifying complex processes and reducing the need for manual interventions. These browser extensions work seamlessly with Power Automate, providing a range of developer tools that have an intuitive and user-friendly interface to build and manage their automation workflows. 

Power Automate extensions cater to the needs of both beginners and experienced developers. For those starting out, they offer a basic version that helps simplify and streamline automation processes. Advanced developers can leverage extensions to create more complex and customised workflows, tailored to their specific requirements. 

Developers within the Power Automate community have access to a wide range of extensions for the most popular browsers that have been created by other developers. This collaborative environment encourages knowledge sharing and allows developers to tap into a rich pool of resources to enhance their automation capabilities. 

Why Do You Need Extensions for Power Automate?

Although Power Automate is a powerful automation platform there may be certain functionalities and customisations that are not available out-of-the-box. This is where Power Automate extensions come into play. These extensions fill the gaps in functionality and enable developers to create more specialised and tailored automation flows.

By leveraging official browser extensions, developers can incorporate advanced features and APIs for extensions that are not natively supported by the platform. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities for automating complex processes and integrating with other systems and platforms. Whether it’s integrating with specific software or services, manipulating data in unique ways, or performing complex calculations, extensions give developers the flexibility and control they need to create truly customised automation flows.

Extensions are particularly important for organisations with unique business requirements and workflows. They allow developers to extend the capabilities of Power Automate to meet these specific needs, without having to develop a separate automation solution from scratch. This not only saves time and effort but also ensures that the automation flows are seamlessly integrated with existing systems and processes.

So, let’s dive into the top 5 extensions!

Power Automate Flow Clipboard 

One of the powerful extensions available for developers in Power Automate is Power Automate Flow Clipboard. This extension enhances the copy and paste functionality in Power Automate, allowing developers to easily manage and reuse actions within their automation flows. 

With Power Automate Flow Clipboard, developers can save actions to the clipboard and easily paste them into other parts of their flow. This saves time and effort as developers don’t have to manually recreate actions or search for them in long flow designs. 

Another useful feature of Power Automate Flow Clipboard is the ability to export and import actions. This enables developers to share setup actions with their team or across different environments, ensuring consistency and efficiency in flow design. Additionally, exporting and importing actions can be beneficial for testing SharePoint list actions, as it allows developers to easily transfer and reuse these actions in different flows or environments. 

To sum up, Power Automate Flow Clipboard empowers developers with enhanced copy and paste functionality, as well as the ability to save, export, and import actions. This extension streamlines flow design and promotes collaboration by making it easier to share setup actions and reuse actions across different flows and environments.

a screenshot of the clipboard power automate extensions
Image by Microsoft

JSONViewer 

JSONViewer provides developers with a convenient way to view and manipulate JSON data. With the JSONViewer extension, developers no longer have to rely on external tools or complex code to interact with JSON. This extension offers an incredibly user-friendly UI that allows developers to easily navigate through the JSON structure, making it easier to understand and work with the data. 

The JSONViewer extension also supports colour-coded syntax highlighting, making it even more intuitive to read and edit JSON code. With the ability to collapse and expand sections, developers can easily navigate through large JSON files and focus on specific parts of the data. Additionally, the JSON Viewer extension offers features like formatting and validation, ensuring that JSON code is correctly structured and error-free. By providing a seamless experience for JSON manipulation, the JSONViewer extension greatly enhances developers’ productivity and efficiency in working with JSON data within Power Automate. 

About JSON Formatter 

JSON Formatter is a powerful Chrome/Edge extension specifically designed for developers. This extension makes it incredibly easy to read and navigate unformatted JSON by automatically converting it into a formatted version. 

With JSON Formatter, developers can say goodbye to the hassle of manually formatting JSON and can focus on their work instead. The extension also offers additional features that enhance the development experience. Developers can collapse or extend all sections of the JSON with just a single click, making it easier to navigate through complex structures. 

Array lengths and indexes are displayed, allowing developers to quickly identify and access specific elements. The extension also provides a filtering feature, enabling users to search for specific properties within the JSON. 

For those who prefer a darker UI, JSON Formatter offers a Dark Mode option. This not only provides a visually appealing experience but also reduces eye strain during long coding sessions.

a screenshot of the JSONViewer power automate extensions

Power Automate Tools 

Power Automate Tools is a powerful extension available for Visual Studio Code (VS Code) that provides developers and Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) with access to the comprehensive functionality of the Power Platform CLI. This extension allows developers to perform a wide range of operations related to environment lifecycle management, authentication, Microsoft Dataverse, solution packages, Power Pages/Portals, code components, and much more. 

One of the key features of the Power Automate Tools extension is the integrated code editor with IntelliSense and colour coding capabilities. This makes it easier for developers to write code by providing context-aware suggestions and highlighting syntax for improved readability. 

Additionally, the extension offers a flow checker that checks for errors and provides suggestions to ensure the code is optimised and error-free. This helps developers identify and rectify potential issues early in the development process. 

The find and replace functionality within Power Automate Tools enables developers to quickly locate and modify specific pieces of code, saving time and streamlining the development workflow. 

Whether you’re a developer or an ISV, the Power Automate Tools extension in VS Code empowers you with the perfect tools to efficiently work with the Power Platform CLI and enhance your overall development experience.

a screenshot of the power automate tools extensions
Image from Edge

AutoReview for Power Automate 

AutoReview offers developers advanced features for code review and analysis. With AutoReview, users can easily upload flow exports and generate detailed reports that flag code review violations, ensuring that their code meets best practices and standards. 

One of the standout features of AutoReview is its ability to automatically identify code review violations. By analysing the uploaded flow exports, the extension quickly identifies any potential issues or areas where the code can be improved. This helps developers ensure that their code is clean, efficient, and follows industry standards. 

In addition to code review functionality, AutoReview offers several other useful features. It has the ability to extract documentation from the flows, making it easier for developers to understand the purpose and functionality of each flow. This saves time and improves collaboration during the development process. 

AutoReview also provides a visual representation of the flows in the form of diagrams. These diagrams offer a clear overview of how the flows are structured and interconnected, making it easier for developers to understand and navigate complex codebases. Furthermore, AutoReview includes change tracking functionality, which allows developers to keep track of any modifications made to the flows over time. This helps with version control and enables developers to easily revert or review changes made by themselves or other team members. 

Overall, AutoReview for Power Automate is an essential extension for developers looking to improve the quality and efficiency of their flows. Its code review violations detection, documentation extraction, diagram representation, and change tracking features greatly enhance the development workflow and help ensure the delivery of high-quality code.

Tampermonkey (aka Greasemonkey) 

Tampermonkey, also known as Greasemonkey, is a powerful tool that allows users to create and run their own JavaScript code on any website. With Tampermonkey, users can automate tasks and create a mini robotic process automation (RPA)-like experience. By leveraging the capabilities of JavaScript, Tampermonkey enables users to interact with websites and perform various actions without even moving the cursor. Whether it’s automatically filling out forms, clicking buttons, or navigating through pages, Tampermonkey makes it easy to streamline and simplify repetitive tasks. 

With Tampermonkey, users have the flexibility to customise websites according to their needs and preferences. Want to remove annoying ads, change the layout, or add new functionalities? Tampermonkey empowers developers to do just that by injecting their own code into web pages. 

Tampermonkey is an essential extension for developers and power users who want to take their automation game to the next level. Its ability to run custom JavaScript code on any website opens up a world of possibilities, making repetitive tasks a thing of the past. With Tampermonkey, you can unleash the full potential of automation scripts and revolutionise your browsing experience.

a screenshot of the tampermonkey power automate extensions
Image from Mozilla

Discover more helpful tools in Power Automate 

Harnessing the full potential this platform, or any other in Microsoft’s Power Platform, can be a game-changer for your organisation. Whether you’re a seasoned developer or just beginning to explore the possibilities, there’s no doubt that apps like Power Automate, Power Apps, and Power BI hold the keys to streamlining processes, boosting productivity, and unleashing innovation with all of these cool features. 

At Propelle, we understand that the journey to mastering the Power Platform can seem like a daunting task. That’s where our team of dedicated Microsoft experts comes in. We’re here to guide you every step of the way, whether you’re looking to automate complex workflows to streamline background tasks, build custom applications for critical projects, or unlock the insights hidden in your data. Contact us now to embark on your Power Platform journey with confidence and expertise.

FAQs About Power Automate Extensions 

What are Power Automate Extensions? 

Power Automate Extensions, also known as add-ons or plugins, are helpful tools that developers can use to extend core functionality. These extensions provide additional features and capabilities to enhance overall performance and productivity by automating tasks and workflows, simplifying complex processes, and reducing the need for manual interventions. 

Why do you need extensions for Power Automate? 

You may need extensions to fill the gaps in functionality and enable developers to create more specialised and tailored automation flows. These extensions allow developers to incorporate advanced features and APIs that are not natively supported by the platform, opening up possibilities for automating complex processes, integrating with other systems, and meeting unique business requirements. 

How do Power Automate extensions benefit both beginner and advanced developers? 

Power Automate extensions cater to the needs of both beginners and experienced developers. For beginners, they offer a basic version that simplifies and streamlines automation processes, making it easier to get started. Advanced developers can leverage extensions to create more complex and customised workflows, tailored to their specific requirements. Extensions provide a flexible environment where developers of all levels can enhance their automation capabilities. 

Are Power Automate extensions compatible with popular browsers, and how can developers access them? 

Yes, Power Automate extensions are compatible with popular browsers like Chrome and Edge. Developers can access these extensions through the respective browser’s extension stores. The PA community offers a wide range of extensions created by other developers, fostering a collaborative environment for knowledge sharing and resource access. This allows developers to tap into a rich pool of resources to enhance their automation capabilities.

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