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How to Handle Missing Comment, Rename, and OCR Features in Power Automate Desktop
Question details
The user is looking for solutions or workarounds for missing capabilities like commenting on actions, renaming them, and obtaining visual coordinate guidance for OCR text extraction.
- Product
- Power Automate Desktop
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Configuring desktop automation flows and setting up targeted text extraction from images where the user interface lacks helpful annotation and coordinate tools.
- Observed behavior
- Power Automate Desktop currently does not provide built-in options to easily comment on or rename flow actions, and fails to display coordinate guidance for the Extract text with OCR action, making setup difficult.
Ensure you have an active Microsoft account and verify that you are running the latest version of Power Automate Desktop, as Microsoft regularly releases updates that introduce new community-requested features.
Submit a Feature Request to the Microsoft Power Automate Community
Since these specific UI and OCR features are currently missing from the software, the most effective approach is to formally request them from the product development team via the official community forum.
Microsoft relies heavily on user feedback in the Power Platform Community to prioritize its development roadmap. Submitting a well-documented request increases the likelihood of these features being added in future releases.
Open your web browser and go to the official Microsoft Power Automate Community at powerusers.microsoft.com.
Use the search bar to look for existing topics regarding missing comment options, renaming actions, or OCR coordinates. If you find matching threads, upvote them and add your own use case to boost visibility.
If no existing request matches your needs, click the 'New Message' or 'Start a Topic' button within the Power Automate Desktop section.
Write a clear description of the missing features. Include screenshots, example automation flows, and describe your expected behavior (such as a drag-and-drop coordinate selector for OCR) to help the developers fully understand the requirement.
Looking for Better Document Management and OCR? Try WPS Office
While Power Automate Desktop handles workflow automation, extracting text and managing the resulting documents often requires a powerful office suite. If you are frustrated by Microsoft's complex configurations or high subscription costs, WPS Office provides a lightweight, free alternative with built-in, highly accurate OCR and seamless compatibility with Microsoft formats.
- 1. Download and Install WPS Office: Visit the official WPS Office website to download the free suite and install it on your computer.
- 2. Access the Built-in OCR Tool: Launch WPS Office, open the 'Tools' tab, and select the OCR feature to process images or scanned PDFs.
- 3. Extract Text Intuitively: Import your file and use the visual selection tool to instantly extract text, bypassing the need for complex coordinate calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I rename actions in Power Automate Desktop?
Currently, Power Automate Desktop does not natively support renaming standard actions directly in the flow designer. Users must rely on structuring flows into well-named subflows to maintain readability.
How do I extract text with OCR without coordinate guidance?
Without built-in visual coordinate guidance, you must manually calculate the X and Y coordinates as well as the width and height of the extraction area using a third-party image editor (like MS Paint), and then manually input those numerical values into the OCR action properties.
Where can I report missing features or bugs for Power Automate Desktop?
You can report missing features, suggest improvements, or log bugs on the official Microsoft Power Automate Community forums under the Desktop flows category.
