PowerDocu: A Tool for Generating Technical Documentation from Power Automate Flows and Power Apps Canvas Apps

Power Automate and Power Apps are two powerful platforms that enable users to create workflows and applications without writing code. However, documenting the technical details of these solutions can be a tedious and time-consuming task. This is where PowerDocu comes in handy.

PowerDocu is a free and open-source tool that allows users to generate technical documentation from their existing Power Automate Flows and Power Apps canvas apps. The tool is developed by Rene Modery, a Microsoft MVP and a Power Platform enthusiast. PowerDocu is available on GitHub3 and can be downloaded as a Windows GUI executable.

How PowerDocu Works

PowerDocu works by taking an exported Flow package, an exported Power Apps canvas app, or an exported Solution package as input, and producing a Word document or a Markdown file as output. The output file contains sections on:

• General information of the Flow, app, or solution, such as name, description, owner, environment, etc.
• The connectors, data sources, and resources that are used by the Flow or app
• The trigger and the actions of the Flow, or the screens and the controls of the app
• A high-level and a detailed diagram of the Flow or app, showing the logic and the flow of data
• A list of all the properties of the Flow or app components, such as expressions, parameters, variables, collections, etc.

PowerDocu also generates PNG and SVG renditions of the diagrams, which can be used for further editing or presentation purposes.

Why PowerDocu is Useful

PowerDocu can help users to:

• Save time and effort by automating the technical documentation process
• Improve the quality and consistency of the documentation by following a standard format and structure
• Enhance the understanding and communication of the Flow or app functionality and design
• Facilitate the maintenance and troubleshooting of the Flow or app by providing a comprehensive reference
• Share and collaborate on the documentation with other stakeholders, such as developers, testers, end-users, managers, etc.

How to Use PowerDocu

To use PowerDocu, users need to follow these steps:

1. Download the latest release of PowerDocu from GitHub and unzip the file
2. Run the PowerDocu.exe file and select the type of documentation to generate (Flow, app, or solution)
3. Export the Flow, app, or solution from Power Automate or Power Apps and select the zip file as the input
4. Choose the output format (Word or Markdown) and the output folder
5. Optionally, select a custom Word template to apply to the output document
6. Click on the Generate button and wait for the documentation to be created

Examples of PowerDocu Output

Here are some examples of the documentation generated by PowerDocu for different types of Flows and apps:

• A Flow that sends an email when a new item is added to a SharePoint list
• An app that allows users to scan QR codes and view the results
• A solution that contains multiple Flows and apps for a travel agency

Summary

PowerDocu is a useful tool for anyone who works with Power Automate Flows and Power Apps canvas apps. It can help users to create technical documentation quickly and easily, and improve the understanding and maintenance of their solutions. PowerDocu is free and open-source, and users can contribute to its development and improvement on GitHub.