Automation with Microsoft 365 Unattended Licenses

• Using Office apps in an automated workflow, even without human intervention, still requires a user account and Microsoft 365 Unattended license.
• This Unattended license fills a gap because previously there was no proper way to license Office apps for this use.
• However, Microsoft 365 Unattended licenses do not optimize Office for unattended use in any way, and technical limitations must be factored in.
• Workflow designers should choose Office Graph APIs over unattended RPA when possible to lessen licensing and technical complexity.

Unattended robotic process automation (RPA) describes a process in which workflow tasks send keyboard input and mouse actions to an application, replacing the need for human input. RPA makes the most sense for older, legacy applications without sophisticated APIs for automation. Most modern applications offer an API that allows workflows to call actions programmatically, although there may be isolated instances in which a task is best completed through a newer application’s user interface (UI).