Variable Prefixing
During migrations from UiPath, Blue Prism, or Automation Anywhere to Power Automate Desktop (PAD), you may notice that Blueprint creates more variables in PAD than were present in your original process.
This behavior is intentional and plays an important technical role in ensuring your automations function correctly in PAD’s environment.
For a detailed guide on export settings, see: RPA Export from Blueprint
Why Variable Prefixing Is Needed:
Unlike other RPA tools, Power Automate Desktop does not support variable scoping. All variables are treated as global, meaning two variables with the same name—used in different parts of a process—can unintentionally overwrite each other.
Blueprint uses variable prefixing to prevent collisions and ensure data integrity during execution.
How Variable Prefixing Works:
In the Export Wizard, the Variable Prefix toggle is enabled by default. This setting automatically prepends variables with an abbreviation based on the subflow name.
Example:
- Original Subflow:
Process Invoices - Original Variable:
Config - Resulting Variable in PAD (with prefixing on):
PI_Config
This ensures that variables remain isolated within their subflows, mimicking the original scoped behavior in PAD.
How to Change the Default Prefix Behavior:
If you prefer not to use variable prefixes (e.g., for readability or reduced maintenance), you can change the default setting:
- Navigate to Settings
- Expand RPA Management
- Select Migrate
- Expand Export Wizard Options
Blueprint Identified Variable Collision
While variable prefixing is optional for most exports, Blueprint will automatically enable it when a naming conflict is detected during migration. This ensures that the resulting PAD automation will not exhibit unintended behavior due to variable overlap.
