Power Automate for desktop releases March 2025 updates

​Microsoft has announced the release of the March 2025 update for Power Automate for desktop, version 2.54. This latest update introduces several enhancements aimed at improving user experience and expanding automation capabilities.

Here are the new features:

• Test Cases for Desktop Flows – A new Test Cases tab is now available in the Power Automate for desktop console, enabling you to validate your desktop flows effortlessly. Plus, two new testing actions—"Assert" and "Test a desktop flow"—help ensure accuracy.

• New SAP Automation Action – The "Select SAP navigation item" action is now available, allowing seamless interaction with menu items in the SAP application toolbar.

• Azure Key Vault Credential Support – The "Get credential (preview)" action now supports retrieving credentials from Azure Key Vault, expanding beyond CyberArk for secure authentication.

Download Power Automate for desktop here.

Microsoft AI transforms businesses in four key ways

AI is transforming the way businesses operate, driving efficiency, innovation, and smarter decision-making. Microsoft is at the forefront of this evolution, helping organizations harness AI to achieve real, measurable impact. From streamlining workflows to uncovering new insights, the benefits of AI are reshaping industries worldwide.

Discover how Microsoft AI transforms your business:

1. Enhance employee productivity – Automate repetitive tasks, empowering employees to focus on strategic and creative work.

2. Revolutionize customer engagement – Leverage AI-driven insights to personalize interactions, generate tailored content, and streamline service delivery.

3. Optimize business processes – Use generative AI to improve efficiency, automate workflows, and drive operational excellence.

4. Fuel innovation – Accelerate creativity and product development with AI-powered solutions.

5. Supercharge your AI transformation - Harness Microsoft Copilot, Copilot devices, and the Copilot + AI stack to drive your business growth and innovation.

Microsoft unveils a new collaboration experience in Visual Studio

Microsoft is introducing an exciting new way to enhance collaboration and productivity within Visual Studio. With a focus on streamlining workflows and improving team efficiency, this latest innovation brings a fresh approach to development.

Here’s what you’ll find:

• What’s new: Explore the latest Visual Studio updates and tailor your experience by selecting the categories and features that matter most to you.

• GitHub Copilot resources: Get started with AI-powered development! Learn how to use GitHub Copilot in Visual Studio for code completion, AI chat, and smart prompts.

• Key resources: Expand your knowledge, connect with the developer community, and share feedback with the engineering teams shaping the future of Visual Studio.

• Developer blogs: Stay ahead with insights from the Visual Studio Blog, featuring the four most recent posts at a glance.

• Community Engagement: Follow Visual Studio’s official channels, see the latest discussions, and connect with the team.

Microsoft makes IDE features accessible with GitHub Copilot and Search

Microsoft is making it easier for developers to navigate Visual Studio with AI-powered assistance. A new update enhances how users find IDE features, leveraging GitHub Copilot and improved search capabilities. This innovation aims to streamline workflows and boost productivity for developers of all levels.

Here’s how to use it:

• Use "Ask Copilot" – Click "Ask Copilot" to query GitHub Copilot Chat for detailed responses without leaving Visual Studio, while also searching documentation online.

• Get accurate answers – Copilot interprets your query, considers your Visual Studio version, and delivers precise recommendations.

• Use the @vs label for deeper insights – The @vs agent is equipped with in-depth knowledge of Visual Studio, ensuring accurate guidance on available features and their functionality.

• Invoke @vs anytime – Even outside Feature Search, you can call the @vs agent within GitHub Copilot Chat by simply adding @vs to your message.

Microsoft enhances pull request reviews with in-depth feedback in Visual Studio 2022

Microsoft is making it easier for developers to collaborate and improve code quality in Visual Studio. A new update enhances the way teams review pull requests, streamlining the feedback process for better efficiency. This improvement aims to create a more seamless and productive development experience.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Inline Commenting: Reviewers can now add comments directly within the IDE, streamlining feedback without switching interfaces.

• Feature Activation: Enable inline commenting via:

  • Tools > Options > Preview Features > Pull Request Comments

  • Tools > Options > Pull Request Add Comment

• Accessing Comments: After checking out a pull request branch, select "Show comments in files" from the InfoBar or navigate via Git > ADO/GitHub > Show Comments.

• Adding Comments: Click the "Add Comment" icon in the margin or right-click a line and choose Git > Add Comment.

• Ongoing Improvements: Visual Studio continues refining pull request reviews based on user feedback for a better workflow.

New Azure DevOps Boards to become permanent by early May

Microsoft is rolling out the latest update to Azure DevOps Boards, bringing enhancements designed to improve user experience and performance. This update reflects Microsoft's ongoing commitment to streamlining project management and collaboration for development teams. Stay tuned for what’s new in the Spring 2025 release.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Transition Goal: Azure aims to fully migrate all customers to New Boards, permanently disabling Old Boards for over 50% of organizations.

• Adoption So Far: 97% of users have already embraced New Boards without reverting.

• Migration Timeline: Transitions will occur in two phases—March 10–21 and April 14–May 5. By early May, Old Boards will be fully retired.

Microsoft Visual Studio now supports multiple GitHub accounts in Visual Studio

Microsoft Visual Studio now supports multiple GitHub accounts, making it easier to switch between personal and work repositories without signing in and out. This new feature streamlines development workflows, enhancing productivity for developers managing multiple accounts. Learn how to set up and maximize this capability in the latest Visual Studio update.

Here’s what’s new:

• Effortless Onboarding: Sign in with your GitHub account right from the first launch.

• Manage Multiple Accounts: Easily add and switch between multiple GitHub accounts with the "Add another account" option.

• Seamless Account Switching: Open your profile card, navigate to account options, and select "Set as active account" to switch effortlessly.

• GitHub Copilot Integration: Your active account will automatically enable GitHub Copilot if it has a valid entitlement.

• Smarter Version Control: Visual Studio remembers your preferences for each repository, making pull requests and issue tracking more intuitive.

Microsoft releases automatic documentation comment generation in Visual Studio

Microsoft continues to enhance developer productivity with the latest improvements in Visual Studio. The newest update introduces AI-powered capabilities designed to streamline coding workflows and reduce manual effort. These enhancements aim to make documentation easier and more efficient for developers.

Here’s how to use it:

• AI-Powered Documentation: Just type your preferred doc comment trigger, and Copilot will suggest a function description, including summaries, parameters, and return types.

• One-Tap Acceptance: Accept suggestions with a single Tab, just like regular code completions.

• Subscription Required: A GitHub Copilot subscription is needed to access this feature.

How to enable it:

• For C++: Go to Tools > Options > Code Style > General, select XML Doc Comments, and check all boxes.

• For C#: Navigate to Tools > Options > C# > Advanced and check all boxes under Comments.

Microsoft now converts large text fields into Markdown in Azure DevOps

Microsoft is making it easier for developers to work with large text fields in Azure DevOps. A new update, now in private preview, aims to enhance the way users format and manage extensive content. This improvement is set to streamline collaboration and readability within the platform.

Here’s how you can do it:

• Convert existing work items: Click Convert this field to transform large text fields from HTML to Markdown.

• Automatic conversion: Let the system seamlessly convert HTML to Markdown with a single click.

• Markdown editing: Once converted, the work item will display in Markdown whenever you edit it.

• Real-time preview: Toggle preview mode to see how your Markdown renders instantly.

• New work items: Start fresh with Markdown—no need for conversion.

• One-way conversion: Once converted, you cannot revert back to HTML.