🎲 How to Generate a Random Number or List of Random Numbers in Power Automate Desktop

As a Power Automate Desktop user, you might’ve come across scenarios where you need to generate random numbers—maybe for testing, simulation, or assigning temporary IDs dynamically.

Luckily, PAD (Power Automate Desktop) has a built-in action for this. But what if you need a list of random numbers? No worries, we’ll cover both in this blog with an easy-to-follow, real-world Indian developer’s perspective.

Let’s roll the dice and automate randomness. 😄

🎯 Why Generate Random Numbers in PAD?

Here are some real-life examples:

For data-driven testing, you may want random IDs or values.
In automation demos, to avoid hardcoded input.
While simulating user behavior in test environments.
Creating random OTP-like numbers for mock flows.

🧩 Option 1. Generate a Single Random Number

PAD provides a native action called "Generate random number" under “Number” actions.

Step 1. Create a new flow in Power Automate Desktop.

Create a flow

Step 2. Search and drag the action “Generate random number”.

Generate random number

Step 3. Set the Minimum value and Maximum value (Example: 100 to 999 for a 3-digit number).

Set minimum value and maximum value

Step 4. Name the output variable as randomNumber.

🔸 Example Output

Random number between 100 and 999 = 658

Easy, right?

Variable value

🧠 Pro Developer Tips

Use Display message or Write to text file to output the list.
Wrap the whole thing in a subflow and reuse it as a utility.
You can also combine this with "Set variable as text" to convert the list into a string for emails or logs.

🏁 Use Case Examples for Indian IT Projects

Scenario	Where to Use
RPA Testing	Generate mock employee IDs or policy numbers
Excel Automation	Fill cells with dummy values
Chatbot Backend	Simulate OTP/random fallback
Retail POS	Create temporary coupon codes

📌 Final Words

The ability to generate random data is a tiny yet powerful part of automation. Whether you need one number or a bunch, Power Automate Desktop makes it simple and code-free.

This trick often helps me during testing and quick prototyping. Try it out in your next automation project and thank me later. 😄