What exactly is Microsoft Power Automate?
Microsoft Power Automate is a low-code, no-code drag-and-drop application that lets users create workflows that automate routine business tasks and processes.
The app is available for mobile, desktop, and Microsoft Teams, and as browser-based apps.
Users can get started quickly using standard templates and connectors that can be modified in accordance with the needs.
Templates are used for notifications copies of files, moving attachments to emails to OneDrive and approvals.
The use examples that can be used with Power Automate are varied, including new employee onboarding , to document approval, gathering feedback from customers, and managing help ticket tickets.
Power Automate has over 300 connectors, that permit users to access and access data through the help of pre-designed action and triggers.
In contrast to SharePoint Designer Power Automate works with applications that are not Microsoft-based, like Google Drive, Dropbox, Twitter and many other.
For IT professionals IT teams, the possibility of adding automation to existing systems without having to modify or replace these systems is a major advantage.
Based on the information in your Azure Active Directory, Power Automate is extremely secure and simple to audit.
In addition, automation is replacing processes that are paper-based, thereby increasing the security of data.
Prices on Power Automate starts at $15 per month for each user and is unlimited in active flow.
Power Automate includes robotic process automation (RPA) and Process Advisor.
Robotic Process Automation
This feature, which is available in Power Automate Desktop This feature lets users create workflows that scale without needing to code.
Through a point-and-click interface the user can capture their mouse movements and keyboard strokes while performing an activity. The RPA system converts this data into an automatized workflow. For instance gathering data for a weekly summary.
Users can improve flows by using built-in actions and connectors and even add exception handling to verify the flow automatically.
Users can build two kinds of workflows:
Attended RPA that runs while the user is logged in. It is perfect for tasks that require human involvement such as the approval process for the request for a vacation.
Unattended RPA is run when the user isn’t connected to the internet. A trigger that is specified starts the process.
Process Advisor
Process Advisor, a new enhancement to Power Automate, is a process mining tool that gives insights into how employees are working. Process Advisor maps workflows, uncovers bottlenecks and tasks that could be automated.
The tool can determine which apps your team utilizes often and will show you how to automate the most important tasks, such as transfer of data from one application to another.
Process advisor makes it easy for teams to collaborate with administrators or business analysts to improve their processes.
Did You Know? You can find an in depth Power Automate guide over on the Nanonets website.
What is Power? How does it Automate How Does Power Automate Work?
Power Automate workflows, or flows, are built around the trigger and action.
A trigger initiates the process, such as receiving an email from a major project stakeholder.
A task is the process that occurs after the flow has been triggered. This could include establishing tasks when an email that has been marked as highly important is received. A flow may contain several actions.
There are five primary kinds of Power Automate flows, categorized as desktop, cloud or business process flow.
Cloud flows can include:
Automated, the flow is that is triggered by an event. for instance, sending an email when an item on an SharePoint list changes.
Instant flows let users create a flow manually from the desktop or mobile application by pressing an icon. As an example, it is easy to send an email reminder to your team prior to the start of a meeting.
Scheduled, that runs at specific times.
Desktop flows can be designed to automate the tasks you perform either on the internet or your desktop with Power Automation Desktop.
Business Process flow is founded on a specific sequence of actions that assist people in completing tasks more quickly and with less mistakes.
There are three methods to start the flow:
Begin from scratch using some of the steps described above.
Utilize an established template.
Choose an appropriate connector.
How to make an automated Power Flow
In this case we’ll be using the template to send an email in Microsoft Teams when a new item is added to the Planner.
To get started with Power Automate, log in to Microsoft 365, and use the app launcher to start the app.
From the homepage You can:
Start your project quickly by using templates.
Check available connectors.
Control your flow.
Create the new flow.
Look up ‘Planner’ in order to locate the template.
You might be required to sign into Microsoft Teams and Planner.
Here, you can enter important information like your Plan ID, Team, and Channel.
Click Save. This is it! You’ve made an easy flow that will improve the communication between teams.
There are several methods to verify the flow of the process, including the Flow Checker as well as Test.
Any time you can see the status of any flow by going to My Flows.
In this particular area it’s simple to:
Edit each flow
The team member can share the flow with the team member
Review the history of an influx.
How to Use Power Automate Workflows to help with Project Management
The project management process is composed of a variety of tasks management processes and team communication, project reports Change requests and approvals etc.
Although these procedures are vital for ensuring that projects are running efficiently, they can be extremely time-consuming for staff members and managers. The software for workflow in business is able to streamline and automate a lot of these procedures so that team members can concentrate on their work as well as project supervisors can ensure that projects remain on course instead of trying to keep track of updates.
Microsoft Power Automate is a excellent tool for improving project workflows since it works with a variety of different Microsoft 365 tools that you’re already using for day-to-day project management.
Five processes for managing projects which Microsoft Power Automate can help you establish
Approvals
to manage approvals from the stakeholders of projects, requests for permission documents, budgets etc. throughout the course of the project. Power Automate helps you set these approval processes which make it simpler for your project to go on without any communication gaps or delays.
Document management
One of the most difficult aspects when working on large teams of project managers is keeping all project documents all in one place, with simple access to every team member. It can be difficult to record and track all updates to the documents. This problem gets more difficult when working with teams that are remote. Power Automate project templates help to centralize the document storage for your project which allows you to easily keep track of changes and documents.
Sharing and creation of reports
Project managers are aware of the significance to business intelligence as well as the ways it can help improve the business outcome. As a project manager you will require tools that transform data from different sources into reports that are able to track the performance in your work. Power BI helps you do this and also make data-driven business decision-making.
Communication and workflows
Microsoft Power Automate is available as an application in Microsoft Teams. When you’re using MS Team, you can quickly design and manage workflows, without switching between applications. It is also possible to communicate via channels with your team members on projects.
Control of productivity
There are templates available under the heading ‘Productivity’, “Notifications as well as Events and Schedule’, to help you organize your tasks for projects and keep track of deadlines. An enormous amount of work can overwhelm even the most efficient of managers, and can cause a reduction in efficiency. These templates can assist you in determining the proper priority or order for your projects and will also be able to inform your team members as needed be.