Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate

• Microsoft Power Automate is a cloud-based automation platform that lets users create workflows to automate repetitive tasks and streamline business processes without extensive coding knowledge.

• Users can connect different applications and services to design workflows visually. Power Automate improves efficiency by automating manual tasks.

 

How Does Power Automate Work?

Power Automate workflow, or flows, are based on triggers and actions.

• A Trigger initiates the flow, such as receiving an email from a key project stakeholder.

• An Action is what occurs once the flow is triggered. This may involve creating a task when an email marked as high-importance is received. A flow can have one or more actions.

 

There are five main types of Power Automate flows, categorized as cloud flows, desktop flows, or business process flows.

Cloud flows include:

1. Automated, a flow triggered by an event, for example, sends an email if an item in a SharePoint list is changed.
2. Instant  flows allow users to manually trigger a flow from the mobile or desktop app with the click of a button. As an example, easily send a reminder email to your team before a meeting.
3. Scheduled, which runs at certain times. 

Desktop flows are used to automate tasks on the web or your desktop with Power Automate Desktop.

Business process flows provide a guide for individuals to complete tasks efficiently. They offer a streamlined user experience, guiding users through organizational processes defined for interactions needing advancement to a specific conclusion.

An example of a business process might be "Client Onboarding."

 

Power Automate Use Cases

 

You can generate your flow by adding information about what you want to automate.

 

There are three ways to create your automated flow.

• You can create your flow from scratch.

 

• Automate tasks or processes using custom templates for cloud flows in Power Automate.

 

• Easily connect to your apps, data, and services using connectors 

 

The Scenario 

Our product's effectiveness relies on swift order processing. To achieve this, we've automated the retrieval of new orders from our database's Orders table, ensuring instant access to updated information. This enhances our ability to monitor and manage orders efficiently, optimizing our workflow for seamless operations.

 

Step-by-Step Guide

• Microsoft Power Automate provides a pre-built task for sending an email when an item is created in SQL Server.

Note: - If your data is stored on-premises, the gateway should be in active mode with the same user logged in.

Add New SQL Connection: -  Configure with SQL Server, adding the required details along with the gateway (If your data is stored on-premises).

 

Add the required parameters to the action.

 

Add the SQL Server name, and database name, along with the table data you want to include in the email.

• Schedule the flow as per requirements

 

Set the email address and dynamic SQL fields you want to send in a mail.

The flow is ready. When new data is updated in the table, the flow is triggered at the selected time, and an email will be sent to the users.

 

Conclusion:

By automating the retrieval of newly added order details from our database's Orders table, we have streamlined our order processing workflow significantly. This automated process ensures timely access to updated order information, enabling us to monitor and manage our orders more efficiently. As a result, our organization can better meet customer demands, improve overall productivity, and enhance the quality of our services.