To build a basic cloud flow in Power Automate, follow these steps:
- Sign in to Power Automate and navigate to the “My flows” page.
- Click on “Create” and select “Automated cloud flow” to create a new flow.
- Choose a trigger for the flow. This could be an event in a specific app or a scheduled trigger.
- Add any required inputs for the trigger and configure the details of the trigger.
- Add any necessary actions to the flow. This could include sending an email, creating a new item in SharePoint, or sending a notification to a specific user.
- Configure the details of each action, including any required inputs and options.
- Test the flow to ensure it is working correctly.
- Save and publish the flow.
This basic cloud flow can be customized as needed to fit specific use cases and scenarios.
Creating a flow by using an instant, automated, or scheduled flow template
In Power Automate, a flow template is a pre-built, customizable flow that can be used to automate a specific process. There are different types of flow templates available in Power Automate, including instant flows, automated flows, and scheduled flows.
- Instant flows: These are triggered manually, allowing users to execute the flow at any time with the click of a button.
- Automated flows: These are triggered automatically when a specific event occurs, such as a new item being added to a SharePoint list or a new email arriving in a mailbox.
- Scheduled flows: These are triggered on a set schedule, such as every day at a specific time, and can be used to perform regular data processing tasks.
To create a flow using a template, follow these steps:
- Log in to the Power Automate portal.
- Click the “Create” button in the top navigation bar and select “Instant cloud flow”, “Automated cloud flow”, or “Scheduled cloud flow”, depending on the type of flow you want to create.
- Browse the available templates or search for a specific template using keywords.
- Select the template you want to use, and click “Continue”.
- Customize the flow to meet your specific requirements by modifying the trigger, actions, and other settings as needed.
- Save the flow and give it a descriptive name.
- Test the flow to ensure that it is working as expected.
- Turn on the flow to activate it and automate the specified process.
Modify a cloud flow
To modify a cloud flow in Power Automate, you can follow these steps:
- Sign in to the Power Automate portal (https://flow.microsoft.com).
- Click on the flow you want to modify in the My flows list or search for it using the search bar.
- Click on the Edit flow button to open the flow in the Power Automate designer.
- Make the necessary modifications to the flow. You can add or remove actions, modify the properties of actions, add or remove conditions, and so on.
- Click the Save button when you’re done making modifications.
- Review your changes and then click the Test button to test your flow. You can test the flow using a sample input, or you can enter your own inputs.
- Once you’ve tested your flow, click the Run button to run it in production.
Remember to save and test your flow frequently to ensure it works as expected. Also, consider versioning your flow, so you can easily revert to a previous version if needed.
Use Flow Controls to perform data operations
Power Automate provides several data operations that you can use in a flow to retrieve, create, update, and delete data in various systems. Here are a few examples:
- Retrieve data: You can use actions such as “Get rows” and “List records” to retrieve data from various data sources such as Excel, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and SQL Server.
- Create data: You can use actions such as “Create item” and “Create record” to create new data in various systems such as SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and Common Data Service.
- Update data: You can use actions such as “Update item” and “Update record” to update existing data in various systems such as SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and Common Data Service.
- Delete data: You can use actions such as “Delete item” and “Delete record” to delete data from various systems such as SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and Common Data Service.
These data operations can automate data-related tasks in your organization, such as syncing data between systems, updating records in a database, and more. By using these actions in a flow, you can create powerful automation that saves time and improve productivity.
Run a cloud flow
To run a cloud flow in Power Automate, follow these steps:
- Open Power Automate: Go to the Power Automate website and sign in using your credentials.
- Select the Flow: Find and select the flow that you want to run.
- Test the Flow: Before you run the flow, you may want to test it to make sure it’s working properly. You can do this by clicking on the “Test” button in the top menu and selecting “Test”.
- Start the Flow: Once you’re ready to run the flow, click on the “Run” button in the top menu and select “Run now”.
- Check the Results: Once the flow has completed running, you can check the results to see if it has executed successfully. You can do this by going to the “Runs” tab and checking the status of the most recent run. You can also view the output of the flow to see what actions were taken.
It’s important to note that some flows require certain inputs, such as connection details or input data. Make sure to provide all the necessary information to ensure the flow runs properly.