PL-900 — Session 6 — Power Automate

What is Microsoft Power Automate?

A platform that empowers users to build repeatable flows that trigger automatically and execute business processes with precision. Accessible at make.powerautomate.com. Key capabilities: automate repetitive tasks, guide users through multi-step processes, connect to external data via hundreds of connectors/APIs, and automate desktop tasks using Robotic Process Automation (RPA).

5 Flow Types

According to Microsoft Learn, there are three primary types (Cloud, Desktop, Generative Actions) with Cloud flows having three subtypes.

⚡ Instant (Cloud)

Manually triggered via a button — in a mobile app, Power App, or physical IoT button. Perfect for on-demand tasks.

🔔 Automated (Cloud)

Responds to events: new email, updated record, file added to SharePoint. Event-driven and hands-free.

📅 Scheduled (Cloud)

Runs at set intervals (e.g., every 2 weeks on Tuesdays at 10am). Ideal for reports, data syncs, reminders.

🖥️ Desktop (RPA)

Replicates user actions on a desktop or browser. Essential for legacy systems lacking APIs. Can record and replay.

🤖 Generative Actions (Preview)

User specifies intent; AI determines the optimal action sequence. Makes automation more accessible and intuitive.

Cloud flows also appear as My Flows (single owner) or Team Flows (shared ownership for collaboration).

Process Mining in Power Automate

Extracts event data from systems of record and visualizes end-to-end business processes. Enables users to customize reports, compare workflows, pinpoint inefficiencies, and monitor KPIs — without disrupting existing systems.

Operational efficiency

Identifies bottlenecks and streamlines tasks across workflows.

Customer experience

Eliminates pain points that slow down service delivery.

Compliance

Flags non-conforming processes and enables corrective action.

Resource optimization

Improves allocation through data-driven automation decisions. Example: warehouse managers monitor material flow and adjust stock levels proactively.

Flow Templates — Fast Starting Point

The Power Automate homepage features a Templates section. Search by keyword or browse by category to find pre-built flows for common business scenarios. Each template shows which data sources it connects to. Example: "Save Office 365 Email Attachments to OneDrive for Business" — search → view details → Create Flow. Reduces manual effort and ensures consistent data storage.

The 3 Core Building Blocks

Trigger

The event that kicks off a flow. Examples: new email received, file added to SharePoint, item added to a list. Eliminates manual monitoring — flows respond instantly to real-world events.

Action

What happens after the trigger. Examples: create a file in OneDrive, send an approval request, update a record in Dynamics 365. Can be chained in sequence.

Connector

The bridge that binds Power Automate to external services (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Salesforce, Dataverse, and 1,400+ more). Enables triggers and actions to interact with data across platforms without writing code.

3 Trigger Types

Trigger type	Activates when	Best for	Example
Data change	A record is added, modified, or deleted	Real-time updates and notifications	New item in SharePoint list → notify team in Teams
Scheduled	A set time interval is reached	Routine recurring tasks	Every morning, check for pending account renewals and send alerts
Button press	User manually triggers via mobile app, Power App, or IoT button	On-demand tasks for field workers	Technician taps a button to log a service request instantly

Dynamic Content

Enables intelligent, responsive workflows that adapt to real-time inputs. Dynamic fields (like "Body," "Subject," or "Sender" from an email trigger) are mapped to actions — so each flow run uses live data from that specific trigger event.

How it works

Select relevant fields from triggers (using the lightning bolt icon or dynamic content panel) and map them to action parameters. Each action uses the actual live values from that specific flow run.

Use cases

Invoice approvals (subject/body from email), customer service automation (live ticket data), personalized marketing campaigns (recipient-specific data).

Benefits

Reduces human error, speeds up decision making, enhances scalability. Eliminates manual review of each item.

Desktop Flow Action Categories (Power Automate Desktop)

Core automation

File and folder actions — create, copy, move, delete
Web automation — browser tasks when APIs unavailable
UI automation — simulate clicks, text entry in desktop apps
Email actions — send/receive, approval notifications

Data & logic

Excel actions — read/write spreadsheets, data migration
System actions — launch apps, restart PC
Conditionals and loops — decision making, repetition
Variables — store and transform data during execution

Advanced

Scripting — Python or JavaScript for extended logic
Custom code — integrate specialized functionality
AI capabilities — generative actions, document processing

Record with Copilot

Narrate and demonstrate a process once
Copilot watches, listens, generates a desktop flow
Review, edit, and customize before deploying
Ideal for legacy system automation and training

Loops & Branching

Loops

Repeat actions across multiple items. Ideal for bulk operations: iterating a SharePoint list of leads to send tailored follow-ups, processing customer orders, or generating daily reports. Essential when working with large datasets.

Branching (conditions)

Introduces conditional logic — the flow makes decisions dynamically. Example: if an invoice amount exceeds a threshold, route to a manager; otherwise, proceed to payment. HR can route job applications based on location or qualifications.

Combined power

Loops + branching make workflows adaptive to real-world conditions. Example: loop through orders, branch per order based on status — approved orders trigger one path, rejected orders trigger another.

Approval Actions — 4 Types

✅ Everyone must approve

All approvers must agree — a single rejection halts the process. Ideal for legal contracts, compliance reviews.

⚡ First to respond

First approver's input finalizes the decision. Perfect for budget approvals or urgent requests where speed matters.

💬 Custom responses

Tailored options beyond approve/reject — e.g., "request more information." Useful for IT or procurement teams needing detailed feedback.

⏳ Wait for responses

Collects every approver's input. Ideal for hiring panels or cross-functional reviews where collective feedback is essential.

Key approval actions

"Create an approval," "Start and wait for an approval," "Wait for an approval" — offer control over how approvals are initiated and tracked. The flow pauses until approval is received before executing downstream actions.

Real-world example

A flow saves email attachments to OneDrive only after a manager approves the request — the pause-and-resume capability prevents premature actions.

Copilot in Power Automate

Build flows via natural language

Describe what you want (e.g., "save email attachments to OneDrive") and Copilot generates the complete flow — triggers, actions, and parameters auto-configured. No need to know which connector to use.

Troubleshoot failing flows

Ask Copilot what went wrong in a failing flow — receive actionable suggestions like updating a connector or adjusting permissions. Reduces downtime.

Answer product questions

Built-in support resource for questions like "how do I access trial flows?" or "what licenses do I need?" — without leaving the interface.

Record with Copilot (Desktop)

Narrate and demonstrate a desktop task once — Copilot tracks mouse movements, keyboard inputs, and spoken instructions, then generates a reusable desktop flow. Review and edit before deployment.

Scheduled Flows & Compose Action

Recurring flow setup

Set interval (e.g., "2") + frequency (e.g., "Week") to run every two weeks. Specify exact day and time (e.g., Tuesdays at 10am Pacific). Interface provides a plain-language summary to confirm the configuration.

Advanced options

Set a "start no earlier than" date/time for precise scheduling (e.g., noon, February 16th).

Compose action

Under Data Operations — lets you reuse static data across multiple flow steps. Eliminates redundancy and improves maintainability in complex flows that reference the same values repeatedly.

Flow Checker — Catch Issues Early

Built-in tool that analyzes your flow in real time as you build. Flags problems before deployment.

Errors Critical

Problems that will cause the flow to fail. Examples: missing required field, invalid expression, misconfigured connector. Must be resolved before the flow will run.

Warnings Non-critical

Potential performance concerns or configuration quirks. Examples: a slow query, a condition that may not behave as expected. Don't prevent running but affect efficiency or reliability.

Testing Methods

Method	How it works	Best for	Example
Manual testing	Trigger the flow by performing the initiating action yourself (e.g., submit a form, add a file)	Straightforward flows; observing real-time behavior and validating under specific conditions	Submit a training registration to verify confirmation emails are sent correctly
Previous run data	Replay the flow using data from a past execution — no need to recreate original trigger conditions	Complex flows with conditional branching; fine-tuning logic; enterprise-grade flows across multiple systems	Refine certification tracking logic without re-triggering the whole upstream process

Monitoring Flow Performance

Identify & resolve issues

Built-in analytics pinpoint errors (e.g., missing connection) so you can resolve quickly and minimize disruption.

Enhance performance

Analyze flow performance to optimize trigger conditions and eliminate unnecessary actions.

Security & compliance

Track data usage to detect unauthorized access or improper handling of sensitive information.

Usage analytics

Reveal how flows are used across teams — adjust designs to balance workloads and improve cost effectiveness.

Sharing Flows — 3 Methods

Method	Access granted	Best for	Example
Co-ownership	Full edit and manage access	Team-based flows requiring collaborative maintenance	A shared contract approval flow maintained by the legal team
Run-only permissions	Execute the flow only — no visibility into the design	Frontline staff triggering automated tasks without needing to understand underlying logic	Customer service reps trigger a ticket routing flow with one click
Send a copy	Recipient gets their own copy to customize; original is unchanged	Training, templates, distributing standardized automation to other departments	IT sends a software request flow to a regional office to customize locally

Power Automate Mobile App

After signing in, users land on the Activity Feed — a dashboard showing recent flow activity (successes and failures). Doesn't offer the full desktop experience but provides essential insights and control for on-the-go automation. Button flows are ideal for field technicians and sales reps needing quick one-tap access to automated tasks like logging service requests or sending approvals.

Lab 6 — Registration Notification Cloud Flow Contoso Consulting

Build an automated cloud flow that sends a confirmation email to attendees when they register for an event session. Relies on tables built in Labs 2 and 5 (Event, Event Session, Session Registration, Contact). URL: make.powerautomate.com.

Step-by-Step Flow Build

Create an automated cloud flow

In Power Automate, create a new Automated Cloud Flow. Name it "Registration Notification 6." Select trigger: Dataverse → "When a row is added, modified, or deleted." Rename the trigger step to "When a session registration is added." Set Change type = Added, Table = Session Registrations, Scope = Organization.

Step 2: Get event session details

Add action: Dataverse → "Get a row by ID." Table = Event Sessions. Row ID = dynamic → select "Event Session" value from the trigger. Rename step to "Get event session."

Step 3: Get event details

Add action: Dataverse → "Get a row by ID." Table = Events. Row ID = dynamic → select "Event" value from the "Get event session" step (use Show More to find it). Rename step to "Get event."

Step 4: Get participant (contact) details

Add action: Dataverse → "Get a row by ID." Table = Contacts. Row ID = dynamic → select "Participant value" from the Session Registration trigger (use Show More). Rename step to "Get participant."

Step 5: Send confirmation email

Add action: "Send an email notification (V2)." Sign in with admin account if prompted. Enable "Use dynamic content." Set To = participant email (from "Get participant"). Subject = "Registration Confirmation." Body = build using dynamic content: First Name (Get participant), Session Name (Get event session), Session Date (Get event session), Event Name (Get event), Duration Hours (Get event session), Speaker name. Save the flow.

Flow Architecture — Data Sources Used

Step	Action	Table	Data retrieved
Trigger	When row is added	Session Registrations	New registration event; provides Session ID and Participant ID
Step 2	Get a row by ID	Event Sessions	Session name, date, duration, speaker
Step 3	Get a row by ID	Events	Event name, location, date
Step 4	Get a row by ID	Contacts	Participant first name, email address
Step 5	Send email notification V2	—	Composes and sends personalized confirmation email using dynamic values from all previous steps

How This Flow Integrates with Lab 5

The flow connects directly to the Contoso Event Management5 model-driven app built in Lab 5. When a user adds a Session Registration record in the app, the flow triggers automatically and sends a personalized confirmation email to the registered participant. The two work in conjunction — the app provides the UI for data entry; the flow handles the downstream automation. This demonstrates how Power Apps and Power Automate work together in the Power Platform ecosystem.

Key Terms Flash Reference

Trigger

The event that starts a flow. Three types: data change, scheduled, button press.

Action

What the flow does after being triggered — create file, send email, update record, etc.

Connector

The bridge to external services (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Dataverse, Salesforce, 1,400+).

Automated cloud flow

Event-driven cloud flow triggered by a data change (new email, new record, file added).

Instant cloud flow

Manually triggered via button tap — mobile app, Power App, or IoT button.

Scheduled cloud flow

Runs at set time intervals — daily, weekly, etc.

Desktop flow (RPA)

Replicates user actions on a desktop or browser. Used for legacy systems without APIs.

Dynamic content

Real-time data values from triggers mapped into action parameters — personalizes each flow run.

Flow Checker

Real-time tool that flags errors (flow-breaking) and warnings (performance concerns) during flow design.

Process mining

Extracts event data from systems to visualize, analyze, and optimize end-to-end business processes.

Co-ownership

Sharing method that gives another user full edit and manage access to a flow.

Run-only permissions

Sharing method that lets users execute a flow without seeing or modifying its design.

Compose action

Data Operations action that stores reusable static data to reference across multiple flow steps.

Click to reveal answers ↓

What are the three primary flow types in Power Automate and what subtypes does one of them have?▼

The three primary types are: Cloud flows (API-based, with three subtypes: Instant — manually triggered via button; Automated — event-driven by data changes; Scheduled — runs at set intervals), Desktop flows (RPA-based, replicates user actions on desktop or browser for legacy systems), and Generative Actions (preview — user states intent; AI determines the optimal action sequence).

What are the three core building blocks of Power Automate and how do they work together?▼

Trigger — the event that starts the flow (e.g., new email, new SharePoint item). Action — what happens after the trigger (e.g., create a file, send approval, update a record). Connector — the bridge to external services that enables triggers and actions to interact with data across platforms. Example: an Outlook connector detects a new email (trigger) → OneDrive connector saves the attachment (action) → Teams connector notifies a group (action), all without writing code.

What are the three trigger types and when is each used?▼

Data change triggers — activate when a record is added, modified, or deleted; ideal for real-time notifications and updates. Scheduled triggers — run at set time intervals (daily, weekly, etc.); perfect for routine recurring tasks like sending reports or checking renewals. Button press triggers — user-initiated via mobile app, Power App, or IoT button; ideal for on-demand tasks for field workers or sales reps.

What are the four approval action types and when should each be used?▼

Everyone must approve — all approvers must agree; one rejection halts the process (legal contracts, compliance). First to respond — first approver finalizes the decision; prioritizes speed (urgent budget requests). Custom responses — tailored options beyond approve/reject like "request more information" (IT, procurement). Wait for responses — collects all approvers' input; supports collective decision-making (hiring panels, cross-functional reviews).

What is the difference between Flow Checker errors and warnings?▼

Errors are critical problems that will cause the flow to fail entirely — examples include a missing required field, invalid expression, or misconfigured connector. They must be resolved before the flow can run. Warnings are non-critical flags about potential performance concerns or configuration quirks that won't break the flow but could affect its efficiency — for example, a slow query or a condition that may not behave as expected. Both should be addressed during the design phase.

What are the three sharing methods for flows and how do they differ?▼

Co-ownership — gives full edit and manage access; ideal for team-based flows maintained collaboratively. Run-only permissions — lets users execute the flow without seeing or modifying its design; perfect for frontline staff who need to trigger tasks without understanding the logic. Send a copy — shares the flow design so the recipient gets their own editable copy while the original is unchanged; ideal for templates, training, and distributing standardized automation to other departments.

In Lab 6, what was the flow trigger and what four "Get a row by ID" steps were chained together and why?▼

Trigger: Dataverse "When a row is added" on the Session Registrations table (scope: Organization) — fires whenever a new registration is created. The four chained steps look up related data needed for the confirmation email: (1) Get event session — retrieves session name, date, duration, speaker using the Session ID from the trigger. (2) Get event — retrieves event name and details using the Event ID from step 1. (3) Get participant — retrieves the registrant's name and email using the Participant ID from the trigger. (4) Send email (V2) — uses dynamic values from all three lookup steps to send a personalized confirmation email.

What is "Record with Copilot" in Power Automate Desktop and what are its key benefits?▼

Record with Copilot lets users build desktop flows by narrating and demonstrating a process once. Copilot tracks mouse movements, keyboard inputs, and spoken instructions, then generates a reusable desktop flow that can be reviewed, edited, and customized before deployment. Key benefits: makes automation accessible to non-technical users, reduces errors vs. manual configuration, accelerates onboarding, ensures consistency across workflows, and is especially valuable for automating legacy systems that lack APIs.