Flow: The Answer To Easy Business Automation
Microsoft Flow is another amazing less-known application within your Office 365 stack. This app allows for an everyday user to customize business workflows to automate processes. Think of coding like a pro without knowing a thing about coding. This application easily will enable you to make If/Then statements for your own workflows within not only your Office 365 applications but also many other outside apps and services.
The Flow application takes the incredibly comprehensive 365 Stack and connects all the dots. It allows you as a non-technical business person to create customized “flows” between all of your widely used applications. Allowing you to automate steps you typically would have to do manually.
How does it work?
These Flow processes and tasks are very easily created. You can either start from scratch or edit an already existing process. There are drop downs and search bars to help you quickly and easily create any specified task. These tasks can cross multiple platforms as Flow works with desktops, web-based devices and mobile devices. The processes can be as simple as sending you the local weather or as complicated as you dream up. The creation is intuitive and you have the ability to check and test the Flow before putting it in to action.
If you are wondering, “How or why would I use Flow?” Here are a few basic examples of how to use Flow:
Email Notifications:
When an item is added to SharePoint, a customized email can notify necessary parties with the specific information.
Track Data:
When using Microsoft Forms, after a form is submitted, the data/answers can automatically be placed in a spreadsheet or other 365 location.
Trigger notifications:
You can direct Flow to send notifications to your sales team when a new lead is added to your CRM or when someone has tweeted a specified keyword. An immediate notification can present itself to encourage quick responses.
Copy Files:
You can direct your specific Flow to make a copy of a file and add it to a specified location like SharePoint or Dropbox anytime you add a file to your designated location.
Still sound complicated? Don’t worry, some templates are already created that you can use as is, or edit and customize for your business. For example, within the Flow templates, you can “Save all Office 365 email attachments to OneDrive for Business.” Or “Copy files between Dropbox and SharePoint.” There are plenty of Flow templates for the most common uses but since the If/Then statements are so easily created, don’t hesitate if you don’t see a template for exactly what you want to automate.
Business Automation is the key to business efficiencies, and business efficiency is a significant step to sustainable growth. Let Microsoft Flow, an application already within your Office 365 Stack, help you develop detailed automation with great ease. Reach out to the Pendello Team of Business Technology Associates to learn more about how Flow specifically can help your business automate tasks to help you progress to the next level.
At Pendello Solutions, we turn technology hurdles into powerful assets. Our technology solutions fuel growth, productivity, and efficiency, through continuous innovation and strategic solutions, empowering your business beyond the imaginable. Contact us today to discover the Pendello Method.