Power Automate flows represent a sequence of actions that are triggered by specific events. These flows can range from simple, single-action processes to complex workflows with multiple branching paths and conditional logic. Power Automate offers several types of flows to cater to different automation needs.
Cloud Flows
Cloud flows are the most common type and can be triggered in various ways.
1) Automated Cloud Flow
The automated cloud flows are triggered by specific events, such as receiving an email or a new item being added to a SharePoint list. Different connectors provide different trigger events; for example, the email connector can monitor email reception, while the OneDrive connector can monitor the creation or modification of files. The automated flows are ideal for automating repetitive tasks based on certain conditions.
To create a new automated cloud flow, you can click ‘Create’ on the Power Automate homepage, select ‘Automated cloud flow,’ type in the flow name and choose your flow’s trigger, as shown in the image below.
2) Instant Cloud Flow
The instant cloud flows are manually triggered by the user, often through a button click in the Power Automate mobile app or web portal. They are useful for tasks that need to be performed on-demand.
Similarly to the automated cloud flows, the method to create an instant cloud flow is to click ‘Create’ on the Power Automate homepage, select ‘Instant cloud flow,’ and then type in the flow name and choose how to trigger the flow.
3) Scheduled Cloud Flow
The scheduled cloud flows run at specified times or intervals, such as daily data uploads to a database. They are perfect for tasks that need to be automated on a regular schedule.
As the name suggests, scheduled cloud flows are triggered at set times. They can be used for workflows with predetermined run times, such as sending reminder notifications to the team at a specific time each week, uploading data to a database each day, or updating a SharePoint list daily. When creating a scheduled cloud flow, you need to select the time and frequency for the workflow to be triggered, as shown in the figure below.
Desktop Flows
Desktop flows are used to automate tasks on your desktop or web applications. They can interact with both legacy and modern applications, making them versatile for various automation needs.
Desktop flows provide RPA (Robotic Process Automation) capabilities for Power Automate. Other types of workflows connect to various applications or services through connectors, which interact via underlying APIs, offering strong performance. However, not every application provides a complete API for use, especially some relatively ‘older’ applications or web applications. This is where RPA comes in. RPA records user actions in applications or web pages (such as mouse clicks, keyboard inputs, etc.) through a no-code ‘screen recording’ method, then adjusts parameters to ‘replay’ these actions once or multiple times to achieve automation.
Using desktop flows requires additional licensing and the installation of the Power Automate Desktop plugin on the desktop to monitor and reproduce mouse and keyboard actions.
Business Process Flows
In business operations, it is often necessary to standardize business processes, ensuring that each process goes through certain steps, with each step requiring specific data to be input or completed. This ensures that the process is not performed differently by different participants.
Business process flows are created for this purpose. They provide a guided experience for users to follow business processes. These flows help ensure consistency and compliance by leading users through predefined steps. They are particularly useful for complex processes that require user interaction and decision-making.
Each business process flow consists of several stages, and each stage consists of several steps.
Take the order processing business process flow in the diagram below as an example. The process must go through four stages: placing an order, preparing goods, logistics, and after-sales service. Each stage requires specific steps and data. For example, in the order placement stage, data such as product and quantity, shipping address, and payment method need to be entered. Using business process flows ensures that these stages and steps are executed.
Business process flows are centered around tables in Dataverse. When creating a business process flow, it needs to be associated with a Dataverse table, as shown in the diagram below.
By understanding the different types of flows available in Power Automate, users can choose the most appropriate flow type for their specific automation needs, enhancing productivity and efficiency.