Service overview
Power Automate is a service that helps you create automated workflows between your favorite apps and services to synchronize files, get notifications, collect data, and more.
Important: Pilot project
This service is currently being offered as a pilot project. If you wish to participate, see How to request & access the service.
There is no guarantee that the service will remain in the long term. Do not use Power Automate to create critical process flows.
Here are a few examples of what you can do with Power Automate:
- Automate business processes
- Orchestrate processes end-to-end and trigger microservices
- Send automatic reminders for tasks that are past due
- Move business data between systems on a schedule
The pilot project provides limited support for selected functions:
- Standard flows built with these templates:
- Schedule a reply
- Follow up on a message
- Forward emails to a channel
- Create a Planner task when a channel post starts with To Do
- Schedule a meeting from a message
- Save Outlook.com email attachments to OneDrive
- Save received Outlook email attachments to SharePoint
- Create a task in Planner from Microsoft Forms and post messages in Teams
- Send an email to responders when a response is submitted in Microsoft Forms
- Send an email when an item in a SharePoint list is modified
- Send approval when an item is created in SharePoint and delete it if the request is refused
- Form results processing to email and SharePoint
- General administration of Power Platform:
- Reassign an orphan flow
- Assign a Power Automate license
Note: We will add new flows to this list as our team builds its Power Automate expertise.
The following options are NOT in the scope of the Power Automate pilot:
- Other apps that are part of the Power Platform ecosystem
- Power Automate premium flows
- Power Automate flows created with other templates or from scratch
You can use Power Automate for other uses, but support will be provided on a best-effort basis.
Who can use it?
This pilot project is available to selected users (students, faculty, and staff members) familiar with citizen development and who can create/maintain the flows independently.
How to request access & access
Complete this form to join the pilot: Request a Power Automate License
You will be notified when your request has been processed. The app will be added to your Microsoft 365 portal if you are accepted into the pilot project.
Cost
There is no cost associated with this service.
Availability
The service is available 24 X 7, except during planned maintenance or outages. Check the home page of the IT Support site for announcements.
Frequently asked questions
We use a flow created by a colleague who has left McGill. The flow no longer works. Can you solve the problem?
We can reassign the orphan flow. Follow the process in the Support section below to request a flow reassignment.
Can you create a flow for me?
We recommend that pilot users are familiar with citizen development and can build their flow(s) independently. IT Services is not responsible for creating flows for users.
We use a flow created by a colleague who has left McGill. The flow needs updating. Can you update it?
We recommend pilot users be familiar with citizen development and can independently build their flow(s). IT Services will not update flows for users.
I’d like to set a flow between Service Now and SharePoint. Is it possible?
This type of flow requires a premium connector, which McGill does not provide.
Do you provide support for Power Apps?
Power Apps is another part of Power Platform and is therefore out of scope. Consult the diagrams below to see what is in scope for the Power Automate pilot.
Best practices & policies
- The service is in pilot mode, meaning there is no guarantee that the service will remain in the long term. Therefore, we advise against using Power Automate to build critical process flows.
- We advise adding an owner other than the creator to manage the flow if the creator’s account is deleted (e.g., a staff member leaves McGill or a student graduates).
Training & documentation
Training videos are available on the Power Automate Pilot 2023 Teams channel. You will receive access to the pilot's Teams channel after you are enrolled in the pilot.
Support
For access/authentication issues and basic support, contact the IT Service Desk or post a message on the Power Automate Pilot 2023 Teams channel. You will receive access to the pilot's Teams channel after you are enrolled in the pilot.