Streamlining Non-Profit Operations with Power Automate Templates (Video Tutorial Included)
Power Automate is a powerful tool that helps automate repetitive tasks and workflows, allowing non-profits to focus more on their mission. Benefits of Power Automate Time-Saving: Automate daily operations to save valuable time. Error Reduction: Minimize errors in routine tasks. Enhanced Efficiency: Allow staff to focus on strategic activities. Consistency and Accuracy: Maintain uniformity in processes. Exploring Power Automate Templates To get started, navigate to make.powerautomate.com. Scroll down to find various templates that can help you automate tasks without starting from scratch. Types of Templates Instant: Triggered manually. Automatic: Triggered by specific events. Scheduled: Runs at designated times. Templates for Remote Work For teams working remotely, Power Automate offers templates to improve collaboration and workflow. Explore these templates to streamline your remote operations. Data Collection and Email Templates Data Collection: Automate data collection and task creation based on collected data. Email Templates: Automate sending emails to donors or volunteers. One commonly used template allows you to send a thank-you email to volunteers who sign up for events. Instead of manually sending emails, Power Automate can handle this for you. Step-by-Step Guide to Using a Template Select a Template: Choose a template that fits your needs. Connect Accounts: Ensure your Microsoft 365 license is active. Select the Form: Choose the form you created in Microsoft Forms. Customize the Email: Modify the subject line and body of the email. Test the Flow: Validate and test the flow to ensure it works correctly. Example: Thank-You Email for Volunteers Select the Form: Choose your volunteer registration form. Customize the Email: Add a personalized subject and body. Test and Validate: Ensure the flow runs successfully. Once the flow is set up, it will automatically send a thank-you email to volunteers who register for events, saving you time and ensuring consistency. Conclusion Thank you for joining us today! We've explored how to use Power Automate templates to streamline non-profit operations. For more creative content, follow us on Tech Community. Have a great day!Create an Internal Support Ticket Hub with Microsoft Lists, Forms & Power Automate
Setting Up the Support Ticket Portal First, we will set up the support ticket portal. This is where ticket requests will populate, be triaged, assigned and managed. It's a central location where the support team members can keep track of their tasks as well as keep the client informed through automated notifications upon status changes. Let's get started! 1. Create the Microsoft List: Navigate to Microsoft Lists from the Microsoft365.com App launcher in the upper left. Select the “+ New list” and choose the “Issue Tracker" template. Fill out the list information (name, description*, color*, icon*, and associate it with a team or save to your lists) and select create to make your form (*optional). In this case, associating the list with a team is required as it is needed for notification purposes later on in the tutorial. Review the list items from the template and customize the list to what your organization needs. Include columns that capture essential details such as issue description, priority level, assigned to, and status. Ensure the list is set up to store all necessary information for managing support tickets. There will be items you need captured from the person submitting the form as well as items to triage, assign, and track the status of the case. 2. Creating the Support Ticket Form In the list menu, select the "Forms" tab to create a new form. Customize the form by removing or unchecking questions that are designed for the support team, leaving only the questions needed from the person submitting the ticket. For example, you’d remove the Priority, Status and Assigned To fields from the form because those items are not determined by the submitter, but by the internal staff triaging the case. Ensure the form captures essential details such as the issue description, associated files, and contact information. 3. Enabling Notifications and Assigning Tickets In the form settings, select the toggle next to "Notify me" so that whenever a new item (support ticket) is submitted, you are immediately notified. This ensures that you don't miss an urgent request. Preview your form Check for changes or adjustments you’d like to make. If everything is good, congratulations! You’ve made your support ticket form! 4. The Workflow Process: Now that your form and list are created you can test out your new form and ticket portal. Grab the link to your new form by selecting the forms button again in the menu. Select the link sign to copy the link. Let's test things out. Fill out the form with information as if you are an employee submitting a ticket about an issue. Refresh and check your Microsoft List to make sure the form responses were automatically added. Triage the case. In the Microsoft List, double click on the form submission list item. Here, the support admin will triage the case by assigning it to a member of the support team, updating the status of the ticket to "In Progress" and assigning it a priority status. When a ticket is assigned, the assigned staff member receives a notification, ensuring they are aware of their new task. If they need to get in contact with the employee that submitted the case, they are able to come to the list item, and check for contact/email details in the email column. Team members can update the status of the ticket to "In Progress" when they start working on it and then to "Completed" once the issue is resolved. These status updates help track the progress of each ticket and ensure timely resolution. Congratulations! You have an internal support ticket portal and form. To further enhance the transparency and efficiency of your internal support ticket system, you can implement additional notifications to keep the requester informed about the status of their ticket. By setting up automated notifications in Power Automate for when a ticket is marked as "In Progress" and "Completed," you ensure that the requester is always aware of the current status of their issue. This not only improves communication but also boosts confidence in the support process, as employees feel assured that their concerns are being actively addressed and resolved. 5. Automating Notifications with Power Automate Create a Flow: From the Microsoft365.com app launcher, open Power Automate. Click "+ Create" and select "Automated Cloud Flow". Choose a flow name and set the trigger to "When an item or file is modified". Configure the Flow: On the canvas, select the trigger to enter the required data. The site address your Microsoft List is attached to and the list or library name. Next, we must add a trigger condition in order for the flow to only trigger when the status column has been changed. In the settings tab add the following trigger condition NOt(equals(triggerOutputs()?['body/Status'], triggerOutputs()?['body/PreviousStatus'])) Return to the canvas to create a new action. Select the + sign under your trigger. In the search menu, search for the condition action. For the value of the condition, we want to choose the Status Value from the dynamic field (the lightning bolt). We want to make sure the condition states “Status Value is equal to In progress”. (Capitalization matters here so make sure the capitalization of “In progress” matches the way it is spelled on your Microsoft List”. In the "True" column of your condition we will add a new action. Select “Send an email (V2) Inside of your action select, “Switch to Advanced Mode” to be able to enter dynamic fields or fields directly associated with your form submission. In the "To" field, select the lightning bolt for a dynamic entry. And select the “Issue logged by Email”. This will add the email address of the form sender to the “To” field and who the notifications will be sent to. In the Subject field type and appropriate title such as “Support Ticket Status Update”. In the Body field type a message to the requester. For example, "Hello, you are receiving this message to notify you that your support ticket for" (dynamically insert the name of the issue) “has been changed to “In Progress”. At this point, the flow now sends notifications for when the status column has been modified to “In Progress. Now, let's do the same and send a notification for when the status has been changed to “Completed”. In the False column, we are going to add another condition. The values for the condition will be the same except where it once said, “In Progress” it will say “Completed”. You want the statement to read “Status value is equal to Completed”. In the true column add the same action for sending an email and fill out the details accordingly. Save and test your flow. Test and Deploy: Test the flow to ensure it works as expected. Select Test and choose Manually. This specific flow is triggered when the status column has been modified to “In Progress” or “Completed”. Test both separately to make sure both works. You will see green check marks and receive a notification to the email you provided earlier when filling out the form with sample data. In this example, I tested the flow by updating the status to “In Progress” so in this case I have green check marks along the left side because that follows the first conditions. The green check marks will follow the right-side path if I choose to test the “Completed” status. Here is a copy of the email that was sent to the inbox. Once satisfied, deploy the flow to automate the notification process, enhancing communication and satisfaction. Conclusion By leveraging Microsoft Lists and Forms, you can create a robust internal support ticket system that streamlines the process of submitting, triaging, and resolving support requests. The integration with Power Automate further enhances this system by automating notifications, ensuring that all parties are kept informed throughout the process. This setup not only improves efficiency but also boosts employee satisfaction by providing a transparent and responsive support system.Microsoft Lists Integration with Power Automate
Discover Microsoft Lists Microsoft Lists, part of Microsoft 365, is ideal for nonprofits. This intuitive app helps organize information and streamline work processes effortlessly. With templates for event planning and asset management, it meets various team needs perfectly. Enter Power Automate Power Automate enables workflow automation, previously known as Microsoft Flow. It helps create automated workflows between applications and services, reducing repetitive tasks and focusing on strategic activities. Benefits of This Integration for My Nonprofit Nonprofits often grapple with limited resources and high demands. The integration of Microsoft Lists with Power Automate offers transformative benefits: Automate Routine Tasks Free up your team's valuable time by automating routine tasks like data entry, notifications, and approvals. For example, a new donor is added to a list, and Power Automate sends an instant thank-you email while updating your donor database—all automatically! Boost Collaboration Keep your team in sync with automated notifications and reminders. Everyone stays informed about project updates, deadlines, and responsibilities, ensuring flawless collaboration and minimizing the risk of missed tasks. Elevate Project Management Streamline your project management by creating workflows to track milestones, budgets, and deliverables. For instance, when a project milestone is reached, the workflow can notify the team and generate a status report, keeping everyone on the same page. Let’s Get Started! Ready to integrate Microsoft Lists with Power Automate? Here's a step-by-step guide to get you started, complete with real-world examples to showcase the benefits. Step 1: Create a List in Microsoft Lists Navigate to the Microsoft Lists app. Choose a template that suits your needs, like the "Issue Tracker" template. Customize the columns and fields according to your requirements. Step 2: Access Power Automate Go to the Power Automate application within your Microsoft 365 suite. Select "Create" from the navigation bar to start a new flow. Step 3: Choose a Trigger Select "When an item is created" as the trigger from Microsoft Lists. Connect to your Microsoft Lists account and select the list you created in Step 1. Step 4: Define Actions Add an action, such as "Send an email" from Outlook or "Create a task" in Microsoft Planner. Customize the action with relevant details, such as recipient email addresses and task descriptions. Step 5: Test and Activate the Flow Save your flow and test it by adding a new item to your Microsoft List. Check if the defined actions are executed correctly. Once satisfied, activate the flow to automate your process. Create a Flow for a List Microsoft Lists Overview Getting Started with Power AutomateTransforming Nonprofit Operations with Microsoft AI Builder
With AI Builder, you can automate repetitive tasks, analyze data to get valuable insights, and even make predictions. The best part is that you don't need to be an expert in AI or programming to use it. AI Builder provides pre-built templates that you can customize to fit your specific needs. By utilizing AI Builder, nonprofits can enhance their efficiency, make data-driven decisions, and drive social impact with innovative AI solutions.
