How to Populate SharePoint List with Files from SharePoint Document Library using Power Automate
Microsoft SharePoint Online is a platform for document management, information sharing, internal collaboration and more that is a part of the Microsoft 365 family of apps. In this blog post, I will show you how to create a document library and list in SharePoint for an Employee Record and how to populate the data from an Excel sheet in SharePoint Document Library using a Power Automate Flow. This process eliminates the process of entering the data from the Excel sheet manually into the SharePoint list. It enables us to easily automate all the data in the Excel sheet into our SharePoint list. Use Case: Track Employee Data Record Here we will work on a scenario to help better understand the process. The HJK company has started making changes to the way they work and one of those things is moving their employee's data from an Excel sheet where it is stored to a SharePoint list. This can be done manually but they will prefer a process where the moving of the data can be achieved easily. In the Excel sheet these are the data types of the columns in the table. Column Data Type EEID Text Job Title Text Department Text Business Unit Text Gender Text Ethnicity Text Age Number Hire Date Date Annual Salary Currency Country Text City Text Exit Date Date Disclaimer: This is not an actual company but a scenario created to show you how the populating process works with SharePoint and Power Automate. The Excel sheet used in this blog post is a free sample data gotten online. Note: Make sure the Data in your Excel sheet is in a table format. I will walk you through the process Create the SharePoint Document Library. Upload the Excel file to the SharePoint Document Library Create the SharePoint List for the employee's data. Create the Instant cloud flow to populate the SharePoint list Create a SharePoint Document Library In this step, we will be working on creating the document library where the Excel sheet that contains the Company's employee information will be uploaded. Login into Microsoft 365. At the left hand side, click on the App Launcher. 2. From the App launcher we will be clicking on SharePoint. From this process we can easily access SharePoint Online. From the list of application shown, click on SharePoint. 3. I already created my SharePoint site so lets go ahead and create our SharePoint Document Library. Click on +New. 4. After clicking on Document library from the drop-down, this gives us an opportunity to create a New SharePoint document library. So on the right hand side, on Name, give the document library a name (a name that you can easily identify and understand). Here I will be using Employee_Record. Next, click on Create. Upload the Excel Sheet to the Document Library In this step, we would be uploading the excel sheet to the SharePoint Document Library. With this process it will make it easier for us to populate the SharePoint list with the data in the Excel sheet easily using power Automate. Follow these steps: 1. At the top of the screen close to the name of the document library click on Upload. After clicking on Upload, we have a drop-down of names to select from which is Files, Folder and Template. Here we will be click on Files. 2. Next, click on the file you need uploaded. Here I will be clicking on the Excel file named Excel Record Sample Data. Next click on Open. From the second screenshot below you can see our excel sheet Employee record sample data has been uploaded to our document library. Create the SharePoint List In this step, we will work on creating the SharePoint list which will be the new place were will be keeping track of the employee's record data in the company. 1. Let's go ahead and create the Employee SharePoint list. At this step we have already created the SharePoint document library, in order to leave the SharePoint document library click on the name of the SharePoint Site, here the name of SharePoint site is Communication site. 2. Now let's create the SharePoint list by clicking on +New at the left-hand side of our screen. 3. After clicking on + New, it shows a drop-down that shows List, Document Library, Page, Space, News post, News link, App. Here we will be clicking on List. 4. Click on Blank list. We have different options here to create our SharePoint list which can either use a blank list, from an already existing list or from an Excel sheet. Our data is an Excel file and we might think of going for this option but it most advisable to create the list from blank. 5. After clicking on the Blank list option for the SharePoint list, now we need to give the list a name and description which is optional. Here on Name I am naming my list as Employee Sample Data to make it easier for me to identify what the SharePoint is for. Click on Create. 6. We will adding the columns shown in the Excel sheet to the list. The first column we will be creating here is EEID which the data type is a single line of text. Click on +Add Column, select Text as the data type and this is a Single line of text. Click on Next. 7. On Name, give your column a name. Here I will be using EEID. Click on Save Note: None of this columns created here are required columns, so take notice of this when creating your column. When creating a column the field for Description is optional. 8. From the screenshot above you can notice the column named Title, this is a default column that is created with the SharePoint list and would not be needed. In this step, will be the hiding the Title Column. Click on drop-down beside Title. Click on Column settings. Click on Show/hide column.On click on Title and then click on Apply. 8. Let’s add the next column to the SharePoint list. Click on +Add Column.Select Text. Click on Next. Give the column a name here on Name I will be giving my Column Job Title. Click on Save. Next, add the remaining columns to the SharePoint List with their specific data types. Column Data Type EEID Single line of text Job Title Single line of text Department Single line of text Business Unit Single line of text Gender Single line of text Ethnicity Single line of text Age Number Hire Date Date Annual Salary Currency Country Single line of the text City Single line of text Exit Date Date Populate the SharePoint List using Power Automate In this step, we will be working on creating the flow that will be used to auto populate the SharePoint list with the data from the Excel sheet. 1. Login Power Automate 2. On the Home screen at the left-side of your screen. Click on Create. Here we will creating an Instant cloud flow; this is a type of Power Automate cloud flow that only runs when a button is triggered. Click on Instant cloud flow. 3. Next thing here is to name your flow and select the trigger. Give your flow a name you can easily identify. Here, I will be using Populate Employee Record. From choose how to trigger this flow, select the trigger Manually trigger a flow. Click on Create. 4. Add another action to the flow. Click on +New Step. 5. On choose an operation, search for the action, List rows present in table. Click on the action. 6. In the List rows present in a table action, we have location, document library, file and table. On Location we will be selecting the SharePoint site where our document library is located. On the drop down or search for the name of your SharePoint site and click on it. On Document Library; select the name of the document library you uploaded your Excel sheet. 7. On File; click on the folder icon at the right-hand side. Next, select the file uploaded to the document library. 8. On Table; click on the dropdown and select the Excel table. 9. Add the Apply to each action to the flow. Click on +New step. On choose an operation, search for the action, Apply to each. Click on it. 10. In the Apply to each action, where we have Select an output from previous steps click on the box and go Dynamic content and select value (this is coming from the action List rows present in a table. The screenshot image of this is shown below). 11. Here we will be adding an action inside of the Apply to each. Click on Add an action. On choose an operation, search for the action, Create item and select (The create item action is coming from SharePoint). 12. In the Create item action; on Site Address, click on the dropdown or search for the SharePoint site and select your SharePoint site where your SharePoint list is located. On List name; click on the drop-down and select the name of your SharePoint list. 13. In the Create item action, we have our columns from our SharePoint list listed in the action from the first column EEID to the last column Exit Date. Here, for each columns in the action we will be adding Dynamics contents to them where the Dynamics contents are coming from the action List rows present in a table (which is the data in our excel sheet). On the EEID column in the action, go the Dynamic content and click on the dynamic content EEID. As seen the screenshot image below. Repeat this step for the remaining columns in the action except Title (which we are not using) and Hire date, exit date. 14. For the Hire Date column in the action, while running the flow I ran into an issue in the Hire Date and Exit Date column that addressed that the datetime string must match ISO 8601 format.'. I will be discussing more about this in my newsletter in the following weeks on how I used Copilot to resolve it but here let's go ahead and understand the actions and steps used. For the Hire Date column, before the apply to each action, add the Initialize variable action to the flow. In the initialize variable; on Name give your variable a name and select the Type as a String. Next, add a Set variable action inside of the Apply to each action (this action should come before the Create item action). In the Set variable action; on Name go to your dynamic content and select the variable coming from the initialize variable action. On Value add the expression addDays('1899-12-30',int(items('Apply_to_each')?['Hire Date']),'yyyy-MMM-dd') Now go ahead to the Create item action and on the Hire Date column, go to the dynamic content and select the variable. Repeat this step for Exit Date. 15. So here let's make a few changes to our flow, this step allows the flow to populate more than 150 items to the SharePoint list. Click on the three dots at the right-hand side of the action List row present in a table action. Click on Settings. 16. On the toggle button for Pagination, switch it on and on Threshold enter the value 2000. Click on Done. Save and run the flow. Thank you for reading! Resources How to delete items in a SharePoint list using Power AutomateMicrosoft Planner & Automate: The Perfect Duo
Power Automate & Planner In a world of ever-increasing deadlines, content management, or a campaign for outreach. Sending emails tracking Todo's and keeping track of deliverables can be a daunting task. In a previous blog we talked about Microsoft Loop, a great tool for real-time collaboration and project management. Planner’s ease of use and intuitive design gives you many ways to view your project called a plan. You can build it from scratch or use many of the templates for the most relevant scenario. Power Automate is a cloud-based platform that allows you to run, schedule and create your own automated workflows. This can be very helpful if you need to see reminders, emails, notifications, and much more. Power Automate works seamlessly with Microsoft and third-party applications. Some flows are very easy to use. We will follow a scenario to learn how we can use a scheduled flow. Scenario An editor at Contoso. is responsible for managing the publication of blog posts. To streamline the process, they use Microsoft Planner to track the progress of each blog post and Power Automate to send scheduled summary emails. Creating The Planner Board Navigate to Microsoft 365 login at https://m365.cloud.microsoft.com. Sign in with your user credentials and authenticate with the Microsoft Authentication App. While you are signed in, navigate to the top-left corner of the App launcher (Grid icon), then select the planner app or use the search bar by typing “Planner.” Navigate to the bottom-left corner of the screen and click “New plan” then select “Basic.” The editor creates a new plan in Microsoft Planner called "Marketing Blog" or whatever you would like. Select the desired group from the dropdown menu, then click "Save" button. In the top left-hand menu, select "board" for the kanban view. Create buckets for different stages of the publication process by typing in the "Add a new bucket" area. Create the following buckets. "Backlog," "Final Draft," "Review," and "Published." Each blog post is added as a task in the relevant bucket. For example, a new blog post idea is added to the "Final Draft" bucket. Tasks to Accomplish Now that we have created the planner, let's assume the role of the editor. The editor must closely monitor the blog editorial calendar, which is represented by our Planner board. To streamline the process of tracking outstanding items and blockers, the editor should receive a scheduled summary of each bucket we have created. The editor will need to perform the following tasks The editor assigns tasks to team members responsible for drafting, editing, and reviewing the blog posts. The editor regularly updates the status of each task, moving them to the appropriate bucket as they progress through the stages. Lastly, the editor will receive a summary every Monday at 9:00 AM before the teams Morning standup meeting. You can tailor the time to your needs. Using Power Automate for Scheduled Summary Emails You can access Power Automate from the Microsoft 365 App Launcher, or directly by going to https://make.powerautomate.com/enviroments. Once you’re logged in: Click “Templates” on the left-hand panel. In the search bar above, type “Create a daily summary of Planner tasks by bucket.” Click on the corresponding card. The editor sets up a Power Automate flow to send a weekly summary email to the team. They create a scheduled cloud flow in Power Automate, specifying the start date, time, and frequency (e.g., every Monday at 9:00 AM). Scroll to the bottom of the page and sign into your “Planner” and “Office 365 Outlook” account then press the “continue” button. In the top tab click on the “Reoccurrence” card. Add the following information “Interval,” “Frequency,” “Time zone,” and “Start time.” For the time portion please use military time and the (Year-Month- 24T- 00:00) change the relevant time. Next add the “List buckets” by clicking on the corresponding card and entering the plan you created under “Parameters,” PlanId “Marketing Blog.” Next add the “List Tasks” add the PlanId again under the parameters. Then add your username or email address to the last card “Send an email.” Lastly save your flow. Testing the Flow It is recommended that you first test your flow. This is beneficial to flag any issues and the process and see how best to troubleshoot the flow. Note: Trigger: The event that starts automation. Actions: What happens after the trigger (e.g., creating or updating a Planner task). Next, click on the top-right ribbon and select the test button. You will see two options. However, the automatically test will be greyed out because there is no initial test. Click “Manually.” The flow is now listening for a trigger to perform an action. Just like the one we set up. Go to your Outlook email and see if you received the email. It may take some time to run. However, if an issue has occurred see if there is an issue with the flow. If the flow was successful, you should see an email like the one below. The Reviewing and Collaborating The editor reviews the summary email to ensure all tasks are on track and deadlines are met. They use the summary to identify any bottlenecks or tasks that require additional resources. The editor collaborates with the team to address any issues and ensure a smooth publication process. In Conclusion Automating tasks in Microsoft Planner with Power Automate can significantly reduce manual overhead and enhance team productivity. By leveraging triggers, conditions, and planned actions, you ensure tasks are created, tracked, and completed more efficiently. Whether it’s converting emails into tasks, updating task statuses, or sending reminders for approaching deadlines, harnessing the power of automation in Planner can transform the way you manage work. Hyperlinks Microsoft Planner for admins - Microsoft Planner | Microsoft Learn Templates | Microsoft Power Platform Power Automate Documentation Planner Templates on Power AutomateAutomate the Busywork: How Nonprofits Can Use Power Automate to Extract and Process Form Data
Didn't read the first blog? Check it out here ➡️ Streamlining Non-Profit Operations with Power Automate Templates (Video Tutorial Included) | Microsoft Community Hub You’ve scanned the forms. You’ve saved the PDFs. Now what? For many nonprofits, getting data from documents into a system—whether it’s SharePoint, Excel, or your CRM—is a time-consuming, manual process. But it doesn’t have to be. With Power Automate, you can automatically trigger a workflow every time a form is uploaded, extract key data, and send it exactly where it needs to go. Whether you’re using Azure Document Intelligence to read the forms or just need to automate your document workflow, Power Automate is your nonprofit’s new best friend. 🧩 What Is Power Automate? Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) is Microsoft’s automation tool that lets you create workflows between your apps and services—without writing code. For nonprofits, that might mean: Creating a task every time a form is submitted Saving form responses to SharePoint Sending an automatic email to a volunteer when their application is received Extracting data from a PDF and sending it to Excel or Dataverse You can do all of that—and more—with just a few clicks. 🔄 Scenario: Process Volunteer Application Forms Automatically Let’s walk through an example: a nonprofit receives scanned PDFs of volunteer forms in a shared folder. They want to extract the name, email, and interests from each form and add it to a SharePoint list. We’ll assume they’ve already trained a custom model in Azure Document Intelligence. Here’s how to build the flow in Power Automate. 🛠️ Step-by-Step: Automate Your Form Workflow with Power Automate Step 1: Set Up Your SharePoint List Go to SharePoint and create a new Custom List. Add the following columns: Name (Single line of text) Email (Single line of text) ProgramInterest (Choice or text) This is where your extracted form data will land. Step 2: Create a New Flow in Power Automate Go to Power Automate. Click Create > Automated cloud flow. Give it a name like Process Volunteer Forms. Choose the trigger: When a file is created in a folder (OneDrive or SharePoint). Step 3: Add the Azure Document Intelligence Connector Click + New Step > Search for Form Recognizer or Document Intelligence. Choose Analyze form (or Analyze with custom model if you trained one). Paste in your endpoint and API key (from the Azure portal). Choose: The model ID you trained (e.g., VolunteerForms) The URL of the uploaded file Step 4: Parse the Response Add a Parse JSON step. Use the sample output from your Document Intelligence model to generate the schema. Pull out fields like Name, Email, ProgramInterest. Step 5: Create the SharePoint Item Add a step: Create item in SharePoint. Point to your list and map the extracted fields to the appropriate columns. Check out this blog for more ideas on creating a flow Automate Your External Data Collection: Power Automate and Microsoft Forms | Microsoft Community Hub take a look at the video below for a visual walkthrough on a similar example Optional: Send a Confirmation Email Add an Outlook step: Send an email (V2). Address it to the email you extracted. Add a friendly message confirming the application was received. ✅ Bonus Scenarios for Nonprofits 🧾 Invoice Processing: Upload scanned invoices, extract amounts and vendors, and add to a tracking system. Check out this blog to see how Streamlining Invoice Processing for Nonprofits with Power Automate | Microsoft Community Hub 📝 Intake Forms: Convert handwritten client intake forms into CRM entries. 📥 Survey Collection: Process paper-based surveys and feed results into Power BI. 💵 Is It Free? Power Automate has a free tier and many flows work with the services nonprofits already use (like SharePoint, Outlook, OneDrive). More advanced features (like premium connectors) can be covered using your Microsoft Cloud for Nonprofit credits or licensing grants. 📊 Connect the Dots with Power Platform Power Automate is even more powerful when combined with: Power Apps (to build simple apps for your team) Power BI (to visualize the data you're collecting) Azure AI (for intelligent document reading, translation, and more) Final Thoughts If your nonprofit is still manually entering data from forms, you’re leaving time and resources on the table. Power Automate empowers anyone—regardless of tech background—to build workflows that save time, reduce errors, and let your team focus on what really matters: your mission. Let the machines do the busywork. You’ve got better things to do.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.Enhancing Nonprofit Operations: Power Apps and Power Automate Integration
Why Nonprofits Should Embrace Power Apps and Power Automate Power Apps and Power Automate are part of Microsoft’s Power Platform, designed to provide robust, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for organizations of all sizes. For nonprofits, these tools present a golden opportunity to customize and automate processes without the need for extensive technical expertise or a hefty budget. Cost-Effective Solutions: Microsoft offers nonprofits significant discounts on its software, including Power Apps and Power Automate, making it a budget-friendly choice. Customizability: Both tools can be tailored to address the unique needs of any nonprofit, whether it’s tracking donors, managing volunteers, or automating grant application workflows. Improved Efficiency: Automating repetitive manual tasks reduces errors and saves time, enabling organizations to focus on what matters most—their mission. Enhanced Collaboration: These tools integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft products like Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics, making information sharing and teamwork more fluid. "Using Power Apps and Power Automate was a turning point for us. We no longer spend hours manually tracking donations and managing schedules. It’s like gaining an extra team member without the added cost!" – Sarah M., Director of Operations, Helping Hands Foundation A Step-by-Step Guide: Automating Donation Tracking The following guide provides an example of how nonprofits can use Power Apps and Power Automate to enhance their operations effectively. While this guide is a helpful starting point, please note that it may not apply to every situation, as each organization’s needs are unique. Step 1: Define Your Needs Start by identifying what aspects of donation tracking need improvement. Do you want to automate the acknowledgment process? Is it vital to have an updated database of donors in real time? Step 2: Create a Power App Use Power Apps to build a user-friendly form where donors can input their information, such as name, email, and donation amount. Customize the app with your organization’s branding to ensure a professional look. Step 3: Set Up Power Automate Design an automated workflow using Power Automate. For example, configure the flow to: Send a confirmation email to the donor immediately after they submit the form. Update your donor database in SharePoint or Excel. Generate a donation acknowledgment letter for your records. Step 4: Test and Refine Before launching your app and automation workflow, test the system thoroughly to ensure it performs as expected. Make adjustments as necessary to improve functionality and usability. Step 5: Launch and Monitor Roll out your new system and monitor its performance. Use the analytics features in Power Platform to gather insights into donor behavior and workflow efficiency. Unleashing the Potential of Customization No two nonprofits are alike, and Power Apps and Power Automate recognize this by offering unparalleled customization. Whether it’s building a dashboard to track project milestones or creating a workflow to process grant applications, these tools can be adapted to meet your specific needs. Their flexibility ensures that your nonprofit can evolve and innovate as your organization grows. Impact Beyond Efficiency The benefits of these tools extend beyond operational efficiency. By automating routine tasks, organizations can allocate their saved time and resources to programs that directly impact the communities they serve. Power Apps and Power Automate empower nonprofits to operate more strategically, making every dollar and minute count. Call to Action Are you ready to take your nonprofit operations to the next level? Explore the endless possibilities of Power Apps and Power Automate today. Begin with a small project like donation tracking or volunteer management and experience the transformative impact firsthand. For guidance, check out Brandon Antoine's blog about getting started with Power Apps and Streamlining Non-Profit Operations with Power Automate Templates (Video Tutorial Included) | Microsoft Community Hub To deepen your understanding further, visit Microsoft’s Power Platform Overview and their Nonprofit Offerings to access resources designed specifically for your organization’s needs. Your mission is too important to be bogged down by inefficiencies. Leverage technology, embrace innovation, and let your nonprofit shine brighter than ever!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!Enhancing Nonprofit Collaboration with SharePoint (Part 2)
Welcome back to our series on SharePoint for nonprofits! In Part 1, we explored how hub sites and nested pages help nonprofits build a centralized, structured intranet that supports internal communication and content organization. In this post, we’ll look at more SharePoint tools that help your team stay informed, manage data efficiently, and automate internal processes—ultimately improving collaboration across your entire nonprofit. Communication Sites: Keeping Your Organization Informed Communication sites in SharePoint serve as internal news hubs, ensuring that employees, volunteers, and board members stay informed. Key Features of Communication Sites: Company Announcements: Share news, updates, and newsletters with the entire organization. Event Calendars: Provide visibility into upcoming meetings, fundraising events, and training sessions. Resource Libraries: Store essential documents such as grant templates, donor reports, and legal policies in an easily accessible format. Mobile Accessibility: Team members can stay connected from anywhere with SharePoint’s mobile-friendly experience SharePoint Lists and Libraries: More Than Just Storage Beyond document management, SharePoint Lists and Libraries function as powerful databases that help nonprofits track critical information such as donor records, volunteer registrations, and grant applications. Key Benefits: Customizable Views: Sort and filter data based on specific needs. Integration with Power Automate: Automate workflows such as volunteer onboarding or approval processes. Version Control: Keep track of document changes and prevent data loss. 💡 Example: Use a SharePoint list to track grant applications with custom columns for deadline, status, and reviewer. Combine it with Power Automate to notify reviewers when new applications are submitted. Customizing SharePoint with Power Platform For nonprofits looking to further enhance SharePoint’s capabilities, integrating with Microsoft Power Platform provides automation and customization options. Power Automate: Automate processes like approval workflows and email notifications. Power Apps: Create custom apps to manage program applications or volunteer registrations. Power BI: Generate reports from SharePoint data to gain insights into fundraising or program impact. Real-World Example: Hampton HR Ticketing System One nonprofit, Hampton University Proton Therapy Institute, implemented a SharePoint-based HR ticketing system to streamline employee requests such as benefits inquiries, payroll issues, and policy clarifications. Using a custom-built Power App connected to a SharePoint list, employees could submit tickets through a user-friendly interface. HR staff managed these tickets via the SharePoint List - utilizing custom views, drop downs, and shareable links per case entry for collaboration across the HR team. The Power App-SharePoint Customization has the ability to run automated workflows powered by Power Automate for notifications and escalations. The system was also designed to integrate with Power BI, enabling the HR team to generate real-time reports on ticket trends, resolution times, and team performance—all without leaving the Microsoft ecosystem Explore the Blog Series for a Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Power App from a SharePoint List Conclusion: Bringing It All Together With the right tools in place, SharePoint can be a nonprofit’s digital backbone—supporting everything from document sharing to cross-team collaboration and real-time reporting. By implementing: Hub sites for unified structure Communication sites for internal news Lists & libraries for managing operations Power Platform tools for automation and insight ...your nonprofit can drive transparency, save time, and stay mission-focused. 🔗 Check Out These Links to Learn More Introduction to SharePoint Communication Sites Lists in Microsoft 365 Power Automate for SharePoint Build Power Apps with SharePoint Data Visualize SharePoint Data with Power BIWhat’s Included with Microsoft’s Granted Offerings for Nonprofits?
Are you a nonprofit looking to boost your impact with cutting-edge technology? Microsoft is here to help! From free software licenses to guided technical documentation and support, this program offers a range of resources designed to empower your organization. In this blog, we’ll dive into the incredible tools and grants available to nonprofits through Microsoft, showing you how to make the most of these generous offerings. Whether you’re managing projects or just trying to simplify your day-to-day tasks, there’s something here for everyone. Let’s explore what’s possible!Streamlining Your Workday: Workflows in Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration tool that can help streamline your workday by automating repetitive tasks and processes. By leveraging workflows in Teams, you can improve productivity, reduce manual effort, and ensure that important tasks are completed efficiently. Here’s a comprehensive guide on workflows in Microsoft Teams and how to set them up. What Are Workflows in Microsoft Teams? Workflows in Microsoft Teams are automated processes that connect various apps and services to perform specific tasks. These workflows can be triggered by events, such as receiving a message or updating a file, and can perform actions like sending notifications, creating tasks, or updating records. By automating these tasks, workflows help you save time and focus on more strategic activities. Key Benefits of Using Workflows in Teams Increased Productivity: Automate repetitive tasks to free up time for more important work. Consistency: Ensure tasks are completed the same way every time, reducing errors and improving reliability. Collaboration: Enhance team collaboration by automating notifications and updates, keeping everyone on the same page. Efficiency: Streamline processes and reduce the need for manual intervention, speeding up task completion. How to Set Up Workflows in Microsoft Teams Using the Workflows App The Workflows app in Microsoft Teams provides a simple way to create and manage workflows. Here’s how to get started: Open Teams: Sign in to Microsoft Teams. Access the Workflows App: On the left pane, select "Apps" and then choose "Workflows" from the navigation on the left. Browse Templates: You’ll see a list of pre-built templates that are relevant to Microsoft Teams. Select a template that suits your needs. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the workflow. This includes naming the flow, signing into the apps and services the flow uses, and providing any required parameters. Add Workflow: Once all connections are set up, select "Create flow" to create the flow. You’ll receive a confirmation that your workflow was created successfully. Creating a Workflow from a Message You can also create workflows directly from a Teams message: Select a Message: On any message in Teams, select the ellipses (...) in the menu. Create New Action: Select "More actions" > "Create new action". Choose a Template: Select the appropriate template you wish to use. If you don’t see a template, you wish to use you can also select “Workflow builder” to describe what you want to automate and to have AI to suggest flows according to your description. Set Up the Workflow: Follow the prompts to set up the connections and parameters required by the template. Best Practices for Managing Workflows Organize Your Workflows: Keep your workflows organized by naming them clearly and categorizing them based on their function. Monitor and Update: Regularly monitor your workflows to ensure they are running smoothly. Update them as needed to accommodate changes in your processes. Test Thoroughly: Before deploying a workflow, test it thoroughly to ensure it performs as expected without errors. Leverage Templates: Use pre-built templates to save time and ensure best practices are followed. Popular Workflow Examples Notify a Channel When a Planner Task Changes Status: Automatically post a notification to a channel when a task in Planner changes status. Start an Approval When a SharePoint List is Modified: Automatically send an approval request in Teams chat when a SharePoint list is modified. Follow Up on a Message: Set up a follow-up notification for a message received in Teams. Conclusion Workflows in Microsoft Teams are a powerful way to automate repetitive tasks and streamline your workday. By setting up workflows, you can increase productivity, ensure consistency, and enhance collaboration within your team. Whether you use the Workflows app or create workflows directly from messages, Microsoft Teams provides the tools you need to automate your processes and focus on what matters most. Start exploring workflows in Microsoft Teams today and take your productivity to the next level!
