Copilot to add actions in Power Automate, i

 🚀 Using Copilot to Add Actions in Power Automate

Here’s a step-by-step guide to using Copilot to add actions in Power Automate, including practical examples and best practices to automate tasks faster with AI assistance:

🤖 What is Copilot in Power Automate?

• Copilot is an 🧠 AI assistant that helps you build flows faster by converting natural language descriptions into expressions, actions, and even entire workflows.
• It simplifies complex logic for users of all skill levels.

🪜 How to Add Actions with Copilot

1️⃣ Open Your Flow:

* Go to Power Automate → My Flows → Select your flow.

2️⃣ Click "Ask Copilot":

* In the flow editor, click + New step → Ask Copilot.

3️⃣ Describe the Action in Natural Language:

* Type what you want to achieve (e.g., “Send an email if the task is overdue”).

4️⃣ Review and Insert the Suggestion:

* Copilot generates the action(s) and expressions. Edit if needed, then click Insert.

🔔 Example 1: Add a Teams Notification for Overdue Tasks

• Scenario: Send a Teams message when a SharePoint task’s due date has passed.
• Steps:
  • Existing Flow:
    • Trigger: "When an item is modified" (SharePoint task list).
    • Condition: "DueDate <= utcNow()".
  • Add a Teams Action with Copilot:
    • Prompt: “Post a message in Teams if the task is overdue.”
  • Copilot Generates:
    • Action: "Post a message in a chat or channel" (Teams).
    • Dynamic message:

      @concat('Task "', item()?['Title'], '" is overdue! Due on ', 

    • formatDateTime(item()?['DueDate'], 'dd-MMM-yyyy'))
      

⏱️ Example 2: Add a Delay Before Sending Reminders

• Scenario: Wait 1 hour after a form submission before sending a reminder.
• Steps:
  • Existing Flow:
    • Trigger: "When a new response is submitted" (Microsoft Forms).
  • Add a Delay with Copilot:
    • Prompt: “Wait 1 hour before sending an email.”
  • Copilot Generates:
    • Action: "Delay" → Configure:

      PT1H (ISO 8601 format for 1 hour)
      

💰 Example 3: Add a Conditional Approval Request

• Scenario: Request manager approval for invoices over $5,000.
• Steps:
  • Existing Flow:
    • Trigger: "When a new item is added" (SharePoint invoices list).
  • Add a Condition with Copilot:
    • Prompt: “Check if Amount is greater than 5000.”
  • Copilot Generates:
    • Condition:

      @greater(item()?['Amount'], 5000)
      

  • Add Approval Action:
    • Prompt: “Send an approval email to the manager.”
  • Copilot Generates:
    • Action: "Start and wait for an approval" → Configure approver, title, and details.

🚨 Advanced Example: Add Error Logging

• Scenario: Log errors to a SharePoint list if a flow step fails.
• Steps:
  • Existing Flow:
    • Action: "Create item in SharePoint" (error-prone step).
  • Add Error Handling with Copilot:
    • Prompt: “Log errors to SharePoint if this action fails.”
  • Copilot Generates:
    • Wrap the action in a Scope block.
    • Add a Catch block with:
      • Action: "Create item" (SharePoint error log).
      • Fields:

        Error: @{outputs('Create_item')?['body/error']}
        Timestamp: @{utcNow()}
        

✨ Best Practices

• 📝 Use Specific Prompts:
  • Instead of “Add email action,” use “Send email to the customer with order confirmation.”
• 🛠️ Combine Manual Edits:
  • Tweak Copilot’s suggestions (e.g., adjust delay times or add CC recipients).
• 🧪 Test Actions:
  • Use Test mode to validate new steps before deploying.

⚠️ Limitations

• Complex Logic: Copilot may not handle nested loops or advanced expressions (e.g., xpath()).
• Connector Permissions: Ensure shared users have access to added connectors (e.g., Teams, SharePoint).

🏆 Why Use Copilot for Adding Actions?

• ⏱️ Speed: Skip manual searches for connectors or syntax.
• 👨‍🏫 Learning: Discover new functions (e.g., coalesce(), formatDateTime()).
• ✅ Consistency: Reduce human error in repetitive tasks.

🔍 By leveraging Copilot to add actions, you can focus on workflow logic rather than technical syntax. Try it with prompts like:

• “Add a Teams approval for expense reports over $1,000”
• “Send an SMS alert if a SharePoint file isn’t uploaded by 5 PM”

Let me know if you’d like more examples! 🚀