creating flows from scratch using Copilot in Power Automate

 🚀 Creating Flows from Scratch with Copilot

Here’s a step-by-step guide to creating flows from scratch using Copilot in Power Automate, including how to leverage AI-powered prompts, real-time suggestions, and practical examples:

🤖 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.

⚙️ Example Scenario: Task Reminder System

• Goal: Create a flow that sends a Teams message ⏰ 24 hours before a task deadline stored in a SharePoint list.

🪜 Step-by-Step Flow Creation with Copilot

1️⃣ Start a New Flow

* Go to Power Automate → Create → Automated Cloud Flow.
* Name your flow (e.g., "Task Deadline Reminder").

2️⃣ Define the Trigger

* **Prompt Copilot:**
    * “Start when a task deadline is approaching in a SharePoint list.”
* **Copilot Suggestion:**
    * Adds a "When an item is modified" trigger (SharePoint).
    * Configures the site/list and filters items where DueDate is within 1 day:
        ```
        @lessOrEquals(
          div(sub(ticks(item()?['DueDate']), ticks(utcNow())), 864000000000
        , 1)
        ```

3️⃣ Add a Teams Notification

* **Prompt Copilot:**
    * “Send a message to Teams when a task is due soon.”
* **Copilot Suggestion:**
    * Adds "Post a message in a chat or channel" (Teams connector).
    * Generates dynamic content for the message:
        ```
        @concat(
          'Reminder: Task "', item()?['Title'],
          '" is due on ', formatDateTime(item()?['DueDate'], 'dd-MM-yyyy'), '.'
        )
        ```

4️⃣ Handle Errors

* **Prompt Copilot:**
    * “Add error handling if the Teams message fails.”
* **Copilot Suggestion:**
    * Wraps the Teams action in a Scope block.
    * Adds a Catch block to log errors to SharePoint:
        ```
        @concat('Error: ', outputs('Post_message')?['body/error'])
        ```

🗺️ Final Flow Structure

```
Trigger: When an item is modified (SharePoint)
├─── Condition: DueDate <= 1 day from now
│    ├─── Yes: Post Teams message
│    │    └─── Catch: Log error to SharePoint
│    └─── No: End flow
```

🧑‍💻 How to Use Copilot for Each Step

• Add an Action:
  • Click + New step → Ask Copilot.
  • Type a prompt like “Get the task owner’s email from SharePoint.”
  • Copilot generates the "Get user profile" action with dynamic content.
• Generate Expressions:
  • In an action field, click Ask Copilot → Describe your goal.
  • Example:
    • Prompt: “Calculate days left until the deadline.”
    • Copilot Output:

      @div(sub(ticks(item()?['DueDate']), ticks(utcNow())), 864000000000)
      

• Debug Logic:
  • Use Compose actions to test Copilot-generated expressions.

🤝 Advanced Example: Multi-Step Approval Flow

• Prompt: “Create a flow where a manager approves or rejects vacation requests in Outlook, then updates a SharePoint list.”
• Copilot Generates: * Trigger: When a new email arrives (Outlook, subject contains "Vacation Request"). * Extract Data: Uses split() to parse request details from the email body. * Condition: Checks if the request is for > 5 days. * Approval Action: Sends an adaptive card to Teams. * Update SharePoint: Based on the approval response.

✨ Benefits of Using Copilot

• ⏱️ Speed: Build flows in minutes instead of hours.
• 🎓 No-Code Learning Curve: Natural language replaces complex syntax.
• ✅ Error Reduction: Copilot auto-suggests best practices (e.g., error handling).

⚠️ Limitations

• Complex Logic: May require manual adjustments for nested conditions or loops.
• Connector Limits: Copilot can’t bypass DLP policies or licensing restrictions.

🏆 By combining Copilot’s AI assistance with your domain knowledge, you can rapidly prototype and deploy powerful automations. Let me know if you’d like more examples! 🚀