Course Outline
Overview of the Microsoft Power Platform and its organizational objectives
- Course objectives and application of Power Platform capabilities for government operations
- Introduction to the Power Platform ecosystem and integrated tool functionality
Identification of business processes selected for automation
- Case Study: Automating the Loan Drawdown workflow
Power Virtual Agents
- Introduction to Power Virtual Agents and deployment on external websites
- Case study demonstrating internal and external implementation scenarios
- Configuration of SharePoint repositories for bot knowledge base files
- Installation and configuration of the Power Virtual Agents app within Microsoft Teams
- Development of the initial Copilot assistant
- Navigation of the Power Virtual Agents canvas within Microsoft Teams
- Construction of primary conversation topics
- Implementation of variables to enhance topic logic
- directing users to distinct topics within the agent
- Configuration of Call to Action nodes
- Integration of survey mechanisms prior to bot publication
- Publication of the bot through Microsoft Teams for government users
Power Automate
- Overview of Power Automate (Cloud) and its operational benefits
- Definition and classification of manual processes
- Distinction between Power Automate Cloud and Power Automate Desktop
- Development of the initial automated flow
- integration of conditional logic within triggers
- Implementation of conditional branches within flows
- Utilization of pre-built templates for flow creation
- Development of an instant cloud flow utilizing Excel data sources
- Establishment of an automated approval workflow using Microsoft Forms and Teams Approvals
Power Apps
- Overview of Power Apps and its operational utility
- Criteria for selecting Power Apps as a solution
- Introduction to Canvas apps
- Best practices and constraints regarding Power Apps templates
- creation of the initial application, including the Welcome Screen
- Application of ChatGPT assistance for formula generation in Power Apps
- connection to the primary data source: SharePoint Project List
- Implementation of Button controls within the application interface
- development of the primary screen, specifically the Update Tasks module
- establishment of secondary data connections
- Application of filtering techniques within Power Apps
- Utilization of Gallery controls for data display
- Declaration and management of variables within the application logic
- integration of tertiary data sources
- Application of filtering to Gallery displays
- Enhancement of Gallery controls with additional interface elements
- Utilization of the Patch function for data submission to SharePoint
- Verification of data integrity following task submissions
- Implementation of hidden toggle controls to manage Patch function filters
- Application of conditional filtering within the Patch function
- Validation of results post-application of Patch filters
- creation of the Success confirmation screen
- Publication and distribution of the application
Supplementary Module: Incorporating image capture capabilities into the application
- Integration of camera controls and configuration of SharePoint columns for data storage
Supplementary Module: Integration with Power BI for automated reporting and notifications
- Establishment of data connectivity from SharePoint to Power BI
- Configuration of data tables and publication of reports to the Power BI Service
- development of Power BI queries to interface with Power Automate
- Execution of dataset queries within Power Automate flow design
- Utilization of Power BI table columns within Power Automate workflows
- Configuration of dynamic biweekly automated execution schedules
- Formatting data tables for visual clarity in email reports
Supplementary Module: Integration of Power Automate within Power Virtual Agents
- Use of Power Automate to retrieve and transmit data from SharePoint lists to users
- Use of Power Automate to export user-provided data to Excel spreadsheets
Summary and recommended next steps
Requirements
Intended Audience:
- Business Analysts: Professionals seeking to automate routine workflows and processes, create custom applications with limited coding requirements, and enhance data visualization and reporting functionalities for government operations.
- IT Professionals: Individuals dedicated to streamlining operational efficiencies through automation, integrating disparate systems and services, and supporting organizational digital transformation efforts tailored for government entities.
- Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners: Leaders aiming to implement cost-effective management solutions, leverage technology for competitive advantage, and improve customer engagement and operational efficiency within the public sector context.
- Students and Graduates: Aspiring professionals eager to acquire skills in high-demand technological areas, gain practical experience with industry-standard tools, and establish a robust foundation in low-code/no-code development practices applicable for government.
- Project Managers: Practitioners focused on optimizing project workflows and task management, automating repetitive activities to prioritize strategic planning, and deploying efficient collaborative tools to enhance team productivity.
- HR Professionals: Specialists targeting the automation of human resources functions such as onboarding, leave administration, and feedback mechanisms, utilizing custom applications for employee data analytics to improve the overall personnel experience.
- General Learners: Individuals interested in mastering task automation and application development without extensive programming expertise, exploring capabilities within Power Virtual Agents, Power Automate, and Power Apps to address real-world challenges with practical solutions.
Testimonials (3)
Practical and hands on labs on report developmemt using Power BI The labs were excellent and the trainer offered very good hands on sessions
Sinzala Sichaanji - Bank of Zambia
Course - Mastering Power Platform: Power Apps, Power Automate, DataVerse, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents
We did quite complex examples, so we could get a feeling of how the real work with Power Automate Desktop can look like in the real world scenario.
Michal Strnad - MicroNova AG
Course - Microsoft Flow/Power Automate
Dynamic, adaptive, and informative