What Is Microsoft Flow? (All You Need To Know)

If you are finding that many of your employees are doing repetitive tasks that could be done simply and more efficiently by a computer, you are most likely looking to find a solution and have come across the term, Microsoft Flow.

If this sounds like you, this article is necessary for you to read as it will teach you everything you need to know about MS Flow and if it is right for you and your needs!

What Is Microsoft Flow In [currentyear]?

Microsoft Flow is a solution that helps you to automate essential but repetitive daily tasks within your organization in [currentyear]. This helps free up your employee’s day to do the work that actually matters, as productivity is extremely vital for teams to perform at their optimal state. 

If you are interested in learning how Microsoft Flow works and how it can help you to boost your team’s productivity, you’ll want to keep reading!

What Does Microsoft Flow Do?

Microsoft Flow is an application within the Office 365 suite that allows you to create customized workflows without the need to code easily. 

Furthermore, a Workflow is any sequence of tasks that you would like to do automatically. 

So, it allows you to complete admin-based tasks that need to be done over and over again.

As an example, say you regularly get customer inquiry emails in your MS Outlook inbox. 

Whenever this happens, you forward these emails to the sales team to let them know of a new lead.

With Microsoft Flow, you can automate this by setting a trigger when the email comes into your inbox, it will be automatically sent to where it needs to go.

How Do You Use Microsoft Flow?

Microsoft Flow makes it easy for you to create a task as simple as sending email alerts to specific people within your company.

In fact, with Flow, you can perform any task from copying files to retrieving data from an SQL database. 

To begin using this program, you will need to create one of three types of workflow, based on the triggering event. 

Furthermore, the first one is an automated flow, which is triggered when an event or condition is met and it can be anything from a file being uploaded to an email being received.

Which, is, in fact, the most common way of using Flow.

The second way is a button flow, which is manually triggered when you press a button. 

Additionally, this way is useful for automating a long series of repetitive tasks with a single action. 

Then, the last option is a scheduled flow, which automatically executes based on a time schedule that you can set as a one-time thing, or recurring. 

Also, if you opt for a paid plan, you can also have additional triggers, like allowing you to set business workflows based on the type of data entered on a form.

What Are Some Features Of Microsoft Flow?

What Are Some Features Of Microsoft Flow?

Microsoft Flow gives you the ability to connect with a wide variety of applications, not even just Microsoft products. 

Furthermore, with Flow, you can initiate complex task sequences between apps and services like SQL server, Dropbox, Salesforce, Slack, and Google Drive.

Additionally, with it, it can be possible for non-technical employees to create complex workflows without the need for a developer or a programmer. 

This then helps to free up your IT department to work on more mission-critical tasks. 

Plus, Flow has an administration feature that allows moderators to manage users and permissions.

Microsoft Flow is also made to be extremely user-friendly as it has an easy-to-use interface and it also includes templates for the most common tasks. 

Who Can Use Microsoft Flow?

As long as you are signed up for a free Microsoft account, you can use Flow. 

Additionally, those who have an Office 365 subscription can also use Flow. 

You can also get business versions of Flow, however, the level you get will depend on your Office 365, and Dynamics 365 subscription.

So, you can decide what you need from Flow, and pick and choose a plan that works best for you. 

Below, is a chart with all of the information you will need in order to choose which plan is right for you:

Plan

Per User Plan

Per User Plan With Attended RPA

Per Flow Plan

Price

$15 per user/ month

$40 per user/ month

$100 per/ month; minimum 5 flows

What It Does

Allow individual users to automate cloud apps, services, and data with digital process automation (DPA). This plan allows users to create and run unlimited flows.

Allows the same capabilities as the base user plan, plus the ability to automate legacy apps on a desktop via robotic process automation (RPA) in attended mode.

Allow unlimited users within an organization to run digital process automation (DPA) from the same flow.

What It Includes

  • Cloud flows

  • Cloud flows

  • Desktop flows in attended mode

  • 5,000 AI Builder credits/ month

  • Cloud flows

To know more, you can also read our posts on whether Microsoft Teams is free, whether Microsoft OneDrive is free, and how Microsoft makes money.

Conclusion 

Microsoft Flow is the solution you have been looking for to help you with automating essential but repetitive daily tasks within your organization.

Furthermore, with MS Flow, your employees will have more time on their hands, and they will be able to do the work that matters most, plus the productivity will certainly go up meaning your business will run more effortlessly. 

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Cara Suppa

Cara Suppa has been freelance writing for over a decade and holds a BA in English and an MS in Integrated Marketing Communications. Outside of work, she is an avid cook, gardener, and discount shopper.

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