PART I - Power Automate Basics CONCEPTS : Create Flow And Connectors

Summary of the Subtitles (Power Automate Basics: Create Flow & Connectors)

Creating a Flow

• In the Power Automate portal, go to the Create section.
• Choose an automated cloud flow template.
• The flow creation UI prompts you for:
  • A flow name
  • A trigger (you can skip triggers initially and select them later).
• If you pick the wrong trigger (for example, an incorrect SharePoint option like “when an item is created”), you can delete and re-select a different trigger.

Trigger Selection

• Example SharePoint triggers mentioned include:
  • When an item is created
  • When an item is created or modified
• These triggers start the flow when specific events occur in a SharePoint list/library.
• The speaker also gives a scenario such as using “when a file is created in a folder” to notify a business owner when files/folders are updated—e.g., in cases involving document movement or retention policies.

Connectors

The portal provides multiple connector types:

1. Built-in connectors

   • “Available built-in connectors” used to build automation logic.

2. Standard connectors (free)

   • Included with Microsoft 365 / Power Platform licensing.

3. Premium connectors (paid)

   • Require payment.
   • May include a 90-day free trial.
   • Example: SQL Server for automations involving SQL Server.

What to Look for in a Connector

When selecting connectors, two key concepts are emphasized:

• Triggers: start the flow based on trigger conditions.
• Actions: run operations after the trigger.

Example actions mentioned:

• add attachment
• approve / approval-related actions
• join request
• check in / checkout files
• get items (to read list items)

Custom Connectors (Advanced)

• Custom connectors are described as powerful when built-in connectors don’t cover your scenario.
• Example use case:
  • Use Graph API to read Microsoft Message Center messages from admin.microsoft.com.
  • Goal: read messages sent to O365 admins, then categorize/bifurcate them by service category.
  • Output: place them into Microsoft Planner buckets.
• To enable this integration, you need to create a custom connector.
• Creation location mentioned:
  • Data → Custom connectors → Create custom connector (start with blank)

Video Wrap-Up

The speaker concludes by reiterating “create flow” and “connectors” as the main takeaways, and notes these will be used in upcoming real-world projects.

Main Speakers / Sources (as Mentioned)

• Speaker: “hello guys” instructor/host (no specific name provided)
• Primary platform sources: Microsoft Power Automate portal, SharePoint, Microsoft 365 / Power Platform
• Named Microsoft services/tools referenced:
  • SQL Server
  • Microsoft Graph API
  • admin.microsoft.com (Message Center)
  • Microsoft Planner