#power automate

[lazeecomet]

The Story of KLogs: What happens when an Mechanical Engineer codes

Since i no longer work at Wearhouse Automation Startup (WAS for short) and havnt for many years i feel as though i should recount the tale of the most bonkers program i ever wrote, but we need to establish some background

WAS has its HQ very far away from the big customer site and i worked as a Field Service Engineer (FSE) on site. so i learned early on that if a problem needed to be solved fast, WE had to do it. we never got many updates on what was coming down the pipeline for us or what issues were being worked on. this made us very independent

As such, we got good at reading the robot logs ourselves. it took too much time to send the logs off to HQ for analysis and get back what the problem was. we can read. now GETTING the logs is another thing.

the early robots we cut our teeth on used 2.4 gHz wifi to communicate with FSE's so dumping the logs was as simple as pushing a button in a little application and it would spit out a txt file

later on our robots were upgraded to use a 2.4 mHz xbee radio to communicate with us. which was FUCKING SLOW. and log dumping became a much more tedious process. you had to connect, go to logging mode, and then the robot would vomit all the logs in the past 2 min OR the entirety of its memory bank (only 2 options) into a terminal window. you would then save the terminal window and open it in a text editor to read them. it could take up to 5 min to dump the entire log file and if you didnt dump fast enough, the ACK messages from the control server would fill up the logs and erase the error as the memory overwrote itself.

this missing logs problem was a Big Deal for software who now weren't getting every log from every error so a NEW method of saving logs was devised: the robot would just vomit the log data in real time over a DIFFERENT radio and we would save it to a KQL server. Thanks Daddy Microsoft.

now whats KQL you may be asking. why, its Microsofts very own SQL clone! its Kusto Query Language. never mind that the system uses a SQL database for daily operations. lets use this proprietary Microsoft thing because they are paying us

so yay, problem solved. we now never miss the logs. so how do we read them if they are split up line by line in a database? why with a query of course!

select * from tbLogs where RobotUID = [64CharLongString] and timestamp > [UnixTimeCode]

if this makes no sense to you, CONGRATULATIONS! you found the problem with this setup. Most FSE's were BAD at SQL which meant they didnt read logs anymore. If you do understand what the query is, CONGRATULATIONS! you see why this is Very Stupid.

You could not search by robot name. each robot had some arbitrarily assigned 64 character long string as an identifier and the timestamps were not set to local time. so you had run a lookup query to find the right name and do some time zone math to figure out what part of the logs to read. oh yeah and you had to download KQL to view them. so now we had both SQL and KQL on our computers

NOBODY in the field like this.

But Daddy Microsoft comes to the rescue

see we didnt JUST get KQL with part of that deal. we got the entire Microsoft cloud suite. and some people (like me) had been automating emails and stuff with Power Automate

This is Microsoft Power Automate. its Microsoft's version of Scratch but it has hooks into everything Microsoft. SharePoint, Teams, Outlook, Excel, it can integrate with all of it. i had been using it to send an email once a day with a list of all the robots in maintenance.

this gave me an idea

and i checked

and Power Automate had hooks for KQL

KLogs is actually short for Kusto Logs

I did not know how to program in Power Automate but damn it anything is better then writing KQL queries. so i got to work. and about 2 months later i had a BEHEMOTH of a Power Automate program. it lagged the webpage and many times when i tried to edit something my changes wouldn't take and i would have to click in very specific ways to ensure none of my variables were getting nuked. i dont think this was the intended purpose of Power Automate but this is what it did

the KLogger would watch a list of Teams chats and when someone typed "klogs" or pasted a copy of an ERROR mesage, it would spring into action.

it extracted the robot name from the message and timestamp from teams

it would lookup the name in the database to find the 64 long string UID and the location that robot was assigned too

it would reply to the message in teams saying it found a robot name and was getting logs

it would run a KQL query for the database and get the control system logs then export then into a CSV

it would save the CSV with the a .xls extension into a folder in ShairPoint (it would make a new folder for each day and location if it didnt have one already)

it would send ANOTHER message in teams with a LINK to the file in SharePoint

it would then enter a loop and scour the robot logs looking for the keyword ESTOP to find the error. (it did this because Kusto was SLOWER then the xbee radio and had up to a 10 min delay on syncing)

if it found the error, it would adjust its start and end timestamps to capture it and export the robot logs book-ended from the event by ~ 1 min. if it didnt, it would use the timestamp from when it was triggered +/- 5 min

it saved THOSE logs to SharePoint the same way as before

it would send ANOTHER message in teams with a link to the files

it would then check if the error was 1 of 3 very specific type of error with the camera. if it was it extracted the base64 jpg image saved in KQL as a byte array, do the math to convert it, and save that as a jpg in SharePoint (and link it of course)

and then it would terminate. and if it encountered an error anywhere in all of this, i had logic where it would spit back an error message in Teams as plaintext explaining what step failed and the program would close gracefully

I deployed it without asking anyone at one of the sites that was struggling. i just pointed it at their chat and turned it on. it had a bit of a rocky start (spammed chat) but man did the FSE's LOVE IT.

about 6 months later software deployed their answer to reading the logs: a webpage that acted as a nice GUI to the KQL database. much better then an CSV file

it still needed you to scroll though a big drop-down of robot names and enter a timestamp, but i noticed something. all that did was just change part of the URL and refresh the webpage

SO I MADE KLOGS 2 AND HAD IT GENERATE THE URL FOR YOU AND REPLY TO YOUR MESSAGE WITH IT. (it also still did the control server and jpg stuff). Theres a non-zero chance that klogs was still in use long after i left that job

now i dont recommend anyone use power automate like this. its clunky and weird. i had to make a variable called "Carrage Return" which was a blank text box that i pressed enter one time in because it was incapable of understanding /n or generating a new line in any capacity OTHER then this (thanks support forum).

im also sure this probably is giving the actual programmer people anxiety. imagine working at a company and then some rando you've never seen but only heard about as "the FSE whos really good at root causing stuff", in a department that does not do any coding, managed to, in their spare time, build and release and entire workflow piggybacking on your work without any oversight, code review, or permission.....and everyone liked it

[aarasolutions1]

Automate your SMB workflows effortlessly with Microsoft PowerApps – discover how in Aara Solutions’ insightful blog post “PowerApps for SMB Workflow Automation.”

Designed for small and medium-sized businesses, this article reveals how PowerApps enables you to build custom low-code applications that streamline key processes like:

Expense requests, leave approvals, and purchase order workflows via custom apps

Data collection, inventory updates, and internal routing without spreadsheets

Seamless integration with Microsoft 365, SharePoint, Teams, and external APIs

Minimal manual touchpoints for faster, error-free processing

✔ Benefits you’ll gain:

Accelerated turnaround time and improved staff productivity

Higher transparency and traceability across workflows

Reduced dependency on manual or paper-based systems

Tailored app deployments to suit SMB-specific requirements

Aara Solutions offers full-service support—from app design and integration to user training and ongoing maintenance—ensuring PowerApps aligns perfectly with your business needs.

[webplayx]

Power Automate Desktop Tutorial for Beginners: Step-by-Step

Looking to get started with automation? This beginner-friendly Power Automate Desktop tutorial walks you through installing the tool and creating your first automation—no coding required. Learn to save time and boost productivity today! Imagine if your computer could handle repetitive tasks for you—like opening an app, typing notes, sending emails, or copying data—without you lifting a finger.…

[kailashr2k]

🤖 In a Power Automate world, are workflow activities still worth your time? With all the buzz around flows and low-code automation, it’s easy to forget the old veterans still lurking in many solutions… 👀 But here’s a question for you Have you retired custom workflow activities or are they still holding their ground in your Power Platform projects? I just published a blog diving into this exact debate would love to hear where you stand. #PowerPlatform #Dynamics365 #Dataverse #PowerAutomate

[vbeyound]

Maximizing Workflow Efficiency with Microsoft Power Automate

Microsoft Power Automate is transforming how organizations manage their daily operations by offering simple yet effective automation solutions. From reducing manual workloads to improving process accuracy, businesses are adopting Power Automate Microsoft to eliminate repetitive tasks and focus on value-driven activities.

Microsoft Power Automate enables businesses to connect multiple applications and services, both Microsoft and third-party, to design workflows that can run automatically. The platform simplifies routine approvals, alerts, notifications, and data processing with a drag-and-drop interface, making automation accessible to employees without any coding expertise.

Top Features of Microsoft Power Automate

Cloud Flows: Create automated workflows that connect your applications and services to sync files, get notifications, and collect data efficiently.

Desktop Flows: Automate legacy software and on-premise tasks using robotic process automation (RPA). With Ms Power Automate, businesses can extend automation to desktop environments without needing to replace their existing systems.

AI Builder Integration: Enhance your flows with artificial intelligence to process forms, predict outcomes, and detect text or sentiment from data sources without hiring data scientists.

Process Mining and Insights: Analyze current processes with built-in tools to identify inefficiencies and generate suggestions for process improvements.

How Microsoft Power Automate Helps Business Operations

Reduces manual intervention, minimizing errors and improving accuracy

Shortens approval cycles by automatically routing requests to decision-makers

Simplifies employee onboarding by automating documentation and provisioning access

Assists customer service teams by routing tickets and generating automated responses

Improves marketing campaigns by auto-sending responses and lead follow-ups

Enhances sales performance by syncing leads and opportunity updates across systems

With such versatility, Power Automate Microsoft enables companies to reallocate human effort to higher-value initiatives while improving operational response times.

Integration with Broader Microsoft Ecosystem

One of the biggest strengths of Microsoft Power Automate lies in its seamless integration with Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, SharePoint, and Teams. Employees can trigger flows directly from Teams chats or Outlook emails, ensuring real-time actions without switching applications.

Ms Power Automate also supports integration with Azure, Power BI, and Power Apps, building a cohesive low-code ecosystem that simplifies operations, reporting, and custom app development across departments.

Popular Use Cases

Automated approval requests in HR, finance, and procurement

Real-time lead capture and distribution in sales teams

Scheduled report generation and data visualization updates

Automatic response routing in customer support

Social media post monitoring and alerting for marketing teams

Daily backup scheduling and notification in IT departments

These examples highlight how Power Automate Microsoft reduces the time spent on routine tasks across multiple departments.

VBeyond Digital’s Role in Power Automate Enablement

VBeyond Digital helps organizations successfully implement Microsoft Power Automate with custom-designed workflows, training, and post-deployment support. Their specialists ensure automation aligns with your organization’s existing processes and growth goals.

With experience in low-code automation, Ms Power Automate configuration, and multi-platform integration, VBeyond Digital builds scalable, cost-efficient automation solutions. Their approach focuses on reducing manual workloads while maintaining operational control, enabling businesses to operate with increased efficiency.

Conclusion

Microsoft Power Automate serves as a practical tool for businesses to modernize workflows without extensive development cycles. With easy-to-configure flows, AI capabilities, and seamless Microsoft 365 integration, organizations can quickly streamline operations and focus on strategic activities.

VBeyond Digital ensures businesses experience the full benefit of Microsoft Power Automate through expert consultation and deployment services. Whether it’s sales, finance, HR, or IT, automation helps unlock efficiency while supporting employee productivity.

[boonars]

🔔 Power Pages 2025: Top 10 Features You Shouldn't Miss! From AI-powered website creation to advanced RBAC, Copilot chat, and mobile-first designs — Microsoft Power Pages has leveled up in 2025! 🚀 ✅ Build websites using natural language ✅ Trigger Power Automate flows directly from your portal ✅ Deploy across environments with one-click ALM ✅ Analyze performance using Azure Insights ✅ And much more! Explore all the new features and how they impact citizen devs and pro devs alike #PowerPages #MicrosoftPowerPlatform #LowCode #Copilot #PowerAutomate #AzureInsights #PowerApps #Dynamics365 #BusinessApplications #PowerPages2025 #DigitalTransformation #NoCode #AI

[ritikay]

From Routine to Remarkable: How Power Automate Frees Your Team to Do Their Best Work

Most teams don’t lose time in big, obvious ways it slips away in tiny, repetitive tasks that pile up quietly each day. From manual data entry to chasing approvals and sending the same email over and over, these everyday routines drain energy, slow progress, and hold back the true potential of your workforce.

Power Automate steps in as a practical fix to this hidden inefficiency. It’s not about replacing jobs it’s about giving your people the time and space to focus on what really matters. This low-code platform connects your favorite apps, automates workflows, and keeps processes moving smoothly behind the scenes. Whether it’s Outlook, SharePoint, Salesforce, or even older legacy systems, Power Automate bridges the gaps, handles the handoffs, and keeps everything running efficiently.

By automating repetitive work, teams gain back hours every week. That means faster approvals, fewer errors, and a more energized workforce that’s no longer stuck in the loop of busywork. Imagine receiving instant alerts for important emails, having customer data seamlessly flow into your CRM, or automatically organizing and archiving documents all without lifting a finger.

The benefits go beyond saved time. With fewer mistakes, cleaner data, and better consistency, your business becomes more reliable. Teams work with confidence knowing they’re supported by systems that catch the details and execute without fail. And because automation scales effortlessly, you’re set up to grow without needing to grow headcount in lockstep.

Perhaps the most important shift is cultural. When teams stop spending time on mundane tasks, they start thinking more creatively. They solve problems, engage more deeply with customers, and bring fresh ideas to the table. That’s not just good for morale it’s the foundation for meaningful growth.

Power Automate doesn’t just improve how things work. It changes what your team can do. By freeing people from the repetitive, it opens the door to the remarkable. That’s where innovation begins.

[laidbackmarco]

Workplace Automation with Google

“I choose a lazy person to do a hard job. Because a lazy person will find an easy way to do it.” Bill Gates When Bill Gates talks about choosing a lazy person to do a job, he’s not referring to an irresponsible person not willing to do any work. Instead, there’s a special level of laziness where a person assigned a task is willing to find a more efficient way of doing complex or repetitive…

[nishantrana]

Favorite your Actions and Connectors for quick retrieval in Cloud Flows (Power Automate)

With this new update in Power Automate, it’s now easier for us to find and use the actions and connectors we need. We can also quickly access tools and AI features while building flows. This helps save time and makes the flow-building experience smoother. Here is a screenshot of the new connector and action pane in Power Automate, below we have added Dataverse connector and some of its action as…

[suarezsara]

Innovation and automation are not mere buzzwords, instead, they are catalysts for businesses to thrive in today's hyper-competitive business landscape. With Power Automate, businesses can supercharge workforce productivity by automating repetitive tasks, streamlining workflows, and eliminating human errors. Read this detailed post to understand how Power Automate consulting can help you achieve operational excellence.

https://www.damcogroup.com/blogs/achieve-operational-excellence-with-power-automate-consulting

[lazeecomet]

Holy shit we have Microsoft power automate here and it's not locked down

I just wrote a flow that emails myself the current date and time

I can get up to such nefarious shit with this

[chattingwithmodels]

Power Automate

🚀 TLDR: Microsoft Power Automate is your all-in-one tool to automate tasks and processes (cloud flows + desktop bots 🤖). It’s super integrated with all things Microsoft (Office 365, Dynamics, etc.) and even has AI built in 💡. Great for Microsoft users looking to streamline work, competing with other automation tools out there! ✨ Gemini 2.5 Pro Deep Research Microsoft Power Automate: A…

[selossej]

Formation Intégration Power Automate & Power Apps à Bruxelles

Automatisez et Connectez vos Processus Métiers en Une Journée Découvrez comment combiner Microsoft Power Automate et Power Apps pour créer des solutions intégrées qui automatisent vos processus métiers et offrent une expérience utilisateur fluide. Cette formation d’une journée à Bruxelles vous permettra de comprendre l’interconnexion entre ces deux outils et de concevoir des applications…