#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

[boonars]

🔍 Unlock Hidden Power in Power Automate with "Peek Code" – My Favorite Secret Tip

If you’ve ever built a flow in Power Automate and hit a wall trying to reference a deeply nested value, or wondered how to extract that one field that just won’t show up in the Dynamic Content pane — I’ve been there too. Today, I’m sharing one of my favorite “secret sauce” tips that every serious Power Automate user should know: 💡 Use “Peek Code” to uncover the true structure of your flow and…

[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…

[ritikay]

Azure Power Platform: Transforming Businesses with Low-Code Automation & AI-Driven Insights  

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, businesses need scalable, secure, and efficient solutions to stay competitive. Azure Power Platform, a combination of Microsoft Azure and Microsoft Power Platform, provides an integrated approach to app development, automation, and data analytics. 

What is Azure Power Platform? 

Azure Power Platform enables organizations to build custom applications, automate workflows, and analyze data while leveraging enterprise-grade security and AI capabilities. 

Key Components of Power Platform: 

Power Apps – A low-code development tool for building custom business applications. 

Power Automate – Enables workflow automation, reducing manual tasks and boosting productivity. 

Power BI – A business intelligence tool that transforms raw data into actionable insights. 

Power Virtual Agents – AI-powered chatbot development to enhance customer service. 

How Azure Enhances Power Platform? 

Microsoft Azure, a leading cloud computing platform, powers the integration of AI, machine learning, and secure data storage with Power Platform. This allows businesses to:  ✔ Scale applications with Azure SQL and Azure Blob Storage.  ✔ Automate workflows with Azure Functions and Logic Apps.  ✔ Gain real-time data insights using Azure Data Lake and Synapse Analytics.  ✔ Ensure security with Azure Active Directory and Key Vault. 

Benefits of Azure Power Platform Integration: 

Scalability – Adapt to business growth seamlessly.  Security & Compliance – Leverage Azure’s robust security framework.  Cost-Efficiency – Reduce development costs with low-code automation.  Data-Driven Decisions – Optimize strategies with real-time analytics. 

Many industries, from retail to healthcare and finance, are leveraging Azure Power Platform for digital transformation. 

[decoupledlogic]

Creating an AgenticOps Powered Email Workflow

Time to put some meat on this AgenticOps bone. In this post we walk through a simple workflow to handle your email inbox with Microsoft Power Automate.

Workflow Overview This is workflow seems simple enough to wrap our heads around. It is complex enough to get a feel for how to build an AgenticOps workflow. You do not need to use an overly complicated platform. Yet, I’m very technical and analytical in my old age. This is easy for me, but it may be harder if you don’t deal with building with technology daily. However, anyone with a little…

[darkyayincilik]

Power Automate

Günümüz iş dünyasında verimlilik ve etkinlik, başarıya ulaşmanın anahtar unsurlarından biridir. İş süreçlerini optimize etmek ve tekrarlayan görevlerden tasarruf sağlamak için birçok araç ve yöntem geliştirilmiştir. Bu araçlardan biri de Microsoft’un sunduğu Power Automate platformudur. Power Automate, kullanıcıların iş akışlarını otomatikleştirmelerine, zaman kazanmalarına ve hataları minimize…

[kausalvikash-blog]

Power Automate vs. Power Apps: Understanding Their Unique Roles in Business Automation

Automation and app development are the two significant areas that make business more efficient. Among the tools that facilitate this, Microsoft's PowerApps vs PowerAutomate are the two tools which help in this area. The user can create a custom app in a very short time with a PowerApps training course and less coding compared to the traditional method, and Power Automate automates repetitive tasks across applications.

As per reports recently 85% of businesses already use automation tools for optimizing workflows. Both do integrate with Microsoft services as well as third-party applications but have different purposes.

This article at Emergenteck explores the functionalities, differences, and ideal use cases of PowerApps vs PowerAutomate, making it possible for you to determine what is best applied to any situation to drive maximum value in your business operations between Power Automate vs Power Apps.

1. Overview of Power Apps and Power Automate

Power Apps is a low-code platform that enables its users to develop specific web and mobile apps meant for streamlining business operations. It does not demand deeper technical knowledge. On the other hand, Power Automate automates workflows between several different apps and services by helping reduce manual work as much as possible and improve productivity.

Both Power Automate vs Power Apps come within Microsoft's Power Platform with integrated applications from both Microsoft and third-party platforms meant to drive efficiency in all areas of business.

A. Power Apps

Power Apps is a low-code platform that enables users to create custom applications for web and mobile, allowing businesses to automate processes, streamline workflows, and improve productivity without deep coding skills.

Purpose:

Power Apps is a low-code development platform intended to make it easy and fast for businesses to build custom applications that don't necessarily require much technical programming knowledge. The idea is for "citizen developers"- non-technical users in organizations-to create apps around their business needs.

Functionality:

Users can design web and mobile applications with Power Apps. There are templates which users can use to create the application, drag-and-drop interfaces, or even by writing their code. Power Apps provides features in data integration, forms, and reports. With these, internal apps are possible in business environments, like handling customer management and employee workflows and gathering information.

Integration:

With connectors, you can easily connect PowerApps to other Microsoft products, like SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Excel, and other external data sources. With regard to connecting cloud databases and on-premises data, Power Apps allows wide options for integration.

Use Cases:

Some common applications of Power Apps include the following:

Customized CRM apps

Apps for employee onboarding

Inventory management solutions

Custom approval workflows

Data collection on fieldwork

B. Power Automate

Power Automate is a workflow automation tool for connecting apps and services to automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, improve efficiency, reduce manual work, and enhance productivity in business operations.

Power Automate, formerly known as Microsoft Flow, is the automation of workflow between apps and services. It aims to automate manual tasks by developing automated processes that save time, reduce errors, and increase productivity in general.

Functionality:

The core capability of Power Automate is the flow. The flows are workflows that can execute actions based on the given conditions, and an example would be triggering an action each time a new record is added to a database or saving a document automatically to SharePoint whenever a form has been submitted.

Integration:

Just like Power Apps, Power Automate connects to many Microsoft products and services outside of the company. The product has more than 500 connectors available for users to automate tasks between other popular platforms like Office 365, Dynamics 365, Salesforce, and Google services. It also connects to systems such as databases, social media, and email platforms, so it's very versatile for businesses having different needs.

Use Cases:

Power Automate is used for

Automating approval workflows

Auto-sync data between applications

Developing alerting systems with rules for specific triggers

Tracking and managing service desk requests and incidents

Setting up lead generation workflow

C. Key Differences: Power Apps vs Power Automate

Although PowerApps vs PowerAutomate belong to the same Power Platform, their purposes and applications differ significantly:

Core Functionality: The main application is Power Apps, which is used in application development. Users create custom applications with minimal use of code writing. It uses Power Automate, which enables users to automate workflows and procedures among different applications and services.

Customized vs Automation: Power Apps is for companies requiring developed custom interfaces or mobile apps to support certain functionalities, while Power Automate should be used to automate specific repeated activities, transfers, and interactions between different apps.

User Interaction: Power Apps is more involving users since it involves designing custom apps that the employees or customers can use. The Power Automate runs in the background automating specific tasks and only needs users to input directly after initiating the automation process.

D. When to Use Each Tool: Power Automate vs Power Apps

The question of which tool to use is essentially a question of knowing how to use them. First, know what you're doing with your business when you are looking for Power Automate vs Power Apps:

Power Apps in use when:

You need to design a custom application for internal or external consumption.

You require a straightforward end-user interface for inputting or retrieving information for your employees or customers.

Your business process needs mobile and web applications customized to your company's application domains.

Apply Power Automate if:

You want to automate repetitive tasks like approval, notification, or syncing of data.

You want to integrate multiple applications and services for the smooth running of your workflow.

You need to save time by automating manual processes and reducing human errors.

PowerApps vs PowerAutomateare among the most important tools for any business in the current digital environment. While Power Apps help create applications tailored to the needs of a business, Power Automate helps automate workflows that could be repetitive. They possess strong business automation solutions through the saving of time spent in manual executions and obtain more efficiency in operations.

If someone is looking forward to getting hands-on experience, then getting enrolled in a PowerApps training course at Emergenteck may be a good starting point to master these tools. Knowing PowerApps vs PowerAutomate, and their strengths, will surely drive productivity and innovation in your business processes.

[tips-of-pc-life]

Microsoft365アプリ×PowerAutomateで業務効率化 | ドクセル

[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

[vbeyonddigital]

How Power Automate Transforms Workflows in Minutes

Streamlining workflows quickly and efficiently is a top priority for businesses aiming to enhance productivity and reduce operational costs. Power Automate Services, a robust tool from Microsoft, stands out as a valuable solution for automating processes, saving time, and improving accuracy across various business functions.

Automating Routine Tasks

One of the primary benefits of Power Automate Services is its ability to handle repetitive tasks without human intervention. Tasks like data entry, invoice processing, and form approvals are often time-consuming and tedious when done manually. With Power Automate, businesses can set up workflows that complete these tasks automatically, reducing hours spent on repetitive work.

For instance, an accounts payable team can use Power Automate to process invoices by extracting essential information, forwarding the data to a relevant system, and notifying the responsible team member. This automation eliminates delays, minimizes errors, and allows the team to focus on higher-priority tasks, leading to faster processing and more efficient operations.

Enhancing Data Accuracy and Consistency

Human error is a common challenge in manual workflows, especially in data-heavy industries. Errors in data entry or approvals can disrupt business processes, delay project timelines, and create compliance issues. Power Automate Services mitigates this risk by ensuring data accuracy and consistency at every step.

Through automated data validation checks, Power Automate verifies that each entry meets set criteria before proceeding to the next stage of the workflow. For example, if data is missing or improperly formatted, Power Automate will trigger an alert, allowing for quick adjustments without manual monitoring. This level of oversight not only enhances accuracy but also provides teams with confidence that their processes are running smoothly.

Facilitating Seamless Integration Across Platforms

Modern businesses rely on multiple applications, both cloud-based and on-premises. Power Automate Services enables these systems to work together seamlessly by connecting them in an integrated workflow. Whether it’s syncing data between customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, linking databases, or managing information flows across email and document storage, Power Automate acts as a bridge between systems.

For example, a sales team can integrate Power Automate with their CRM and email applications, allowing information to move effortlessly between these platforms. When a new lead is entered into the CRM, Power Automate can immediately notify the team, assign tasks, and log the details into project management software. This ensures that team members stay informed and equipped to act quickly.

Optimizing Communication and Task Management

Power Automate Services also supports efficient communication within teams and with clients. By setting up notifications and reminders, teams can ensure that tasks and deadlines are never overlooked. These notifications can be customized to align with each step of a workflow, keeping everyone informed of their responsibilities.

For instance, as a project progresses, Power Automate can automatically send reminders for upcoming deadlines, alert team members about task assignments, and even notify clients of updates. This keeps workflows moving without interruptions and helps teams provide clients with timely information, enhancing the overall customer experience.

Strengthening Compliance and Security

Data security and regulatory compliance are essential for businesses, particularly when handling sensitive information. Power Automate Services includes tools to manage these requirements efficiently, with features that help protect data and ensure compliance with industry standards.

By enabling access controls and automating logging, Power Automate maintains detailed records of every action taken within a workflow. Sensitive data is only accessible to authorized personnel, and every update or change is logged for auditing purposes. This functionality supports compliance with regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, and industry-specific standards, making it easier for companies to protect data without added manual effort.

VBeyond Digital: Empowering Businesses Through Automation

At VBeyond Digital, we specialize in helping businesses implement Power Automate Services to improve workflows, reduce manual work, and drive growth. Our team understands the nuances of automation and tailors solutions that align with specific operational goals. By partnering with VBeyond Digital, companies can unlock the full potential of Power Automate, achieving seamless automation and enhanced productivity.

Conclusion

Power Automate transforms workflows by automating repetitive tasks, ensuring data accuracy, integrating systems, and improving communication. With these capabilities, businesses can streamline processes and focus more on strategic priorities. Power Automate Services offers a pathway to greater efficiency and productivity, making it a valuable asset for companies looking to enhance their operations and stay ahead in a competitive environment.

[techtrends]

Power Automate vs. UiPath: Find the Perfect Fit

When evaluating Power Automate against UiPath, it’s crucial to understand which tool aligns best with your organization’s unique needs and objectives. Here are some key considerations, explaining why Power Automate often stands out as a preferred choice for many businesses: Nature of Tasks: For companies focused on automating simpler, repetitive processes, Power Automate offers a user-friendly…

[selossej]

Formation Power Automate : Créer un Flux d’Approbation

1 Jour pour Automatiser vos Processus d’Approbation et Optimiser votre Productivité Découvrez comment utiliser Microsoft Power Automate pour concevoir et déployer un flux d’approbation efficace. Cette formation d’une journée à Bruxelles vous guide pas à pas dans la création d’automatisations qui simplifient la gestion des demandes et des validations au sein de votre organisation. Vous apprendrez…