Automation saves time and reduces errors. These 15 Power Automate workflows demonstrate how Swiss companies can automate repetitive tasks across various departments – tried and tested, ready to use immediately.
Document Management
1. Automatic Approval of Invoices
Incoming invoices are automatically recognized from a shared mailbox or a SharePoint library and forwarded to the responsible approvers. Depending on the amount, different approval levels apply – under CHF 5,000 requires one approval, while above that two are necessary.
2. Document Backup in OneDrive
New or modified documents in SharePoint libraries are automatically copied to a OneDrive backup directory. Version numbers and timestamps in the file name ensure that older versions are not overwritten.
3. PDF Conversion
Word and Excel documents are automatically converted to PDF upon uploading to a defined SharePoint library and stored in a separate folder. Ideal for contracts, quotes, and quality documents that need to be protected in their original format.
Communication
4. Teams Notifications
For important events – such as a new order in the ERP or a critical support request – a message is automatically posted in the relevant Teams channel. Adaptive Cards display the core information clearly.
5. Email Templates
Recurring emails such as order confirmations, appointment invitations, or status updates are generated from predefined templates and filled with data from SharePoint lists or Dataverse. Employees only need to review and send.
6. Absence Notes
For approved vacation requests, an absence note is automatically configured in Outlook, and a delegation arrangement is communicated within the team. Upon return, the note is automatically deactivated.
HR Processes
7. Onboarding Workflows
When new employees join, a multi-stage onboarding process is triggered: ordering IT equipment, setting up access, planning an introductory program, and assigning a mentor. All steps are tracked via a Planner board.
8. Vacation Requests
Employees submit vacation requests through a Power Apps form. The flow checks the remaining quota, forwards the request to supervisors, and updates the team calendar in Outlook upon approval.
9. Time Tracking
Daily time entries are captured through a simple form and automatically transferred to a SharePoint list. Monthly summaries are generated as an Excel report and sent to payroll.
Sales
10. Lead Qualification
New leads from web forms are automatically captured in Dataverse, evaluated based on predefined criteria, and assigned to the responsible sales team. For leads with a high score, a notification is triggered immediately.
11. CRM Synchronization
Contact data and activities from Outlook are automatically synchronized with Dataverse or Dynamics 365. Duplicate entries are detected and merged, creating a unified view of the customer.
12. Follow-up Reminders
If a quote has not been responded to after five working days, sales employees automatically receive a reminder with context and a recommended next step. Escalations occur for overdue opportunities.
IT Operations
13. Ticket Creation
Error reports from monitoring tools or user requests via Teams are automatically created as IT tickets in SharePoint or an ITSM system. Priority and category are automatically set based on keywords.
14. System Monitoring
Regular health checks for critical systems are automated. In case of anomalies – such as high CPU usage or expiring SSL certificates – the IT team is immediately notified via Teams and email.
15. Backup Notifications
The status of nightly backups is automatically checked and summarized. Successful backups are logged, while failed backups trigger an immediate escalation with detailed error information.