Microsoft Power Automate
Automate business processes with Microsoft 365, SharePoint and your ERP systems.
What is Microsoft Power Automate?
Microsoft Power Automate is Microsoft's low-code workflow automation platform with over 1,000 pre-built connectors. Cloud Flows automate cloud-based processes. Desktop Flows (RPA) automate legacy systems without APIs. Business Process Flows guide users through structured workflows in Dataverse.
reduction in manual data entry in typical automation projects
CNEXT Projektdatenfrom – for a productive Power Automate flow with CNEXT
CNEXT Projektdaten“Power Automate is the glue between Microsoft 365 and the specialist systems of our Swiss clients. No more copy-paste between ERP and SharePoint — data flows automatically.”
Marcel Haas— CEO & Solution Architect, CNEXT
Power Automate Solutions from CNEXT
Cloud Flows
Approval workflows, ERP synchronisations, email notifications and data transfers with 1,000+ connectors.
Desktop Flows (RPA)
Automation of legacy systems without API — SAP GUI, Windows applications and websites operated by robots.
ERP Integration
Bidirectional synchronisation between Microsoft 365 and Abacus, Bexio, SAP and other Swiss ERP systems.
Swiss Reference Projects
Concrete Power Automate projects by CNEXT for Swiss businesses.
Invoice processing (logistics company, Zürich)
Power Automate reads incoming invoice PDFs from Outlook, extracts data via AI Builder and transfers them to Abacus for review. 80% less manual data entry, ROI after 4 months.
Credit approval (bank, Bern)
Multi-stage approval workflow for credits up to CHF 2 million: automatic dossier creation, notifications to approvers, escalation on delay, audit trail in SharePoint.
Employee offboarding (SME, Basel)
Automatic offboarding flow: Entra ID account deactivation, Teams group removal, SharePoint access revocation and checklist for IT, HR and managers — in a single trigger.
Frequently Asked Questions about Power Automate
What is Microsoft Power Automate and what processes can it automate?
Microsoft Power Automate is Microsoft's low-code workflow automation platform with over 1,000 connectors. It can automate: approval processes, ERP data synchronisation, email and Teams notifications, document processing, reporting and legacy system control via RPA.
How much does Power Automate cost in Switzerland?
Power Automate is included in Microsoft 365 subscriptions (limited flows). For premium connectors (SAP, Salesforce etc.) Power Automate Premium costs approximately CHF 15/user/month. Unattended RPA (bot) approximately CHF 150/bot/month. CNEXT analyses the optimal licence plan for your scenario.
What is RPA and can Power Automate automate legacy systems?
RPA (Robotic Process Automation) with Power Automate Desktop controls applications via UI interaction — without an API. This allows automation of SAP GUI, older Windows applications, web form entry and even PDFs. CNEXT implements RPA for systems that offer no modern API.
How can Power Automate integrate with SharePoint?
Power Automate is natively integrated with SharePoint: flows can be triggered by SharePoint events (new document, changed list). Typical scenarios: document approval workflow, automatic metadata population, notifications on list changes and archiving of SharePoint content.
What are the most common Power Automate use cases in Swiss companies?
At Swiss SMEs and large organisations: Abacus/Bexio → SharePoint data synchronisation, automatic invoice processing from emails, credit approval workflows, employee onboarding checklists in Teams, reporting to authorities and automated reporting from multiple systems.
Can Power Automate connect to Abacus, Bexio or other Swiss ERP systems?
Yes. Abacus provides a REST API; CNEXT has ready-made custom connectors. Bexio also has a REST API with an official Power Automate integration. For older systems without an API, we use Power Automate Desktop (RPA). CNEXT has experience with Abacus, Bexio, Topal, Sage and other Swiss ERP systems.
How secure are Power Automate workflows for sensitive data?
Power Automate is fully integrated into the Microsoft 365 security boundary: DLP policies prevent unwanted data transfers, audit logs record all flow executions, Conditional Access protects access. CNEXT configures DLP and governance policies for regulated industries.
What is the difference between Power Automate and Azure Logic Apps?
Power Automate is for business users (low-code, GUI, integrated in M365). Azure Logic Apps is for developers: more control, infrastructure-as-code, no per-user licensing, cheaper at high volume. CNEXT selects the appropriate platform depending on requirements or combines both.
Can I create Power Automate flows myself?
Yes – simple flows (notifications, approvals, file operations) can be created with minimal experience. CNEXT recommends a basic training session (0.5 days) for your Power Automate Champions and handles complex flows with ERP integration, error handling and RPA.
How much does a Power Automate project at CNEXT cost?
Simple flow (approval, notification): CHF 1,500–3,500. Medium workflow (ERP integration, multiple steps, error handling): CHF 5,000–15,000. Complex RPA project (legacy system, batch processing): CHF 10,000–30,000. Fixed prices after a requirements workshop.
Automate your processes?
CNEXT analyses your manual processes and develops Power Automate workflows.
Free initial consultation