Microsoft have recently reported a 21% boost in their profits, with a revenue of $46 billion in 2021. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, most of Microsoft’s products have become invaluable tools for remote employees; in particular, collaboration features on Microsoft Teams and Microsoft 365 have allowed remote arrangements to flourish through features like document co-authoring, easy file sharing and persistent chat.
Microsoft has also witnessed a strong momentum towards their Power Automate product, a sophisticated tool that automates workflows with an API-based approach. It exchanges data with legacy on-premises software and integrates artificial intelligence models into workflows with low-code requirements.
By automating business workflows between apps and services, Power Automate can organise meetings, automate emails, schedule content for social media, approve off-cycle payrolls, create simple apps, and conduct other activities efficiently. Essentially, it condenses work processes that may take months into a few hours.
So how do these features translate into real life? Here are five key benefits of using Microsoft Power Automate:
Optimised, on-the-go workflows
A Fortune report on workplace arrangements finds UK employees split between working in-office and remotely, with many employers offering hybrid, flexible work policies. It’s therefore necessary to have time-saving, equally-flexible workflows. Power Automate’s extensive library of predefined templates allows businesses to save time on approvals, notifications, social media, and productivity. The Microsoft Power Automate mobile app also means that team members can create, run, and check on automated workflows even when they’re not in the office.
Stronger business processes
Organisations that use Power Automate see better results and quantifiable business outcomes after automating their processes. They can focus more of their efforts towards analysing information, supporting their team, and establishing new goals. The expanded data collection for projects also enables managers to make faster, smarter decisions.
Increased employee empowerment
Considering how most companies rely on technology every day, knowing how to use digital tools is critical for employee development. As tech and business writer Daniel Ling highlights, digital training can fill skill gaps, providing employees with relevant know-how in fast-evolving areas of knowledge. Employees may find that the user-friendly Microsoft Power Automate can help them feel more accomplished, as automation decreases errors and allows them to focus on tasks that demand more attention.
Adds value realisation from related Microsoft solutions
Microsoft Power Automate can also expand the capabilities of other Microsoft solutions, by connecting and automating tasks across the Microsoft ecosystem. ZDNet columnist Andrew Brust writes about how the Microsoft Power Platform can be used for goal visualisation, as well as how Power Automate can be integrated into SharePoint, Word, Outlook, Teams, OneDrive, and more. You may even want to expand your Power Automate to over 200 external applications, including Mailchimp, Twitter, Google Drive, DocuSign, Eventbrite, FreshBooks, and Trello. With Microsoft Power Automate, you can get a higher return on investment from all your business premium solutions.
Boosts overall productivity
Repetitive tasks can take up so much of your teams’ valuable time every day, so automating them can help employees work smarter, increase productivity, and focus on your business’s activities that drive value. Microsoft Power Automate can also notify you when you receive a high-priority email, simplify your team’s approval processes, and create templates for announcements, surveys, and tasks, among others.
Next steps
Want to know more about how Microsoft Power Automate can help your unique business challenges? Click below to request a complimentary consultation from a Transparity expert.
