Flow 1: Save Important Email Attachments Automatically

Many organisations still rely on somebody opening an email, downloading an attachment, renaming it and saving it into the correct folder.

A basic flow can monitor a mailbox and save qualifying attachments into SharePoint.

When a new email arrives

→ Check sender / subject / mailbox folder

→ Confirm attachment exists

→ Create file in SharePoint

→ Store useful metadata

→ Notify the owner if required

Useful metadata could include:

• Received date
• Sender
• Document type
• Customer or supplier
• Original email subject

Flow 2: Replace Email Approval Chasing

Approval by email works until volume increases. Requests become difficult to track and employees cannot easily see whether a decision is waiting, approved or rejected.

Store the request first, then send the approval.

New Request Created

→ Validate Required Fields

→ Identify Approver

→ Start Approval

→ Wait for Outcome

→ Update Request Status

→ Record Approver + Decision Date

→ Notify Requester

Useful examples include:

• Purchase requests
• Expense approvals
• Discount requests
• Document sign-off
• Operational exceptions

Flow 3: Send Reminders Before Something Becomes Overdue

Reminder automation is particularly useful when an operational list already contains a target date.

Examples include:

• Contract renewals
• Training expiry dates
• Document reviews
• Outstanding actions
• Customer follow-ups

Rather than creating one long-running flow for every record, use a scheduled flow to check upcoming dates.

Every Morning

→ Get Open Records

→ Compare Due Date with Today

→ Identify Records Due Soon

→ Notify Responsible Owner

→ Escalate Overdue Records if Required

Flow 4: Keep Operational Trackers Updated

If employees repeatedly update a tracker after completing another activity, that update may be automatable.

For example, when a form is submitted or a SharePoint item changes:

Business Event Occurs

→ Find Related Record

→ Update Status

→ Add Completion Date

→ Store Responsible Person

→ Create Audit Note

→ Notify Interested Team

Suitable destinations may include:

• SharePoint lists
• Microsoft Lists
• Dataverse
• Approved Excel tables for lighter processes

Flow 5: Notify People Only When an Exception Needs Attention

Automation becomes more valuable when it removes noise instead of creating more notifications.

Rather than emailing every successful transaction, notify people when a condition requires intervention.

Process Record

→ Test Business Condition

If Everything Is Normal
    → Continue Silently

If Exception Detected
    → Notify Owner
    → Record Exception
    → Escalate if High Priority

Example exception conditions might include:

• Missing mandatory information
• Value above an approval threshold
• Deadline breached
• Failed integration
• Unexpected status change