In this episode of Building Power Apps in Microsoft Teams, Matt Peterson, Senior Trainer at Pragmatic Works, continues the student check-in application series. This video demonstrates how to integrate Power Automate into Power Apps to send automated emails when students check in during lunch. The automation streamlines communication between the school and parents by notifying them about their child’s activity.
Use Case: Parent Notifications
The main goal is to automatically send an email to the parent of a student once the student is checked in for lunch. This provides quick updates for volunteering hours, tutoring sessions, or any scheduled support.
Step 1: Reviewing Data Structure
- The check-in and check-out table logs student activity.
- This table contains a student column linked to the student table.
- The student table includes parent details such as the parent’s email address.
- The flow will reference both tables to send notifications correctly.
Step 2: Creating an Automated Cloud Flow
- Navigate to the cloud flow section in Power Apps and create a new automated flow.
- Use the trigger: Dataverse – When a row is added, modified, or deleted.
- Configure it to trigger only when a new row is created in the student check-in and checkout table.
- Rename triggers for clarity (e.g., “New Check-In Record Created”) and set the scope to the entire organization.
Step 3: Getting Student Information
Since the parent’s email is not in the check-in table, Matt demonstrates how to pull this data:
- Use the Get Row by ID action in Dataverse.
- Point it to the student table and use the student lookup column to identify the student.
- Return the student record, which includes the parent’s email field.
Step 4: Sending the Email
- Add the Send an Email action.
- Configure the To field with the parent’s email address pulled from the student record.
- Use dynamic content to personalize the subject line with the student’s first and last name.
- Compose the email body with key details:
- Child’s name
- Check-in date and time
- Assigned teacher
- Reason for check-in or teacher comments
Step 5: Testing the Flow
After saving, Matt runs a test to verify the flow:
- A student (e.g., Jack Peterson) is checked in with a date, teacher, and comments.
- Within moments, the parent receives an email summarizing the details.
- The system confirms the setup works and delivers accurate notifications.
Step 6: Improving Date Formatting
Matt highlights a refinement: the default date format is not user-friendly. Using Power Automate’s Format Data by Examples feature, he demonstrates how to convert timestamps into a more readable format, such as “July 6, 2023.” This ensures the parent receives a polished and clear message.
Benefits of Power Automate Integration
- Automates parent communication with minimal effort from staff.
- Leverages data across multiple tables seamlessly.
- Improves accuracy by eliminating manual steps.
- Enhances user experience with dynamic content and formatted outputs.
Key Takeaways
Matt Peterson demonstrates how easy it is to integrate Power Automate into Power Apps for real-world scenarios inside Microsoft Teams. From building an automated flow to refining the final output, the process illustrates how schools and organizations can streamline workflows, save time, and improve communication. This example sets the stage for more automation use cases in future episodes of the series.
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