Creating Automated Email Responses with Microsoft Power Automate

Introduction

• Discusses setting boundaries with work email by using Microsoft Power Automate to send automatic replies after working hours.
• The flow moves emails to a separate folder to be addressed during working hours.

Steps to Create the Automation

Creating the Flow

• Start a New Instant Cloud Flow:
  • Trigger the flow manually to test and troubleshoot before using automated triggers.
  • Optional: Use dynamic content timestamp from the manually triggered flow action.

Mimicking Email Receive Date and Time

• Manually Trigger a Flow Action:
  • Use two inputs: one for date and one for time (in 24-hour format).
  • Compose Action: Format date and time to look like a timestamp.
  • Concat Expression:
    • Concatenate date with time, adding 'T' and ':00' for seconds.
  • Format Date Time Expression:
    • Use ISO 8601 format, adjust to UTC time using add hours expression (e.g., add 7 hours).

Grouping Actions

• Scope Actions:
  • Group actions for handling the date and time received.

Converting Time Zones

• Convert Time Zone Action:
  • Convert the timestamp from UTC to local time zone.
  • Use the base time field and specify local time zone.

Extracting Day and Time

• Compose Action for Day of Week:
  • Use a day of week expression to extract day from converted time.
• Compose Action for Time:
  • Use format date time expression to extract time in HH:mm format.

Defining Work Hours

• Scope Action:
  • Group start and end work times, customizable to individual needs.

Setting Conditions

• Condition Action:
  • Check if email received within working days (Monday=1 to Friday=5).
  • Check if time falls within working hours (7 AM to 5 PM).

Testing the Flow

• Manual Testing:
  • Mimic email reception outside and within working hours to test conditions.
  • Ensure conditions output true or false appropriately.

Replacing Manual Trigger

• Automated Trigger:
  • Use "when new email arrives" trigger (version 3).
  • Specify folders or filters such as sender, keywords, or importance level.

Additional Actions

• Reply to Email:
  • Send automated replies using "reply to email V3" action.
• Move and Mark Emails:
  • Move email to specific folder and mark as unread.

Conclusion

• Encourage setting boundaries with email through automation.
• Suggest liking and subscribing for more tutorials.