Automate Task Reminder Emails with Power Automate

Key Points

• Objective: Automate the process of sending reminder emails for tasks listed in an Excel spreadsheet using Power Automate, without any coding.

• Prerequisites:

  • Microsoft 365 account
  • Excel file stored on OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online

Steps to Automate Task Reminders

1. Prepare Data in Excel:

   • Format your data in an Excel table via the Insert Tab > Table, or use Ctrl + T.
   • Ensure the file is saved on OneDrive for Business or SharePoint Online.
   • Name the table (for example, tasks).

2. Setup in Power Automate:

   • Go to Power Automate via the Microsoft apps launcher.
   • Create a new flow: Create > Scheduled Cloud Flow.
   • Name the flow (e.g., Email Task Reminders) and set the schedule (e.g., daily at 10:00 a.m.).

3. Configure Flow Steps:

   • List Rows in Excel Table:
     • Location: OneDrive for Business
     • Document Library: OneDrive
     • File Path: Navigate to and select your file
     • Table: Select the table (e.g., tasks)
     • Filter Rows: Use a filter to retrieve only rows where Reminder Date equals today’s date, formatted to your local time zone.
   • Select Step: Extract a list of email addresses from the table.
   • Compose Step: Use the Union function to create a distinct list of emails.
   • Apply to Each: Loop through the distinct email list.
     • Filter Array: Filter rows for each email address.
     • Create HTML Table: Format the relevant task details (e.g., due date, task name).
   • Send Email:
     • Use Office 365 Outlook to send an email with the task details to each recipient.
     • Customize the subject, body, and format of the email.
     • Set importance to high.

Recap of Workflow

1. Trigger: Daily scheduled run
2. Data Retrieval: Filter Excel rows for today's date
3. Email List Generation: Create a distinct list of email addresses
4. Data Processing: Loop through emails, filter tasks, create HTML table
5. Email Sending: Send customized emails with task details

Testing

• Manually test the flow.
• Verify the emails received contain the correct task details.

Additional Tips

• Filter Expressions: Use Excel-like functions to format dates and handle time zones.
• Dynamic Content: Utilize dynamic content fields to reference data in the flow steps.
• Advanced Options: Customize email settings such as CC, BCC, and attachments.

Resources

• Link to step-by-step written instructions provided in the video description.

Conclusion

• Power Automate can efficiently handle repetitive tasks, increasing productivity without requiring coding skills.
• Useful for personal and business task management and reminders.

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End of Lecture Notes