Introduction

In the realm of IT administration, onboarding new users can often feel like orchestrating a complex symphony. Each instrument—forms, approvals, licenses—must play in harmony to create a seamless experience. What if we could automate this symphony, ensuring each note is played flawlessly? Enter Power Automate.

The Challenge

Manually onboarding users is time-consuming and prone to errors. From collecting user information to obtaining approvals and assigning licenses, the process can be cumbersome. We needed a solution that:

• Collects user data efficiently.

• Automates approval workflows.

• Assigns licenses without manual intervention.

• Handles exceptions gracefully.

The Solution: Power Automate Flow

We designed a Power Automate flow that:

1. Triggers when a new Microsoft Form is submitted.

2. Initiates an approval process.

3. Waits for the approval decision.

4. Assigns the user to a license group upon approval.

5. Handles scenarios where licenses are unavailable.

Flow Breakdown

1. Trigger: Microsoft Forms Submission

   The flow begins when a new response is submitted via Microsoft Forms. We use the "When a new response is submitted" trigger to capture this event.

2. Get Response Details

   Using the "Get response details" action, we retrieve the user's information, such as first name, last name, and email address.

3. Initialize Variables

   We initialize variables to store user details and construct the User Principal Name (UPN).

4. Approval Process

   • Create an Approval: We use the "Create an approval" action to send an approval request to the designated approver.

   • Wait for an Approval: The flow then waits for the approver's response using the "Wait for an approval" action.

5. Condition: Approval Outcome

   We add a condition to check if the approval outcome is "Approve". If approved, the flow proceeds to assign the user to the license group.

6. Assign License

   The user is added to the appropriate Azure AD group that has the necessary licenses assigned.

7. Handle License Unavailability

   If licenses are unavailable, the flow sends a notification to the administrator, indicating that manual intervention is required.

Delay and Notifications

To ensure timely communication:

• We add a delay of 30 minutes before sending a welcome email to the new user.

• Notifications are enabled to inform approvers of pending requests.

• Reassignment is allowed to delegate approval tasks if necessary.

Lessons Learned

• Dynamic Content: Utilizing dynamic content in expressions allows for flexible and personalized messages.

• Error Handling: Implementing conditions and error handling ensures the flow can manage exceptions gracefully.

• Licensing Constraints: Understanding that Microsoft 365 does not automatically purchase additional licenses is crucial for planning.

Conclusion

Automating user onboarding with Power Automate transforms a manual, error-prone process into a streamlined, efficient workflow. By orchestrating each component—forms, approvals, and license assignments—we create a harmonious experience for both administrators and users.