This post is part of the In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (Power Automate), how do I… series and of the wider In Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, how do I… series which I am posting as I familiarise myself with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
There are three types of flow available for Power Apps with Business Central:
Flow Type | Description |
---|---|
Automated | This flow type is run automatically by an event. In Business Central, an event could be when a record or document is created, modified of deleted. So, for example, a new sales invoice can trigger a flow for an approval request, which can have different events set depending on the approver’s reply. A negative response sends a notification and email to the approval requester. A positive reply simultaneously updates an Excel spreadsheet located in a SharePoint folder and sends an update to a Teams chat. Automated flows can be started by both internal and external events in Business Central. |
Approval | Approval flows are also automated flows in Power Automate, but they’re designed specifically for requesting approval when changes are made to records and data. You can use approval flows in Power Automate as an alternative to the approval workflows feature that’s part of Business Central. |
Scheduled | This type of flow is also automatically run but it runs periodically at a scheduled date and time. |
Instant | This flow type is run on-demand, requiring the user to run it manually from a button or action in another app or device, in this case, the Business Central client. Instant flows work similarly to batch shortcuts, performing multiple lengthy steps with a few button presses and are launched from specific pages or tables. For example, a flow can add a button to the action menu on the Vendors page to block payments to a vendor and, at the same time, send customisable emails to the vendor’s contact and your company’s purchasers as well as update the contact in Outlook. |
More details on flows are available from Microsoft here