Think You Know Teams Chats? Discover the Workflows
Microsoft Teams has a little-known feature that can bring great benefits when used correctly. Imagine a colleague notifying a chat group when a document is signed, reminding you of a mandatory task you forgot, or sharing the latest digest of a topic you follow.
All these activities, and more, can be easily set up in Microsoft Teams chat groups. There is a hidden gem in the chat group menu called Workflows. This tool lets you create simple Power Automate workflows directly within the chat. With access to your entire Microsoft 365 environment, you can configure workflows to share useful information with your colleagues and streamline processes.
In this article, I will show you what you can do with Workflows, the benefits it offers, and two real-world use cases.
What Can You Do with Workflows?
Workflows is an option available in the three-dot menu of your chats. It allows you to configure specific flows to support business processes within the chat—whether it’s a one-on-one chat or a group chat. The key is to focus on what’s important for the chat members.
Based on Power Automate, the Workflows feature gives you access to the full range of Microsoft 365 tools. You can:
Automate tasks: Share information in the chat from internal or external sources, or trigger actions based on specific messages.
Customize workflows: Tailor actions and activities to the chat’s purpose. You can also create shortcuts so chat members can run workflows on-demand.
Integrate tools: Connect Microsoft 365 services or external tools to fetch or push information into the chat.
How Can You Benefit from Workflows?
Workflows can boost efficiency by automating repetitive tasks and simplifying processes. This saves time and allows you to focus on strategic activities. Some additional benefits include:
Improved Critical Thinking: Identify tasks that can be automated or delegated, encouraging a more strategic approach.
Focus on High-Value Tasks: Shift attention to activities requiring unique skills and expertise.
Foster Innovation: Free up mental space for creativity and new ideas.
Enhanced Collaboration: Provide clear and consistent frameworks for task assignments and progress tracking.
Transparency and Accountability: Define responsibilities and track progress towards shared goals.
Real-World Use Case: Managing Project Deadlines
Imagine a marketing team working on a product launch campaign in a dedicated Teams chat. They need to ensure deadlines are met and everyone is informed of upcoming tasks.
Here’s how to create a workflow for this:
Open the three-dot menu in the target chat group. Select "Workflows."
Review the suggested workflows, then click "Workflow Builder" to access the AI-guided setup.
Describe the goal of the workflow and let the AI create it.
Review and confirm the implementation.
Configure final details, like assigning proper values.
For example, the workflow can create a Planner task whenever a message containing the word "deadline" is posted (e.g., "Design brief deadline July 5th"). The task is automatically assigned to the relevant team member.
Benefits of this workflow:
Time Management: Ensures deadlines are met and prevents overlooked tasks.
Team Coordination: Keeps everyone updated on responsibilities.
Reduced Manual Work: Automates task creation and assignment.
Accountability: Clearly defines ownership of tasks and due dates.
Improved Communication: Centralizes deadline tracking within the chat.
You can further enhance this workflow to send automated reminders, such as daily or weekly summaries of upcoming tasks.
This example demonstrates how the Workflows feature in Microsoft Teams can significantly improve project management and team coordination by automating repetitive tasks and ensuring timely completion of deliverables.
Conclusion
In this article, we explored the powerful Workflows feature in Microsoft Teams. We covered its capabilities, the benefits it brings, and a practical example to illustrate its potential. By automating tasks, customizing actions, and integrating tools, Workflows can transform how teams collaborate and manage projects.
I encourage you to explore this feature and unlock its potential within your own Teams environment. Whether it’s managing deadlines, improving communication, or automating routine tasks, Workflows can make a significant difference.
Ready to get started? Try out Workflows today and see how it can streamline your processes. For more insights, dive into Microsoft’s resources on Power Automate and Teams integrations.