This document provides an introduction and overview of advanced scenarios for Microsoft Flow. It discusses how Flow can be used to connect data across apps and empower power users. The presentation covers creating and managing flows, using environments and data loss prevention, extending flows to communicate with external systems, and the relationship between Flow and Logic Apps. Pricing and the Flow roadmap are also reviewed. The document concludes by acknowledging some positive aspects of Flow while also noting current limitations that could be improved.

1. Microsoft Flow : introduction and advanced scenarios
Serge Luca – Isabelle Van Campenhoudt

2. Serge Luca
10 x SharePoint MVP
SharePoint since 2002
Architect (Admin, Dev, gouvernance)
Managing partner of www.shareql.com
Worked for the MS workflow team
Blog: http://sergeluca.wordpress.com/
sergeluca@shareql.com
@sergeluca

3. SQL Server MVP, Brussels
Consultant, speaker, trainer, GUSS Board Member, PASS V-Chapter Leader
Managing partner de www.ShareQL.com
SQL Server since 1999
Blog: http://thesqlgrrrl.wordpress.com/
ivc@ShareQL.com
@thesqlgrrrl
Isabelle Van Campenhoudt

4. Agenda
Flows and on premises
Environment + Data Loss prevention
Extensibility : communication with the outside world
Logic Apps
Prices & Roadmap
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context
Conclusions

5. Agenda
Introduction : the context

6. Empower power users
Connect data across apps
More efficient developers
App Services
Service Fabric
Azure Functions
…
Logic Apps
API Management
BizTalk
…
SQL Server BI
Data analytics
Internet of Things (IoT)
…
The context : business Apps
Build modern business app fast

7. Agenda
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context

8. Creating and managing Flows
Microsoft Account (free) or Office 365 or Dynamics 365 or Flow (paid)
Flow.microsoft.com
Powerapps.microsoft.com
A modern SharePoint Online list
Mobile app (iOS and Android, Windows Mobile is coming)

9. Designing a Flow
template or
from scratch
Choose a
trigger
Add
« actions »
Save the flow

10. demoEXPENSE REPORT

11. demoCOMMON DATA MODEL

12. Agenda
Flows and on data premises
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context

13. Flow and data on Premises
• Install the « on Premises data gateway »
(shared between PowerBI, PowerApps and Azure Logic
Apps)

14. demoFLOW AND DATA ON PREMISES

15. Agenda
Flows and data on premises
Environments + Data Loss prevention
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context

16. Why« environments » ?
• Isolated spaces where Flows/Data are
running/stored
– Ex HR, Marketing, Production, Legal, DEV, TEST,
UAT, PROD…
• Different rules (DLP)
– Ex marketing can use twitter, Legal and Production
cannot
• Different regions if needed
• Max 2 !

17. Flow Administration Center

19. demoENVIRONMENTS & DLP

20. Limitations
• Gateways are created in the default
environnement
• Resources like Custom API must be in
the same flow environment
• The Microsoft Common Data Service is
linked to only 1 environnement

21. Agenda
Flows and on premises
Environnement + Data Loss prevention
Extensibility : communication with the outside world
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context

22. Extensibility : communication with the outside world
 Action Request
 Custom API (REST API described in a Swagger )
 Action Http
PowerApps calls Flow
A custom app calls Flow
PowerBI calls Flow (Data Alerts)
Flow calls the outside world

23. demoPOWERAPPS CALLS FLOW

24. demoA CUSTOM APPLICATION CALLS
FLOW

25. demoFLOW CALLS THE OUTSIDE WORLD

26. FLOW & POWER BI
FLOW
DATA ALERTS
DATA SOURCES
POWER BI
SCHEDULED REFRESH
STREAMING DATA
LIVE

27. demoFLOW & POWERBI

28. demoPOWERBI CALLS FLOW (data alerts)
)

29. Agenda
Flows and on premises
Environnement + Data Loss prevention
Extensibility : communication with the outside world
Logic Apps
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context

30. Logic Apps
More dev oriented(Json, Rest api, Visual Studio …)
Logic Apps connectors can be used in Flow
Exceptions : B2B connectors B2B (Very good integration with Biztalk
Server)
The workflow engine behind Flow is Logic Apps

31. demoLogic Apps
)

32. Flows and on premises
Environnement + Data Loss prevention
Extensibility : communication with the outside world
Logic Apps
Prices & Roadmap
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context

33. Tarifs: Comparison

34. Tarifs: Comparaison

35. Q3 Calendar
2016
Q4 Calendar
2016
oAndroid Mobile App
oOn-premise data Gateway
oIn-context in SharePoint
Online
oFlow SDK for Embedding
oAdvanced control-flow logic
oMicrosoft Common Data
Model support
oGeneral availability, 42 languages,
7 geographies
oAppSource integration
oIn-context in Dynamics 365
oLeverage device signals (e.g.
Location)
oData Loss Protection Policies /
Admin management
oCo-Authoring
H1 Calendar
2017
oSovereign cloud availability
(Government Cloud,
Germany, French Cloud)
oSeamless grow-up from
Microsoft Flow to Azure
Logic Apps
oALM: Move solutions
across environments
oAzure functions integration

36. Flows and Data on premises
Environment + Data Loss prevention
Extensibility : communication with the outside world
Logic Apps
Prices & Roadmap
Creating Flows
Introduction : the context
Conclusions

37. Positive
• Simple
• Not just SharePoint
• Connection to hundreds of services
• Including on prem!
• SharePoint Integration
• PowerApps, PowerBI integration
• Flow team very dynamic

38. Negative
• Young, unknown reliability
• Designer needs to be improved
• Cannot copy flow across environments
• No state machines
• No custom variables
• Approval logic weak
• Collect feedback weak
• SharePoint integration weak (no lookup,…)

39. Merci Beaucoup! Thank you!
Join the conversation
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Questions ? @sergeluca @chouksabrine
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Questions ?
@sergeluca @thesqlgrrrl
#spswarsaw

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