Replacing classic workflows with Power Automate Flows

With the growing capabilities of Power Automate, Microsoft have provided guidance on migrating from classic workflows to Power Automate flows.

What are classic workflows?

Classic workflows have long been a staple of Microsoft Dynamics 365 and are used to implementation automation – for example, the sending of a notification email when a new lead is received or the automatic creation of tasks when an opportunity has been won. The two most common types of classic workflows are Background Workflows and Real-Time Workflows; Power Automate can be used to replicate and expand upon the functionality of Background Workflows.

Why should I be looking to move away from classic workflows?

Although Microsoft have yet to make any announcement, there may come a time when the traditional workflow creation methods are deprecated and eventually removed entirely. Due to businesses’ heavy dependency on these workflows, the timescale for this would more than likely be a long one; but as it will take time to rebuild the more complex workflows, it’s worth considering this transition sooner rather than later.

Also, as Power Automate has functionality that goes above and beyond what can be achieved in regular workflows, it is a good time to see where improvements can made with existing processes. For a full comparison list of the features of both classic workflows and Power Automate flows, click here.

What about real-time workflows? Can they be rebuilt in Power Automate?

Currently, Power Automate does not support real-time processes (where any changes are carried out immediately when the user makes a change on a record), so these would need to still be built the traditional way. We would imagine that this functionality will come to Power Automate in time, but nothing has been announced as yet.

Where can I find more information on carrying out this migration?

Microsoft’s guidance can be found here and includes examples of the types of processes that can be built in Power Automate. Alternatively, if you are a Strategy 365 client and wish to discuss your options with one of our experts, feel free to get in touch.