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Power Automate Integration (Microsoft Flow)

Alyssa Cook
  • Updated

Power Automate (formerly known as Microsoft Flow) allows you to connect your forms with hundreds of different pre-built systems and activities.

 

You can implement multi-stage workflows where different logic or integrations are applied, depending on your form data. For example, you may want to pass some of your form data to Sharepoint or Salesforce, or save data to your database, or even send image data to the Azure Blob store. Power Automate also offers the ability to add approvals into your submission flow.

 

Important Note

  • To use the CP connector, a Power Automate license is required as well as an Office 365 subscription. You may find you already have a license with your Office 365 account, or if not you can sign up for a trial or paid account from the Power Automate site.

 

Instructions

1. Copy Your API Key

  1. Navigate to Developer Keys on your CivicOptimize site
    developer_keys.png
  2. Copy your Power Automate API Key
    power_automate_api_key.png
    • Note: If you do not have a Forms API key, you will need to create one

2. Create a Trigger

Important Note

It is possible to edit a trigger to be conditionally triggered. To do so, go into the settings and add a trigger condition.

 

Instructions

  1. Open the Power Automate site
  2. Navigate to the Connectors tab and select the CivicPlus Transform connector in the list
    connectors.png
  3. Select the trigger, Triggers when a Form submission occurs, to start your flow
    trigger_when_a_form_submission_occurs.png
  4. The first time you select the CivicPlus connector, you’ll be asked to enter the Connection Name (this can be anything), as well as the API Key you copied from your CivicOptimize instance
    connection_name_and_api_key.png
  5. Click Create
    create.png

3. Add an Action

  1. Click New Step
    new_step.png
  2. Search for CivicPlus
    search_for_actions.png
  3. Select the Retrieve From Submission Data to get the data your user has submitted
    • Note: this action will bring back an object containing both the form definition and the submission data, allowing you to build out your flow from there.
  4. Fill in the Form ID and Submission ID fields
    Retrieve_Form_Submission_Data_Fields.png
    • Form ID: Search and select the appropriate Form ID
    • Submission ID: Search and select the appropriate Submission ID
  5. Select +New Step
  6. From Choose an operation select Condition
    • Note: This Action will allow you to specify when this Flow should run – only when a specific Optimize form is received by the Flow.
  7. In the first Choose a value field search for Form Id
    Search_for_Form_ID.png
  8. In the second Choose a value field enter the Optimize form ID number
    • Note: You can find the form ID by navigating to the form’s Details page within your Optimize account, in the Information box.
  9. Within the If yes column, select Add an action
  10. Search for Parse JSON
    Parse_JSON_Submission_Data.png
    • Note: The Parse JSON action instructs Power Automate to take your data and turn it into dynamic values you can use in further flows. In order to parse the JSON value, you will need access to the form's JSON Schema.
      1. In the Content field search for Submission Data
      2. In the Schema field input your form’s JSON schema.

  11. Build out your Flow for your specific use case.

    • Examples:

      • Add a row into a table to send data to an Excel file on SharePoint (database)

      • Send an email (V2) to send an email(s) to specific individuals/groups, or even back to the form submitter if the form collected their email address

      • Create files on SharePoint or OneDrive from form attachments

  12. Click Savesave.png

4. Additional CivicPlus Actions

You can use Power Automate to capture and create files from Optimize form submissions. Creating the files with Power Automate requires access to SharePoint or OneDrive. These Actions may be created after creating the Flow as detailed in the previous steps.

 

Form Submission Attachments

 

  1. Select +New step
  2. Search for CivicPlus
  3. Select Retrieve Form Submission Attachment (preview)
  4. Select Form Id in the Form ID field
  5. Search for and select the result that matches Files Element Name: Attachment ID
    Search_for_the_Attachment_ID.png
    • Note: After the Attachment ID item is input, Power Automate will show the Retrieve Form Submission Attachment (Preview) action within a new Apply to each action.
  6. Select Add an action 
  7. Select Create File
    • Note: To create the file in SharePoint search for and select the Create file SharePoint action
    • Note: To create the file in OneDrive search for and select the Create file OneDrive for Business action
  8. Complete the fields
    Create_File_Prompt.png 
    • Site Address: Navigate to and select the appropriate SharePoint group
    • Folder Path: Navigate to and select your destination folder in the Folder Path field
    • File Name: Search for and select the Files Element Name: Item Name
    • File Content: Select the Attachment Content

 

Generate Form Submission PDF

  1. Select +New step
  2. Search for CivicPlus
  3. Select Generate Form Submission PDF (preview)
  4. Complete the fields
    Complete_Form_Submission_PDF_fields.png
    • Form ID: Select the Form ID
    • Submission ID: Select the Submission ID
  5. Select Add an action 
  6. Select Create File
    • Note: To create the file in SharePoint search for and select the Create file SharePoint action
    • Note: To create the file in OneDrive search for and select the Create file OneDrive for Business action
  7. Complete the fields
    Form_Submission_PDF_Create_File_Fields.png
    • Site Address: Navigate to and select the appropriate SharePoint group
    • Folder Path: Navigate to and select your destination folder in the Folder Path field
    • File Name: Search for and select the Files Element Name: Item Name
    • File Content: Select the Form Submission PDF Content

 

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