Power Automate | Create Planner Tasks from SharePoint List Items

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of using Power Automate to create tasks in Microsoft Planner directly from items in a SharePoint list. This automation eliminates the need for repetitive data entry across applications, streamlining your workflow. In this example, we'll focus on tracking new application features and automatically creating tasks for items that require additional documentation.

Step 1: Set Up the Automated Cloud Flow

• Open Power Automate.
• Select "Create" from the left-hand menu.
• Choose "Automated cloud flow."
• Name your flow appropriately (e.g., "Create Planner Tasks from SharePoint").
• Select "When an item is created or modified" as your trigger.

Step 2: Configure the Trigger

• Choose the SharePoint site where your list is located.
• Select the specific SharePoint list that you will be using.
• This trigger will now activate whenever an item is added or modified in the selected list.

Step 3: Add a Condition to Filter Items

• Click on "New step" to add an action.
• Search for "Condition" and select it.
• Set up your condition based on the criteria that determine when a Planner task should be created (e.g., if a specific column is flagged for documentation).
• For example, you might check if the "Documentation Needed" field is set to "Yes."

Step 4: Create the Planner Task

• In the "If yes" branch of your condition:
  • Click on "Add an action."
  • Search for "Create a task" and select the action from Microsoft Planner.
  • Fill in the required fields:
    • Plan ID: Select the Planner plan you want to add the task to.
    • Title: Use dynamic content to fill in the task title (e.g., the name of the SharePoint item).
    • Description: Optionally add details or links related to the item.

Step 5: Test Your Flow

• Save your flow and perform a test by adding a new item to your SharePoint list that meets your condition.
• Check Microsoft Planner to ensure that the task was created successfully.
• If the task does not appear, revisit the flow configuration to identify any issues.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you have successfully automated the process of creating tasks in Microsoft Planner from SharePoint list items. This integration not only saves time but also helps maintain organization and efficiency in your project management. Consider exploring additional triggers and actions within Power Automate to further enhance your workflows.