Potential Flow Feedback - Is this viable?

[tlacava417]

Hello!

This is my first time posting here so apologies if i am in the wrong place. I am extremely new to Power Automate as a Process Specialist and so is my company. I have a process that I am looking to completely overhaul with the use of Power Automate. I want to make sure the process is even viable before going down this path and if there are better options that perhaps I haven't considered.

We have a Project Capital forecasting file which 20+ Project managers are updating manually causing errors/duplicates and overwrites. We use teams and overall 0365 and i would like to propose the below process using PowAut.

1. Portfolio manager preps master file with each project, associated PMs have their projects filtered to their own worksheet within the workbooks including the templates to be filled out 
2. Port. Man. drops master file into folder
3. Flow takes each worksheet & creates a separate excel file for each PM & is loaded into a new folder
4. PMs update their files & drop into a completed folder
5. Flow picks up the completed folder and merges all data into one master file to be used for various purposes.

I would love to get some feedback on feasibility, risks, issues, changes, considerations, etc?

Thanks, 

Tara

[JohnAageAnderse]

Hello @tlacava417 

Yes, it looks like it could be doable! There is a but though!

Working with Excel has a risk of the Excel file being locked during the processing, thus a flow may fail. This is my experience.

From your scenario, I would look into converting the whole data storage into one or more lists in SharePoint, if you have that option.

Example (simple as I know nothing about the business domain):

Portfolio manager creates a task for each project manager in a task list.

Project managers opens their individual tasks, perform their duties and registers their findings. Marks the tasks completed.

Hope this helps you on the way. Kind regards, John