Manually trigger a flow from a PC/laptop

[JojenReed]

I would like users, who are added to a flow on a run only basis, to be able to trigger this flow from a PC/laptop.

I have several flows that don't have an official starting point (i.e. it could be from a OneDrive dcoument, or an item in a SharePoint list) that will then send the content to a specific location. Many of the processes are best handled on a PC/laptop, but the only way to manually trigger a flow via a button, is on a mobile device. It is not logical for the end user to work on a document on a PC, then switch over to use their phone to trigger a flow - it should be done from one place, the PC/laptop.

[Anonymous]

I haven't used this yet, but I know there were recent feature enhancements for manual Flows. I know you can embed them in Sharepoint. You should do a search and read up on those added features. There may be a workaround that meets your needs. Off the cuff, I can think of embedding a Flow button on a page in Sharepoint and, if necessary, create a shortcut people open to take them directly to that page where they can press the button. There may be even other workarounds that would be even more appealing for what you want. I don't think you'll be able to, for example, embed the button directly into an Excel spreadsheet or Word document though, if that's what you were hoping.

You'll have to do a little reading and think about it. I will say that although it's not perfectly ideal to push a button on your phone when you're already at your computer, most people always have their phones handy and it's not particularly hard to pull it out to press a button. If all you want is to be able to somehow trigger a flow without a phone, it's definitely possible. From a user perspective, it may or may not seem more convenient. Whatever you come up with, consider the number of clicks and/or searching around for the location of something and compare that to the effort it takes to pull out your phone, open the Flow app and press the button there. From the user's perspective, that might seem a bit odd but it's still pretty darm easy.

[JojenReed]

I created a workaround by getting the hyperlink for the flow (I shared the flow with a user, they forwarded their email notification to me and I copied the hyperlink). On a sharepoint page I then inserted an image and assigned this hyperlnk to that image (I tried to use quick links first but there was no straightforward way of having the link open in a new tab via this option). It works perfectly, but feels like a lcunky process to do this.

Regarding phones, we have many users that do not get issued work phones (90%+ of the organisation), so to design a process whereby a user has to use their personal phone would certainly get rejected by our change/governance boards.

Regarding the user finding the flow, this particular process belongs to a function (as an example personal development plans) - it therefore makes sense that this flow sits on the sharepoint site dedicated to that function.

[JJkohls]

honestly this feels like a no brainer to be able to put a button on the desktop of a user and have them click the button when they want to launch the flow.  My scenario is we have doctors who do telemedicine from their laptops.  We have several clients that insist on using their video platform, so when we do this, we lose the ability to track patients.  So, i created a simple button that they press (Currently on their phone but they've asked why it can't be an icon the their desktop) and they can log the client name and then input the # of patients seen.  Its dead simple and prevents them from having to track this by paper.  THe flow dumps their repsonses to a shared spreadsheet that i can use for billing.  Just would be great if I didn't have to have them open their phone to click the button. The phone has nothing to do with their workflow, so an Icon on the desktop would be IDEAL.  

[CW]

I agree this is yet another example of Microsoft's continued failure at addressing these simple, everyday, run of the mill requirements that a five year old child would assume would be available.

I added a support request one year ago about how to trigger a flow and guess what I heard back? Crickets.

I should make a list of all the little complaints I've sent in to Microsoft that were (a) never resolved, because they can't help or the functionality is not availalble in which case, even though it should've been added, was not, but we have to add  a request to user voice which also does nothing and/or (b) never resolved because they're looking for a screenshot of something you're trying to do but can't send a screeshot since there's NOTHING TO SEND YET (????) and then (c) after all this frustration, you receive an email: "is there anything else we can help you with?".

The odd thing I can understand, but every single attempt to do anything, setup anything, ALL meets the same wall/hurdle? Sorry there's something dreadgully wrong in Richmond.

[JHR]

Keeping this request alive. At the very least, it would be nice to have instant Flows show up in the Power Automate application page under "Team Flows" or perhaps their own category heading. That interface already allows the Flow owner to execute an instant Flow, and it seems this is where run-only users could (1) see all the Flows they have access to and (2) be able to run the Flows.

[Jessica_Paske]

I agree, it would be great to have these buttons available from the sharepoint library or the PC since we do not work on our phones much at my company. I don't understand the mobile-only options.

[CW]

pssst, Jessica, it's called short-sightedness.