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O365: Moving Stuff Around

O365: Moving Stuff Around



Earlier Posts have demonstrated how to make SharePoint data containers (Lists and Libraries), how to populate them and how to use the data across the business.

We've also touched on collecting data via mobile phone and tablet and how the data can be used both on site, at the computer desk, and off site via mobile or tablet. This is all the same live data with little duplication and only occasional need to synchronise between devices. 

That's fine for static or semi static data like contact names and addresses. These only change when something changes in the real world and the data need updating to reflect the new reality.

Dynamic Data


However, some data needs to change because it is by nature dynamic.

For instance, a sales query may become a quotation, and then an order and then a delivery note and then an invoice.
A telephone conversation with customer may become an email confirmation, which may become dormant. But, such leads should not be left dormant, they should be followed up in line with your sales policies. 

The first thing to decide about such data is what makes it dynamic. What event triggers a change that causes the data to be brought from the background to the foreground, what is it that makes this item change in priority?

This trigger is going to be different for each category of data, but common for each process. The data held does not necessarily need to be duplicated, just flagged for status and sometimes moved to a different data container.

 In a simple sales query to invoice scenario -
  1. A user takes a telephone enquiry from a new contact. The contact details are recorded in a SharePoint List along with details of the requirement and any offer made.
  2. The record is automatically flagged for follow up after a number of days. 
  3. The contact calls again and requests a quotation for supply. The details are already recorded and are available to anyone who has been granted access. The contact details are moved across to a SharePoint Library which generates a quotation from a template to include products or services, delivery dates and prices. This is sent to the contact.
  4. The quotation is stored in the SharePoint Library, flagged as a quotation and also flagged for follow up after a number of days.
  5. The contact becomes a customer by confirming the requirement and agreeing to the terms on the quotation. The item in the SharePoint Library now is flagged by the user as an Order, and if required, an order can be generated from a template.
  6. Details of the order can also now be automatically sent to production or supplier.
  7. When goods or services are delivered a delivery note can be raised, as can an invoice. 
  8. This all comes from the same data.

Workflow

Triggers to cause an event are specified in a workflow. These can be automatic, such as those triggered by the date, or scheduled, or by entry of an action date. Alternatively, triggers can be manual, when a user changes the content of a field.

Office 365 accommodates workflow requirement with Power Automate. This is simple to use and workflows can be based on templates, or designed by users from a blank 


or can be launched from any list or library


just by clicking on Automate in the top menu.



What it does

Power Automate enables you to copy or move data from SharePoint List to SharePoint Library, from List to List, from Library to Library. It can also move or copy the document in a Library to a different Library. Power Automat can also automatically fill SharePoint data fields by calculation.

  
We can show you how, or we can do it for you.


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