Requests to skip classes
In Microsoft Teams, all lectures are video recorded and saved in special directory "Recordings" in tab "Files." In fact, they are saved in the corresponding SharePoint site of the class. The formal attendance is controlled by Insights, which even indicates whether cameras of students' notebooks were turned on or not. In some cases, students apply to me to skip a class. I usually agree but in return, they must watch the video of the lecture they will miss later this day. It takes about 24 hours for Insights to collect and analyze all data of the last class. Therefore, I usually mark a formal attendance in a number of days after my classes. Since students write me in chats of Teams as well as in Kaizala, it is a problem to collect all my approvals of their leaves. Here I present a simple Power Automate, which does this job for me.
Step 1: A Microsoft Form
I open "Forms" in Desktop Office and create a new one with the name corresponding the name of my class. In this case, it is Further Calculus. This form has four obligatory fields (First Name, Last Name, Date of the class, Class Name) and one optional for uploading documents or details of the requested leave. It is important to check the setting of the form (press ellipsis and then "Settings").
A Microsoft Form
The above picture shows three other fields of this form.
A Microsoft Form
It is important to have all fields in "Settings" above turned on.
A Microsoft Form
To get a link to my form I press "Share" and then "Copy". The link is in a buffer.
Step 2: The Microsoft Form is placed in Teams
I press "+" as shown in the picture above.
The Microsoft Form is placed in Teams
To include the link to Team's tab I press the icon shown above.
The Microsoft Form is placed in Teams.
Now students may submit their requests through this form. Notice, please, that already this action simplifies teacher's life, since all responses can be seen in the "Forms" interface. However, this is not a very good solution. Still, it is better than nothing.
Step 3: Tasks, Planner and To Do
To construct the Power Automate we need to install into Microsoft Teams the application called "Planner." Currently, it is renamed as shown in the title above. If "Planner" is not installed, press ellipsis on the left-hand pane, search for 'Tasks ...," press the icon and follow the instructions. In the picture above we see that "Planner" is pinned to the pane. If you press its icon, then you get the list of your tasks in Teams. To add "Tasks" for "Further Calculus" class I pressed "+ Create a list or a plan" at the low left corner and filled the uploaded form. My Power Automate will send me requests here for approval.
Step 4: Power Automate
I open my desktop Office 365 and press "Power Automate."
Power Automate
I press "+ Create."
Power Automate
I press "Automated cloud flow."
Power Automate
I first give a name to my flow (see 1). In this case it is "Request for leave." Then I press icon "When a new request is submitted (Microsoft Forms)" (see 2) and finally press "Create" (see 3).
Power Automate
I click the check mark in the field "Form Id" and chose the form I created in Step 1.
Power Automate
I press "+ New step".
Power Automate
I type "forms" in the search field and press "Get response details."
Power Automate
First, I inset "Form Id" (see 1 and 2).
Power Automate
I fill field "Response Id"(see 1) through "Add dynamic content" (see 2).
Power Automate
I press "+ New step."
Power Automate
I type "approval" in the search field (see 1) and in the actions tab press "Start and wait for an approval" (see 2) .
Power Automate
The first field for approval type is filled by pressing the check mark. "Title" field is filled with the dynamic "FirstName", "last Name" and with a text. In "Assigned to" I typeset my corporative email. In "Details" I include in one column the fields of the request form, using dynamic icons. In "Item link" one can include the link to the uploaded document if necessary. I leave this field blank.
Power Automate
I type "condition" in the search field (see 1) and press "Condition Control" (see 2).
Power Automate
Add I use "Add dynamics content" below field 1 to chose "Outcome (The outcome of the approval)," (see 2).
Power Automate
I type "Approve" in the value field.
Power Automate
I press "Add an action" in the left card.
Power Automate
I enter "email" in the search field and press "Send an email (V2)."
Power Automate
Add Using "Add dynamic content," I insert the dynamical Email address "Responders' Email (Email address of responder who submitted the form)." It is this place of construction, where marks in "Forms" settings are used.
Power Automate
This form is filled with the dynamic content as above. I press "Add an action".
Power Automate
I type "Compose" in the search field (see 1) and press icon "Compose (Data Operation)"
Power Automate
In "Inputs" field I insert dynamically icon "Submission time (Timestamp when a new response is submitted)." This icon has the symbol of "Microsoft Forms," implying that it is the time when the request was submitted. This action introduces the variable "Compose" which saves the time of submission.
Power Automate
I press "Add an action." We repeat the process described above and create the variable which keeps the value of "Date" field in the form. Both variables will be renamed to indicate their content.
Power Automate
The second variable is introduced.
Power Automate
The dynamical value of the second variable is "Date" indicated in the form.
Power Automate
I change the names of both variables.
Power Automate
Add a I have renamed both variables. Now I press "Add an action."
Power Automate
In the search field I type "Planner" and press icon "Create a task (preview)."
Power Automate
I press check mark in "Group Id" (see 1) and press "Further Calculus" (see 2).
Power Automate
Using check mark in "Plan Id" I chose the name of the plan which I indicated in the form when I created the plan for "Further Calculus." It was "Tasks" and it is shown here in the list of possible plans.
Power Automate
I chose the value for "Basket Id."
Power Automate
It is the place, where the new variables appear. Using dynamic content, I insert " (Start Date) Outputs." Without these variables we cannot insert dynamically the value of "Start Date Time," which is required to create a task.
Power Automate
Add This time I chose "(End date) Output." It is clear now why I renamed both variables. Their new names appeared above "Output" icons.
Power Automate
Since Tasks and Planner creates tasks for me, I indicate my Email address. Then I press "Add a new action."
Power Automate
Add In the search field I again type "Planner" (see 1) but this time press icon "Update task details" (see 2).
Power Automate
This time I press "Enter custom value" in the drop-down window. Then I press icon of Planner Id and fill in the details with dynamical search.
Power Automate
I already explained how to fill in "Description." One should be cautious with "Outputs."
Power Automate
This picture explains which "Output" to place at the first position and which at the second one.
Power Automate
Add Finally, I press "Add an action" inside "If no" part and add "Send an email (V2) 2. It can be copied from the first by pressing ellipsis or can be configured again. The Automate is ready and I press "Save" button. The system suggests to test it. I press "Test" button at the right upper corner of the window and follow instructions. I submit a request through the form and get a message from approval, as well as message to my mailbox. I used Approval for that. Then the content of my email looks as follows:
Power Automate
As a student I get the following Email:
Power Automate
This shows to a student that his request was approved.
Power Automate
On teacher's side this request is included into the list of tasks of the corresponding class. Since "Tasks" are available on mobile phones, the teacher can just open To Do in a couple of days and check if listed students took a look of his lecture.
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