Problem

The team I work with receives a high volume of requests for various tasks and projects. These requests previously came in through multiple channels like email and Teams calls/messages. Managing these requests manually was time consuming and error prone, leading to delays and frustration for both the team and requesters.

Solution

To address this challenge, I implemented a request intake automation system using Microsoft Power Automate.

Requests are now directed to a centralized Microsoft Forms instance, which triggers a workflow that automatically creates tasks in Microsoft Planner (Microsoft's card-based task and project management tool) populated with the request details. The request details are shared with the team and triaged based on request type, priority, and bandwidth.

Additionally, I built in an AI analysis step that uses the OpenAI GPT connector to analyze the request details and compare it against the existing database of requests (completed and in-progress) to identify potential duplicates or similar requests. This helps the team avoid redundant work and ensures that resources are allocated effectively.

An email is sent to the PM team about 1 minute after the request is submitted, providing a summary of the request and any potential duplicates or similar requests identified by the AI analysis.

Reporting is also now automated, with a Power BI dashboard that provides real-time insights into request volume, request type, and status. This allows the team to make data-driven decisions to improve program performance.

Request Intake Automation Workflow Overview