My Excel Agents

Project Overview

Automation workflows are designed to streamline repetitive tasks, minimize manual errors, and enhance overall efficiency across operations. By setting clear rules and triggers, processes like approvals, notifications, and document tracking can run reliably without constant human intervention. Using tools such as Power Automate, Power BI, and other low-code Microsoft platforms, employees—regardless of technical background—can build and maintain workflows that align with organizational goals, save time, and improve job satisfaction.

README – Project Overview

Workflow 1: Supports procurement tracking for high-volume requests, helping maintain transparency and consistency across fiscal periods.
Workflow 2: Manages authorization for professional development activities such as travel and conference attendance—key initiatives for promoting growth and engagement.
Workflow 3: Handles internal service request approvals, improving administrative response time and accountability.

This project highlights foundational automation capabilities in a secure, scalable architecture designed for educational environments—built entirely within Microsoft’s approved ecosystem.

WorkFlow 1: Purchase Request

This is my first tiny practice with Power Automate. Firstly, I create a form and add it to our organization Sharepoint for the instructor to submit procurement requests. When the form comes, I should receive an email notification its details. Also this form is linked to a new list in Microsoft List, which would be easily pulled into an Excel sheet everytime a new form arrives. At any time, anyone in our department can pull this Excel report with purchasing transactions, which makes purchasings' records transparent.

In the initial planning step, I always follow this diagram:

4-Step Procedure

1

Plan

Outline your goals and gather resources.

2

Design

Create the layout and prepare visuals.

3

Develop

Write code and build your solution.

4

Launch

Test, deploy, and go live!

WorkFlow 2: Travel Request

Behind every scientific conference lies a substantial amount of financial and logistical coordination. Given the complexity of travel requests—which often include lots of details, I thought of a structured digital form that reduces inefficiencies caused by email threads or fragmented team messages. Power Apps give me the ability captures all necessary information from requestors, logs requests into an Excel sheet, sets reminders for submission deadlines, tracks completion status, and notifies me when it’s time to initiate the financial reimbursement post travel. The result is a measurable reduction in administrative burden and improved time management.

Additionally, I applied process mining techniques to evaluate this workflow, identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Conditional logic (e.g., True/False values for request approval status) was also incorporated to ensure that subsequent steps only proceed based on relevant decisions—further enhancing automation and accuracy.

Please take a look at my process mining and some conversations with Copilot.

WorkFlow 3: Payroll Processing

How this workflow brings value to the table

This workflow supported my department chair in managing faculty compensation requests. Each fiscal year, thousands of submissions are processed to compensate instructors for activities such as course preparation, substitute teaching, and leading special projects.

Additionally, building this workflow deepened my understanding of how modular systems operate in programming. Each step in the workflow functions as an independent module—executed in sequence once triggered—mirroring concepts found in object-oriented programming (OOP) where discrete components work together to automate complex operations.

“Add a To-do” functions like memory allocation for a single task object, initializing its status as “Not started.”
“Get a To-do” acts as a variable assignment, retrieving a specific task’s data.
It is important to note that this refers to a single To-do item, not an entire list.
“Update a To-do” changes the task’s status, completing the action cycle.

Additionally, we have to use our money and tools wisely. Thus, taking advantage of free tools are while keeping data security is always a top priority.

Key Business Takeaways

Any industry can benefit from automation—especially when repetitive workflows are enhanced and could evolve into AI-driven processes. However, the extent of automation depends largely on the software ecosystem an organization uses. In my case, our organization relies on Microsoft tools, giving me access to platforms like Power Apps, Copilot and the full Office suite.

Data and procedures with bottleneck are everywhere. Taking advantages of our domain knowledge would make us always in demand, as we stay closer to the business side. Just via these tiny workflows, I experienced some bottleneck. The receipts of forms submitted using Microsoft forms did not come into my mailbox, even though I set up them as such.
No task is too boring or too tedious to be worth doing. Before I worked on the travel workflow, I was hesitant whether it is worthwhile to create a workflow for an event that happens only 4–5 times a year, but then I gave me opportunities to learn by doing. This workflow ensures that anyone stepping into my role will have a clear, reliable procedure binder to guide their work. My philosophy: Every task has its own value in the full cycle of products delivery.
Even though my role isn't specifically in data analysis or a technical specialty, my strong aptitude for technology and AI proved to be a significant asset. I consistently completed tasks ahead of deadlines, and I used the extra time to dive deeper into learning and mastering the work. This habit of self-driven exploration and practice reflects a commitment to continuous improvement and deep learning.
Project-based learning has proven to be one of the most effective methods for acquiring new skills, despite occasional limitations in resources and formal guidance. With the support of AI tools like ChatGPT, I’ve been able to successfully take on initiatives I had no prior experience with—such as n8n and figma. I personally believe in AI's true mission in democratizing access to technology, eliminating conventional barriers.