Using Azure Logic Apps for workflow automation

Posted on by Panther

Introduction

Azure Logic Apps is a cloud-based service that provides a platform for building workflow automation solutions. It allows you to automate repetitive tasks by creating a sequence of steps that define the flow of data and actions to be taken. Logic Apps provides a vast set of connectors that can be used to connect to various data sources, applications, and services without writing any code. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating your first Logic App and demonstrate various uses of Logic Apps for workflow automation.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure that you have the following prerequisites:

  • An Azure subscription
  • A Microsoft account
  • Basic knowledge of workflow automation

Getting Started

The first step is to create a Logic App in Azure. Open the Azure portal, sign in with your Microsoft account, and create a new Logic App.

  1. In the Azure portal, click on Create a Resource in the left menu bar.
  2. Search for “Logic App” in the search bar and select Logic App from the results.
  3. Click on Create to create a new Logic App.
  4. Fill in the required details such as the subscription, resource group, and name of the Logic App.
  5. Choose the Location and Log Analytics settings based on your requirements and click on Review + create.
  6. Finally, click on Create to create the Logic App.

Once the Logic App is created, you can start building workflows by adding connectors and actions.

Building Workflows

A workflow in Logic Apps consists of a trigger, one or more actions, and optional conditions. The trigger is an event that initiates the flow, and the actions are the tasks to be performed. Conditions allow you to control the flow based on specified criteria.

Adding Connectors

Logic Apps provide a vast set of connectors that allow you to connect to different data sources and services such as Office 365, Azure, GitHub, Salesforce, and more. To add a connector, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Logic App in the Azure portal.
  2. Click on Logic app designer in the left menu bar.
  3. Click on the New Step button, then click on Connectors.
  4. Select the desired connector from the list of available connectors.
  5. Enter the required details such as credentials, connection name, and other settings.
  6. Once the connector is added, you can use it to invoke actions or trigger workflows.

Adding Triggers

A trigger is an event that initiates the workflow. In Logic Apps, you can use various triggers to start workflows based on different events such as the arrival of an email, a new file added to a folder, or a specific HTTP request. Here’s how you can add a trigger:

  1. Open the Logic App in the Azure portal.
  2. Click on Logic app designer in the left menu bar.
  3. Click on the New Step button, then click on Triggers.
  4. Select the desired trigger from the list of available triggers.
  5. Enter the required details such as email address, folder path, or HTTP trigger URL.
  6. Once the trigger is added, you can use it to trigger workflow execution.

Adding Actions

An action is a task that is executed when a trigger event occurs. In Logic Apps, you can use various actions to perform tasks such as sending an email, adding a row to a database, or posting a tweet. Here’s how you can add an action:

  1. Open the Logic App in the Azure portal.
  2. Click on Logic app designer in the left menu bar.
  3. Click on the New Step button, then click on Actions.
  4. Select the desired action from the list of available actions.
  5. Enter the required details such as email address, database connection string, or tweet message.
  6. Once the action is added, it will be executed when the trigger event occurs.

Adding Conditions

Conditions allow you to control the flow of the Logic App based on specified criteria. You can use conditions to check if a specific value is present in the trigger data, compare values, or check conditions before executing an action. Here’s how you can add a condition:

  1. Open the Logic App in the Azure portal.
  2. Click on Logic app designer in the left menu bar.
  3. Click on the New Step button, then click on Add a condition.
  4. Enter the required details such as the condition expression, true and false branches, and the actions to be executed based on the condition.
  5. Once the condition is added, the flow of the Logic App will be controlled based on the specified criteria.

Examples of Logic App Workflows

Now that you know the basics of building Logic App workflows, let’s take a look at some examples of how to use Logic Apps for automation.

Example 1: Email Processing

Suppose you receive an email with an attachment, and you want to save the attachment to a file-sharing service such as OneDrive. Here’s how you can use Logic Apps to automate this task:

  1. Add an Office 365 Outlook – When a new email arrives trigger.
  2. Add a OneDrive – Create file action.
  3. Configure the trigger to filter emails with attachments.
  4. Configure the action to save the attachment to the specified folder in OneDrive.

Now, every time you receive an email with an attachment, Logic Apps will automatically save the attachment to the specified folder in OneDrive.

Example 2: Social Media Posting

Suppose you want to post a message to your Twitter account every time a new blog post is published on your website. Here’s how you can use Logic Apps to automate this task:

  1. Add an HTTP – When a request is received trigger.
  2. Add a Twitter – Post a tweet action.
  3. Configure the trigger to listen for a specific HTTP request from your website.
  4. Configure the action to post the message to your Twitter account.

Now, every time you publish a new blog post, your website will send an HTTP request to Logic Apps, which will automatically post the message to your Twitter account.

Example 3: Data Processing

Suppose you want to analyze data in an Excel file and add the results to a SharePoint list. Here’s how you can use Logic Apps to automate this task:

  1. Add an OneDrive – When a file is created or modified (properties only) trigger.
  2. Add an Excel Online Business – Get a row action.
  3. Add a SharePoint – Create item action.
  4. Configure the trigger to monitor the specified Excel file.
  5. Configure the action to read the data from the Excel file and add it to the SharePoint list.

Now, every time a new row is added to the specified Excel file, Logic Apps will automatically read the data and add it to the specified SharePoint list.

Conclusion

Azure Logic Apps provide a powerful platform for building workflow automation solutions. With a vast set of connectors and actions, Logic Apps allow you to connect to various data sources, applications, and services without writing any code. In this tutorial, we covered the basics of creating Logic App workflows, adding connectors, triggers, actions, and conditions. We also provided examples of how Logic Apps can be used for workflow automation, such as email processing, social media posting, and data processing. With Azure Logic Apps, the possibilities for automation are endless.

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