Skills Bucket as Variable

[BP-PT]

Hello,

Due to the inability of pulling 'skills' out from Delve, I'm now trying to create a bucket of skills assigned to each member of staff, so that it would be something like:

StaffMember1: Science, Maths, English, Spanish

StaffMember2: Science

StaffMember3: Geography, German

etc.

Is the best way of me trying to achieve this, to 'initialise variable', with me then having to add one skill against a 'StaffMember' variable each time?

If it helps at all, I'm essentially trying to create an approval process, where the person with a matching skill for something is then selected.

Any help is much appreciated 🙂

Thanks

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

Are you using the default skills field from Delve? As far as I am aware it should be possible to retrieve the skills field values from Delve profiles via the Graph.

Below is an example of Get skills Graph query via an individual user id.

You should be able to use that same GET request with an HTTP action in Power Automate flow.

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus, thanks for that response 🙂

I've given this a go directly in Graph and can indeed see this data being pulled through against my own account. When trying to add this functionality into Power Automate, what is that connector called, as I can see that some are premium?

If possible, the next step is for me to basically check against a 'category' attribute that I have elsewhere, so that approval requests will only go to the relevent users, then asking for them to present on that area of expertise, should they attain said skills.

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

That would be via the HTTP connector which is a premium one.

It would also require an app registration in Azure AD to be able to interact with the Graph from flow. Lee Ford has written a good blog post about that:

https://www.lee-ford.co.uk/using-flow-with-graph-api/

[BP-PT]

Thanks for that @Expiscornovus, that's really helpful.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get the premium licenses I need unfortunately. With that being said, is there any other alternative way of associated skills with User1, User2, etc.?

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

It's probably not ideal, but you could always maintain skills in (or sync skills to) other data sources which don't require premium connectors. Examples are SharePoint lists, Excel File.

Another approach would be to maintain the mapping in the flow itself.

How many staff members/profiles are we talking about?

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus ,

The mapping within the flow itself sounds perfect for now - at least until I can sort with premium connectors as a longer-term project perhaps.

There would only be 5-10 members for now, each with around 5-10 skills mapped to them. I therefore can't imagine that it would be too laborious to maintain the records directly within the flow.

I'd really appreciate any guidance on how I can perhaps achieve this directly within the flow 🙂 ?

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus ,

The mapping within the flow itself sounds perfect for now - at least until I can sort with premium connectors as a longer-term project perhaps.

There would only be 5-10 members for now, each with around 5-10 skills mapped to them. I therefore can't imagine that it would be too laborious to maintain the records directly within the flow.

I'd really appreciate any guidance on how I can perhaps achieve this directly within the flow 🙂 ?

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

Yes sure, below is an example. Obviously amend it to your situation, this one works with a manual trigger action.

1. Add a manually trigger action with an Skill text input question. 

2. Add an initialize variable action for RequiredSkill. Use the skill input from the trigger.

3. Add a compose. Add the mapping data in here. Below is some sample data. 

[
  {
    "Skill": "English",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember1"
  },
  {
    "Skill": "Geography",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember3"
  },
  {
    "Skill": "German",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember3"
  },
  {
    "Skill": "Maths",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember1"
  },
  {
    "Skill": "Science",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember1"
  },
  {
    "Skill": "Science",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember2"
  },
    {
    "Skill": "Spanish",
    "StaffMember": "StaffMember1"
  }
]

4. Add a parse json action. Use the following schema.

{
    "type": "array",
    "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
            "Skill": {
                "type": "string"
            },
            "StaffMember": {
                "type": "string"
            }
        },
        "required": [
            "Skill",
            "StaffMember"
        ]
    }
}

5. Add a Filter Array action. This will filter the mapping and the result will only show the staffmembers which have the RequiredSkill value.

Hope this helps to get you started?

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus ,

That's super helpful, thank you for that. Unfortunately, however, the filter array doesn't appear to be filtering as intended. When testing the flow, I can see that the filter array is just returning the complete body of the 'Compose' command. Please see below for the brief outline of my flow path:

If I can get this filter array to filter as intended, the last step then is to basically get the flow to email all applicable staffmembers that match with an approval request (accept/decline to present on area of expertise)...

As always, really appreciate your help 🙂

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

Can you go to the flow history and take a screenshot of the flow that didn't work. And in that screenshot can you expand the RequiredSkill and Filter Array actions? This way I can see what the inputs and outputs of the flow were.

Below is an example of such a screenshot.

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus ,

Please see below 🙂

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

That looks ok. Can you do a peek code on your filter array action and paste the code over here?

The result should be something similar like this.
In your case it is probably 'Required_Skill' btw.

{
    "inputs": {
        "from": "@body('Parse_JSON')",
        "where": "@equals(variables('RequiredSkill'), item()['Skill'])"
    }
}

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus ,

Thanks! 

Here's what I get:

{

    "inputs": {

        "from": "@body('Parse_JSON')",

        "where": "@equals(variables('Required_Skill'), triggerOutputs()?['body/Category/Value'])"

    }

}

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

In your where section of the filter array you are using a category field from the trigger action.

We are comparing the variable value (cloud) with the skill value from the array. Can you replace that category field and use the skill field from the parse json action instead?

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus ,

That's correct, I'm trying to get the value from a 'Category' column in a O365 list, instead of a manually-selected 'Category' within the flow. Is that possible?

Thanks,

Billy 

[Expiscornovus]

Hi @BP-PT,

Sorry, I got a couple of follow-up questions because your requirements for the new setup are not entirely clear for me.

How does a category fit in the whole scenario of finding a staffmember with the right skill? Or did you just renamed the word 'skill' to the word 'category'?

And can you clarify what data you are trying to filter. Is it still the compose action (with the skill/staffmember mapping) from the earlier example I posted or are you now taking a different approach?

If it is the latter the previous example won't work and needs to be changed.

[BP-PT]

Hi @Expiscornovus 

Of course, no problem. Sorry for not being clearer!

So the idea is that I will select sessions for people to present in the business. These sessions are managed via Lists, with there being a 'Category' column. This column might be something, such as: Maths, English, Science, etc. for example.

The idea is then that the flow will send an approval to the relevant people that can potentially present on the subject. For example, if there is a session in lists with a category of 'Maths', I want the flow to then send an approval to all users that have the 'Maths' skill associated with them directly within the flow.

I hope that helps to clarify?

[Expiscornovus · Accepted solution]

Hi @BP-PT,

Yes, that definitely helps.

I think this change would be sufficient, setting the RequiredSkill variable with the category value.

This way it will try and find the category from your session in the compose action list.

[BP-PT]

@Expiscornovus Thank you so much for all your help! Just tested this and think it's working 🙂