Decision Time: Let Flow Bot Ask the Questions

In the automation dojo, not every path is preordained — some must be chosen by the user.

Imagine you're building a support escalation system. A ticket is raised. You want the agent to choose whether to Accept, Escalate, or Snooze — right from Microsoft Teams, in a conversational flow.

Enter the Power Automate action:

🔹 Post a choice of options as the Flow bot to a user

This is your dynamic engagement blade — allowing you to send actionable prompts with buttons directly in a Teams chat, as the Flow bot, to a specific user.

Let’s decode this jutsu.

🧱 The Action: Overview

• Connector: Microsoft Teams

• Action Name: Post a choice of options as the Flow bot to a user

• Operation ID: PostOptionMessageToUser

• Poster: Always Flow bot

• Location: Always 1:1 chat with user (Group chats or Channels are not supported)

⚙️ Input Fields

• Options Item: First option required, Buttons shown to user (e.g. Yes, No)

• Recipient: The user email or user ID. The person who receives the choices

• Message: The main prompt displayed in Teams (plain text)

• Headline: Title displayed above the message

• Summary: Subtitle or additional context under message

• IsAlert: If true, message appears as an alert in Teams activity feed

📤 What It Returns

When the user responds, the output object looks like:

Captured values:

• selectedOption: What the user clicked

• responseTime: When they clicked

• responder: Metadata about the responding user

• comments: If entered by user

🚫 Limitations

• ❌ Only supports 1:1 chat (Flow bot → user). Does not work in channels or group chats.

• ❌ Cannot be used with other posters—only Flow bot is supported.

• ❌ No updates — once sent, it cannot be changed.

• ❌ If isAlert is disabled, message may miss visibility on mobile.

🧩 Example Scenario: Vendor Approval Prompt

Your flow detects a new vendor request and sends:

• Headline: Vendor Approval

• Summary: Acme Corp — ₹50,000

• Options: Approve, Reject, Escalate

• Alert: true

User receives the prompt in Teams, taps “Approve”, and flow captures that choice to continue.

🧠 Pro Tips

• ✅ Use the exact UPN or Azure AD ID for the Recipient.

• ✅ Titles (Headline) are great for quick clarity.

• ✅ Use isAlert = true when prompt is urgent or requires quick action.

• ✅ Combine with Condition actions to branch logic based on selected option.

• ✅ don't add more than 4 options

📌 Final Takeaway

When prompting someone in Teams with a direct choice, this action is concise, user-friendly, and reliable. No Adaptive Card JSON needed—just simple, clickable options.

🚀 Follow for more deep dives in the #JulyAutomationSeries — and remember, one good action can change everything. 💥

Hey there, I’m Ajay! 👋 I'm all about Tech and creating fun, intuitive solutions. I blend technical skills with creativity to make the impossible possible! If you want to follow my nerdy adventures, you’re in the right place—stick around for more insights and tech tips to fuel your development journey! 🚀