#bbdevdays 2026 -- Wrap-up for: Help, where's the on-ramp? Getting started with Power Automate

Marilyn Garvey

We wanted to thank you again for attending, or viewing on demand, our bbdevdays 2026 session “Help, where’s the on-ramp? Getting started with Power Automate”. 

We went over a lot of material in a short period of time, so we wanted to follow up on a few things, point out some key points, and add some context and additional information to expand on our session!   

I also wanted to make sure you get the handout if you did not attend LIVE (attached below).  And the slides (also below). 

Please note that flows can be completely customizable, so if you are worried about any PII (personally identifiable information) being sent in emails/gift digests/reminders/etc., or if your Organization’s policy and procedures prohibits donor/constituent information (including name only) being sent in an email, you can always identify records or information by their system record ID or constituents by Constituent ID and then have the number link to the record in RE (which you would need a user name, password, and security permission to see that record). 

All Power Platform tools need licensing to some extent, but you may already have the licensing and access if your organization is a Microsoft Shop. 

Most commonly used Power Platform tools are Power Automate and Power BI. 

Power Automate is relatively inexpensive, you only need 1-3 users in your Organization who will be building the actual flows to have a license.  Users do not need a license to trigger a flow you have built.   

Power BI desktop has a free version, but for many building Power BI reports that will be used on the MS 365 Platform, and/or across your organization, not only need a license, but everyone in your organization that will be viewing Power BI reports will need a license.  There are a few examples where you can work around this, but it requires you to publish your report and is not recommended for any reporting that has PII. 

Power Apps are easy to use to collect information or share information with your organization’s staff, however like Power BI everyone using/viewing the Power Apps needs a license.  As you become more familiar with Power Automate, and building more complex flows, adaptive cards may be a better option than a Power App, it often has similar functionality but does not require the licenses. 

Power Pages are not often used because this tool can be cost restrictive, many organizations already have web development tools they already use, and it can be more difficult to learn how to use than other tools in the Power Platform.  Power Pages can be used for public or broad external access, allowing anonymous or guest access to your Power Apps without purchasing a license for each user.

CoPilot Studio can be cost restrictive for some organizations.  You will need several credits to run copilots.  CoPilot Agents use AI; this may be in direct opposition to your organization’s mission or may violate your AI use and governance policies.  Some organizations may limit your use of CoPilot Agents based on imposed credit usage limits at the organizational level. 

You do not need to be a Microsoft Shop to use Power Automate and build flows that will work with your software products. 

Power Automate will work with Apple, in addition to PC. 

Many tools within the Power Platform work well together, especially Power Automate, that is why we have mainly focused on Power Automate in this session. 

 

Q&A 

Would you recommend that we use our team generic email address for connecting and creating workflows?  

Having an “evergreen” general/generic organization email that you share your automations and dashboards with is worth an extra license.  (REAL WORLD EXAMPLE: My organization has a shared email address and two Power Automate Users with licenses to build automations; we share any flows we build with the shared email address. PURPOSE: If we ever leave our organization and IT shuts down our email address the automations will continue to work/exist because they will still be under the shared email (evergreen email), some of the connections may need to be updated if they were using connectors tied to the email that no longer exists or a user ID that has been archived/removed (to avoid this issue some organizations have user IDs that link to their “evergreen” general/generic organization email for connections used in flows operating in their Production Environment so no connections are broken if any changes in staffing occurs)). 

Are these tools also available for BBGM? 

There are Blackbaud Grant Maker SKY API connections so you can connect some information from Blackbaud Grant Maker to Power Automate flows. 

https://developer.blackbaud.com/skyapi/products/grantmaking  

Check out some of the Grantmaking Sessions from BBDevDays 2026 via session recordings, e.g., GrantsConnect SKY API 101: Capabilities, Use Cases, and Getting Started. 

What if we are neither Google nor Microsoft?

You can still use the Power Platform. There are plenty of things you can do within the Power Platform, even if your organization uses alternative word and number processing software programs, however, you will still need to meet certain licensing and account requirements (Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, etc.) is built for organizations and requires a Microsoft 365 or Power Platform license and you must have a Microsoft 365 or Power Platform tenant account to log in).

How do we know what connector to use?

Use prebuilt connectors when your process is standard, data volumes are within limits, and you don’t need advanced customization

Consider custom connectors when you need full control, complex transformations, or integration with systems not covered by certified prebuilt connectors

Certified prebuilt connectors in the Power Platform are ideal for quick, cost-effective integrations with common services, but they may fall short for complex or unique workflows, where custom connectors offer more flexibility and control.

It's always good to check and see if a Certified Prebuilt Connector exists (900+) and use this for your Power Platform product connection. Certified Prebuilt Connectors have Microsoft-verified integrations; no coding is needed to set them up (plug and play); and Microsoft, or partners, support available with certified connectors.

Certified Prebuilt Connectors may have limited scope and flexibility; limited control over error handling and retry logic; if your process requires complex transformation logic, large data volumes, or fine-grained error handling, a prebuilt connector may need significant workarounds, increasing long-term costs; and if the source system changes its API or releases breaking changes, you must wait for the connector vendor to update it before you can proceed.

Custom connectors can be built to support tailored scenarios; they can connect to any REST API (this is how you connect to Blackbaud SKY API); they enhance functionality and flexibility; improved security and compliance (you can control authentication, encryption, and data handling to meet strict regulatory requirements like GDPR, HIPAA, or PCI‑DSS); and they can access Legacy or Internal Systems (bridge gaps between the Power Platform and on‑premises or legacy systems via on‑premises data gateways).

Custom connectors do require more technical expertise for development and maintenance; if not properly secured they can expose sensitive data or create compliance gaps; limited support from Microsoft; testing and validation burden (must be thoroughly tested before deployment); and without proper configuration management, changes in the target API or connector settings can cause integration issues.

Do we need a license for the Power Platform apps?

Yes. Blackbaud connectors require a Premium License.

Would Blackbaud consulting help us get started with Power Automate?

Yes.

Blackbaud’s Advisory+ consulting can:

• Assess your processes and identify automation opportunities
• Provide tailored coaching to implement Power Automate workflows in your data
• Help you avoid roadblocks and maximize ROI 

SOME LINKS SHARED IN THE CHAT: 

Discount software solutions for non-profits (Tech Soup):   https://www.techsoup.org/microsoft-details  NOTE: Be sure to speak directly to Microsoft about their software pricing for non-profits (it is often very reasonable and competitive) 

Good Intro to terms:  https://www.syvantis.com/blogs/automation/power-automate-terminology  

Glossary of Terms:  https://citizendeveloper365.com/power-platform-glossary/#_Power_Automate  

SKY API Reference for Grantmaking:  https://developer.sky.blackbaud.com/api#api=grantmaking  

Some links shared in Chat are on the Resource Document already (see below) 

 

WHAT’S NEXT: Go back and watch recordings of the amazing sessions from bbdevdays 2026 (there are great sessions that build upon what we reviewed in this session, with demo builds and additional examples for use cases).  

Get started on your first flow by downloading a flow from the template showcase and making it your own! 😊 

BBDevDys 2026 Handout Community.pdf

Help, where's the on-ramp - SLIDES 06.02.2026.pdf