Creating a custom Microsoft Flow template gallery for your organization (part 1)

Microsoft Flow comes with a wide array of templates you can use and customize to build the workflow capabilities you need. The templates serve as both a quick-start guide and a learning tool. You can use the templates as-is or review the templates to see how others have built custom flows. You can share flow templates you create by submitting them to Microsoft’s template gallery. If Microsoft approves your flow, it will be made available to all flow users.

Microsoft Flow template gallery

But what if you want to share Microsoft Flow templates internally within your organization? Microsoft’s flow template gallery is open to the public, and doesn’t provide any safeguards for securing your internal company data or custom internal data connections. But since Microsoft Flow enables you to export and import workflows, you can build your own custom flow template gallery in SharePoint Online. You can use your gallery to:

Provide a browsable interface for reviewing and downloading flow templates
Enable the submission and approval of templates for internal sharing
Provide a community space where you users can access flow how-to videos and share learnings with others
Give your Office 365 users a jump-start for learning Microsoft Flow

In the coming weeks, I’ll be publishing a series of blog posts with recommendations on building an internal flow template gallery in SharePoint Online. I’ll also share ideas on driving adoption of Microsoft Flow. (Hint: Flow isn’t like Teams or email. Your flow users are unique, and your flow adoption plan needs to be targeted and specific as well.) I also recommend checking out Daniel Glenn’s Ignite 2018 session THR1111 – Creating a custom Microsoft Flow template gallery in SharePoint. The session provides background information on how an internal gallery can support flow usage. Thanks to Daniel for partnering with me on our concept and design for this internal flow template gallery.