Skip to main content

Microsoft Flow wants to steal the workflow app crown

As companies utilize increasingly connected services to get their work done, ensuring that connectedness can become increasingly difficult. That’s a situation Microsoft wants to improve with its new Flow app, which lets you combine two or more services together, for more automated workflows.

Microsoft is no pioneer in this space, with the likes of Zapier and IFTTT leading the way on this sort of collaborative software, but Microsoft’s biggest push with its latest generation of office-based software has been focused on joint workloads, so a piece of kit like Flow is unsurprising.

Recommended Videos

Indeed, Microsoft first showed off what Flow could do with a web-accessible version that debuted in April this year, so the addition of an iOS app version of the service is just the icing on the cake. The firm will make moves to integrate Flow in some of its subscription-based packages like Office 365 in the near future.

It will also receive support for third-party platforms and services like Slack, GitHub and Salesforce, according to TechCrunch.

As it stands though, the app allows you to manage previously created flows, check their properties, and run history reports both to debug any errors and to make sure they’re running as efficiently as they can.

As you might expect with a service that is all about integration and automation, you can even have it let you know in real-time when something goes wrong. If a certain service within the flow chain hits a hurdle it can’t cross, you can have it deliver a push notification to your phone to let you know.

One aspect that is lacking on the application though is flow creation. While it might be a little awkward to build an entire flow on your smartphone’s relatively small display, that is something that Microsoft plans to add in the near future, as well as an Android version.

It will be interesting to see if this increased functionality will translate into a wider audience for Flow. While traditionally this sort of automation is found among high-level users, it could be that with Office 365 integration it will reach a wider group of potential users.

You can download Flow direct from the App store.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
Upgrade to this Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor while it’s $300 off
Cyberpunk 2077 being played on the Alienware 32 QD-OLED.

The powerful machine you purchased from gaming PC deals should be paired with a premium display, and the 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor comes with our stamp of approval. It's also on sale from Dell right now, with a $300 discount slashing its price from $1,200 to only $900. That's a steal when you consider the capabilities of this screen, so you're going to have to hurry with your purchase as stocks may run out at any moment.

Why you should buy the 32-inch Alienware 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor

Read more
Living without antivirus? Grab Avast Premium while it’s 70% off
A couple on a couch using a tablet.

I've been using the free version of Avast antivirus software for well over a decade now. It's always among the first batch of downloads I grab when I get a new laptop. Our reviewers even gave Avast One for Mac a 9 out of 10 review. But this week, Avast has a compelling offer that will convince freeloaders like me to get the paid version of Avast.

Right now, Avast Premium has an incredible 70% discount. That drops the price of one device from $80 per year to $23.40, or just under $2 per month. If you want to cover 10 devices, the price is only slightly higher, at $30 per year, or $2.50 per month. If you've been using the free version of Avast for a while, or you haven't been using antivirus software at all, this is a deal you need to check out.

Read more
Why macOS Tahoe is a big deal for Intel Macs
Apple unveiling macOS Tahoe at WWDC 2025.

Apple’s WWDC event kicked off on Monday with the usual slew of fresh announcements and updates showcasing the company’s software plans for the year ahead.

And as with every WWDC keynote, the upcoming shift to new software also signaled diminishing support for older Apple devices.

Read more