SharePoint, Power Automate and Power virtual agent
Situation:
The HR department at our company was facing challenges in efficiently managing and responding to routine employee queries regarding HR policies, benefits, leave procedures, and other information. These queries were often repetitive, consuming significant time and resources. Additionally, employees found it time-consuming to navigate the SharePoint site to find specific HR documents and information.
Action
To address this, we initiated a project to develop an “HR Information Chatbot” using Power Virtual Agents and Power Automate, integrated with our existing SharePoint HR portal. The key actions undertaken were:
1. Identifying Common Queries: We started by listing the most frequently asked HR questions by employees.
2. Developing the Chatbot: Using Power Virtual Agents, we designed conversational flows tailored to these queries.
3. Integrating with SharePoint: Power Automate was employed to create workflows that allow the chatbot to fetch and update information directly from SharePoint.
4. Testing and Refinement: The chatbot was rigorously tested with a select group of employees, and feedback was used to refine its functionality.
5. Deployment: We rolled out the chatbot company-wide, making it accessible via the company intranet and Microsoft Teams.
Results:
The implementation of the HR Information Chatbot led to:
1. Reduced Workload on HR: The chatbot significantly decreased the volume of routine queries to the HR department, allowing them to focus on more complex tasks.
2. Improved Employee Experience: Employees reported greater satisfaction due to the ease of accessing HR information and quicker responses to their queries.
3. Increased Efficiency: The chatbot provided accurate information promptly, leading to a more efficient information retrieval process.
4. Data-Driven Insights: The feedback and usage data collected from the chatbot interactions provided valuable insights for further HR initiatives.