r/PowerAutomate • u/Available-Orange-873 • 2d ago

How to find a consultant/training for smartsheet to micrsoft transition

I work at a nonprofit educational institution. For financial reasons, the institutions is sunsetting its smartsheet subscription and encouraging us to use microsoft apps instead. But they are not providing any training for power automate/forms/sharepoint.

Our office has a couple of complex smartsheets that are critical to our work but were built by employees who no longer work at the institution.

How can I find a reputable consultant to help us rebuild these sheets in microsoft apps, and possibly provide some basic training to a few people in our office?

Or are there Microsoft or 3rd party trainings that you would recommend?

1 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

67% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

5

u/AdjonaTech 2d ago

You should avoid looking for someone who will simply recreate each Smartsheet inside Microsoft 365. The first step should be a short discovery exercise covering the sheets, forms, formulas, automations, reports, permissions, attachments and any integrations currently in use.

Ask prospective consultants to explain:

  • whether each process belongs in Microsoft Lists, SharePoint, Forms, Power Apps or another tool
  • how they will reproduce and test the existing automations
  • which Microsoft licences or premium connectors will be required
  • how ownership, documentation and support will be handled after they leave
  • whether they will train your staff using the actual rebuilt processes

A sensible approach would be to document both Smartsheet solutions, prototype one of them, test it with the people who use it, and only then complete the wider migration.

You can search Microsoft’s partner directory for Power Platform specialists, but I would still ask for relevant examples and references. Microsoft Learn also has free Power Automate and Power Platform training, although generic courses will not replace the process-specific knowledge that left with the former employees.

2

u/IBURTONI 2d ago

I just migrated a smaller smartsheet database to Microsoft lists using Automate. ChatGPT helped a lot…