In this article, I will demonstrate how to provision a SharePoint online modern site using a Power automate flow. As there is no standard Power automate action for creating a SharePoint site (previously called “site collections”) using SharePoint connector, we will use the Send an HTTP Request to SharePoint action and SharePoint REST API in Power automate flow.

Follow below steps to create a SharePoint online modern communication site using Power Automate flow:

1. Go to make.powerautomate.com and create a new Instant cloud flow with Manually trigger a flow trigger.

2. Add Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action in Power automate flow.

3. Use configurations for Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action in below format:

Method: POST

Uri: _api/SPSiteManager/create

Headers:

{
	"accept": "application/json;odata=verbose",
	"content-type": "application/json;odata=verbose"
}

Body:

{
	"request": {
		"Title": "My Communication Site",
		"Url": "https://contoso.sharepoint.com/sites/MyCommSite",
		"Description": "My Communication Site created using Power Automate flow",
		"Owner": "gsanap@contoso.com",
		"Lcid": 1033,
		"WebTemplate": "SITEPAGEPUBLISHING#0",
		"SiteDesignId": "6142d2a0-63a5-4ba0-aede-d9fefca2c767",
		"ShareByEmailEnabled": false
	}
}

Where,

Url

URL for the new SharePoint online modern site (site collection)

LCID

Locale identifier (LCID) for the site language. 1033 is for English language, check LCID for other languages at: Language.Lcid property

WebTemplate

WebTemplate property is used to specify which type of SharePoint site to you want to create. You can use following values for this property:

• Communication Site: SITEPAGEPUBLISHING#0
• Team Site (not connected to M365 group): STS#3

SiteDesignId

SiteDesignId property is used to apply site template (previously called “site design”) to newly created SharePoint site.

If you want to apply an out-of-the-box available site template, use the following values:

• Topic: 96c933ac-3698-44c7-9f4a-5fd17d71af9e
• Showcase: 6142d2a0-63a5-4ba0-aede-d9fefca2c767
• Blank: f6cc5403-0d63-442e-96c0-285923709ffc

ShareByEmailEnabled

If this property is set to true, it will enable sharing SharePoint files via Email.

Your final Power automate flow should look like this:

4. Save your flow and Run it using Test > Manually options at the top right corner. After flow run completes successfully, navigate to the site URL mentioned in Send an HTTP request to SharePoint action in Power automate flow and you will see a newly created SharePoint online modern communication site like:

Learn more

• Update SharePoint Site Logo using Power Automate
• SharePoint Online: Add Site Collection Administrator (SCA) using Power Automate
• Add an image to SharePoint Image columns using Power Automate

With growing adoption of Microsoft Teams and Channels, Microsoft heard the feedback to simplify the management of Teams and Channel connected sites. Microsoft is enhancing the Active sites page experience in SharePoint admin center to include channel sites that are provisioned when a special channel is added to a Team in Microsoft Teams.

So now, when you go to a teams-connected site in SharePoint online admin center, you see all corresponding channel sites and can ensure that right optional security policies are inherited from the parent site.

Enhancements included in this release:

• New Site connected to Teams view that filters the sites list to only sites that are Teams connected.
• New Teams column identifying the site is connected to teams.
• New Channel Sites column identifying the team connected site has associated Private or Shared channel sites.
• Additional entry points to channel sites from Teams connected site info panel.
• All new Active sites pivot showing the channel sites associated to the teams connected site.
• The pivot includes a list of channel sites that are associated to the Teams connected site. This list will only include Private sites as of now and will expend to include other special sites in the future. Channel are view only and inherit properties from Teams that are managed in Teams admin center.
• New Type column that accessible from the new Active Sites pivot.
• Ability to manage Channel site storage limit.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 82161.

Release Timeline

Rollout will begin in early December 2021 and it is expected to complete the rollout by late January 2022.

How this will affect your organization

Historically, channel sites have been only accessible to admins through PowerShell and through the Microsoft Teams client app. With these enhancements admins can now access channel sites through SharePoint online admin center UX as well.

What you need to do to prepare

No special preparation is required. Once the enhancements are available in your tenant you will be able to start using them immediately, without any impact to your day-to-day experience.

Learn more

• SharePoint admin center: Manage Teams and channel connected team sites

Previously in SharePoint site when you click on the navigation link, the default behavior was to open internal links in the same browser tab and external links in a new browser tab. Now, Microsoft is releasing a new feature which will allow users to manage the experience for each navigation link item to open in the same tab or in a new tab.

This new feature will add new Open in a new tab option in navigation link settings. Open in a new tab option is available while adding new navigation links or editing existing navigation links. Using this feature, users will have the option to be able to choose to open navigation links in the same tab or in a new tab for:

• SharePoint site navigation – header and footer
• Hub site navigation
• Global navigation in SharePoint app bar

This feature is available for both SharePoint communication sites and team sites navigation.

Follow below steps to configure navigation link item to open in a new tab:

1. Go to your SharePoint site and click on Edit link at the bottom of the vertical navigation (or to the right of the horizontal navigation).

2. Hover in between the existing navigation links in the menu where you want to add a new link and select + icon.

3. On the Add a link dialog box, choose Link under Choose an option dropdown and enter web address & display name for the navigation link.

4. You can see the new Open in a new tab option at the bottom of Add a link dialog box. Select the Open in a new tab checkbox to open the navigation link in a new browser tab.

5. Click OK on Add a link dialog box and then Save the navigation settings. Now, when you click on the newly added navigation link item, it will open the associated web address in a new browser tab.

Note: The new open in new tab experience will not work on the footer navigation links when initially available. This will become available with future release at a later date.

Release Timeline

• Targeted Release: Microsoft began rolling out this feature in early September and it is expected to complete the rollout by late September.
• Standard Release: Microsoft will begin rolling out this feature in late September and expects to complete the rollout by mid-October.

You can read more about this feature and rollout (General Availability) information at Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 93318.

This feature update will bring users a new navigation option for SharePoint team sites. Team site owners will be able to switch the team site navigation orientation from vertical to horizontal. Additionally, site navigation visibility can be turned off completely.

This new navigation switcher feature allows site owners to customize their team site by changing navigation’s orientation and visibility to achieve a different look and feel, layouts, and alignment styles.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 85568.

When will this happen?

• Targeted release (selected users and entire organization): Rollout will begin in mid-September and expect to be complete in mid-October.
• Standard: Rollout will begin in early November and expect to be complete in mid-January (previously late November).

How this will affect your organization

For SharePoint online team sites, users will see a new option when you navigate to Settings > Change the Look > Navigation. In the navigation panel, users can choose to show or hide the site navigation. If users decide to display the site navigation, then they’ll be able to choose either a vertical or horizontal orientation.

Note: The Mega menu style is only available for the horizontal orientation.

• The Vertical option displays site navigation on the left of the site content
• The Horizontal option displays site navigation on the top of the page just below the site header like on a SharePoint communication site

What you need to do to prepare

You do not need to do anything to prepare for this change. This new navigation feature is optional and existing team site navigation will not change. Notify site owners that this new option is available in addition to other ways to customize your SharePoint site.

Learn more

• Change the look of your SharePoint site
• New Site Header Options in SharePoint Online

Microsoft is introducing scenario-based site templates in SharePoint online. This new SharePoint release of scenario-based site templates will help you expand what’s possible with content, pages, and web parts while helping you quickly get started building your own site.

Each template contains pre-populated content and web parts that are fully customizable to meet the needs of your organization. This feature is rolling out on SharePoint Online web and mobile.

This feature is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 70574.

How this will affect your organization

Users will be able to benefit from the ability to browse, preview, and apply site templates to a new or existing SharePoint site. Users can select a site template that meets organizational business objectives and best fits the site goal while ensuring a higher level of consistency throughout their organization. They can then review pre-populated content and customize the site to address their needs.

This feature is by default ON with no admin control.

Apply a template to an existing site

Users can choose to browse site templates and can apply a template to an existing site at any time by accessing the template gallery from Site Settings and then Apply a site template.

Apply a template when you create a new site

If a site owner is visiting their new site for the first time, they may see a message asking if they want to use a template that will take them to the site templates gallery.

Note

When you apply a template to an existing site, your content will not automatically merge with the new template. Instead, a new default home page will be created along with other new content. Existing pages, libraries, and lists will be saved and can be accessed in Site contents.

Available scenario-based site templates

Communication site templates

Site template	Description
Department	Engage and connect viewers with departmental news, highlight upcoming events, and provide easy access to frequently accessed files.
Leadership connection	Build organizational culture by connecting leadership and team members through engaging in conversation, news, and events.
Learning central	Provide an internal landing experience for your organization that serves as the single place where events, news, and extra-curricular resources are showcased.
New employee onboarding	Streamline and refine new hire onboarding by engaging and guiding new employees through your onboarding process.
Showcase	Spotlight a product, event, or team using visual content like images and video.
Topic	Engage viewers with informative content like news, announcements, and events.
Blank	Create your own custom site starting with a blank home page.

Team site templates

Site template	Description
Event planning	Coordinate and plan event details with your team. Use ready-made event recap and event status news post templates to quickly get your team up to date.
Project management	Create a collaboration space for your team where you can access frequent tools, share project updates, post meeting notes, and upload team documents.
Training and courses	Prepare course participants and students for specific learning opportunities by sharing course resources, news, and events.
Training and development team	Brainstorm and plan opportunities to help others learn and grow.
Team collaboration	Manage projects, share content, and stay connected with your team.

From your organization

Site templates created by your organization, also known as third-party templates, can be found in the tab titled From your organization when selecting a site template. Customization instructions will vary depending on the site template design.

Notes

• In previous versions of SharePoint, site templates were called site designs but will be referred to as site templates moving forward.
• The Site designs entry point will be replaced by the Apply a site template entry point in the Settings panel.
• In this new site template experience, a progress screen is displayed while the site template is being applied instead of a notification bar.
• Today, the new site template experience cannot be disabled and you cannot view template version history but will be included in future updates.

Release Timeline

Targeted Release (Selected users and organization): Microsoft will begin rollout in late June (previously late May).

Standard Release: Rolling out in late August (previously late July).

What you need to do to prepare

1. Share this template guide with end-users: Learn how to apply and customize SharePoint site templates.
2. For tips on improving and customizing your site, review the SharePoint Next steps panel.
   • The Next steps experience currently exists on Team sites and is now being introduced to Communication sites.
3. For admins using custom site templates (previously known as site designs and sometimes called third-party templates), review learn how to create a custom site template and site script.

When you create a team in Microsoft Teams, a SharePoint team site will automatically get created in tandem and you are also able to connect any existing SharePoint team site to a new team in Microsoft Teams. These are called Microsoft Teams connected team sites.

For private channels in Microsoft Teams, a SharePoint team site automatically gets created and is known as a channel site. These Teams connected team sites and channel sites are managed differently than your typical SharePoint team site.

Microsoft is making small updates to the viewing and management experience of Teams connected team sites and channel sites to simplify the end-user experience.

Key Points

• Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 81945.
• Timing: This will roll out for Targeted release (select users and entire organization) beginning in late June and be complete by early July. Standard release will begin in mid-July and be complete by early August.
• Rollout: tenant level
• Control type: user control
• Action: review and assess

How this will affect your organization

The below updates to the viewing and management experience of Teams connected team sites and channel sites will simplify the end-user experience in the following ways:

Updates to managing site classification and site permissions

Previously

Site classification (sensitivity) and advanced site permissions could be managed in the SharePoint team site Settings pane.

Currently

Site classification (including sensitivity labels and information barriers) will be read-only in SharePoint. Site permissions will not be available to edit in the SharePoint Advanced Settings page and instead will be managed in the team settings in Microsoft Teams.

The only exception to this rule is for a parent site. The parent site is a group connected team sites that hosts standard channels and is connected to private channel sites. The Parent site still allows edits to the site permissions from SharePoint.

New visual updates to the SharePoint team site header

A Microsoft Teams icon in the site header and Go to Channel button in the document library command bar are designed to help users confirm the type of SharePoint site & channel and easily navigate to the connected team in Microsoft Teams or private channel.

Removal of the Go to Channel banner in document libraries

The Go to Channel link has been updated to consistently be available in the command bar when viewing document libraries, while removing the additional banner that was occupying space in the library.

Simplified SharePoint team sites

This update improves the template utilized for the channel sites by having the classic SharePoint features off-by-default and will employ the full capabilities of the modern team site.

What you need to do to prepare

You might want to notify your users about this new capability and update your training and documentation as appropriate.

Learn more:

• Manage Teams connected sites
• Private channels in Microsoft Teams