
From Excel to AI: Automating at Enterprise Scale
Microsoft Innovation Podcast
Personal Background and Hobbies
Joe describes his family, hobbies, music, and how he relaxes with jam nights and 3D printing for his daughter.
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👉 Full Show Notes
https://www.microsoftinnovationpodcast.com/757
Discover how automation and AI are reshaping enterprise operations through the Microsoft Power Platform. Joe Leo shares real-world use cases, lessons from scaling automation across 10,000+ users, and insights into integrating RPA, Power BI, and AI for smarter business processes.
🎙️ What you’ll learn
- Build scalable automation using Power Platform tools
- Replace manual checklists with real-time digital workflows
- Use canvas apps to improve data quality and reduce maintenance
- Integrate RPA with model-driven apps for centralised control
- Navigate career shifts and personal branding in a competitive tech market
âś… Highlights
- “Macros were the way to automate work before Power Platform.”
- “We had over 10,000 licenses… scaling to 100,000 users.”
- “Cleaning logs on a clipboard became a canvas app with photo uploads.”
- “200 Excel files emailed weekly—now replaced by a single app.”
- “We deployed to 1,000 users in two weeks during COVID.”
- “We created a model-driven app as a control station for automation.”
- “Instead of inbox triggers, we used canvas apps to cleanse data.”
- “Maintenance is the hidden cost—bots went offline mid-process.”
- “Power apps are agile—changes deployed during a single call.”
- “LinkedIn job posts get 100+ applicants in 15 minutes.”
- “You’ve got to articulate your brand in a few minutes.”
- “You can’t just build, deploy and forget—maintenance is ongoing.”
đź§° Mentioned
- Microsoft Power Platform - https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform
- UI Path - https://www.uipath.com/
- Excel Macros - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/quick-start-create-a-macro-741130ca-080d-49f5-9471-1e5fb3d581a8
- Canvas Apps - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/power-apps/maker/canvas-apps/
âś… Keywords
automation, power platform, canvas apps, model-driven apps, power automate, rpa, ai integration, business process, power bi, data quality, career branding, enterprise tech
Microsoft 365 Copilot Adoption is a Microsoft Press book for leaders and consultants. It shows how to identify high-value use cases, set guardrails, enable champions, and measure impact, so Copilot sticks. Practical frameworks, checklists, and metrics you can use this month. Get the book: https://bit.ly/CopilotAdoption
If you want to get in touch with me, you can message me here on Linkedin.
Thanks for listening 🚀 - Mark Smith


