What can Power Automate do for my business?

Power Automate connects your Microsoft 365 apps and automates repetitive tasks — approval workflows, document generation, data entry, email notifications, and invoice processing. Most SMEs save 5–15 hours per week by automating their three worst manual processes. It works with Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, Forms, Excel, and over 1,000 third-party connectors.

How much does business automation cost in the UK?

At StandBy Solutions, fixed-price projects start at £1,500 for a focused quick-win automation. Most SMEs invest between £4,000 and £9,000 for a core automation build that delivers measurable ROI within 8–12 weeks. Larger transformation projects are scoped individually. We don't bill hourly — every project is scoped and priced upfront.

Is Microsoft Copilot worth it for small business?

Microsoft Copilot is worth it if your team spends significant time drafting documents, summarising emails, building presentations, or analysing data in Excel. At £25 per user per month, it pays for itself if it saves each user more than one hour per week. The key is training — most businesses that see poor ROI from Copilot simply haven't trained their staff to use it properly. That's exactly what our IGNITE and SPARK training sessions address.

What is the difference between Power Automate and hiring a developer?

Power Automate is a low-code platform built into Microsoft 365. It lets you build automation without writing traditional code, and your team can maintain it after delivery. Hiring a developer to build custom software typically costs 3–10x more, takes longer, and creates a dependency on that developer for every change. Power Automate solutions stay inside your Microsoft tenant, are maintained through a visual interface, and benefit from Microsoft's ongoing updates.

Is my data safe with Microsoft Copilot?

Yes. Microsoft Copilot runs inside your Microsoft 365 tenant and respects all existing permissions. It does not train on your data, does not share your data with other organisations, and is covered by Microsoft's enterprise data protection commitments. Copilot can only access files and information that the individual user already has permission to see. If your SharePoint permissions are properly configured, Copilot is as secure as the rest of your Microsoft 365 environment.

Microsoft Copilot vs ChatGPT — which should my business use?

Microsoft Copilot is embedded in the apps your team already uses — Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, and SharePoint. It works with your business data securely inside your tenant. ChatGPT is a standalone tool that's powerful for general tasks but doesn't connect to your Microsoft 365 environment or respect your file permissions. For most SMEs already on Microsoft 365, Copilot is the better investment because it works where your people already work. Some businesses use both: Copilot for daily M365 work, ChatGPT or Claude for research and creative tasks.

Do I need technical knowledge to work with StandBy Solutions?

No. Most of our clients are operations managers, finance directors, or business owners — not IT professionals. You describe the problem in plain English, and we design the solution. Our enquiry form takes under five minutes and doesn't require any technical language. We translate your business challenges into Microsoft technology solutions and explain everything in terms you can act on.

What is Copilot Studio and do I need it?

Copilot Studio is Microsoft's platform for building custom AI agents — chatbots and virtual assistants that can answer questions, look up information, and take actions inside your business systems. You might need it if your team repeatedly answers the same questions (HR policies, IT procedures, customer queries), if you want a 24/7 front-line assistant on your website or intranet, or if you want to automate multi-step processes that currently require human decision-making. StandBy Solutions designs and builds Copilot Studio agents as part of our TRANSFORM and ELEVATE project packages.

StandBy Solutions — Microsoft 365 AI & Automation Training

48hrs

Draft Proposal Turnaround

£0

Hourly Billing

Fixed-price only

100%

Northern Ireland Based

About StandBy Solutions

We don't do general IT.

StandBy Solutions delivers automation and training to empower businesses in Northern Ireland. We design and build AI-powered automation systems on Microsoft 365 — and train your people to use them confidently. If you need someone to fix your printer or upgrade your PCs, we're not the right fit. If you need your business to stop drowning in manual processes and start running on intelligent automation, or you want to make the most out of your Microsoft License, let's talk.

Power Automate flows and business process automation
Copilot Studio AI agents and chatbots
SharePoint and Microsoft 365 solutions
Instructor-led AI and Modern Work training
Azure OpenAI and Claude AI integrations

Fixed-price. No hourly billing. Scoped and delivered.

Project Packages

Every project is scoped upfront with a fixed price. No surprises, no timesheets, no scope creep. You know exactly what you're getting and what it costs.

Ready

Quick Win Project

£1,500 – £3,500

A focused build that solves one specific problem. Delivered in 2–3 weeks.

Automated approval flows
Document generation
Form-to-SharePoint automation

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Transform

Core Build

£4,000 – £9,000

Multi-stage automations, AI-powered workflows, and Copilot Studio agents.

End-to-end onboarding automation
AI document processing
Connected M365 solutions

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Elevate

Full Solution

From £10,000

A complete, phased engagement to fundamentally change how your business operates.

Organisation-wide AI assistant
Azure OpenAI integrations
Full M365 modernisation

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Advance

Monthly Retainer

A dedicated development partnership. Your systems keep improving every month.

Continued automation development
New Copilot agents
Monthly roadmap review

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Instructor-led. Practical. Hands-on.

Training

Every session is built around real workplace scenarios — not slides and theory. Participants leave with skills they can use the same day.

Ignite

Private Training

Tailored for your team. Delivered at your premises, our office, or hybrid. Content customised to your industry, your tools, your challenges.

Spark

Public Workshops

Open enrolment. Quarterly schedule. Capped at 10 delegates. Book individual seats — no need to fill a room.

From enquiry to delivery

How It Works

Three steps. No jargon. No obligation until you're ready.

Tell us your challenge

Complete our short enquiry form. Nine questions. Under five minutes. No technical knowledge required — just describe the problem in plain English.

Receive a draft proposal

Within 48 hours, you'll receive a draft Statement of Work tailored to your business. Fixed-price, clearly scoped, and ready to review.

We build, you grow

We deliver your solution and train your team. Then, if you want to keep moving, our ADVANCE retainer keeps your systems improving every month.

Start here

Get a Free Proposal

Tell us what's slowing your business down. Nine questions, under five minutes. No technical knowledge needed — just describe the problem in plain English and we'll come back with a plan.

✓ Draft Statement of Work within 48 hours
✓ Fixed-price — no hourly billing, no surprises
✓ No obligation — review the proposal and decide
✓ 100% Northern Ireland based

Your Name

Email Address

Company Name

Team Size

What are you interested in?

Describe your challenge

Approximate budget

How soon do you need this?