Microsoft Power platform tools and services part-1

Greetings, Power fans! This blog is intended for those who are relatively new to the Power platform. I've made the decision to launch a blog series covering the fundamentals of the Microsoft Power platform. I hope this blog helps you learn more about the different tools and services available on the Power platform.

The Power Platform allows enterprises to enable their team members to create their own solutions using a simple low-code or no-code collection of services. These services facilitate the process of developing solutions. Microsoft Power Platform consists of four important products:

• Power Apps
• Power Automate
• Power BI
• Power Pages.

Let's start with each of them firstly.

Power Apps:

Power Apps offers several types of applications to suit different needs:

• Canvas Apps: These apps start with a blank canvas, allowing you to design the user interface (UI) from scratch. You can drag and drop elements to create a highly customized experience. Canvas apps are ideal for scenarios where you need a tailored UI and can connect to various data sources like Dataverse, SQL, and SharePoint.

• Model-Driven Apps: These apps are built on top of data models and are more data-centric. They provide a consistent look and feel with pre-built forms and views, making them suitable for complex business processes and back-office applications. Model-driven apps are responsive and accessible by default.

• Portal Apps: These apps allow you to create external-facing websites that interact with your data stored in Dataverse. They are useful for scenarios where you need to provide access to users outside your organization.

• Embedded Canvas Apps: These are canvas apps embedded within model-driven apps, combining the flexibility of canvas apps with the structured data environment of model-driven apps.

• Custom Pages: These are advanced versions of embedded canvas apps, offering more flexibility and control over the UI within model-driven apps.

In the current environment portal allows you to create four different types of apps. You can login into your Power Apps portal. After login into your Power Apps portal, you can select Apps from the left pane.You will see as below.

Start with Copilot:

Starting with Copilot in Power Apps can significantly streamline the
app creation process. When you use Copilot, it helps you build an app by guiding you through several steps:

• Data Table Creation: You can describe your app’s purpose in natural language, and Copilot will generate a data table in Dataverse, complete with sample data.
• Schema Modification: You can chat with Copilot to modify the table schema, adding or removing columns as needed.
• App Generation: Copilot will create a responsive app that includes galleries and forms to display and edit your data.
• Customization: You can further customize the app’s UI, add conditional formatting, and insert images or additional controls.
• Natural Language Queries: Copilot can be added to existing apps to enable natural language queries over your data, making it easier for users to interact with the app.

Starting with data:

When you start with data in Power Apps, it will automatically generate an app based on the structure of your data. Here’s what typically happens:

• Data Connection: You connect Power Apps to your data source, such as an Excel file, SharePoint list, or Dataverse table.
• App Generation: Power Apps reads your data and its structure to create a three-screen app. This app usually includes:
  • Browse Screen: Allows users to browse through records.
  • Detail Screen: Displays detailed information about a selected record.
  • Edit/Create Screen: Enables users to edit existing records or create new ones.
• Customization: You can further customize the app by modifying the layout, adding controls, and applying business logic to suit your specific needs.
• Responsive Design: The generated app is responsive, meaning it will work well on different devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

Start with a Page design

When you start with a page design in Power Apps, it helps you quickly create a custom page for your app. Here’s what typically happens:

• Page Layout Selection: You choose a page layout from standard options or create a custom layout.
• Component Addition: You can add various components like text, images, videos, Power BI reports, lists, and forms to your page using no-code and low-code widgets.
• Responsive Design: The page is designed to be responsive, ensuring it looks good on different devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
• Navigation Setup: By default, the new page appears in the main navigation section of your app, making it easily accessible.
• Customization: You can further customize the page by adjusting the layout, adding business logic, and integrating data from multiple sources.

Start with an App template

Starting with an app template in Power Apps can help you quickly create a functional app tailored to specific scenarios. Here’s what typically happens:

• Template Selection: You choose a template that fits your needs, such as tracking budgets, managing projects, or scheduling vacations.
• Pre-Built Structure: The template provides a pre-defined structure, including screens, forms, and navigation elements.
• Sample Data: The app is populated with sample data to demonstrate its functionality. This helps you understand how the app works and how you can customize it.
• Customization: You can modify the app’s layout, add or remove components, and connect it to your own data sources like Dataverse, SharePoint, or Excel.
• Responsive Design: The app is designed to be responsive, ensuring it works well on various devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

The next item on this blog will be Power platform, which will be detailed in my next blog.
Please stay tuned!!!