Microsoft Power Platform is a collection of Microsoft technologies that can be used to create and deploy complex business solutions, analyze and visualize data, automate business processes, and develop virtual agents for communication – with little or no coding. The platform offers simple graphical user interfaces (GUI) that can be utilized by any business user or developer, greatly reducing dependence on the IT department. It includes the following technologies:
Power BI
A data analytics solution for accurate and timely business reporting that unifies multiple siloed data sources. Since data becomes meaningful and actionable when presented in a visual, easy-to-understand format, you can uncover previously unknown opportunities and threats.
Power Apps
Quickly create rich, responsive apps using best-practice templates and integrate apps with spreadsheets in Excel. Allow agile teams to move forward with new-age ideas and opportunities.
Power Automate
Automate workflow activities with the trust of Microsoft, reduce administration to a minimum, and get the guarantee that everything runs properly. Give your team more time to focus on applying specialized expertise to their daily tasks.
Power Virtual Assistants
Simplify customer and team communication with powerful virtual assistants, customize workflows, and personalize conversations.
How Power Platform Applications Work Together
Application features work together to improve operations. Consider the following scenario in which all Power Platform applications function together.
Using PowerApps, an app has been developed that allows salespeople to create sales orders while on the road, eliminating the need to wait until they return to office to complete the order. The salesperson visits a client, determines needs, and fills out the necessary information on the app, which is then stored in the CDS. Once the sales order is completed, an automated workflow is set up that sends an automatic email notification to the manager to authorize it. A Power BI dashboard is then designed to present sales data and track various metrics such as item sales, sale locations, sales per salesperson.
The Benefits of the Power Platform
Microsoft Power Platform features several advantages that will help your team succeed:
Accuracy: Power Apps can use business logic to fill all the required form fields before sending the request. Instead of free text, you can make use of dropdown fields to enter data. The type of request influences who receives the form, ensuring accuracy, and avoiding forms going missing or being given to the wrong person.
Permissions: Since end-user authentication is required for the Power Platform, it allows you to establish governance by limiting who can fill out and approve the form. For example, an hourly employee might not have the authority to make a request; only his/her supervisor can. Alternatively, purchase requests of $10,000 or more may require the approval of a Vice President. All of these permissions can be pre-programmed into the form.
Compliance: Many organizations face new or changing compliance requirements. When you use Power Apps and Power Automate to automate tasks, you are required to follow a specified procedure. You have control over who can access the process and its output data and know where all of the data and records for that process are stored. It makes demonstrating compliance with standards and adapting the procedure if the standards change a breeze.
Root Cause Analysis: If an error occurs, there is a particular route to follow to figure out what went wrong. Microsoft 365 keeps track of all actions performed on the Power Platform, including who performed them. You may concentrate your effort on rectifying the activity rather than trying to figure out what went wrong.
Reporting: When all of these activities occur within Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform, reports are automatically generated. How many pieces of equipment did you buy last year? Were they obligated to a specific job? What is the most common form of equipment that you purchase? When are you going to buy it? Since this type of information is already available in SharePoint, you don’t have to look for it. Additionally, simple dashboard views may be created or exported to Excel to make ad hoc reports.
In a nutshell, the Power Platform is a collection of four main tools: PowerApps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents. Users can utilize Microsoft PowerApps to create business solutions, leverage Microsoft Power Automate to automate certain business operations, analyze data and create visualizations from a variety of data sources using Microsoft Power BI, and set up virtual agents for conversations using Microsoft Power Virtual Agents to create a chatbot without writing a single line of code.