Microsoft Power Apps – Creation of individual apps.

PART OF THE MICROSOFT POWER PLATFORM:

It is difficult to keep the software up to date to the extent that it reflects all processes 1:1 at all times. This is particularly important in order to be able to work efficiently. However, assigning a programmer every time and requesting adjustments is not an option either, as there is no budget for this. If there is a separate IT department, the employees are probably already entrusted with so many tasks that they do not have time to program new things in between.

Microsoft Power Apps now allows you to easily and quickly create mobile apps and web apps on your own – without writing a line of code. So create individual apps according to your needs and the whole thing without any programming knowledge. Within a few clicks you build apps by choosing a template from the diverse templates and layouts or start without a template. Then you fill the app with your data.

Microsoft products such as Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central (formerly Microsoft Dynamics NAV), etc. can serve as data sources, but also third-party products such as Salesforce or Dropbox. Thus, you can include data from various sources and present it in a descriptive way. Furthermore, there is the possibility to create custom connections with other sources.

The apps you create can be used on all end devices. This way, you always remain flexible and can access all data on the go.

There is something for everyone in the Microsoft Power Apps application: Either you start on a canvas and benefit from numerous existing functions or you create the app using a data model or templates.

Canvas Apps

With a canvas app, you design and create a business app on a “canvas” in the Power Apps Studio. You design the app by selecting and placing elements. You can include a variety of control features such as cameras or location awareness.

There is no need to write code in a traditional programming language such as C#. This process in the App Designer feels like creating PowerPoint slides. You can also create expressions, such as those used in Excel, for example to specify logic and work with data. You are therefore completely responsible for the layout yourself.

View data sources
Model-driven Apps

The model-driven apps start with your data model. Forms, views and other components are modelled using data from your core business and your processes in Common Data Service.

Model-driven apps automatically generate powerful user interfaces that can be used across devices. Unlike canvas app development, where the designer has full control over the app layout, model-driven apps are designed with much of the layout determined by the components you add to the app.
Portal Apps
Portals help you create external websites that allow users outside your organization to do the following steps:
- Login
- Anonymous search of contents
- Creation and display of data in the Common Data Service
Users can reuse page designs through templates and add forms and views to view key data from Common Data Service and publish it to users.

Microsoft Power Apps Canvas Apps

Microsoft Power Apps Connectors

Data is the core of canvas apps. The data sources can be of different nature and origin. A connector or data source can provide tables or actions.

Dynamics 365 Business Central

Dynamics 365 applications such as Dynamics 365 Business Central also use the underlying data platform (Common Data Service) that Power Apps use to store and protect data. This allows you to create apps with Power Apps and Common Data Service directly with the core business data already in use in Dynamics 365 without the need for integration.

Common connectors
- Common Data Service
- Cloudspeicher
- Dynamics AX
- Excel
- Microsoft Translator
- Office 365 Outlook
- Office 365-User
- Oracle
- Power BI
- SharePoint
- SQL Server
- Twitter

Power Apps can be used for a wide variety of scenarios. We have put together some use cases for you:

Item price correction

For example, you can build a small application in a short time that allows you to correct the prices of items. For example, when raw material prices fall or rise.

Time recording of a department

In just a few clicks, build an application that allows your service technicians to record their times on site at the customer.

Functions

Create custom apps using templates and simple drag-and-drop functionality
No programming skills required
Connect to a variety of additional data sources
Advanced functionality for developers (e.g., Azure Functions, Connectors customization, etc.)

Options

Per-App-Plan
Per-User-Plan

Compatibility

Dynamics 365 Business Central
Dynamics NAV

Deployment

Cloud

No need for programming knowledge

With Microsoft Power Apps, app development becomes possible for everyone. The point-and-click or drag-and-drop method in the App Designer makes it very intuitive to use, so new apps can be designed in minutes to hours. Furthermore, the application is designed in the conventional Microsoft design. No programming skills are required, so even non-developers can use Power Apps.

Integration into Microsoft products

Extensibility for developers

Power Apps is also an extensible platform that allows professional developers to seamlessly extend app functionality with Azure features and customize connectors to on-premises systems, for example.