Microsoft PowerApps - Timely Data On the Spot

At the Comdex trade show in 1995, Bill Gates talked about how information will be availability “at your fingertips” in coming years. One way that Microsoft is still making this vision a reality is with Microsoft PowerApps.

PowerApps is an application construction platform that allows business power users to create and provide mobile and PC applications to their colleagues.

One way to understand PowerApps is to think about how a department manager or power user often creates Microsoft Excel templates to share or collect data within their department. In a similar way, the same individuals who took the time to learn Excel formulas, pivot tables, VBA programming, etc. for these line of business needs are the same people who Microsoft is now empowering with PowerApps.

PowerApps provides a platform for retrieving, displaying and storing data through mobile devices, within Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Power BI and a growing number of other locations. The data for a PowerApps application can reside in Microsoft Excel Online, SQL Server, Common Data Service, Dynamics 365, Google Sheets and in many more locations.

An example of a type of business that can utilize PowerApps is one where sales reps visit a home or business to provide an estimate. Such businesses include those who sell and install flooring, windows, cabinets, etc. The sales rep can load a PowerApps application on a tablet to show the prospect the latest product choices and can then create and email an estimate moments later.

PowerApps are useful whenever and wherever someone needs to share or collect timely, non-static data on the spot, within a custom-tailored and easy to navigate user interface. Microsoft Office 365, Google Docs, etc. are fine for generic applications, but if a business wants to provide an application that is more intuitive and richer in functionality then it’s worth considering PowerApps.

Creating a relatively simple PowerApps application, one that displays a list of data and provides a form to create and update records, can take someone just an hour or two. Microsoft provides several templates to help construct PowerApps applications. Using a template involves selecting a data source (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics 365, SharePoint, OneDrive), a form layout (mobile or tablet) and a general theme. From there, the application designer can add a custom data source, images, actions, tables, formulas and many other custom features to make sure the application works well for the intended users.

To get started with PowerApps, visit https://web.powerapps.com or contact your Microsoft Partner for more details.