Discovery GuideMicrosoft PowerApps

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PowerAppsEasily build the business apps you need and extend or customise the apps you already use.

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Did you know that Excel is the most used

ERP system in the world? And there is a good

reason for it. Within Excel you can easily

maintain data and create lists or reports with

lightning speed. The disadvantage is that

it can lead to data silos, with information

appearing in multiple versions in different

formats. Data held in Excel is not easy to

exchange plus those easy to produce charts

lack the ability to drill down and generate

insights. Data security is another issue.

Secondly, with data held in silos, manual

intervention is required to move from one

stage of the process to the next. Wouldn’t it

be good if there was a way automate specific

processes in your company for which there

is currently no standard software available,

without creating new data silos? This is

where business apps can offer a solution.

Business apps are often thought of as being

complex to build, time consuming and

not easy to use. For these reasons, many

companies opt for customised applications

instead. However, layering expensive and

inflexible code on top of your standard

solution is exactly the the opposite of what

you want!

Microsoft PowerApps shows that things can

be done differently. With PowerApps you can

automate specific tasks and processes with a

simple app. Quick to build, visually attractive,

user-friendly, secure and developed

without the need for complex code or large

investments. Too good to be true? In this

guide we show you how it works!

Why Microsoft PowerApps

One of Microsoft’s key objectives

is to enable digital transformation

through the use of technology with

which is easy to do and enable

companies to remain future-proof

and agile.

Part of that digital transition is

ensuring that employees understand

and are empowered to use company

data to work better and smarter.

PowerApps supports and encourages

this.

PowerApps

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Applications are nothing more than handy

tools to help you get things done. Whether

you work on your mobile, desktop or tablet,

PowerApps connect the applications and

data that you already use, enabling you to

automate a specific task or solve a recurring

problem.

With PowerApps, you can create a user-

friendly app which automates business

processes and thereby supports your

employees to perform their daily work in

less time and with less effort.

Essentially, PowerApps can enrich and

extend the existing functionality of your

systems enabling you to get the most out of

your entire IT infrastructure. PowerApps

work like the cement between the

bricks of your different applications.

They close the gaps between the

various applications and use and

connect data from your entire

organisation.

PowerApps:what are they?

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With PowerApps you gain even more control over your end-to-end business processes.

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PowerApps are created using a simple,

visual drag-and-drop editor whilst the logic

and data processing work broadly the same

familiar way as Excel. Even without prior

experience with app development, you can

get started yourself with sample data and

templates.

PowerApps works with data from your

Dynamics 365 applications such as Sales,

Field Service and Marketing, but also

data from Office 365, SharePoint, Excel,

Mailchimp, Dropbox and so on. PowerApps

also integrates with Microsoft Flow, so that

you can generate workflows from an app,

activate them and respond to them at the

right time.

Should you opt for Canvas apps or Model-

driven apps?

There are two approaches to creating a

PowerApp, either from the User’s perspec-

tive, known as “Canvas Apps” or from the

business data and rules perspective known

as Model-driven.

• Canvas apps are created with the end-user in mind. You start with a blank “canvas”

and click and drag the parts together that

your end-user needs. You start from the

place where the information is located,

from SharePoint or a Power BI Dashboard,

for example.

• Model-driven apps start with the Common Data Service, based on which you then

build

the app with forms,

business rules or processes. A user-friendly

and responsive interface is generated

automatically.

How does the Microsoft Power Platform work?

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The development of an app almost

always involves data from multiple sources. Sometimes you bring data together in the app, but usually, it is

easier to build and the app will work

better if you bring data together in

one place in advance.

This is what the Common Data Service

for Apps does: it integrates data from

different sources so that it can be

used in PowerApps, Flow and PowerBI,

together with data that is already

available within your Dynamics 365

applications.

Common Data Service for Apps

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Dynamics 365

Common Data Service

Azure

Dataconnectors

Flow

Office 365 Mobile Apps Web Apps

Power BIPowerApps

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PowerApps integrates with Microsoft Flow, enabling you to generate workflows from the app, and activate and respond to them at the right time.

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No matter how tempting it seems, you will not

re-write your business as PowerApp. You will

however find plenty of examples which could

benefit from PowerApps. You could start from

scratch and learn by doing. However, the best

way to get up to speed is to engage with HSO’s

PowerApp team to do a pilot to see how it’s

done. Learn to walk before you run, and you’ll

be up to speed in next to no time.

Contact us:

info-uk@hso.com

+44 (0)161 300 6060 PowerApps next steps

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1st Floor, Enterprise Point | Altrincham Road | Manchester | M22 9AF | T +44 (0)161 600 3030 | info-uk@hso.com

HSO has been a Microsoft Solution Integrator since 1989. As a fully mature and successful IT company, HSO currently employs 700 people and maintains a globalpresence with locations in Europe, North America and Asia. HSO supports local and international companies in retail, wholesale, industry, and technical and professional

services, bringing real added value to their businesses through digital technology. This support is built on a foundation of Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM & ERP), Microsoft365, and Data & AI. HSO delivers the necessary services to implement, optimise and manage these leading cloud solutions, globally, 24/7. HSO is also a member of

the Microsoft Dynamics Inner Circle and is the proud bearer of the title ‘Most Customer-Oriented Microsoft Partner’. You can find more information about HSO on http://www.hso.com/ or viaTwitter @HSO_Tweets.

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