The ‘Power Platform’ is a collective term for these Microsoft products:
Power BI
PowerApps
Power Automate (previously known as Flow).
Power Virtual Agents
Power Platform helps you easily manipulate, surface, automate and analyse data and can be used with Office 365 and Dynamics 365 (as well as other third-party apps and other Microsoft services). The Power Platform comes with a data platform called the Common Data Service (CDS), which provides a unified and simplified data schema so that applications and services can inter-operate.
Power Apps
Power Apps is a low-code approach to custom app development, that allows users to quickly create apps with a ‘point and click’ approach. With Power Apps you can:
Build mobile-friendly apps quickly and without development knowledge and reducing pressure on busy IT teams
Connect to and surface data from your business applications, such as Dynamics 365 and Office 365 (and also third-party apps)
Surface key data into a user-friendly app to help data entry – meaning users only see the information they need to fulfil a particular task
Power Automate
Save time, reduce human error and streamline your processes with Power Automate. Your team will avoid repetitive tasks when you use Power Automate to create automated workflows between your Microsoft services or third-party applications. It allows you to:
Use pre-built automation templates for common automations
Connect disparate applications, databases, solutions and cloud services such as Outlook, SharePoint, Dynamics 365 or a multitude of non-Microsoft applications
Set up triggers, alerts, automated emails, push notifications and much more – with no coding and in minutes
Overall it allows you to save time, reduce human error and streamline your processes
Power BI
Analyse complex data and enable continuous improvement with Power BI. It is a business analytics tool which allows you to easily connect to data sources, create visuals and gain business intelligence quickly. Power BI allows you to:
Click and connect with Microsoft and third-party cloud services, as well as on-premise data sources
Easily manipulate data and create visuals, such as charts, dashboards, maps and many more – so you can present your data in an easy-to-digest format
Use natural language to query data and get results
Overall, allowing you to easily analyse and make sense of complex data to enable continual improvement
Power Virtual Agents
Create powerful chatbots—without the need for developers or data scientists—by using a guided, no-code graphical interface. You could use this to provide self-service assistance to your teams while reducing helpdesk request.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT THE POWER PLATFORM?
The Power Platform has some key qualities that are going to be of strategic value to your project organisation:
1. Collaboration
Dismantling silos and enabling teamwork is paramount to project success. The Power Platform makes it easy for everyone to work together, with modern work management tools such as Project for the Web, Planner, To Do and of course Teams.
2. Flexibility and Speed To Deploy
Power Platform can be customised at speed to deliver solutions specific to your needs. Get features built within days, not months.
3. Automation
Power Automate can produce substantial productivity gains through automation of time-consuming and repetitive processes like approvals, alerts, data compilation and report creation.
4. Integration
The platform comes with out-of-the-box connectors that can merge data held in disparate silos. Power Platform simplifies connections between people and systems.
5. Business Intelligence
All of the above benefits lead to an increase in valuable data. Power BI leverages your data, which enhances decision-making and drives behavioural change towards increased maturity.
