How to use Power Apps to develop business apps without code

Microsoft Power Apps: what it is and what is it for

Microsoft Power Apps is a low-code application development platform within Power Platform that enables business users and professional developers to build custom web and mobile apps without traditional software development. Apps connect to data in Dataverse, SharePoint, SQL Server, Salesforce, and 900+ other sources via connectors, and deploy across Microsoft 365, Teams, and standalone browsers.

One of the most popular features of Power Apps is its extraordinary ease of use. Thanks to an intuitive and user-friendly interface, even those who don’t have deep programming knowledge can create customized business apps. THEinterfacing Drag & Drop allows users to select elements from a large library and drag them directly into the work area, allowing them to quickly compose the structure and contents of the applications.

But the ease of use doesn’t compromise the power and versatility of Power Apps. Instead, the platform offers seamless integration with a variety of data sources crucial to business operations, such as Microsoft Dataverse, SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and SQL Server. This means that apps created with Power Apps can easily access a wide range of information and data, offering users a unified and interactive display of relevant information.

The possibilities offered by Power Apps are practically limitless. Business applications built with this platform can be used to

• Collect, organize and analyze your data.
• Plan resources, from personnel to inventory.
• Manage support tickets.
• Implement workflows.

In essence, Power Apps allows organizations to create applications tailored to meet their specific needs, offering stakeholders secure and fast access to the information they need.

Another aspect to highlight is the responsive design of the applications created with Power Apps. This means that apps can adapt fluidly to different devices and platforms, allowing users to access them both from browsers and from mobile devices such as phones and tablets. In a nutshell, Microsoft Power Apps represents a turning point in the development of business apps, offering a perfect balance between ease of use, power and flexibility.

Now that we have concluded the product overview, let’s see in detail what types of business apps it allows you to create and what sets them apart.

Overview of Microsoft Power Apps

What are Power Apps canvas apps

The “canvas” apps (in Italian, canvas) are the business applications that a user builds from scratch. Starting, precisely, from a blank canvas. At the expense of longer development times, canvas apps are preferable to model-based apps when personalization has top priority. Usually, this need stems from the will - or need - to satisfy a company’s rather particular processes, thus requiring greater flexibility than that granted by model-based apps. In fact, the user can act on every level of his app, from the interface to the layout and from the functionalities to the underlying data logic.

Speaking of data, canvas apps can connect to more than 200 different sources. For some time now, Power Apps has supported the creation of canvas apps starting from data collections, from a Dataverse source or from AppSource. Since 2019, Integration with Microsoft Teams is also available. You can then create a business app from scratch using the expansion for Teams. Below, we list the steps to follow to do it:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Go to the group or channel where you want to insert a new app.
3. Click on ‘Browse apps’ in the left sidebar.
4. Select Power Apps and click on ‘Add app’.
5. Click on ‘Custom’, once the extension is opened.
6. Select ‘Create app’.
7. Define layout, content, and functionality.
8. Publish it.

Developing a custom app from scratch with Microsoft Power Apps

What are apps based on the Power Apps template

As the name suggests, model-based apps are built starting from a predefined Power Apps template or configured by the user in Dataverse. In the latter case, the data is imported into Microsoft Dataverse, the platform made available together with Power Apps precisely to store information from different sources and use it to create form models, visualizations, business rules and business processes. Whether it’s a Power Apps or Dataverse model, the advantage remains that of being able to develop an app in a short time and already tested, given that most of its functionalities are predefined - even if they leave some room for customization-.

Available templates in Microsoft Power Apps

What are Power Apps portals

Portals are the last category of products that a user can develop in low-code mode with Power Apps. It’s about business application extensions, since they allow an organization to extend access to its information to a larger audience, perhaps consisting of customers, partners and suppliers, in addition to employees.

Portals often take the form of websites, protected by Microsoft protocols and equipped with a wide range of functionalities, ranging from data and user management to integration with external work apps (for example Power BI, SharePoint or Microsoft 365 Dynamics applications).

The latest updates include new design features, improvements in content management, and new options for integration with other applications and services such as Dynamics 365 and SharePoint to offer even richer and more interactive user experiences. Furthermore, Power Apps Portals now offers new advanced search capabilities that allow customers to get the information they need more quickly by using filters, keywords and other search options to narrow down results and find exactly what they’re looking for.

Overview of Power Pages, the evolution of Power Apps portals

How to create a business app with Power Apps

To start building a business app, you must first log in to the Power Apps portal with your Microsoft account (if you don’t have one, remember that you can create it in a few seconds and for free).

Once inside the home page, just click on ‘Create’ and select the type of app you want to start working on layout, content and functionality. You’ll notice that Power Apps will send you back to a particular screen to do all this. It’s about Power Apps Studio, the platform’s integrated development environment (IDE) that allows you to develop business apps in low-code mode and with a process similar to that for creating a presentation on PowerPoint.

In fact, the left panel shows all the commands available to the user, together with the preview of the different screens of the app under construction.

In the central part, there is the work canvas; while from the right panel, you can change the settings related to the layout, properties and data sources.

Power Apps Studio interfaceThere are a myriad of commands that can help you create your business app and, among these, the main and most used are:

• Add picture.
• Attachments, to download and upload files from the local device to a data source.
• audio, to play a clip in the app.
• Barcode reader, to scan bar codes or data matrix on an Android, iOS or Windows device.
• Button, to allow you to interact with the app through clicks or touches.
• Check box, to select an option by specifying True or False values.
• Combo box, to allow you to make multiple choices.
• Date Picker, to specify a date by clicking or tapping.
• Display form, to display the logs of a data source in a form.
• Drop down, to show only the first item in the list until the scroll arrow is clicked.
• HTML text, to automatically convert HTML tags.
• Icon, to insert graphic elements.
• Map, to show the position of physical objects.
• Measuring Camera, for measuring distances, areas and volumes in mixed reality.
• Microphone, to record sounds in the app or in a data source.
• Power BI tile, to show a Power BI panel.
• radio, to insert options that are mutually exclusive.
• Screen, to show the real-time data of an activity.
• timer, to set the app’s response to the user after a certain period of time.
• 3D object, to interact with a 3D model.
• Rating, to give ratings from 1 to a number to be specified.

As mentioned, the list doesn’t end there. We therefore invite you to visit Power Apps Studio to find out the rest. For those who would like to know a practical case, perhaps to be reproduced in their company, we will show step by step how to customize a SharePoint form starting from a list of data, values and information.

How to customize a SharePoint list form with Power Apps

Customizing a SharePoint form with Power Apps of Microsoft Power Platform can be useful for improving the user experience on a site like the intranet, where requesting and sending data are the daily bread. In fact, Power Apps allows you to create an interface consistent with the brand’s style and equipped with fields and controls not only aesthetically pleasing, but also and above all relevant to each specific request.

For example, you could enter:

• A search box.
• A drop-down menu.
• A calendar.
• A section for uploading documents and files.
• Data charts and visualizations.

We will show you here how to insert these elements, taking as a reference point the form of a SharePoint site for thepurchasing Of a product. We will then see how to add the fields:

• Product details.
• Price, specifying the currency.
• Availability, using the mutually exclusive ‘yes/no’ options.
• Color, showing the available palettes.

Obviously, the steps that we will shortly list can be generalized, that is, you can take inspiration from them to create the modules that best suit your needs.

1. Insert custom fields in a SharePoint form

Enter the SharePoint list for which you want to create a customized form and enter in the form of a column the values that will need to be reported in the new fields. In our case, we’ll add a column for each of the following items:

• Product details.
• Price.
• Availability.
• Color

After that, you need to select the item”Integra” in the top command bar, followed by”Power Apps” and then”Customize forms”. This will open Power Apps Studio.

Integrate Power Apps into a SharePoint listEach field shown in the Power Apps Studio interface corresponds to a specific column in your SharePoint list. Take the one with the value ‘Availability’ and move it to the bottom of the list of fields.

Power Apps Studio screen with reordered form fields\Hover over the ‘Attachments’ field, click on the three dots and select ‘Remove’. In fact, it is not useful for our purposes.

Removing the ‘Attachments’ field

2. Set up conditional formatting

At this point, we must configure the display of the fields of our interest, namely those relating to price, availability and color. This is essential to ensure that each field is responsive to the choice made by the user in the previous field, thus guiding his filling out of the form.

Then go to the left panel of Power Apps Studio, expand the item ‘Product Details_DataCard1’ and note the number that appears at the end of ‘DataCardValue’. For color and price cards, set the ‘Visible’ property to the ‘If (DataCardValue3.value = true, true) ‘formula. Hold down the ALT key and click the ‘Details’ switch twice.

Set up conditional formatting in Power Apps Studio

3. Publish your custom SharePoint form

You can now save and publish changes to the form using the icons at the top right.

Save and publish customizations for a SharePoint form in Power Apps StudioAfter publishing the changes, click on”Publish to SharePoint” to make them effective.

Publish changes made to Power Apps Studio in SharePointClick on ‘Back to SharePoint’ at the top left to view your initial list and try out the new customized form.

If everything went the right way, you’ll notice that the fields will react consistently with your choices. In particular, you should experience a compilation process similar to the one shown below:

Appearance of relevant fields after the user has activated the Availability flag

Microsoft Power Apps: the main integrations

Integrations in Microsoft Power Apps allow the application to communicate and interact with other applications, services, or external data sources. They work through the use of connectors, which are preconfigured to connect to a wide range of external services and platforms.

Integrating other apps is nothing more than merge different applications or programs to make them work together more efficiently.

In a business environment, having different apps with different functions and formats and extensions that are not compatible is a rather common reality. Integrating them into Power Apps allows the use of functions from each of these apps within a single, convenient application.

Enterprise Power Apps integrations may vary depending on the company’s specific needs. We will therefore limit ourselves to describing some of the most common cases in which a company can benefit from the integration between Power Apps and other business applications.

Power Apps and Office 365 (Microsoft 365)

Through integration with Office 365, Power Apps allows you to access and use data from applications such as Excel, SharePoint and Outlook. For example, you can access data from SharePoint lists, allow users to load expense data directly from an existing Excel spreadsheet, or send emails using Outlook directly from the app.

Creating a Microsoft Power Apps application from a SharePoint list

Power Apps and Dynamics 365

Integrate the functionality of Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM may allow users to view and update customer information, sales opportunities and activities directly from an app developed with Power Apps.

Power Apps and Microsoft Azure

The integration with Microsoft Azure allows you to create powerful and scalable business apps that make the most of Azure’s advanced capabilities for data storage and analysis.

With Azure SQL Database, an inventory management app could store and manage inventory data in a scalable and reliable cloud database. A warehouse could update the inventory level directly from the Power Apps app and the data would be automatically updated in the Azure SQL database.

Azure Cognitive Services can be integrated into an app for human resources management and used to analyze resumes or for a sales analysis app that allows you to use the text analysis functionality of Cognitive Services to extract key information from customer comments or online reviews.

Power Apps and Microsoft Teams

The integration between Power Apps and Microsoft Teams has been significantly improved and now Teams allows you to incorporate apps created with Power Apps directly into the work environment.

Apps integrated with Teams can send notifications and updates to users directly through Teams, access resources such as team member data, shared files and it is now possible to add an app as a card within a channel or chat, allowing users to access the app directly from Teams and easily collaborate on projects or business processes without having to change applications and always remaining in communication.

Creating apps in Teams using Microsoft Power Apps

Power Apps, third-party software, and legacy software

Microsoft Power Apps also allows integration with third-party systems, allowing you to connect apps to other applications or external services used by your company, such as online payment services or geolocation services to track the location of shipments in real time.

In addition, it allows you to take advantage of the advantages of modern cloud-based apps while continuing to use data already present in business systems, allowing you to connect your app to older systems that may have been in the past or are still being used by a company.

How to create an app in Microsoft Power Apps using Copilot

From November 1, 2023, the powerful Microsoft Copilot, a code completion tool based on OpenAI’s Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) model and designed to assist developers by providing suggestions and automatic completes while writing code, is available on Microsoft Power Apps.

Developers can now easily start creating an application with a short description and Power Apps will instantly generate the described app, complete with a data table and backend logic.

To show the potential of this tool in the development of business apps, let’s do a small test, taking as an example the creation of an app for tracking the daily activities of a business team.

1. Activate Copilot

Let’s start Power Apps and select “Start from scratch” to create a new app. When creating the app, we activate Copilot by clicking on the toolbar.

2. Enter the appropriate prompts

At this point, we type in a short description of our app, such as “Track team activity” and ask Copilot to create a welcome screen. Copilot will suggest code to create a welcome screen with a title and a presentation message.

Once we’re happy with the result, we ask Copilot to add a list of tasks to the home screen. Once again, Copilot will suggest code to create a task list that displays the activities added by team members.

Finally, we can ask Copilot to add code to save the new activities entered by team members. Copilot will run immediately, providing us with code to connect the form to the data source (such as a SharePoint table) and to save the data entered by our team members.

3. Test the app

Once finished, we test the operation of the app from the Power Apps editor to verify that there are no malfunctions. Once you are sure that everything is in order, the app is ready to be distributed across all supported platforms.

And that’s it, our app created in Microsoft Power Apps is functional and ready for immediate use.

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FAQ on Microsoft Power Apps

What is Microsoft Power Apps?Microsoft Power Apps is a low-code platform that allows users to create custom applications for their business needs. It enables the creation of apps without the need for extensive coding knowledge, making it accessible for both developers and non-developers.

What types of apps can I build with Microsoft Power Apps?With Microsoft Power Apps, you can build a wide variety of applications, including custom forms, workflow automation tools, data-driven apps, and even fully functioning mobile applications that integrate with other Microsoft services and data sources.

How does Microsoft Power Apps integrate with other Microsoft tools?Microsoft Power Apps integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft tools such as Power BI, Power Automate, Dynamics 365, and SharePoint. This integration allows users to enhance business processes by connecting data from multiple sources into a single, unified app.

Can non-developers use Microsoft Power Apps?Yes, non-developers can use Microsoft Power Apps. The platform is designed with a low-code approach, which allows users with minimal technical knowledge to build and customize applications using drag-and-drop functionality and pre-built templates.

What is the difference between Canvas Apps and Model-driven Apps in Microsoft Power Apps?In Microsoft Power Apps, Canvas Apps allow for pixel-perfect design and customization, letting users build apps from a blank canvas. Model-driven Apps, on the other hand, are built based on data models and follow a more structured approach with built-in layouts and components.

How does Microsoft Power Apps support mobile development?Microsoft Power Apps supports mobile development by allowing users to create responsive applications that can be used on various devices, including smartphones and tablets. These apps automatically adjust to different screen sizes, ensuring a consistent user experience.

Is Microsoft Power Apps secure?Yes, Microsoft Power Apps is built with enterprise-grade security features. It integrates with Azure Active Directory for user authentication, offers role-based access controls, and ensures that data is securely managed and stored within Microsoft 365.

Can I automate workflows using Microsoft Power Apps?Yes, you can automate workflows using Microsoft Power Apps in conjunction with Power Automate. This allows users to create automated processes, such as approvals, notifications, and data updates, directly from within their Power Apps applications.

What kind of support and community resources are available for Microsoft Power Apps?Microsoft Power Apps has an extensive support system that includes official documentation, video tutorials, and a large online community of users and developers. Additionally, Microsoft provides a range of learning paths and certifications for users who want to deepen their knowledge of the platform.

What are the pricing options for Microsoft Power Apps?Microsoft Power Apps offers several pricing plans depending on your needs, including a per-app plan and a per-user plan. Additionally, there is a free tier available for users who want to explore the platform with limited features and usage.