Introduction to Power Apps
Power Apps is one of Microsoft’s premium offerings in the cloud space. This is a concept that allows professionals to develop high-functioning applications without the need for typing in a single line of code.
In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what is Power Apps and how it can be used to build applications at scale.
Table of Contents
- What is Power Apps?
- Why should you use Power Apps?
- Three major components of Power Apps
- What are the different ways to use Power Apps?
- Verdict
What is Power Apps?
Power Apps is Microsoft’s answer to building business heavy applications without a ton of coding involved. It is a feature that allows professionals to create real and highly powerful apps without the need to write a single line of code.
When all other applications stop performing, Power Apps keep going forward. It allows non-developers to create and customize applications using Azure Functions. With the power of visual tools, Power Apps allows users to create applications that can solve big and small problems alike.
In summary, Power Apps is a platform and service that allows you to create no code or low code apps.
Source: Microsoft
Why should you use Power Apps?
Since it allows you to create applications without any code, Power Apps helps you become faster. You can use common data services so that everyone in your organization can share the same definitions. You are also presented with thousands of business entities that you can add to your application to make your life easier.
We live in an age where speed is a major advantage for all businesses. When businesses use Power Apps, they stop wasting time on app development. They need to hire developers and create custom applications which will also gobble up your resources. Most businesses just don’t have the time or the resources to dedicate to this task.
This is exactly where a concept like Power Apps will help these businesses. Power Apps enables professionals to create high-functioning applications without any code.
Think about all the time and money businesses could save with Power Apps.
Three major components of Power Apps
The application
Powerapps allows you to create an app for all your professional needs. These applications are not qualified for just one platform. You can create applications on your smartphone, desktops, laptops, or even tablets.
You can choose a general template of what you need the app to do. This template will include the basic working conditions and formulae for the application. However, you can customize it to add your own functions and formulas to it.
The Power App Studio is your home ground to mold the app to your individual needs. You can choose to change how data is calculated or even presented. The drag and drop options inside Power Apps Studio enable everyone to create a truly custom app.
If you’re feeling creative or confident, you can also create an application from scratch. You can model its workflow and design how the app’s interface will look to the users. You can literally design a fully functioning application without needing to type in a single line of code.
Connectors for your data
When you are creating an application, you need one or more data sources for it. These are places from which your app will acquire the desired data for processing. This data may include anything from a phone number, email ID, name, financial details, or any other details belonging to a customer.
When you start modeling your application, you need to find a data source to feed your app. This data source can be anything from an excel sheet to your salesforce account.
Let’s say that you need an application that will show the name, email address, and contact number of all your customers. So you choose to select the excel sheet as your primary data source. After using connectors to connect this data source to your application, you need to rearrange customer data. You have to point the right field to the right inputs so that your app doesn’t malfunction.
You also need to map the fields in the excel sheet to their respective fields inside the application. This allows professionals to create multiple applications using the same data points.
Microsoft Flow
Microsoft Flow is the foundation of your Power Apps. It is the engine that runs behind the screens to make sure that your app performs the functions you create. An app gives you a way to view and edit your data, while Flow tells your app what it needs to do.
Flow allows you to set rules about what will happen when a certain data is added to the app such as -
- Should it add something to the calendar?
- Should it send a message in a Slack group?
- Should it schedule a meeting with the new customer?
You can set up conditional automation like these using Flow.
But you need to download the Power Apps for each individual device for this to work. All your applications will only run from the Power Apps application.
What are the different ways to use Power Apps?
There are three different ways for professionals to use Power Apps. Let’s take a look at all of them in detail.
Web and mobile applications
These apps are useful when there is a need for visuals to complete the required tasks. You need to select a design interface and connect it with a data source. Once that’s done, you can have a visual look at all your data.
Model/Data-driven applications
This type of application can be used when you don’t require a visual interface to work with. You just need an application to view the data and give you information. This type of application is all about creating a simple workflow to present you with consumable information.
Business process automation applications
This application uses a list of conditions to push a business decision to different places. It defines how a business decision will be processed based on multiple predefined conditions. Yet again this application does not require you to have a visual interface. All it needs to do is process data according to the predefined conditions.
Verdict
Power Apps enables business professionals to get in speed with the world, using no-code applications. Once they create an application, it can be shared with all their team members or even across the entire organization.
Microsoft Power Apps is here to help businesses create apps without the time strain or extensive resources. Professionals like you can now design crucial applications without needing to look for a developer.