Power Apps
Apps and bespoke software are playing an increasingly large role in business practices; many previously tedious, labour intensive, repetitive and time consuming tasks can be automated through specially designed software and apps that harness the power of technologies such as AI and machine learning.
Karen Harding
Head of Marketing & Client Relations, Objective
Speed of development, with easier low code app creation, and being immediately mobile ready are just some of the benefits Power Apps offer businesses looking to create in-house apps.
DIY Power Apps Development
Microsoft puts app development in the hands of the user through its business Power Apps platform, so providing a way for companies and organisations to develop their own apps using an intuitive template driven interface for Power Apps development.
A search for ‘Power Apps Microsoft’ will show all manner of Power Apps for businesses in use covering a multitude of commercial uses.
The Expert Touch:
Using Power Apps Consultants
While the ‘DIY app’ route sounds appealing and is indeed possible, it’s distinctly likely a business may need at least some initial help from a specialist Power Apps development company to harness the benefits of Power Apps.
Despite the user-friendly interface, realistically users would require a degree of technical understanding and training in the tools they’re working with; certainly more advanced apps would require the help of Microsoft Power Apps consultants to develop them properly.
Microsoft Office Integration:
A Key Benefit Of Business Power Apps
Using Power Apps for business benefits from being fully integrated with Microsoft office 365: a software suite very familiar to many commercial users so making Power Apps a highly user friendly tool. It can easily be integrated with other Microsoft tech including Excel, SharePoint Online, and Dynamics 365.
FAQs
What Is Microsoft Power Apps?
Microsoft defines Power Apps as “a suite of apps, services, connectors and data platform that provides a rapid application development platform for business needs” – in other words a user friendly and versatile way for businesses to create bespoke apps especially to suit them.
There are basically two methods of Power Apps development:
Blank canvas – as the terms suggest, a more ‘open’ form of initial development involving connected data sources, creating interfaces and adding workflows using the user-friendly drag and drop interface.
Model driven – using literally a data model of data sets and business rules that are already defined to build an app ‘on top’ so taking a structural and data driven business Power Apps development route.
Which of the two approaches chosen may be best determined with help from a specialist Power Apps development company.
‘How Can Microsoft Power Apps Help My Business?
A welter of processes can be handled with Power Apps development including workflow, general procedures automation, reporting, marketing activities and much more.
The key of course is to determine exactly what functions Power Apps development should cover and plan and execute a solution – again an area where at least initial help to get ‘up and running’ from specialist Microsoft Power Apps consultants could pay dividends.
Some examples of functions Power Apps can help with:
Marketing automation – tools that automatically gather and follow up with customers based on their actions and responses.
Field reporting – a standardised and efficient way for staff and contractors to enter information when working away from base: for example, site inspection details, maintenance records and much more.
Documentation – creation of standard documents that require customisation based on specific information for a particular client, department or similar.
Are Microsoft Power Apps Expensive?
The ‘starting from’ cost is fairly low. They don’t have to cost much other than your time since you have the basic app building functionality itself within your productivity suite such as Microsoft Office 365.
There may be some investment in other infrastructure to make the most of Power Apps: for example, a business may decide to boost its data gathering, storage or manipulation facilities such as investing in AI and machine learning tech.
It may be decided to invest in help from Power Apps consultants to initially develop the app – especially if the designated ‘app builder’ is new to the Microsoft Power Apps environment. This could be a very worthwhile investment as it means ‘starting on the right foot’ with expert help in business Power Apps development. Get in touch today to find out more.