If you are a D365 user or interested in becoming one, chances are you’ve heard of Power Platform. This is a portfolio of four applications that are linked both to each other and to hundreds of other apps (such as Office 365 and Azure). Together, they make sure that your business is efficient and up to date, across all apps and all users. The separate apps allow you to analyze your data (Power BI), build custom business solutions (Power Apps), automate processes (Power Automate) and create chatbots (Power Virtual Agents). This blog will walk you through the four components of Power Platform and what they can do for your business.
Power BI
Firstly, Power BI creates insights into your data through built-in AI functionalities. Data is visualized in interactive dashboards which ultimately facilitate business decisions. The solution is integrated with Excel to ensure smooth data transfer and tight security measures have been added to protect your data. You can download Power BI for free.
Power Apps
Secondly, Power Apps allows your employees to build low-code applications by using predesigned templates and a simple drag-and-drop system. The application provides advanced functionalities to all kinds of employees, including those without a very technical background. You can build apps that solve your business problems and share them easily across devices. This enables you to work more efficiently and productively.
Power Automate
Just like Power Apps, Power Automate also offers a low-code environment. It allows your employees to build new functionalities: in this case, automated processes. Plus, the solution contains a process advisor which recommends specific processes to automate. With increased automation, you can expect to see a reduction in errors across your business processes.
Often, users of Microsoft Dynamics 365 can use Power Apps and Power Automate for free: many D365 solutions offer limited use rights. You can customize and extend applications within the context of your D365 license. The specific use rights differ per license type.
Power Virtual Agents
The fourth solution in Power Platform is Power Virtual Agents, which can help you respond quickly and automatically to both customers and employees. A simple visual interface makes it possible to create chatbots. The app uses AI to track and improve your bots’ performance. As with Power Apps and Power Automate, use rights for Power Virtual Agents depend on your D365 license. For more information about licensing, please refer to the Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide.
In sum, the low-code tools of Power Platform allow your organization’s users to build solutions, even if they do not have a highly technical background. A Microsoft-commissioned study has found that businesses using Power Platform can expect to see their investment paid back within 11 months, along with a 502% ROI over the course of three years. If you would like to further discuss the possibilities and opportunities that the Power Platform can provide to your business, feel free to reach out to us. We can provide help and advice, since we have extensive experience with especially Power Automate and Power Apps.
See you in the next blog!