What Every Business Should Know About Microsoft Power Apps in 2023

Microsoft Power Apps allows organisations to create custom applications to streamline processes, increase efficiency, and improve collaboration. These three things are essential to a modern workplace, regardless of whether you have an onsite, hybrid, or totally remote model. 

As business solutions providers, Propelle believes in helping organisations find the right outcomes for their unique needs and challenges. This article will be useful for developers and for non-developers who are building their first apps in the platform. Here we’ll explore what every business should know about Microsoft Power Apps in 2023, including what can be built, who should use it, how organisations are using it, and how to get started.

What can you build in Power Apps?

  • Custom business applications: Address specific business needs, such as a project management tool, inventory management system, or customer relationship management system, with custom-made applications. 
  • Data collection forms: Build data collection forms for various purposes such as employee surveys, event registrations, customer feedback, safety inspection and more. 
  • Mobile apps: Build mobile apps for iOS, Android, and Windows devices. 
  • Workflow automation: Automate workflows, such as approval processes, invoice processing, and project management tasks. 
  • Chatbots: Build chatbots to provide customer support, answer frequently asked questions, and more. 
  • Dashboards and reports: Create custom dashboards and reports to visualise and analyse data. 
  • System integration: Integrate with other systems such as Microsoft SharePoint, Dynamics 365, and Power BI.
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How are organisations using Power Apps?

So, now that you know what Microsoft Power Apps is capable of, let’s dive into how organisations are actually using it. From streamlining business processes to improving customer experiences, the possibilities are endless. 

One of our clients, an insurance broker, came to us with an issue. Their business requires them to generate huge amounts of documents every day – quotes, contracts, policies, etc. As an incredible busy company, they faced huge time pressures to create these documents – a process they were previously doing manually. Due to the volume and time demands, there were issues in the quality and consistency of the documents, and team members worked at different speeds to create them. 

The client needed a solution, and after learning the intricacies of their business and the scope of the challenge they were facing, we recommended automating the document generation process. 

We used Power Automate to design a new system that made the most of automation, reducing the amount of time required to collect and pull data for documentation. This is how we built their new system. 

  • A spreadsheet we created pulls all the relevant client information, like personal or business details, and sorts it into corresponding cells. This spreadsheet is uploaded into Power Automate. 
  • The user selects a template we created for the document they need, and then drop in any additional information that is required (they can upload a case summary or select from a dropdown box). Once completed, they click ‘Generate’. 
  • The user receives an email with the document in Word format. It also automatically uploads to a designated SharePoint folder. 
  • That document is also emailed to the manager/owner of that department for review. Once they’re happy, the document is converted to a PDF and can be sent to the client for signing. 

So, whether you’re looking to improve your business processes or provide better experiences for your customers, Microsoft Power Apps – and Propelle – has got you covered.

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How to get started with Microsoft Power Apps?

Are you ready to take your business to the next level with Microsoft Power Apps? 

First, decide what kind of app you want to build – e.g. do you need a mobile app for your team or an internal tool for tracking inventory? Once you have an idea, head over to the Power Apps platform. 

Next, sign up for a free account and start exploring the various templates available. You can also create your own custom app from scratch. 

Then, drag and drop pre-built components like forms, tables, and charts into your app. Customise them to fit your needs by adding fields or changing colours. 

Finally, test your app on different devices and make any necessary adjustments before publishing it to your organisation’s library of connectors. 

If you’ve made it to the end of this article and would prefer to leave things to the experts, you can team up with one of Propelle’s experienced developers. Our services and support are tailored to you, as every organisation comes with its own requirements, quirks, and challenges. Let’s get the conversation started today.

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