Not long ago, software development was reserved for individuals with an in-depth understanding of programming languages and frameworks. The growing adoption of low-code platforms seems to be changing the development landscape. Today, those with limited coding knowledge can also build high-quality applications to simplify business processes and engage customers.

Microsoft has contributed immensely to the low-code space by introducing Power Apps. Power Apps speeds up business innovation by enabling faster, hassle-free development of mobile and web apps. Using Power Apps development, business solutions that took weeks or months are now launched in a few days.

So, What is Microsoft Power Apps?

Microsoft Power Apps is a software suite comprising applications, connectors, services, and a data platform (Microsoft Dataverse). It offers a rapid development environment for creating customized applications for in-house teams as well as customers. The suite has drag-and-drop interfaces, reusable components, and extensive business logic that reduce the amount of coding required.

As a part of the Microsoft products suite, Power Apps integrates natively with other products from the Microsoft ecosystem—SharePoint, SQL Server, and OneDrive to name a few. It also easily connects with several third-party tools including SAP, Salesforce, Oracle, and more. This minimizes the need for additional data integration.

What Are the Different Types of Power Apps?

For those looking to utilize Power Apps, three options are available:

1. Canvas Apps: Here, a user gets a blank canvas where they drag-and-drop components to create custom user interfaces. These components can be formatted in any fashion the user wants. Once the interfaces are ready, they are connected to a data source using Excel-style formulas.

A key benefit of canvas apps is their ease of use. Anyone proficient in Excel formulae can create fully functional applications. Also, canvas apps are capable of pulling data from more than 1200 data sources. All these features provide a great deal of flexibility to app creators.

A downside to using canvas apps is that they aren’t as responsive as most other apps. Sure, Microsoft has introduced features (e.g., responsive templates and layout containers) to make these apps fit different screen sizes and devices. Yet, it requires some time and effort on the part of the user to improve their responsiveness.

2. Model-Driven Apps: Model-driven apps are based on the underlying data present in Microsoft Dataverse. The user selects a data model, and the interface components are automatically selected on the basis of the model chosen. Though the user gets some flexibility to edit individual components, they don’t have complete control over the app’s layout.

In short, model-driven apps are created with a data-first approach. Their data-centric nature makes them suitable for scenarios where complex business logic and workflows are involved. Besides, model-driven apps integrate only with Dataverse in contrast with canvas apps that offer tremendous room for integration.

3. Power Pages: Whereas canvas and model-driven apps are mainly used for creating solutions for the internal teams, the third type of Power Apps- Power Pages are used for building websites and portals for external users. These external users may be customers or business partners. Websites created using Power Pages run seamlessly across various devices and browsers.

Power Pages comes with a range of pre-built components and templates. Individuals with limited technical skills can also use them to create sites to engage customers and other stakeholders. Customer self-service websites, landing pages, or vendor portals can be crafted using the platform.

How Does Power Apps Benefits Businesses?

Here are some of the ways in which Microsoft Power Apps development boosts business growth:

i. Streamlined Development: In traditional app development, businesses involve their in-house experts or partner with external vendors. In either case, substantial time and effort are incurred. When non-technical teams work on building business solutions using Power Apps, the need to hire technical experts and pay them hefty salaries is eliminated. This results in significant cost savings. It also leads to faster app development.

ii. Improved Efficiency: Using model-driven apps, it is possible to create digital solutions that automate repetitive tasks, for example, data entry or invoice processing. This frees up teams to pay attention to more strategic, revenue-generating activities.

iii. Easy Integration: Power Apps is a part of the Power Platform suite. As a result, it offers native integration capabilities with products like Excel, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365. The platform also offers connectors for several third-party tools such as Google Drive, Dropbox, and Salesforce. This allows users to leverage external data sources and functionalities to extend an app’s capabilities.

iv. AI Capabilities: Power Apps comes with an AI builder that allows the incorporation of features such as sentiment analysis or image recognition into an application. The AI builder has built-in models for common tasks that could be customized as per a project’s need. Using the feature, it is possible to create applications that automate workflows, analyze data, and make reliable predictions.

v. Mobile Accessibility: With most users relying on mobiles to access the internet, it has become imperative to create apps that are compatible with Android and iOS devices. Power Apps, especially model-driven apps, are responsive by default and run smoothly on different devices. This alleviates the risk of an app crashing while being used. It also creates a great user experience, reducing the chances of user complaints.

vi. Built-in Security and Compliance: Business solutions built using Power Apps leverage Microsoft Azure Cloud for storing, accessing, and analyzing data. Azure’s cloud infrastructure has been built with security and compliance in mind.

Power Apps utilizes Azure Active Directory, a cloud-based identity and access management solution. The solution grants organizations the capability to restrict user permissions at data and application levels. This ensures individuals have access only to data relevant to their roles.

Count on Microsoft Power Apps Development to Drive Business Forward

Power Apps is a customizable, easy-to-use solution that helps businesses speed up digital transformation by accelerating app development. The platform empowers individuals with varying levels of programming skills to create solutions that address their specific challenges and make their teams efficient and productive.

Businesses that want to get started with Power Apps should consider partnering with a trusted Microsoft Power Apps consulting services provider. The collaboration will help them reduce the time and cost involved in building custom Power Apps. They will also learn to use the platform effectively, ensuring a strong ROI.