Each business relies on and produces an abundance of data such as financial records, interactions with customers, expenses, employee details, etc. All this information resides in multiple business applications that are not integrated with each other. The larger you grow, the harder it is to ensure the information is shared and that different departments work together effectively. In order to share this data, work more effectively as well as work more efficiently, organizations tend to invest a lot in new custom applications, try to digitize their processes or rely on new products. However often this can be done a lot easier by just creating an app for that. An app created by a citizen developer; a business user that creates a new application with built-in excel formulas without writing any line of code.
PowerApps is a suite of applications, connectors and a data platform that provides you the opportunity to build custom apps for your business needs. By using PowerApps, you can quickly build custom business apps that connect to your data that is stored in the underlying data platform (Common Data Service) or in cloud or on-premise data sources such as Dynamics 365, SQL Server, Excel, SharePoint, etc.
APP CREATION BY LOW CODE DEVELOPMENT
Microsoft PowerApps allows people, without development skills, to build applications that are mobile & tablet friendly on top of their own data. This allows them to quickly look at the data, modify it or even create extra data. This is done by low code development. Low code development allows you to build your application through configuring the user interface (UI) elements and Excel-like formulas.
Starting from sample apps, templates or even a blank screen you can fully develop your apps to make them more effective as a business tool and to make them more attractive. You are in control of how the app should look like and which data you want to work with. PowerApps uses a visual editor that has the same interface as Microsoft PowerPoint, which is very intuitive for the user. Then you can connect to your data and use it on any device, anywhere, anytime. This gives you the power to help your business move forward by accelerating simple processes.
MECOMS 365 AND POWERAPPS
With MECOMS 365 we have created a platform for utilities giving them access to the power and flexibility of Microsoft Dynamics 365 tailored to the specific needs of an Energy & Utility company. PowerApps lets you create these specific apps based on MECOMS 365 which allows employees to have access to their specific utility related data such as contracts, meter data, invoices, etc. and to make better and faster decisions.
The video below explains to you the integration of Microsoft PowerApps together with MECOMS and shows you the capabilities of the low code platform.
The example that is given within the video s our ‘Field Service App’. The Field Service App gives field service agents a view on the debt collection process of their customers. The app allows them to follow up on outstanding invoices and activities, update master data, enter meter reads and even create payment plans on the spot.
If you would like to hear more or to have a live demo of the integration between MECOMS 365 & The Power Platform, don’t hesitate to contact us!
Sources
- Microsoft Power Apps; https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/
- Feyens, Sören; Extend or Build New Functionalities Based on Your MECOMS 365 Data
