#CRMUG: Empower your Dynamics CRM users with PowerApps and Flow

Editor's Notes

• #6: [10] quickly build and deliver solutions without writing code easily extend capabilities for power users and take advantage of rich platform services with the full power of Azure Rich framework that comes with hundreds of established entities and can be used across apps. get more value out of the services you’re already using
• #7: Business APP GAP Consumer apps are available a plenty, ranging from wine rating apps like vivino; gamified apps such as SWARM, Untapped and so on. But ‘real’ business productivity apps are lagging behind, Off course we have mobile apps which enhance mobile productivity such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, EverNote, OneNote, Skype for business etc. But where are the real business apps, which unleash the power of the apps available within a enterprise. Unlocking that customer or product information stored in a legacy system somewhere. So why do we have this gap; Microsoft states it has identified 3 reasons for this, being TALENT, ACCESS AND AGILITY
• #8: TALENT How many of you have tried writing / creating mobile business apps. Creating mobile apps is hard, as we have to keep up with technology changes or new features. It needs to run on multiple platforms. Taking this into account and the fact that there are not enough skilled mobile developers, it is not surprising that creating mobile business apps takes up time and thus money.
• #9: ACCESS Data is spanned both on premise as well as in the cloud (stored in SaaS applications), accessing this data and integrating these systems is usually a challenge.
• #10: IT agility and app sharing. Mobile app distribution typically happens through app stores, or through mobile device management, governed by IT.  This creates inherent friction in getting apps onto employee phones. Making internal apps available outside the enterprise * Side loading * App stored * Mobile Device Management By the way Microsoft has a very compelling story regarding Mobile Device Management. Real differentiator. But that’s a story to tell another time
• #11: What are is Microsoft PowerApps? PowerApps is Microsoft’s answer to address the business app gap it does so by offering a platform including tooling to enable employees, developers, and integrators to create and share mobile business apps These apps run on virtually any mobile platform, Can connect to disparate data sources both spanning on-prem and cloud in a secure way. When I first heard of PowerApps / Project Sienna, the first thing which popped up in my mind was Visual Studio Lightswitch.
• #14: Let’s have a closer look at the PowerApps Target Audience Information Workers & Business optimisers Familiar tooling - Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, SharePoint “Slogan” : Create Mobile business apps with Clicks , ‘not Code’ Pro Developers / Integration Specialist Familiar tooling – Visual Studio .Net , Azure Portal. Familiar technology – .Net languages, Business Process Modelling, SOA, API design “Slogan” : Do more with the things we are already used to
• #17: Clients connect through API’s, or an existing backend to different cloud and on premise systems. App Service Environment - Dedicated environment / Shared - Virtual network support for better connectivity and security to on-prem system Tons of OOB APIs ready to use Expose your OWN API, hosted anywhere AAD Authentication Advanced User/Group based authorisation API definition discovery
• #19: Free & Standard limited data sources (however using http + swagger, custom API can be called) Enterprise functionality can be mimicked, by being creative (but I doubt it will be cheaper or better) Enterprise Another benefit of a dedicated environment consists of the fact that no limits (throttling, number of messages etc) are imposed Granular security, control APP permission with AAD Manage all APIs – from on-premises to the cloud Manage and Monitor API Access
• #20: Sample Application Subcontractor onboaring Current process is in SharePoint, where new contractors are registered. APP to Approve / Reject an onboarding request. SalesForce contractors app which will assign an account id if approved
• #27: Microsoft Flow is a SaaS service that helps business users work smarter by automating workflow across a growing number apps & services that they rely on. The possible workflows span across a wide variety of possibilities, for example : Get a notifications when a certain file is updated Synchronize files by connecting your folders to keep data current, Automatically collect and organize your business data Streamline approvals and get instant alerts. Microsoft Flow makes it possible to automate all of these scenarios and more.
• #28: Create more advanced integration scenarios with multiple steps, adding conditions between steps and the every expanding list of more advanced enterprise connectors.
• #29: Get a whole bunch of connectors OOTB to common SaaS Services, from O365 (Outlook, OneDrive) to collaborative svcs (Slack) to CRM svcs (Salesforce, Dynamics CRM) Can support connections to custom APIs (Swagger end point definition) URL for full list of connectors
• #30: User over 100+ templates (and growing) for common scenarios as a starting point to create your new workflow!
• #33: K.I.S.S PowerApps is promising, and most definitely the more basic business apps can be realised fairly fast. However we need to ask ourselves; do we want to build ‘Complex Business Apps‘, If so is PowerApps the right platform. I reckon initially it will be used for the more basic business apps, which don’t do more than displaying information and allow non business critical mutations. Nevertheless, nothing is stopping us to create complex business apps. However, if we do so; just keep in mind that doing it in the right way costs time and money. If we go down the lane regarding complex business apps. I feel it will be our responsibility to ensure: Authorisation Lock down CRUD rights API/APP Jungle More apps / api’s almost all the same. Needs some Quality Control in place Enforce a publish / release policy. Just to check compliance (security, dev standards) EAI & Hybrid Use patterns and tools we are familiar with (Service bus) Based on my initial experience during I’ve noticed that PowerApps indeed is very powerful, however special thought needs to be put in regarding access rights (authorisation rules). Make sure that a user does not have too many, nor too less of rights