What Is Power App?
Have you seen or heard about this new Microsoft technology and wonder what it is? In this connected world, business is changing and changing fast. It is important to keep up and see what developments are happening around. In this review, I'll give you an idea of what this new technology can do for your business.
Power Apps lets you build mobile apps that can target the unique needs of your business. Do you need a lot of expertise? Yes and no. A simple system can be created quickly, but more complex functionality will require a better understanding.
Office 365 enables better collaboration by bringing products like Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint to the cloud. Microsoft Access never made it to the cloud, and there are probably good reasons for that. Access databases are used less and less these days. As powerful as they are, there are limitations.
Power Apps works in the cloud, and you don't need to install the system on each user's computer. Every time you make an update, just republish it and users will automatically get the latest version. What can Power Apps do to make software installation life easier? Power Apps works in the browser, So, there is no need to install any software on the user's computer. As long as they have access to the browser, they will be able to use your system. They must also have an Office 365 account and a license to run Power Apps.
So, how can this new technology add value to your organization? It's advertised as a mobile tool, and that's pretty much it. You don't necessarily need to be a Power Apps developer. It's fairly easy to get started, but if you have development experience, even better. You can create apps for your mobile phone or tablet such as Tablet, Examples are invoicing applications, help desks, reservation systems, etc.
One downside is that you can't create an app for a phone and expect it to look the same on a tablet or desktop. You will need to create a separate version for the mobile platform and the desktop platform.
Although it is focused on mobile devices, you can also create applications that will run on your laptop or desktop computer. Again, like the mobile app, everything runs in the browser. Can Power Apps be used to convert existing apps to other platforms? If you have an Info Path form or an MS Access database, then these are prime candidates for conversion to Power Apps.
Now you might be wondering how much it will cost. If you have an Office 365 subscription, Power Apps is included. Prices can sometimes change and worth checking on Microsoft's website.
Power Apps is best used for small systems. Don't try to port or build a system that needs complicated code and lots of screens. Focus on keeping things simple. However, there's no substitute for a good Power Apps tutorial, and a Power Apps beginner's course can get you up to speed quickly.
What can Power Apps do with data sources?
For example, it can connect to Excel, SharePoint, SQL Server, Drop Box and many others. It is currently not possible to connect to an MS Access database, but there is a workaround.
SharePoint is an ideal candidate for connectivity because, like Power Apps, it is cloud-based and part of Office 365. It is possible to connect to on-premises SharePoint and SQL Server, but you will need to use what is called an on-premises gateway.
All in all, Power Apps, along with Office 365, are solid products that Microsoft is constantly improving. More and more organizations are seeing the benefits and jumping on board. Try it and you might be pleasantly surprised.
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