Microsoft Power Apps, Flow and Portals
With Microsoft's Power Apps becoming mainstream more and more clients are asking for and expecting Power Apps creation and deployment. However, there are so many people asking me "What is this "Power App-flow stuff"?So let me try and explain it as I understand it. Firstly a picture...
Power Apps take and store data via the Common Data Service (which is now actually part of Dynamics 365). One of the great things though is the fact that you can create connectors to other applications and there are literally hundreds of connectors already built for you.
So what does this actually mean? I hear you ask. Well, I'm glad you asked. Lets say you have a D365 instance and you want you create a simple app for staff to capture attendees names for an event your running, you can quickly (minutes) create a new Power App, that has just the information and inputs you need , for example, allow the user to select the event (look up to event) and then enter the attendees name telephone number and or email address. Then at the event, the user can quickly add the users details. You could connect it to the Leads entity (connector) so that leads are created with each save of an attendees details.
That's an ultra simple example, but you can keep building on this and even build full on client portals.
More on Power Portals here
Now we have a simplistic understanding of Power Apps, lets get with the Flow.
Flow is the power version of workflow that works across not only D365 but across your entire environment by making use of those connector things I mentioned earlier.
The easiest way to get your mind around Power Apps and Flow is to watch some explanation videos, my personal favourite channel is Megan V Walker 's youtube channel, check it out here
https://www.youtube.com/user/meganvwalker123
