Time-saving Application
Development with Power Apps Even for “Non-professionals” without extensive Programming Knowledge

Low-code Development - the Working Method of Power Apps

Since the smartphone has taken on a decisive role in our everyday lives, we say more and more often “There must be an app for that!” In reality, however, this is often not the case. In many companies, there are still hundreds of files in all shapes and sizes - some in paper form and some (semi-)automated. These files are the target of Power Apps. Power Apps is based on the low-code approach, whereby the users are referred to as “citizen developers”.

What does “Low Code” mean?

“Low code” (or “no code”) means that you use as little code as possible when developing applications. Instead, low-code developers create, for example, an app design using a graphical user interface - whereby the basis is still classic code. In theory, all users should be able to develop applications themselves - even those who do not have extensive programming knowledge.

Developments with Power Apps: fewer Misunderstandings and lower Risks

There are some advantages to developing your own applications. It’s usually faster with Power Apps, cheaper and the results are faster than with traditional outsourcing of custom solutions. When this type of development is done in house, unnecessary misunderstandings can often be avoided. After all, you know best what you want, don’t you?

Another advantage of Power Apps is that the applications fit into the existing enterprise solution and leave its core intact. This entails a lower risk for maintenance and future upgrades.

Experts predict a bright future for this new type of development - especially as a worldwide shortage of professional developers is predicted.

Other Low-code Solutions from the Power Platform

Power Apps is part of the Power Platform. This innovative solution package from Microsoft also includes Power BI, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents and Power Pages.

A brief Overview: the four other Power Platform Solutions will help you with this

Power Automate

Power Automate enables you to automate time-consuming routine tasks and processes by defining standardized workflows once. You can easily create these workflows using the “drag & drop” principle.

This allows you to streamline your work routine and save time so that you can concentrate on your essential tasks. For example, you no longer need to transfer data in some places.

Application Examples:

• Automate approval processes
• Send automatic reminders for due tasks
• Move data between systems at scheduled intervals

Excursus: you can also save time during development if you use the so-called GitHub actions - because these enable automated assurance of your code quality.

Power BI

With the help of Microsoft Power BI you can connect and analyze any data from different sources and prepare it graphically with various visualizations. This makes it possible, among other things, to monitor processes and the company’s success more efficiently. Power BI is made up of three components.

Application Examples:

• Analyze sales figures by region
• Analyze the fluctuation of employees
• Monitor IT expenditure per quarter

Power Virtual Agents

In Power Virtual Agents, highly intelligent chatbots can be developed quickly and easily with the help of AI (artificial intelligence). As the name suggests, these are essentially your virtual agents that help you to process recurring customer enquiries by answering them automatically. This allows you to devote your time to more demanding tasks.

Power Pages

When you use Power Pages, a SaaS platform provides you with various templates and ready-made websites that you can customize. This makes it very easy to design and manage websites on a low-code basis without extensive programming knowledge.

Power Platform: one of the fastest growing Products in the History of Microsoft

One reason for the rapid growth of the Power Platform is that it can be combined with almost any business solution. As Microsoft recently confirmed, Power Platform is now a business unit with revenues of 2 billion US dollars per year, which has increased by 72% compared to the previous year. This growth is mainly due to the unprecedented growth of Power Apps - the application grew 162% in the last quarter!