Full transcript
0:00[ Music ]
0:07BARBARA ANDREWS: Whether you're a business professional,
0:09aspiring developer, or tech enthusiast,
0:11this course will introduce you to the core components
0:14of Power Platform -- Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI,
0:20and Power Virtual Agents.
0:21And it will show you how they all work together
0:23to solve real-world problems through hands-on labs
0:27and interactive learning.
0:28You're going to gain a fundamental knowledge
0:30to start building apps now, automating workflows,
0:34analyzing data, and creating intelligent chatbots.
0:38Let's get started on the journey of Power Platform Pro.
0:43I'm so glad you're here.
0:44Please join me at our first section here called
0:47"Describe the Business Value of Microsoft Power Platform."
0:51My name is Barbara Andrews,
0:53and I'm a Lead Microsoft Technical Trainer here
0:55at Microsoft.
0:56Let's jump into our content.
0:59In this section, we will first describe the business value
1:03of Microsoft Power Platform services, and then the value
1:06of extending business solutions
1:09by using Microsoft Power Platform.
1:12First step, we'll talk about the business value
1:15of Microsoft Power Platform services.
1:18We will first talk about the components and the features
1:21of Microsoft Power Platform, and then we'll see the value
1:24that it brings to creating business solutions,
1:27along with how to leverage it
1:29with different Microsoft products and services,
1:31and of course, AI too.
1:34Here, we see a comprehensive overview of the tools
1:37and services that make up the Power Platform ecosystem.
1:41The Microsoft Power Platform, it's a comprehensive suite
1:45of low-code tools that empower organizations
1:48to build custom solutions, automate business processes,
1:52analyze data, and create engaging digital experiences.
1:57The platform is designed with modular architecture,
2:01where each layer builds on the next to provide a scalable,
2:05secure, and intelligent foundation
2:07for digital transformation.
2:09At the top of the visual structure is Copilot,
2:12Microsoft's AI-powered assistant.
2:15Copilot is embedded across the Power Platform
2:18to enhance productivity through natural language interactions,
2:22intelligent suggestions, and automation.
2:25It supports users in building apps, automating workflows,
2:30and analyzing data more efficiently,
2:32making advanced capabilities accessible
2:35to users of all skill levels.
2:38Its placement at the top of the slide reflects the role it has
2:42with cutting across our AI layer to enhance every part
2:47of the platform rather
2:49than functioning as a standalone tool.
2:52Beneath Copilot is the application
2:54and automation layer, which includes the core tools
2:58of Power Platform, which is Power Apps, Power Automate,
3:03Power BI, and Power Pages.
3:05Power Apps provides a low-code environment
3:08for building custom business applications that are responsive
3:12and connect to both cloud and on-premises data sources.
3:16It enables both business users and professional developers
3:21to create apps tailored to specific needs,
3:24especially when off-the-shelf solutions fall short.
3:28Power Automate allows users to streamline repetitive tasks
3:33and workflows across applications and services,
3:36improving efficiency and reducing manual effort.
3:40Its intuitive interface supports both individual productivity
3:44and enterprise-scale automation.
3:47Power BI, this serves as the analytics engine
3:51of the platform, transforming raw data
3:54into interactive dashboards and reports
3:57that help organizations make informed decisions quickly.
4:01With built-in governance and security, Power BI scales
4:04across departments and teams.
4:07Power Pages enables users
4:09to build secure external-facing business websites
4:13with low-code tools.
4:15These websites are responsive and leverage shared data
4:19for Microsoft Dataverse,
4:21ensuring consistency across the platform.
4:24And supporting this layer is the intelligence
4:27and extensibility layer,
4:29which enhances the platform's capabilities with AI
4:33and integration tools.
4:35AI Builder allows users to add AI features to their apps
4:40and workflows without writing code,
4:42enabling predictive insights and smarter automation.
4:46Microsoft Copilot Studio enables creation
4:50of conversational AI experiences using custom GPTs,
4:55generative AI plugins, and manual topics.
4:59This is ideal for customizing Microsoft 365 Copilot
5:03or building standalone AI agents.
5:06Power Fx, the platform's low-code programming language,
5:11uses Excel-like formulas to simplify logic and development.
5:16Connectors act as bridges between apps, data,
5:20and services, enabling seamless integration across the cloud.
5:24With over 1,400 pre-built connectors,
5:29including Salesforce, Office 365, Twitter, Dropbox,
5:34and Google services, and more, users can easily connect
5:38and automate their workflows.
5:40At the foundation of Power Platform is Microsoft Dataverse.
5:45This is a secure and scalable data platform that stores
5:49and manages data used across all components.
5:53Dataverse provides a unified data model,
5:56ensuring consistency, governance,
5:58and seamless integration across applications,
6:01workflows, and analytics.
6:03It enables all tools within Power Platform
6:07to work together efficiently and reliably.
6:10Finally, the governance
6:12and environment layer ensures secure, scalable deployment
6:16and management solutions.
6:18Managed environments provide isolated and controlled spaces
6:22for building, testing, and deploying applications.
6:25They give organizations greater oversight and control over data,
6:29resources, and compliance,
6:31ensuring that solutions are developed
6:33and maintained responsibly.
6:36This layered architecture illustrates how the Power
6:39Platform is designed to be modular, extensible,
6:42and scalable, supporting innovation
6:45at every level in the organization.
6:48Each layer plays a critical role
6:50in enabling digital transformation,
6:53while Copilot enhances every step of the journey
6:56with AI-driven support and intelligent automation.
7:02Here, we see how Power Apps enables users to build
7:07and consume custom business applications across web,
7:12mobile, and tablet devices.
7:14Notice how flexible
7:15and responsive a single app can adapt seamlessly
7:20to different screen sizes and user environments.
7:24Whether on a smartphone, desktop, or tablet,
7:28Power Apps ensures a consistent and intuitive experience.
7:33Power Apps provides a rapid, low-code development environment
7:37for building custom apps tailored
7:39to specific business needs.
7:42It includes a rich set of services, connectors,
7:45and a scalable data platform,
7:48known as the Microsoft Dataverse, which allows
7:51for easy integration and interaction
7:54with existing data sources.
7:56This makes it possible to create apps that not only function
8:00and are functional but also deeply connected to the systems
8:05and the data organizations already in use.
8:08Power Apps supports the creation of highly customized task
8:12and role-based canvas apps that can pull data from one
8:16or multiple sources, enabling users to design solutions
8:21that align very closely with their workflows.
8:24In today's digital world, people use apps in nearly every aspect
8:28of their lives, and business should be no exception.
8:32However, most of the off-the-shelf solutions fail
8:36to meet the exact needs of an organization or integrate well
8:40with other business systems.
8:42Power Apps addresses this gap by offering a simple,
8:47intuitive interface that eases users into app development.
8:53This empowers both business users
8:55and professional developers to build custom applications
8:59without needing extensive coding experience.
9:02Power Apps also enables the generation of responsive apps
9:07that run across web, mobile, and tablet platforms.
9:11This cross-platform capability ensures that users can access
9:15and interact with their apps whether they are in the office,
9:19in the field, or on the move.
9:21With its low-code approach
9:23and powerful integration capabilities,
9:26Power Apps helps organizations modernize their operations,
9:31improve efficiency, and respond quickly
9:34to evolving business needs.
9:37Microsoft Power Automate helps organizations streamline
9:41workflows, reduce manual effort, and boost productivity
9:46by connecting apps and services.
9:49It enables users to automate tasks and respond
9:52to business events efficiently, whether using modern cloud tools
9:57or legacy on-premises systems.
10:00Power Automate allows users to automate
10:02and model business processes across various apps
10:06and services, ensuring seamless data flow
10:09between platforms while reducing manual data entry and errors.
10:14For example, a marketing team can automate the process
10:17of capturing leads from a web form and pushing them
10:21into a customer relationship management, or CRM,
10:24system like Dynamics 365, and an email marketing tool
10:29like Mailchimp, ensuring immediate follow-up
10:32and consistent data across systems.
10:35The platform supports everything from simple automation
10:39to complex workflows and branches, loops,
10:42and conditional logic.
10:44This makes it ideal for both individual users
10:47and enterprise needs.
10:48An HR department, for instance,
10:50can automate the onboarding process by creating a workflow
10:54that sends welcome emails, assigns training tasks,
10:58and routes documents for approval based
11:01on the new hire's role and department.
11:04Power Automate also enables users to trigger actions,
11:09grant approvals, and receive notifications directly
11:12within the tools that they use daily, like Microsoft Teams,
11:16Outlook, and SharePoint, to improve responsiveness
11:20and reduce context switching.
11:22For instance, a manager can approve a purchase request
11:26directly from a team's notification,
11:29speeding up the procurement process.
11:31Moreover, Power Automate supports automation
11:35across legacy on-premises systems
11:38and cloud-based applications and services,
11:41helping organizations modernize without needing
11:44to replace existing systems.
11:47A finance team might automate the extraction of data
11:50from an on-premise accounting system and upload it
11:54into a cloud-based reporting tool like Power BI
11:57for real-time financial insights.
12:00Power Automate is designed for users of all technical levels.
12:04It's an intuitive interface allowing beginners
12:07to create simple workflows,
12:10which also offer advanced capabilities
12:13for seasoned developers.
12:14Whether it's automating repetitive tasks
12:17or building enterprise-grade process automation,
12:21Power Automate provides a powerful, scalable solution
12:25to save time and reduce errors.
12:31Power BI is Microsoft's business analytics service
12:35that enables organizations to turn data
12:38into actionable insights, no matter where that data resides.
12:43Power BI can connect to diverse data sources
12:46and deliver meaningful visualizations across devices.
12:51Power BI is designed to help users analyze data,
12:54share insights through interactive dashboards
12:57and reports, and help to make fast, informed decisions.
13:02It scales across an organization
13:05and includes built-in governance and security.
13:08Power BI can integrate data from multiple sources,
13:12whether cloud-based, on-premises,
13:15or even third-party systems.
13:17You can use it to visualize it all in a consolidated, unified,
13:21single pane of management glass dashboard view
13:25across your organization, eliminating the need to switch
13:28between systems to monitor performance
13:31and trends in real-time.
13:33You can also use it to create ad-hoc analysis,
13:37live dashboards, and interactive reports that are easy to consume
13:42on the web and across mobile devices.
13:45Whether users are in the office or on the go, Power BI ensures
13:50that insights are always accessible.
13:53Its responsive design
13:55and real-time data capabilities make it easy to explore trends,
14:00drill into details, and share findings with others.
14:05You can also use it to build smart apps by infusing insights
14:09from your data and driving action with it backing
14:13up into Microsoft Power Platform.
14:16By integrating with tools like Power Apps, Power Automate,
14:20organizations can create intelligent solutions
14:23that not only visualize data but also trigger workflows
14:28and guide decision-making.
14:31For example, a Power BI report showing a drop
14:34in customer satisfaction could automatically initiate a
14:38follow-up process through Power Automate
14:41or surface a feedback form in Power Apps.
14:48Microsoft Power Pages empowers users to build professional,
14:53data-driven websites with minimal coding as a secure,
14:58enterprise-grade, low-code software
15:01as a service, or SAS, platform.
15:04Power Pages enables both low-code makers
15:08and professional developers to rapidly design, configure,
15:12and publish websites that work seamlessly
15:15across browsers and devices.
15:18One of the key features of Power Pages is the ability
15:22to easily build websites using ready-to-use templates
15:26or create fully customizable experiences.
15:29Users can quickly launch sites by selecting
15:32from pre-designed templates and then personalize them with text,
15:37videos, images, business data, forms, and lists,
15:42accelerating the development process and reducing the need
15:46for technical expertise.
15:49For example, a small business owner can use a template
15:52to create a professional-looking website and customize it
15:55with product videos, customer testimonials, and contact forms,
16:00all without writing any code.
16:03Power Pages also empowers developers
16:06to add deeper functionality and capabilities using tools
16:10like Visual Studio Code, GitHub, and Azure DevOps.
16:15This ensures that while the platform is accessible
16:18to non-developers, it also supports advanced customization
16:23and integration for more complex business needs.
16:26Security is also a core component of Power Pages.
16:31The platform helps mitigate security concerns
16:34through role-based access controls,
16:37ensuring that only authorized users can access specific
16:40content or features.
16:43Combined with Microsoft Azure's compliance
16:45and governance capabilities,
16:47this makes Power Pages a trusted solution
16:51for handling sensitive business data.
16:54Overall, Power Pages offers a flexible, secure,
16:58and scalable solution
17:00for building modern business websites.
17:03It supports rapid development and deep customization along
17:08with enterprise-grade security, making it ideal
17:11for organizations looking to extend their digital presence
17:15with minimal overhead.
17:18Microsoft Power Platform delivers business values
17:22by helping organizations adapt
17:24to evolving workforce expectations,
17:26managing rising development costs, and responding
17:30with agility and ability
17:32to scale solution development efficiently.
17:35Here we see the collaborative relationship
17:37between citizen developers, professional developers,
17:41and end-users, and how feedback and innovation flow continuously
17:47across roles to build better solutions faster.
17:51Citizen developers can use tools like Power Apps
17:55to build solutions based on user needs.
17:57Professional developers can enhance these apps
18:00with advanced capabilities, and end-users can provide feedback
18:05that drives continuous improvement, all to align
18:09with real business needs.
18:11Millennials and Gen Z now make up the majority
18:15of the workforce, and they want personalized,
18:17digital experiences
18:20and collaborative social media platforms that are intuitive.
18:24The Power Platform supports this shift, delivering custom,
18:28collaborative digital experiences
18:31for how modern teams prefer to work.
18:33Traditional development is not only time-consuming,
18:37but as you know, it's very expensive.
18:40The ongoing maintenance
18:41and updates constrain IT budgets and resources.
18:45Power Platform reduces these costs with low-code tools
18:50for business users to build and maintain apps themselves,
18:53reducing costly custom development cycles
18:57with robust functionality.
19:00Traditional development cycles often take months
19:03to deploy solutions or weeks to implement minor changes,
19:06and they no longer really align with the speed
19:09of which businesses need to operate.
19:12Power Platform enables rapid development and iteration
19:16to quickly build, test, and adapt solutions
19:19to meet evolving strategies and operational needs.
19:23By empowering citizen developers, business users
19:27with domain expertise can participate
19:30in the app development and pair them
19:32with maybe a professional developer
19:34who can extend the functionality that organizations need here
19:38for a hybrid team to be able to combine their technical skills
19:42with real-world insights, and it's scalable and efficient,
19:47and it's user-centered.
19:52Connectors play a critical role in integrating diverse services
19:56and data sources within the Microsoft Power Platform.
20:00There are over 1,400 connectors available
20:04that provide pre-built actions for various services
20:07to streamline automation and data management.
20:10For example, a building management company can automate
20:13its invoice processing workflow using connectors.
20:17Vendors submit invoices via email
20:20through Microsoft Exchange, let's say,
20:22which are then automatically downloaded
20:25and stored into SharePoint.
20:27The invoices are routed to approvers
20:30through Microsoft Teams.
20:31And once approved, the data is entered
20:34into the company's ERP system.
20:36Finally, confirmation emails
20:39with invoice numbers are sent back to vendors.
20:42This end-to-end automation reduces manual effort,
20:46ensures accuracy, and speeds up processing time.
20:50Connectors have predefined actions that allow users
20:54to quickly set up workflows
20:55without needing to write custom code.
20:58For instance, an HR department can automate onboarding
21:02by using connectors to create user accounts
21:05and active directory, send welcome emails via Outlook,
21:09and add new hires to relevant team channels, all triggered
21:13by a single entry in that HR system.
21:17For scenarios where standard connectors don't meet specific
21:21needs, Power Platform allows users
21:23to create custom connectors to integrate proprietary systems
21:28or specialized services not covered by existing connectors,
21:32and to extend automation capabilities
21:34and tailor integrations to unique business requirements.
21:40Now, let's compare standard connectors
21:43and premium connectors in our Microsoft Power Platform,
21:47specifically within Power Apps and Power Automate.
21:51Standard connectors are included
21:53with a standard Microsoft 365 subscription and cover many
21:57of the most commonly used data sources like SharePoint,
22:01OneDrive, Outlook, Power BI, GitHub,
22:05and third-party services.
22:07These connectors enable users to build powerful apps
22:10and workflows without needing additional licenses.
22:13For instance, a team could use Power Apps
22:16with standard connectors to build a document approval app
22:20that pulls files from OneDrive, routes them via Outlook
22:24for approval, and then logs their status back in SharePoint.
22:28Similarly, a marketing team could automate social media
22:31monitoring by connecting LinkedIn to Power Automate
22:36and logging mentions in a SharePoint list.
22:39Premium connectors require a Power App
22:42or Power Automate premium license.
22:45These connectors provide access to a broader range of services,
22:50including enterprise-grade systems like Salesforce,
22:54DocuSign, SurveyMonkey, Azure DevOps, SQL Server,
22:58and Dynamics 365, and more.
23:01Premium connectors are identified by a premium stamp
23:05and are essential for integrating
23:07with more specialized and/or mission-critical systems.
23:11For example, a sales team could use Power Apps
23:14with a premium connector
23:16to build a custom customer relationship management system,
23:20or CRM, app that then pulls data from Salesforce and allows reps
23:25to update records on the go.
23:27Or consider automating contract workflows
23:31by connecting Power Automate to DocuSign,
23:34enabling digital signatures,
23:36and tracking status updates in real-time.
23:39By understanding and leveraging both types of connectors,
23:43organizations can build scalable, efficient,
23:46and cost-effective solutions tailored
23:48to their specific needs.
23:51Dataverse is a scalable data service and app platform
23:56that allows users to securely store and manage data
24:00from multiple sources,
24:01integrating business applications,
24:04and using a common data model,
24:06ensuring consistency and ease of use.
24:09It allows Power Platform components like Power Apps,
24:13Power Automate, and Power BI to work together seamlessly
24:18as the backbone it supported using data consolidation,
24:23display, and manipulation across the organization.
24:27Dataverse helps jump-start app development using a standardized
24:32data model with built-in business logic,
24:35security, and integration.
24:37For example, a company could use Dataverse
24:40to create a customer service app that leverages predefined tables
24:45and relationships, ensuring data is structured consistently
24:49and securely.
24:50Built-in business rules
24:53and role-based security help enforce compliance
24:57and reduce development time.
24:59Extend Dataverse to meet specific business needs
25:03and integrate across apps and services
25:06to customize data models while maintaining seamless integration
25:10with Microsoft 365 services like Dynamics and Office,
25:16and also, of course, Azure.
25:19It provides integration with Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365,
25:24and Azure, along with the ability to augment data
25:28with inputs from industry partners to consolidate data
25:32from various sources into a single, trusted environment.
25:36For instance, a finance team could combine sales data
25:39from Dynamics 365 with budget forecasts in Excel
25:44and market trends from maybe a third-party API via Azure.
25:48This unified view supports better decision-making
25:51and more comprehensive reporting.
25:54Using Power Apps interface with Dataverse tables,
25:57users can manage data structures directly within the platform
26:01by creating new tables, importing data,
26:05editing properties, and configuring security settings.
26:09Power Fx, the low-code language used throughout the Microsoft
26:14Power Platform, empowers users to build intelligent
26:19and responsive applications and automate logic across tools
26:23like Power Apps, Microsoft Dataverse, and Copilot Studio.
26:29Power Fx is a general-purpose, strongly typed, declarative,
26:34and functional programming language expressed
26:36in human-readable text.
26:39Its Excel-like syntax makes it accessible to many users
26:44for rapid solution development without deep coding expertise.
26:49In Power Apps, Power Fx is the foundational language
26:53for building canvas apps, and it allows users
26:57to control app behavior using simply formulas,
27:02simplifying app development and empowering users
27:05to build custom solutions tailored to business needs.
27:09As an example, we see a property listing app here on the right,
27:14where the visibility for the asking price control is
27:18determined by the formulas listed here.
27:21If IsBlankPropertyName.Text, false,true.
27:27This demonstrates how Power Fx dynamically controls the user
27:32interface elements based on user input.
27:36In Microsoft Dataverse, Power Fx is used
27:40to create calculated columns within tables.
27:43This enables real-time data calculations
27:45and enhances data consistency across applications.
27:49For instance, an HR department can use Power Fx
27:53to calculate employee tenure by subtracting maybe the hire date
27:58from the current date, providing instant insights
28:01without manual intervention.
28:03This capability supports better reporting and decision-making
28:07by embedding logic directly into the data layer.
28:11Copilot Studio also leverages Power Fx
28:14to enhance conversational AI experiences.
28:18Users can write formulas to set variables,
28:21implement conditional logic, and validate user input.
28:26For example, a restaurant using Copilot Studio
28:29to manage reservations can use Power Fx
28:32to ensure bookings are only accepted within a 14-day window.
28:36If a customer requests a date outside of that range,
28:40Copilot can respond with a helpful message
28:43and alternative options.
28:44Overall, Power Fx, familiar syntax,
28:48real-time responsiveness,
28:50and cross-platform integration make it a very powerful tool
28:55that's building scalable, user-friendly solutions
28:59and apps, data models, or even AI-driven experiences.
29:06Microsoft Power Platform integrates generative AI
29:10to enhance productivity and user experiences across a suite
29:16of tools: Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI,
29:20Power Pages, and Dataverse.
29:22By embedding AI-powered copilots into each component,
29:27it simplifies complex tasks, accelerates development,
29:31and empowers users to work more efficiently.
29:35These copilots leverage natural language processing
29:38to help users build apps, automate workflows,
29:42analyze data, and manage content
29:45without needing deep technical expertise.
29:48In Power Apps, Copilot users simply need
29:52to create applications
29:53by describing what they want to track or manage.
29:58For example, a user can launch Copilot
30:00from the Power Apps home screen and say, "I want to build an app
30:04to manage employee onboarding,"
30:06and Copilot will generate the necessary Dataverse tables
30:10and app components.
30:12If adjustments are needed,
30:13you can refine the app using natural language commands,
30:17making the development process intuitive and efficient.
30:21Developers can integrate conversational agents directly
30:25into their apps, allowing users to interact
30:28with the app using natural language.
30:30For instance, a customer service app,
30:33a Copilot control could guide users
30:36through submitting a support ticket by asking questions
30:40and capturing those responses in the conversation.
30:43In Power Automate, Copilot enables users
30:46to describe a process, like a send notification
30:50when a document is uploaded to SharePoint,
30:53that can then automatically generate the workflow.
30:56It can also suggest connectors and guide users
31:00through customization as needed, speeding up automation
31:05and making workflow creation more intuitive and efficient.
31:10In Dataverse, Copilot can generate tables
31:13and relationships based on user input,
31:16streamlining the data modeling process.
31:18For example, a user might say, create a table
31:21to track customer feedback,
31:23and Copilot will build the structure accordingly,
31:27assisting users who need to manage data but lack maybe some
31:31of the database design experience needed.
31:34Similarly, in Power Pages, Copilot can generate forms
31:38and interactive elements for web portals,
31:41such as a customer support site
31:44with embedded ticket submission forms.
31:47Finally, in Power BI, Copilot transforms how users interact
31:52with data.
31:53Instead of manually building reports,
31:55users can describe what they want to see,
31:58like "Show me a breakdown of revenue by region
32:01and product category."
32:03And Copilot will generate the visualization, identify trends,
32:08provide recommendations, refine visuals,
32:11and use natural language, and more.
32:15This session provided an overview
32:17of Microsoft Power Platform, highlighting its business value,
32:22the role of standard and premium connectors, and the importance
32:25of Microsoft Dataverse
32:27in building integrated business solutions.
32:30It also explored the benefits of Power Fx,
32:34demonstrated how the platform services worked together
32:37to create end-to-end solutions, and showed how Copilot,
32:41and effectively working with AI prompting,
32:45can significantly enhance productivity
32:48and user experience.
32:54In this section, we will describe the business value
32:57of extending business solutions
32:59by using Microsoft Power Platform.
33:04In this section, we will see how to integrate M365, Teams,
33:09and on-prem systems with Microsoft Power Platform.
33:14We will also take a closer look at some additional features
33:17of the Copilot Studio and give some basics on how to plan
33:22with our plan designer, and more.
33:25Here are four practical strategies
33:27for enhancing efficiency by leveraging the integration
33:30between Microsoft 365 services and the Power Platform.
33:35By using Power Automate,
33:36organizations can create approval flows
33:40that automatically route documents
33:42to the appropriate stakeholder based on predefined rules.
33:45This eliminates the need for manual tracking and follow-ups,
33:49reducing delays and ensuring compliance.
33:52For example, a marketing team can automate the approval
33:55process for campaign materials, ensuring the content is reviewed
34:01and approved by legal
34:03and branding teams before publication.
34:06Power Platform can automate financial workflows.
34:09Many organizations receive invoices via email,
34:13and manually processing them can be very time-consuming
34:17and error-prone.
34:18With Power Automate, businesses can build flows
34:21that detect incoming emails with attachments,
34:25extract invoice data, validate it, and then route it
34:29for approval, and store it all in SharePoint
34:32and have it update their ERP system, reducing processing time
34:37and improving accuracy.
34:39Many organizations already use Microsoft 365 for email,
34:43document management, and productivity.
34:46Power Platform includes connectors for Outlook,
34:49M365 users, Excel, and SharePoint, enabling users
34:54to automate routine tasks.
34:56For example, a user receiving dozens of emails daily
35:00with attachments can create a Power Automate flow
35:03that saves their attachments to the correct SharePoint folder.
35:07By automating routine tasks such as sending reminders,
35:11updating spreadsheets or routing requests, employees can focus
35:16on more strategic work.
35:18For example, a sales team can automate follow-up emails
35:21after client meetings, ensuring timely communication
35:25without manual effort.
35:26The Power Platform, when integrated with Microsoft 365,
35:30offers powerful tools to automate workflows,
35:33connect services, and reduce manual tasks.
35:37These strategies demonstrate how automation, connectors,
35:41and intelligent workflows can reduce manual effort,
35:45streamline operations,
35:47and improve employee productivity across departments.
35:53Microsoft Power Platform tools -- Power BI, Power Apps,
35:57Power Automate, Microsoft Copilot Studio,
36:00and Virtual Assistants --
36:02integrate seamlessly with Microsoft Teams
36:05to foster collaboration, streamline workflows,
36:08and enhance productivity.
36:10By embedding these tools directly into Teams,
36:12organizations can empower users to build, share,
36:16and act on solutions without leaving their
36:18collaboration environment.
36:20In Teams, you can create an AI-powered agent.
36:23For example, a human resources team could deploy a Copilot
36:27agent in Teams to answer common employee questions
36:32about benefits or policies, reducing the need
36:35for manual responses and improving response time.
36:39The Power BI tab for Teams allows users to collaborate
36:43on interactive dashboards and reports in real time
36:47without switching applications.
36:49A sales team, for instance,
36:50can review performance metrics during a Teams meeting,
36:54using live data to inform strategy
36:56and make decisions on the spot.
36:59Users can also use the new Power BI apps in Teams to bring
37:04in your entire basic Power BI service into this experience.
37:10Users can also edit targeted apps and workflows
37:14in Teams using Power Apps and Power Automate to build
37:18and publish apps directly within Teams, enabling team members
37:22to use them without leaving the platform.
37:25For example, a company might build an incident reporting app
37:29that employees can access from a team's channel, allowing them
37:32to log issues quickly and efficiently.
37:35The Virtual Assistant, which is an open source template
37:39that you can use to build conversational solutions
37:42tailored to your branding and user experience, and also,
37:46they can be configured to integrate with Teams.
37:48You can configure your Virtual Assistant for integration
37:52into the Teams environment.
37:54Lastly, we see the right side here on our slide,
37:58the Power Apps interface with Teams with templates
38:02like issue report, employee ideas, and inspection
38:07that users can quickly customize and deploy.
38:11I think you see now how easy it is to build and share solutions
38:15that are embedded into tools employees are already using
38:19every day.
38:21Microsoft Copilot Studio empowers organizations
38:25to build intelligent, responsive AI agents
38:29that enhance customer interaction
38:31across multiple channels.
38:33The simple, low-code interface means, for example,
38:37that a customer service manager can quickly build an agent
38:41that answers common questions,
38:43reducing the workload on human agents.
38:46The platform can connect to over 1,500 pre-built data sources
38:51to ensure that AI agents have access to accurate,
38:54real-time data, which enhances the quality of their responses
38:58and provides accurate answers and perform tasks.
39:03Automated workflows allows users
39:06to define how AI agents should respond
39:08to specific scenarios using Power Automate.
39:11These workflows act like instructions.
39:14For example, if a customer asks about a product,
39:18send them an email with more details.
39:21Multi-channel deployment ensures that once an AI agent is built,
39:25it can be deployed across various platforms, websites,
39:29mobile apps, social media, and Microsoft Teams.
39:33For example, a university could deploy an AI agent
39:36on its website in Teams to assist students
39:39with enrollment questions.
39:41Finally, a robust security and governance is a critical feature
39:46that ensures AI agents are managed securely and comply
39:50with organizational policies.
39:52Copilot Studio includes tools to protect sensitive data
39:56and maintain control over how agents operate.
39:59In summary, Microsoft Copilot Studio offers a powerful,
40:03user-friendly platform for building AI agents
40:07that enhance customer engagement with low code,
40:10seamless data integration, and automated workflows
40:14for multi-channel deployment and offer a strong security base.
40:22On-premises data gateways serve as a secure and efficient bridge
40:27between cloud-based Microsoft Power Platform services
40:31such as Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate,
40:35and Azure Logical Apps, and local data sources.
40:39In today's hybrid business environments,
40:41where some systems are hosted in the cloud
40:44and others remain on-premises, these gateways are essential
40:48for enabling seamless integration
40:50without compromising database security
40:53or requiring data migration.
40:55Gateways allow cloud services to access on-premises data
40:59without moving it to the cloud.
41:01This is particularly valuable for organizations
41:04with strict data residency or compliance requirements.
41:08A single gateway can support multiple Power Platform
41:11services, enabling organizations to use Power Automate
41:15for workflow automation, Power Apps for custom app development,
41:20and Power BI for data visualization,
41:23all accessing the same on-premises data.
41:28Administrators can manage gateway clusters
41:30through the Power Platform admin center.
41:33This centralized interface allows IT teams
41:37to monitor gateway performance, manage user access,
41:41and ensure secure operations across the organization.
41:45This simplifies administration and provides greater visibility
41:48into how data is being accessed and used.
41:51Multiple gateways can be installed in a cluster
41:54to provide failure support and load balancing.
41:57This ensures continuous service availability,
42:00even during peak usage or hardware failures.
42:03On the right, we see how cloud services like Power BI
42:07and Power Apps connect to the gateway cloud service,
42:10which securely encrypts and routes queries
42:14to the on-premises data gateway.
42:17The gateway then decrypts the credentials and connects
42:20to local data sources such as SQL Server or file shares.
42:24This architecture ensures secure, real-time access
42:28to on-premises data with cloud-based tools,
42:32eliminating the need for manual data transfers
42:34and enabling seamless hybrid integration.
42:39In this module, you explored how Power Platform seamlessly
42:43integrates with Microsoft 365 apps and services,
42:47unlocking new levels of productivity and collaboration.
42:51You discovered the power of Copilot Studio
42:54in building intelligent, conversational agents
42:57that enhance user experiences.
43:00You also learned how Power Platform connects
43:03with on-premises data, bridging the gap
43:06between legacy systems and modern solutions.
43:10Finally, you explored the capabilities of Plan Designer,
43:14a tool that helps you to visualize
43:16and orchestrate your automation strategies with ease.
43:20See you back soon for Session 2.