Streamlining Business Processes with Microsoft Power Platform
Technology can be a great equalizer in the world of business when used effectively. For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in particular, the ability to streamline operations and automate processes can mean the difference between outcompeting much larger rivals and struggling to keep up. One specific solution that all SMBs can use to level the playing field is Microsoft Power Platform.?
What Is Microsoft Power Platform??
Microsoft Power Platform ?is a suite of low-code development tools designed to help businesses streamline operations, automate processes, and gain valuable insights from their data. This suite integrates with?Microsoft 365 , and it consists of the following main components:?
These components are designed to work together seamlessly with each other—as well as with the rest of Microsoft’s ecosystem—to enable businesses and organizations with little to no coding knowledge to create powerful, custom solutions that address their specific needs.?
According to a?2024 Forrester Total Economic Impact study ?commissioned by Microsoft, organizations using Power Platform have seen remarkable results. Most notably, they experienced a 25% reduction in the time required to complete key processes, which translated to $44.4 million in time savings over three years for the composite organization studied.?
Let’s take a closer look at each of the main components of Microsoft Power Platform to help you understand how it delivers so much value.?
Power Apps?
Power Apps ?enables businesses to create custom applications without extensive coding knowledge. The latest version of this tool extensively integrates?Copilot , Microsoft’s AI assistant, which makes it possible to turn a rough sketch or a basic description of the desired app into a working prototype. The prototype can then be reiterated and refined in a conversational manner or using a drag-and-drop interface until it meets your exact needs.??
For example, an HR team can use Power Apps to create a custom app for the onboarding of new hires while leveraging employee data already recorded in your existing systems. The apps created using Power Apps can work even on mobile devices, and they can always be managed at scale thanks to unified governance.?
Power Automate?
With?Power Automate , businesses can create workflows (or “flows” as they’re called) that automatically perform actions that you’d otherwise have to do manually across different apps and services. For instance, you could set up a flow that automatically saves email attachments to a specific folder in SharePoint, or one that sends you a notification when a high-priority customer submits a support ticket.?
Users can start with a pre-built automation template (there are hundreds of them), or they can build their own flows from scratch using an intuitive interface. Regardless of which approach they choose, Power Automate can always work with a wide range of applications and services, both within and outside the Microsoft ecosystem.?
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Power BI?
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a data analyst on your team, working 24/7 to turn raw numbers into actionable intelligence? With?Power BI , you can—sort of. This capable business intelligence tool can accept data from multiple sources (Excel spreadsheets, cloud-based services, or on-premises databases) and build visually appealing dashboards that update in real time.?
Power BI integrates with other Power Platform tools, so you can, for instance, embed Power BI reports directly into your Power Apps, or trigger Power Automate flows based on certain data thresholds in your Power BI reports. Moreover, with natural language querying, users can ask questions about their data in plain English, and Power BI will generate the appropriate visualizations.??
Power Pages?
Power Pages ?is Microsoft’s secure, enterprise-grade platform for creating, hosting, and managing external-facing business websites. It allows businesses to build professional-looking websites quickly and easily, without requiring extensive web development skills.?
Unlike popular website builders such as Wix, Squarespace, or Weebly, Power Pages makes it really easy to securely connect to a database, allowing you to securely display real-time data such as inventory stock, product catalogs, or customer information directly on your website.?
Copilot Studio?
Copilot Studio ?(formerly known as Power Virtual Agents) is Microsoft’s AI-powered tool for creating intelligent chatbots and virtual agents. For SMBs, Copilot Studio offers a way to provide 24/7 customer service without the need for a large support team.?
A small e-commerce business could use Copilot Studio to create a bot that handles common customer queries about order status, return policies, or product information. This bot could be deployed on the company’s website (created with Power Pages) and integrated with their inventory system.?
Dataverse?
Whenever we mentioned pulling data from an inventory system or some database in this article, we were implicitly referring to?Dataverse , the backbone of the Microsoft Power Platform. It’s a cloud-based storage solution that allows businesses to securely store and manage data used by business applications.??
How to Start Leveraging Power Platform?
Getting started with Microsoft Power Platform might seem daunting, but with the right approach, even small businesses can quickly begin reaping its benefits.??
We recommend you begin by listing routine tasks that consume too much of your employees’ time, such as data entry, reporting, approvals, or customer interactions. It’s always a good idea to engage your team to get their insights on which processes are most repetitive and would benefit from a streamlined workflow.??
Once you have identified potential areas for improvement, you should start small by focusing on a single area so that you don’t overwhelm your team or disrupt multiple business processes at once. As you become more comfortable with Power Platform, you can gradually expand your use.?
If you’re looking for expert guidance to maximize the benefits of Power Platform for your business, consider partnering with at OSIbeyond. Our team can guide you through every step of your Power Platform journey as well as provide comprehensive IT support across your entire technology infrastructure.??
Contact us today ?to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a more efficient, productive, and technologically advanced business.?