“Life is a journey, not a destination.” This is something I have been following for years which keeps me always open for new challenges and new exploration over technologies. So, recently, I got an opportunity to explore PowerApps, one of the most innovative contributions by Microsoft to the Office 365 family.
Brief Introduction to PowerApps
PowerApps is one of the most innovative contributions by Microsoft making things more accessible and more user-friendly for the end users. The word itself is self-explanatory which includes “App” which can be a Browser-based App or a Mobile-based App.
The concept is that Microsoft offers you hundreds of connectors which come self-integrated with multiple applications (Microsoft and Non-Microsoft Products) which are used for transmission of data, and once the data has become available, we can create a presentation of the same.
The app offers an end-user the basic CRUD operations ( CREATE, UPDATE, READ, DELETE) which can be extended by an admin to fulfill the more business-specific requirements.
The Apps are categorized as below.
Model Drive Apps
Let’s keep it simple this time, so if you have been working in any of the coding languages, at times we call a term – MODEL which simply denotes that there is something which is driven by DATA which has a backbone as some DATABASE, on similar lines Microsoft has named these apps as MODEL Driven Apps which simply means they are backed by a strong database structure and thus assist us to develop and implement complex logic. Model-Driven Apps are more like developing and implementing the end to end Modules to fulfill the requirements of Businesses. For example, the latest modules like Dynamics Talent is a Model-Driven App.
Canvas Apps
Making things easy and simple again, Microsoft offers these Apps, as simply something over CANVAS. The CANVAS app can be created by anyone in the organization and it can be shared with anyone, the app can be created to implement simple straightforward business implementations which include basic CRUD operations. The app can be modified and more complex logic can be amended at any instance of time without any issues.
Basically, CANVAS APPs are more mobile-friendly as they have basic implementations whereas MODEL Driven Apps are more browser-friendly since they have complex logic.
Starting with Development of the basic CANVAS app, let's say I wish to create an app where we need to have a list of the entire inventory of Laptops in a company. Operations include the creation of new inventory products, updating and deleting the same.
Step 1
We needed to create a sample excel file with all the required attributes and store the same in One Drive for Business, the same could have been stored anywhere including Sharepoint.
Step 2
Login /sign in to the PowerApps Web Portal, it is browser-based studio which is used to create/update the apps.
Link - https://make.powerapps.com
Step 3
Click on the Apps on the left-hand bar, and you will be able to see the list of Apps which have been created/are available for you. Now on the top of the same.. you will see “Create an App”, click over the same, and it will proceed with the creation of a new app in the same solution (I will explain the concept of the solution in upcoming posts).
Step 4
Select the data source; in my case I have selected One Drive for Business as my data source, based upon your requirement you can opt for the other options and proceed further. On selection of OneDrive, we need to select the excel file which we have uploaded in OneDrive and please ensure you define the table on the data, as Canvas App will need a definite range of the excel columns for connection and communication to the data source.
Step 5
Step 6
Post selection of Table1, we will get the button enabled for us to proceed with the creation of the Canvas App which will include all the basic functions including Create - Read - Update - Delete
Step 7
The app will be created and there will be navigation which will be available on the left side of the online studio which assists us to toggle/navigate between multiple screens which have been created and implemented.
Feel free to share your queries in comments and yes I have much more to share with you all in upcoming posts. Stay tuned!!