How Microsoft Power Platform integrates with Dynamics 365
Today’s organisations use connected technologies to work smarter, streamline business processes, and make better business decisions. Instead of deploying separate solutions for managing customers, automating workflows, reporting on business performance, and developing custom applications, many organisations want technology platforms that can work together seamlessly. In these scenarios, Microsoft Power Platform consulting services can help customers understand how Microsoft technologies can operate as an ecosystem. Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 offer one of the strongest integration models, which allows organisations to leverage their data and maximise productivity across departments.
How Power Platform and Dynamics 365 work together
Microsoft Power Platform does not operate independently from Dynamics 365. Instead, these technologies were built to work together from the ground up. Dynamics 365 includes business applications that help companies manage sales, customer service, finance, and operations. Power Platform consists of low-code technologies used to create business applications, automate workflows, analyse data, and publish customer-facing websites.
Technologies within the Power Platform work well with Dynamics 365 because they’re part of the same Microsoft cloud ecosystem. This shared backbone allows information to pass freely between Power Platform applications and Dynamics 365. Staff members spend less time entering the same information in multiple places and can focus on using consistent, up-to-date data.
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Dataverse offers a single source of truth
Microsoft Dataverse is a secure, cloud-based platform that acts as a central repository for information that various Microsoft applications can use. Dataverse allows businesses to store information about their customers, leads, sales opportunities, accounts, services, operations, and more.
Information placed in Dataverse is accessible to both Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications. If customer records are stored in Dataverse, they can be managed in Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement apps and accessed from a custom Power App simultaneously. Teams across the organisation work from a single source of truth rather than maintaining multiple copies of the same information in separate applications.
Power Apps allow you to build your own business apps
No two businesses are exactly alike, even if they operate in the same industry. While Dynamics 365 includes a number of powerful business apps, organisations sometimes need to build customisations that align with their unique way of working. Power Apps is a suite of tools that allows teams to create their own business apps without traditional software development.
Companies have been using Power Apps to design apps that field employees can access from mobile devices. These apps might include forms to record information during inspections, interfaces to update customer information, or screens to request services. The custom apps interface with data available in Dynamics 365, so any information employees collect is instantly available to other departments.
Power Apps features low-code technology, so it’s easy to change the apps as business needs evolve. Instead of starting from scratch, organisations can make adjustments and then publish their changes without disrupting end users.
Power Automate saves time with Dynamics automation
Billions of hours are lost every year to repetitive manual tasks. Power Automate allows businesses to create automated workflows that interface with Microsoft Dynamics 365. Many tasks that are currently done manually can be automated, from submitting approval requests to updating customer records. Notifications can be triggered, and information can be synchronised automatically between systems.
As more workflows are defined, organisations will continue to enjoy increases in efficiency without the added risk of human error. That’s because the Dynamics 365 automation built with Power Automate can be adjusted to meet changing requirements.
Turn data into business intelligence with Power BI
Analytics and reporting are only useful when they can provide meaningful insights that lead to better business decisions. Power BI integrates with Microsoft Dynamics 365 to transform raw data into dynamic dashboards, interactive reports, and metrics that track business performance.
Power BI users can track just about any key performance indicator (KPI) associated with their business operations. From sales performance to customer engagement, everything from finance to field-level operations can be monitored using real-time reports. Instead of manually consolidating data from multiple sources into spreadsheets, users can access dynamic visualisations that update automatically.
Gain the flexibility your business needs
Integrating Power Platform with Dynamics 365 also provides businesses with flexibility. Technology needs change as your business grows and adapts to new challenges. Whether your company opens new departments, adds additional business processes, or responds to evolving customer demands, your technology should be able to accommodate those changes.
Rather than replace your existing Dynamics 365 solution, Power Platform allows businesses to expand upon it. Build new apps, automate more workflows, create customised reports, or develop data integrations that connect Dynamics 365 to other software your business relies on.
Power Platform and Dynamics 365 work together to create a fully integrated ecosystem of business apps, data services, and workflow automation geared toward improving how teams work. Integration empowers your teams to work more efficiently, collaborate more effectively, and make practical use of your business data. The flexibility of Microsoft Power Platform also allows businesses to adapt to changing requirements rather than being locked into a specific way of working.
Implementing the Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM solution puts your business on the path to digital transformation. Combining it with Microsoft Power Platform can help your business improve connectivity and build a more scalable foundation.