Module 7 PL 600

1. Dynamics 365 Apps

Overview: These are out-of-the-box solutions provided by Microsoft that address broad
enterprise needs across different workloads, such as sales, customer service,
marketing, and more. Historically, these apps evolved from Dynamics CRM.
Practical Use: Use Dynamics 365 apps when you need robust, enterprise-ready
applications that integrate deeply with other Microsoft services without extensive
customization. For example, a company could use Dynamics 365 Sales to improve
sales tracking and customer insights without building a custom solution from scratch.
2. AppSource Apps
Overview: AppSource hosts third-party applications that extend the capabilities of
Dynamics 365. These apps are often tailored to specific industries or advanced
functionalities not covered by first-party solutions.
Practical Use: An organization in the healthcare sector might use a third-party app from
AppSource to handle patient management and compliance, areas that require
specialized functionality beyond the standard Dynamics 365 offerings.
3. Custom Apps
Overview: Custom apps are built using the Microsoft Power Platform, leveraging tools
like Power Apps to create unique solutions tailored to specific business needs or
processes.
Practical Use: A retail company might develop a custom inventory management app
that integrates with their existing systems and includes specific features like real-time
stock updates and supplier ordering that aren’t available in off-the-shelf software.
Power Platform Apps Types:
Canvas Apps
Overview: These are task-oriented apps that allow for a high degree of design flexibility.
They are not driven by data schema but rather designed around the user experience,
integrating data from various sources.
Practical Use: Use canvas apps when you need a highly customized UI for specific
tasks, like a mobile app for event attendees to navigate schedules, view content, and
connect with other attendees.
Model-driven Apps
Overview: Built on top of Microsoft Dataverse, these apps are data-first and UI-driven
by the underlying data model. They offer a consistent UI and are generally used to
automate complex business processes.
Practical Use: Model-driven apps are ideal when complex business processes need to
be managed systematically, such as managing customer service requests and tracking
them through different resolution stages.
Power Pages (formerly Power Apps Portals)
Overview: These are external-facing websites that allow organizations to engage with
customers, partners, and other external stakeholders. They are built using model-driven
forms and views but can be customized using standard web technologies.
Practical Use: A university might use Power Pages to create a student portal where
students can register for classes, access academic resources, and manage their
university accounts.
Each of these options serves different organizational needs, from standard applications
that quickly bring business capabilities to more custom solutions tailored for specific
tasks or industry needs.

Let's elaborate on the slides you've provided, detailing the integration and application of
different app types within the Microsoft Power Platform ecosystem.
Section 1: Solution Architecture and App Types Integration
Common Pattern
This approach integrates various app types to create a cohesive solution architecture:
 Model-driven Apps: These apps serve as the backbone for administrative tasks
within an organization. They are designed to handle complex logic and data
relationships, making them ideal for managing enterprise-level processes.
 Canvas Apps: Targeted at end users, these apps are designed for specific tasks
and are known for their ease of use and flexibility in UI design. They cater to
user-specific needs that are not always addressed by more structured apps.
 Power Pages: These are used for external user interactions, providing a
platform where users can engage with your business through a web interface.
This is particularly useful for scenarios like customer self-service portals.
Canvas Apps for Edge Cases
Canvas apps are particularly useful in addressing edge cases—specific scenarios that
don't fit the standard operational processes covered by model-driven apps. For
instance, if a company has a unique process for handling returns that requires specific
user inputs and integration with external APIs, a canvas app can be developed to
manage this efficiently.
Integration of Canvas Apps in Model-driven Apps
Embedding canvas apps within model-driven apps brings additional functionality and
flexibility, such as incorporating advanced visualizations or connecting to external data
sources via custom connectors. This integration allows for a more tailored user
experience where the core data handling capabilities of model-driven apps are
enhanced with the customizable UI features of canvas apps.
Section 2: Embedded Canvas App in a Model-driven App Form
Capabilities and Limitations
 Data Integration: Embedded canvas apps can pull data from various sources
using Power Platform connectors, making it versatile in displaying and
manipulating external data within a model-driven form.
 UI Enhancement: While tied to a form column, these apps can go beyond mere
data display. They can introduce elements like interactive charts or custom data
entry forms that improve user interaction.
 Operational Context: The embedded canvas app is primarily available during
the edit phase of a record, not when creating new entries, which can be a
limitation if initial data input needs similar flexibility.
  Platform Constraints: These embedded apps are currently supported mainly on
web platforms. On mobile devices, the default controls of the column are
displayed instead of the full canvas app functionality.
 Data Saving Behavior: Changes made within the canvas app are not
automatically saved along with the model-driven form data, requiring users to
manage multiple save operations.
Section 3: Dataverse for Teams
Overview and Limitations
Dataverse for Teams is streamlined to operate within the Microsoft Teams environment,
simplifying app development and data management for Teams-centric solutions.
 Integration Limitations: While it allows for app development within Teams, it
comes with restrictions on external data integration and lacks support for more
complex features like API access and AI Builder.
 Supported App Types: The platform focuses on simpler, often canvas-based
apps tailored for Teams interactions and does not support model-driven apps,
which might limit its use in scenarios requiring complex data modeling.
This detailed breakdown provides a clearer understanding of how different Power
Platform components can be integrated and utilized within your solution architecture,
tailored to specific organizational needs and operational contexts.
App Composition in the Microsoft Power Platform
1. Balancing App Size and Functionality
 Avoiding Large Monolithic Apps: Large apps that try to do everything can
become complex, difficult to maintain, and slow to update. Instead of one
colossal app, it's advisable to break functionality into more manageable parts.
 Avoiding Fragmentation with Too Many Small Apps: While small apps are
easier to manage, having too many can lead to inefficiencies, as users may find it
confusing and time-consuming to switch between apps frequently.
 Using Components Across Apps: To address both extremes, you can use
shared components that are reusable across multiple apps. This approach allows
you to maintain simplicity in app design while covering diverse functionalities
without redundancy.
 Targeted Apps for Specific User Groups: Create specific apps for different
user groups based on their roles and needs. This ensures that users only see the
functionalities they need, which can enhance productivity, especially for mobile
users who need access to specific tools while on the go.
2. Extending Existing Apps vs. Composing New Ones
 Extending Existing Apps:
 Pros: You benefit from continuous updates and improvements from
Microsoft. This option makes sense if the existing Dynamics 365 apps like
 Sales or Customer Service hubs largely meet your needs but require
minor tweaks or additional features.
 Cons: However, you may end up with functionalities that are irrelevant to
your business needs or find some components are not reusable in your
specific context.
 Composing New Apps:
 Pros: Building a new app from scratch gives you complete control over
the features and design, ensuring everything is tailored specifically to your
business requirements. You can also build custom forms and views that
exactly fit how your data should be displayed and manipulated.
 Cons: This approach requires more effort initially, as you need to set up
everything manually, including navigation and data integration, which can
be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
Strategic Considerations for App Development
1. Scalability and Maintenance: When choosing between extending an existing
app and building a new one, consider long-term scalability and maintenance.
Extending an existing app can leverage built-in scalability and updates from
Microsoft, whereas a new app might require additional resources to maintain
compatibility and performance as your business grows.
2. User Experience: Focus on the end-user experience. A well-composed app
should feel seamless and intuitive, regardless of whether it extends existing
functionalities or is built from the ground up.
3. Cost vs. Benefit: Analyze the cost-effectiveness of each approach. Sometimes,
extending an existing app can be more cost-effective, especially if the required
customizations are minor. However, for highly specialized needs, investing in a
custom-built app might provide better long-term value.
By carefully considering these factors, you can effectively decide whether to extend
existing solutions or invest in custom app compositions to meet specific business
requirements more precisely.