What is the Microsoft Power Platform?
The Microsoft Power Platform is a high-performance platform consisting of five main components. Each has its own focus and can be used individually or in combination.
- Power BI for data analysis and visualization
- Power Automate for workflow automation
- Power Pages for quickly and securely building web portals
- Power Apps for developing custom apps
- Copilot Studio for creating AI-driven chatbots
These tools work together seamlessly, enabling you to create apps, visualize data, automate processes, and design AI copilots – often with minimal or no coding skills, making the Power Platform particularly appealing for so-called “citizen developers,” i.e., users without technical expertise who want to design their own solutions.
The five components of the Microsoft Power Platform
The five building blocks of the Microsoft Power Platform
01
Power BI / Data analysis and visualization
Power BI is a tool for visualizing and analyzing data. It enables you to collect and analyze business data from various sources and present it in user-friendly reports and dashboards. From sales analyses and customer satisfaction scores to production data, Power BI empowers data-based decision-making.
Possible applications of Power BI:
- Financial reports and analyses
Visualize revenue, expenses, and budget deviations for better financial control. - Sales and marketing analyses
Analyse sales data, customer trends, and campaign results to optimize marketing strategies. - Employee and HR dashboards
Monitor KPIs such as employee turnover, training requirements, and productivity.
Power BI can quickly obtain information that may be critical for corporate strategy. The dashboards and reports can be shared for improved teamwork.
02
Power Automate / Automating workflows
Power Automate allows you to automate and optimize repetitive tasks, saving time and boosting efficiency. This solution creates so-called flows to execute actions triggered by specific conditions.
Examples of Power Automate workflows:
- Automation of approval processes
Automatically handle approval of vacation requests or invoices - Application integration
Sync data between different software solutions (e.g., data transfer between CRM and ERP systems) - Email notifications
Notify team members automatically about important events, such as new customer inquiries or project updates
By automating background tasks, Power Automate saves time by minimizing errors and letting employees focus on high-priority activities.
03
Power Pages / Fast and secure web development
Power Pages is a component of the Power Platform that allows you to create secure business websites. Whether for customer support, partner portals, or internal applications – Power Pages provides a drag-and-drop interface and a variety of templates to build websites quickly and without in-depth IT knowledge.
Examples of Power Pages:
- Customer portals
Create self-service portals to access information or submit support requests - Employee portals
Internal websites for documents, training, and communication tools - Event websites
Rapidly created websites for registration and event information sharing
With Power Pages, companies can digitize and improve customer and partner interactions by making important information and services available online.
04
Power Apps / customized business apps
Power Apps enables the creation of customized applications that meet specific business needs. It offers pre-built templates and an easy-to-use drag-and-drop interface, requiring little to no coding experience. The applications can be used on desktops, tablets, and smartphones.
Examples of Power Apps:
- Customized business applications
Create customized apps to manage specific business processes, such as order management or project management. - Data collection and management
Create forms and apps for real-time data collection, such as surveys or inspections. - Legacy systems integration
Connect and update existing data sources or applications to improve the user experience and data access.
Power Apps is ideal for companies that want to develop and implement solutions quickly without launching lengthy IT projects or hiring external developers.
05
Copilot Studio / AI-powered automation and integration
Copilots are AI-based assistants that provide support across all Microsoft products. If these are not sufficient, the Copilot Studio comes into play. In Copilot Studio, you can easily create your own chatbots to make information more accessible, such as complex CRM or ERP processes.
Examples of Copilot Studio:
- Creation of chatbots
Provide real-time customer support using AI-driven virtual assistants - Creation of customized sales reports
Analysis of sales data and creation of customized reports for specific target groups - Automating onboarding of new employees
helps the HR department to reduce administrative tasks and offer structured onboarding for new hires
Based on AI, the Copilot Studio specifically supports users in efficiently designing and improving customized solutions. Microsoft Copilot Studio is intended to be accessible to users without prior technical knowledge.
Benefits of the Power Platform at a glance
Ease of use
With drag-and-drop user interfaces and the integration of Copilot, even non-developers can create solutions.
Cost efficiency
The Power Platform eliminates the need to hire external developers, as users can create applications and automations themselves.
Seamless integration
The platform is seamlessly integrated into other Microsoft services, such as Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and Azure, as well as external applications and databases. With over 1,200 connectors to third-party systems such as SAP, Salesforce, and Jira, the Power Platform can represent almost any common use case.
Scalability
The Power Platform is flexible and scalable. Companies can start with small projects and gradually expand their use as required.
High security standards
Microsoft Power Platform is based on proven Microsoft cloud technology and offers the highest security standards. You benefit from role-based access controls, encryption, and the protection provided by Microsoft Azure Cloud’s security mechanisms.
How to use the Power Platform in your company
Boost efficiency through automation
With Power Automate, recurring tasks can be automated to optimize processes.
Customized solutions for specific requirements
Use Power Apps and Power Pages to create customized applications for internal processes or customer interfaces.
Improved data analysis and decision-making
With Power BI, you can create insightful reports and dashboards to make informed decisions.
AI-powered support and development
With Copilot Studio, you can develop faster and smarter solutions while benefiting from AI support acting as a “copilot.”
Free starter workshop
Would you like to learn more about the Power Platform and explore how to use it for your company?
In our Envisioning Workshop, your team will learn hands-on how to digitize processes with the Power Platform using an example from your company – with a practical focus on knowledge sharing. The best part: Microsoft generally covers the workshop costs.
Governance and compliance in the Microsoft Power Platform
Corporate governance refers to the internal control and management structures of a company. It is commonly referred to as the organization’s “constitution”. Compliance, on the other hand, means the active implementation of the governance guidelines in practice. It is usually translated as “conformity to rules”.
With integrated security and control functions, the Microsoft Power Platform supports companies in complying with governance requirements. The platform offers comprehensive security standards that adhere to international data protection guidelines such as GDPR and CCPA. Encrypted data transmission and role-based access control ensure that sensitive data is protected and accessible only to authorized users.
A key component of governance is the Center of Excellence (CoE). This centralized management framework defines and ensures best practices and standards for using the Power Platform within the company. The CoE allows companies to set policies for application development and data processing, maintain an overview of all projects, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
The platform also offers audit and monitoring functions that enable IT administrators to track user activities and identify suspicious events. With Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, data flows can be controlled to ensure that only approved connections and data sources are used. The Power Platform Admin Center centralizes these control functions, allowing businesses to monitor all applications and user activities.
These tools create a robust governance environment, enabling companies to drive innovation while meeting compliance requirements.
Conclusion
The Power Platform as the key to digital transformation
The Microsoft Power Platform offers companies a powerful and flexible solution to drive digital transformation. Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Copilot Studio empower organizations to optimize workflows, develop innovative applications, and make data-driven decisions.
Whether you’re just beginning your digital journey or improving existing processes, the Power Platform helps you create innovative solutions and sustainably enhance how your business operates.
