What is Microsoft Power Apps?
The Microsoft Power Apps application is part of the Microsoft Power Platform family. With Microsoft Power Apps, employees can quickly and efficiently create custom business applications without programming knowledge. These apps are seamlessly integrated into the existing Microsoft environment, enabling companies to boost their efficiency. The use of Power Apps reduces (manual) errors, gives employees more time for strategic tasks, and promotes productivity within the company. Our Microsoft Power Apps examples demonstrate what this can look like in practice.
Getting started with the Power Platform - free 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 is that Microsoft generally covers the workshop costs.
- No IT expertise required
- Practical example from your company
01
Finance with Microsoft Power Apps: inbound invoice processing
An international company has fully digitized its accounts payable (A/P) processing with an “A/P Processing App.”
Project overview:
Employees upload invoices into Microsoft SharePoint. An Azure AI service analyzes incoming invoices and automatically identifies key information, including invoice number, creditor, debtor, item, quantity, amount, and date. Employees receive an email with a link to the validation app. Here, the data identified and visualized by the Azure AI service is quickly reviewed by the employees and, if necessary, corrected. The invoice is then forwarded to the appropriate colleague for approval. They are informed by email and can directly approve or reject the invoice. Did the email get lost in a full inbox? That is not a problem. The system sends a reminder to all involved parties. The Power App provides an overview of incoming invoices and their approval status in an invoice cockpit dashboard. Once the invoice has been processed and approved, it is automatically posted in the ERP – manual intervention is no longer necessary.
Benefits of digitization with Power Apps:
- Increased efficiency: the automatic analysis and validation of documents minimize manual tasks, resulting in significant time savings.
- Error reduction: AI-supported data analysis avoids discrepancies during manual entry and transfer. Possible deviations are detected at any time and can be corrected.
- Transparency: the digital approval process ensures complete traceability of all decisions, including the timeline.
02
HR: talent management with Microsoft Power Apps
A company in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector relies on holistic talent management, utilizing a Power App for support.
Project overview:
The intuitive coaching tool supports the further training and development of employees in the company. Through the Power App, employees are initially assigned to their managers. Development meeting appointments are then planned through the tool and automatically sent to the participants. The app includes various flexible and department-specific customizable competency areas, which both parties complete before the appointment to assess training needs. This content helps to structure the conversation, guide targeted exchanges, and transparently define common development goals. With the tablet-optimized Power App, handwritten notes or even voice input can be created. End users find the synchronization of all content for offline use particularly convenient. The data is always secure, confidential, and protected, as employees must explicitly approve the content for their managers.
Benefits of digitization with Power Apps:
- Increased efficiency: automation reduces administrative effort and enables a stronger focus on employees’ individual development goals and skills.
- Improved communication: the app provides a clearly structured user interface. The content serves as a guide and is securely stored for follow-up discussions.
- Flexibility: the tablet-optimized app enables access to information from any location. Thanks to integrating the Power Platform into the M365 Office package, the data can also be printed as a PDF, for example.
Satisfied customers
03
Procurement: seasonal purchase planning with Microsoft Power Apps
A Microsoft Power Apps example from the retail sector illustrates how a fashion retailer optimized its purchasing management with an app.
Project overview:
The purchasing team uses a combination of two Power Apps to plan and order goods. The initial planning is carried out in the first app, determining the number of items and the manufacturers needed for the next season. The team determines the number of items to be ordered for each store location and assigns them to specific manufacturers. Supplier master data can be imported. After planning, the app automatically displays a budget dashboard across teams and store locations in real time using Power BI.
The second app is used for detailed planning. It automatically calculates the number of items needed per size and for which sales channel they are intended. Orders from manufacturers are automatically pre-calculated and triggered with a single click. Of course, various data exports, e.g., to Excel, are also supported.
Benefits of digitization with Power Apps:
- Increased efficiency: automated calculations and pre-calculated orders save time and reduce manual errors.
- Compatibility: the Power Apps integrate seamlessly into the existing Microsoft ecosystem. The ability to import and export supplier master data ensures compatibility with various supplier systems.
- Transparency: Power BI provides a real-time overview of the planning status and budget. This supports valid, data-based decision-making and enables better controlling and adaptation of the purchasing strategy.
04
Logistics: fleet management with Microsoft Power Apps
A company in the food industry has expanded and fully digitized its fleet management with a suite of Power Apps.
Project overview:
Vehicle data used to be maintained in Excel, and handover protocols were handled in Word. With the new Power solution, more than 1,000 vehicles, including delivery vans with built-in ovens, trucks, and cars, are now fully managed digitally.
A central back-office application manages all vehicle data, including history, location, and equipment. Two mobile apps support daily business: one app for digital vehicle handover with photo documentation and a company car app for recording mileage and consumption values monthly to achieve a sustainable CO₂ balance.
All data is stored in a central database, and Power BI dashboards provide a comprehensive overview of the vehicle fleet. Handovers, location changes, and CO₂ metrics are always traceable. The apps enable efficient, transparent, and paperless fleet management.
Advantages of digitization through Power Apps:
- Increased efficiency: digital handover processes and automated data capture save time and reduce manual effort.
- Error reduction: structured data collection and central management improve data quality and minimize transmission errors.
- Transparency: all vehicle movements and conditions are documented and traceable in real time – including CO₂ analysis.
05
Agriculture: digitization of field assessment with Microsoft Power Apps
An innovative project for digitizing field assessment, carried out by a company in the agricultural sector, enables the precise identification of fungal infestation in crops using a Power App and AI technology.
Project overview:
An AI model was programmed for the Power App using Python and TensorFlow. The AI model was specifically trained with the Azure AI service Custom Vision and thousands of images to classify and recognize objects or patterns in the photos. The AI was then made available as an app on all mobile devices via TensorFlow Lite. Now, farmers can take photos of affected plants using the app and receive a quick assessment of the fungal infestation. Additionally, the app uses weather data for the respective location to create a forecast of the infestation’s progression and recommends suitable fungicides. These functions enable farmers to respond quickly and effectively to fungal infestations, thereby ensuring the health of their plants.
Benefits of digitization with Power Apps:
- Process optimization: AI technology replaces the manual and time-consuming identification and assessment of fungal infestations, saving time and preventing errors.
- Cost reduction: the app recommends suitable fungicides based on an analysis of the fungal infestation, which can reduce pesticide use without harming the plants.
- Flexibility: the intelligent Power App can be enhanced at any time with updates and new AI recognition models for leaf diseases.
Conclusion
The Microsoft Power Platform is a collection of low-code/no-code tools that companies can use to create apps (Microsoft Power Apps), analyze data (Power BI), automate workflows (Power Automate), and develop chatbots (Copilot Studio). The Microsoft Power Apps examples presented here demonstrate how Power Apps can be used flexibly and individually across various industries. With the continuous development of the Microsoft Power Platform and Azure AI Services, more and more opportunities are emerging to optimize business processes and increase productivity.
