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Utilizing Microsoft Power Platform and Microsoft 365 for Digital Transformation
Introduction:
The discussion focuses on Power Platform, digital transformation, and the use of Excel as a business app. The goal is to explore real-world examples of using Power Platform and Microsoft 365 technologies to create technical solutions for digital transformation through seven scenarios.
1. Annual Budgets
- To handle annual budgets, build an app to capture and store budget information in Dataverse.
- The app allows multiple users to edit simultaneously without locking cells, centralizing data and avoiding tracking issues associated with email and Excel.
- Once data is captured, it can be uploaded to financial tools like Microsoft Dynamics for further processing and tracking progress against budgets.
2. Holiday/Vacation Planner
- Create a holiday/vacation planner using a model-driven app for mobile users to submit requests.
- Capture data in Dataverse, track leave days, and send approval emails via Power Automate.
- Automate calendar blocking and out-of-office notifications.
- Integrate with Exchange for managing notifications and calendar events, and include Power BI reports for leave tracking.
3. Expenses with Authorizations
- Manage expenses using a mobile app to photograph receipts and submit claims.
- Store documents in SharePoint or Dataverse. SharePoint offers better searchability, while Dataverse provides secure file attachments.
- Address complexities of US-centric expense systems and automate tax calculations.
4. Creating and Sharing Reports
- Power BI is the recommended tool for sharing reports, offering both interactive and fixed-format (paginated) reports.
- While Excel can be useful for localized exploratory work, Power BI is ideal for sharing to avoid versioning issues.
5. Internal Contracts
- Replace Excel spreadsheets with Power Platform and SharePoint to manage internal contracts.
- Centralize contract data in Dataverse with model-driven and canvas apps, enhancing searchability and document management.
6. Customer Portals
- Use Power Pages to allow external users to access information without individual licenses.
- Enable customers to self-serve for invoices, receipts, and order history, reducing customer service calls.
- Integrate with courier systems for delivery information, providing tracking details and reducing inquiries about order status.
7. Microsoft Planner for Project Plans
- Utilize Microsoft Planner for project management, leveraging its Kanban functionality.
8. Joiners, Movers, Leavers (JML) Process
- Automate the JML process with Power Platform to streamline provisioning, updating records, and managing access.
- This automation saves time and improves security in handling JML tasks.
- Emphasize that automating non-value-adding processes like JML can significantly enhance efficiency.
