TIDBITS on the Microsoft Power Platform

2025, the Age of the Platform

It is so easy to take for granted that I get to work with the latest technology every day. 

It also doesn't stop, each week there is something new to grow with. Yes, I have to give feedback at times, and I don't always love what is new, but 97% of the time I am so happy with the updates.

2025 is the time for you to request a technology platform that grows with you, that is built to work together and that is consistently embracing the rapid changes. 

Consider the Microsoft 365 Power "Platform" for its depth of offerings, the quality of technology foundations and for the width of solutions. 

 

Senior Sales Executive, Will Copilot change my world?

If you are a senior sales executive, you know how to sell.

• You can close,
• you are organized,
• you have a full sales pipeline and sales funnel,
• e-mail is prioritized and
• you are rocking your world. 

Where would AI tools such as Copilot make a difference? 

We have access to the Sales 101 use cases for AI.

• Summarize my activities for or with a prospect
• extract data from the last 3 months from all channels of communication with the key prospect contacts (e-mail, teams, chat, channels, groups, etc.)
• Let me know if I have not followed up in the last 6 months on a subset of prospects
• and so many more.

    BUT what about the more sophisticated needs for that senior experienced sales expert? 

• What strategies do you use to identify the best fit prospects and most profitable opportunities for your industry niche?  

Do your sales executives spend trolling time? Rather than closing time? 

The sales executive ->  I use a combination of research and data analytics. First, I create a customer profile based on the demographic information I have access to. Then, I use data analysis tools to identify buying patterns and trends in order to better target my outreach efforts. Finally, I leverage social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to get more real-time sentiment and understanding. I also really appreciate having recent articles where my prospect and/or their parent account has been represented, presented or perhaps was a contributor.

• How do you communicate accurate and predictive forecasting information on your prospects to sales management and to the executive management team? 

Do your senior sales executive have to take valuable selling time to have management meetings or worse, repetitive management meetings? or can management easily understand the predictive analytics, the forecasts and the detailed information from data that sales team members capture? 

"In my current role as a senior sales executive, I ensure effective communication between the sales team and management by setting up regular meetings between the two groups to discuss progress and any issues that have arisen. I also make sure that our daily check-ins are productive by having the sales team provide detailed updates and discussing any potential roadblocks. Additionally, I compile weekly reports to provide management with an overview of the team’s performance. This system has been effective in helping the team stay on track and identifying areas of improvement.”

When you really want to know how to make a difference using "AI" in the world of a "Role" consider looking at the top 20 Interview questions that senior and experienced resources answer. 

20 Interview Questions Every Senior Sales Executive Must Be Able To Answer - InterviewPrep

Copilot Studio Vocabulary

Just a few fun terms to get you thinking about all you can build (Note: I did use Copilot (Microsoft Teams Copilot) to extract the definition for each of the below terms)

• Trigger Phrases: These are specific phrases or keywords that, when detected in a user's input, activate a particular topic or response in Copilot. They help in identifying the user's intent and directing the conversation accordingly.
• Nodes: These are the building blocks of a conversation in Copilot studio. Each node represents a specific part of the conversation flow, such as a question, a response, or an action. Nodes are connected to create a structured dialogue.
• Response Variation: This refers to the different ways Copilot can respond to the same user input. By having multiple variations of a response, Copilot can provide a more natural and engaging conversation experience.
• Quick Replies: These are predefined responses that users can select to quickly reply to a message. They help streamline the conversation and guide users through the interaction.
• Entities: These are specific pieces of information that Copilot can recognize and extract from the user's input. Examples include dates, names, locations, and other relevant data points.
• Variables: These are placeholders used to store and manage information within a conversation. Variables can be used to personalize responses and keep track of the conversation context.
• Power FX: This is a formula language used in Copilot studio to create complex expressions and logic. It allows for advanced customization and control over the conversation flow.

It is a whole new world of Predictions: Power BI

Power BI Embedded is now the standard for most of our Enterprise projects. This tool offers powerful, modern and current options for advanced reporting, BUT also offer so much more.

"Imagine if you could review the latest output of your
organization’s fraud model on demand, or analyze the
sentiment of social media users who tweet or post about
your products. Power BI brings the predictive power of
advanced analytics to allow users to create predictive
models from their data, enabling organizations to make
data-based decisions across all aspects of their business."

Advanced Analytics
with Power BI, Microsoft White Paper retrieved from here

WeDoAI2024

Check out the great sessions on WeDoAI 2024

 

We Do AI 2024

AGENDA

• OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Copilot(s)
• The Power Platform
• Microsoft Power Platform Model Driven Apps built by Microsoft
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Journeys/Marketing
  • Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center
• Microsoft Copilot Studio
• An Agent versus A Copilot

 

 

 

 

 

Leveraging the Microsoft Stack

Although a direct API would be preferred, you also have the following power 

Microsoft Outlook

• An e-mail is received
• The e-mail has an attachment of an Excel Spreadsheet
• The spreadsheet is received every week and contains key data that validates information
• An Outlook rule moves this e-mail to a folder 

Welcome Microsoft Power Automate (flow)

• Pick-up the e-mail
• Save the Attachment
• Process the Attachment data and injected the data into Dataverse (Model Driven Power App)

Microsoft Power App

• Dashboards
• Comparisons
• Calculations
• Reporting errors 

There are many choices when it comes to business processes and eliminating manual steps. 

Next Up, The famous Reid Havens: Power BI MVP

Reid Havens on Youtube

Reid Havens on Linkedin

How easy is the data model to use as a User? 

• Name, Synonyms, Descriptions, Display Folder and Visibility (or hidden)

When building Symantec Models for Power BI who is the audience? Always key to consider.

• Report Authors
• Developers
• Report Consumers

Great example: If you search on date, is the date field well defined, well named and obvious as to which date field should be used in your visualizations?

 

 

M365 Copilot Extensions from Copilot Studio with Mike Bassani

And the NA Summit kicks off with Copilot Studio. Good thing I was working on Adaptive Cards this morning and now in the presence of all the people who can answer my questions :) 

Yes, I am not afraid to ask question. (although not always in my best interest) 

For those who have access to Microsoft BUILD 2024 (or who sign up for access): Go watch BRK148: Extend Microsoft Copilot using Copilot Studio. This was the #1 watched session from the Business Applications group at Microsoft Build 2024. It is packed with great information.

Key Kickoff Tip: Cut through the noise - people want specific information, not a wave of information when they need an answer, and they don't want to do work redundantly. (<- my interruption)   

Copilot Studio: A Hydration of Bot Framework/SDK, Bot Service Channels, Azure AI Studio, Azure Cognitive Services, Power Platform Connectors and AI Builder

and then the ability to build and extend across the Microsoft ecosystem

The lines are getting very blurry and exciting. Enabling new actions and customized knowledge and published throughout the organization. 

Greatest question from the audience: What is "HYDRATE" and the answer "it is like watering a plant to allow it to grow and grow and grow"

And when it really gets fun, 

• Connectors (pulling data from different sources and business knowledge)
• Plugins (Extending what is offered from Microsoft)
• and Copilots that Copilot can use as extensions (the library of building blocks ;)

 

 

NA Summit Roadshow 2024

Mixing and Mingling with the wider Microsoft Business Applications Community today.

I find it fascinating to meet the new vendors and seeing what they are offering. This year I am seeing more and more "Test Automation" tools which is exciting. This translates into improved data quality and adds more empowerment for the business analysts.

 If you don't know about Dynamics Communities and you like insight and perspectives from the field, check them out. 

Are you working for your Business Applications?

OR are your business applications working for you? 

Once upon a time, when I was in Enterprise Sales, I had to manage hundreds of different companies and thousands of different contacts. At the ring of a phone call, I needed to know not only who was calling with more context than their "name", but also who they knew, who they respected, who influenced their decision making, who they didn't like. I needed to know when their budget renewed and how the current climate impacted that budget. I needed to know what frustrated them and what was available that they might not know about or who was available that could create a win/win.

I was also finding out new tidbits of information on an ongoing basis that was easy to forget. 

The world is small.

I would go to a conference or local user group meeting, and I would meet someone who knew someone who I knew.  They were at the same company, on the same baseball team or had recently published an article that everyone was talking about. 

I could keep track of the hundreds of companies (or a few hundred), but when I started adding in the hundreds of contacts associated with those companies. I just couldn't do it.

As such I focused my career on technologies that could make my job easier, and I selected Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and the Power Platform.

Here we are a few (okay more than a few) years later and I continue to still see that technology need at many companies. People using Outlook and Excel to try to remember the tiny details and to meet the goals that they need to meet. At one point you could go to a conference twice a year and get a good refresh. Yes, LinkedIn offers the alerts on who has changed jobs, but do you really have a great system that can show you your world and how it intermixes with the companies you work with? 

All of that great organic data that drips in here and there from just living your passion or from just making a living. (hopefully they are the same for you) Do you really know? 

PS: The above drawing took me less than 2 minutes to create. Waffle on that one ;) 

 

What is the difference between Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform?

Short and Sweet 

All Microsoft Dynamics 365 CE (Customer Engagement/Customer Relationship Management) Applications are Power Platform Model-Driven Apps. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Contact Center -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights/Journeys -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing -> Power Platform Model Driven App built by Microsoft, Configured, Customized or even Extended by Microsoft Partners or Customers

ETC

but what about Power Apps/Canvas Apps?

We often create Microsoft Canvas Apps and embed them in Microsoft Model Driven Apps just like we embed Power BI Reports, Microsoft OneNote, Microsoft SharePoint and so much more. 

But I don't like the way it looks .. "Did you know you can change that?"

One of the biggest challenges of working with Microsoft is that for each product you are given a large number of choices. The idea of an MVP product is to get the basics out of the way and to train users on the platform, so that, you as a customer, are empowered with enough knowledge to be able to help make great choices.

Take for instance working with the generic out of the box product. This product is built to be both globally flexible, BUT also compliant with a list of regulations related to making sure the product is accessible for all people no matter how they access technology.

The "Design" options expand significantly when you start applying "PCF" to parts of the product such as forms and views. If you have not checked out the https://pcf.gallery for ideas then now is a good time to do it.

Randomly picking on the last page of the http://pcf.gallery provides you an idea on some of the possibilities. The Microsoft Power Platform team provides a few PCF options out of the box, the community provides others, and you can also have your partner of choice create one for you. 

Voice: It is all about voice

As sales technology continues to grow, we no longer need to depend on lightning speed typing skills to keep track of all that is happening around us. Voice to Text is everywhere, from your watch to your phone and on over to your computer.

The key is to review and address how you work on a regular basis. Have you been hesitating to update or upgrade? Will it make a difference? 

The uncomfort of change is real and bigger for some, but also is the level of tolerance for habits that really are not worth continuing. During the slower months of summer, take time to consider "How you Work".   

Microsoft Contact Center

We so often fall into the default thought process of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales or Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service, and if we stretch our thought processes, we include Dynamics 365 Field Service, Dynamics 365 Project Operations, Dynamics 365 Customer Journeys/Insights BUT there is a new "awesome" in the huge suite under the Power Platform Umbrella. 

The Dynamics 365 Contact Center Announcing Dynamics 365 Contact Center - a Copilot-first cloud contact center to transform service experiences - The Official Microsoft Blog

 

 

Copilot in Dynamics 365 for Business Applications: a whole new way to work

Copilot: A Whole New Way to Work (office.com)

I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of these two-custom created virtual events at the end of June hosted by Microsoft + Avanade. The focus is copilot in the world of the Microsoft Business Applications.

A demonstration

June 26th (10:00 PST) - Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement & Copilot
“Enhance productivity and end user experience.”
Copilot for Sales - Sales enriched experience.
Copilot for Service - Enhance customer experience.
Copilot for Field Service - Create and route work orders seamlessly.

June 27th (10:00 PST) - Dynamics 365 ERP & Copilot
“Enhance Productivity of a Business user across Finance, Procurement and inventory functions."
Copilot for Finance - Enhance AI based collections and increase productivity on financial reconciliations, and AP Invoice automation.
Copilot for Supply Chain - Improve Forecast Accuracy and inventory visibility.

Please register using the following URL:
https://lnkd.in/gYB-XJmW

Copilot in Business Applications

It is so easy to get out of the habit of blogging, but my days of learning and knowledge sharing have never stopped. We continue to do daily learning and there is so much awesome that is both continuing to mature and brand new.

In the world of Microsoft Business Applications, the word Copilot is the hottest topic. We now have an automated assistant who can quickly cut through the noise and help prioritize what is really critical. It also provides insights into long neglected focus areas like really looking at your Enterprise data and Executive Summaries. 

One of the GEMS from Microsoft is Microsoft Learn. A free learning resource on every technology that Microsoft provides. If you have not discovered Microsoft Learn, here is the Copilot motivation of the day Microsoft Copilot documentation and resources | Microsoft Learn

and for Microsoft Power Platform Customers tap into what is available and coming  

Microsoft Dynamics 365:

• Copilot for Sales Welcome to Microsoft Copilot for Sales | Microsoft Learn and Microsoft Copilot for Sales – Microsoft Adoption
• Copilot in Customer Service Use Copilot to solve customer issues | Microsoft Learn
• Copilot in Field Service Dynamics 365 Field Service - Copilot in Field Service | Microsoft Learn
• Copilot in Marketing Using Copilot in Marketing (Copilot Scenario Library) – Microsoft Adoption
• Copilot in Project Operations Get started with copilot in Dynamics 365 Project Operations - Training | Microsoft Learn
•     and there are so many more!! including Microsoft Copilot Studio | Extend Copilots or Create Your Own so you can create your own and extend offerings.

To really get started, understand the art of the possible and the differences between Open AI, Azure Open AI, Copilot, ChatGPT and other offerings. Once you wrap your head around the overlaps and the unique features it all starts to click together, and you will find your "AH HA" moment with why Copilot can or should be part of your entire stack of applications and technologies.

 

Microsoft Technologies leveraged on projects

One of the reasons I persist with the Microsoft Technology stack is that having a huge box of legos to build business applications with is just hard to beat. 

Microsoft tends to change names, debate branding and overall try to communicate what a consultant can bring to the table, but in most of my projects now we tap into numerous different offerings.

Take for instance my last project. In my last project we delivered an integrated model that included 

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (Model Driven Power App + Microsoft Canvas App)
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (Supply Chain Management focused)
• Power Automate (Flow) (Approvals and Standard)
• Power Portal (now called Power Pages)
• Microsoft Dual Write (connecting DYN365FO + DYN365CE)
• Microsoft Azure Synapse
• Microsoft Azure Function Apps
• Microsoft Azure Logic Apps
• Microsoft Azure Service Bus 
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Azure Blob Storage
• and Microsoft Office 365 

We also coordinated the team and the application lifecycle management using Microsoft Azure DevOps, Microsoft Azure CLI, Microsoft Visual Studio, Microsoft RSAT (Regression Suite Automation Tool) and Microsoft Teams. 

Now you would think that you would need a HUGE team to deliver the above, but we actually delivered using a very reasonably sized team with a mix of resources. 

One of the beauties of the Microsoft stack of applications and offerings is that there is so much that you can do! The ability to use a platform that grows organically (SaaS) and through phased projects aligned to key business needs, keeps companies current with the latest and greatest technology offerings. 

The world moves so fast. It is great to have structures in place that allow teams to move at the same speed. 

 

Incredible Flexibility

I am working with some incredible technologies, and I am working with the Power Platform and so many cool things that can be done with this incredible engine of growth. 

Consider this: You have an incredible repository of many different data sources. You have an entire team of people who work on "DATA" (and AI and all the cool new in the data space), but you also use one or many of the Power Platform, Model Driven, Dynamics PowerApps (Sales, Field Service, Customer Service, Connected Field Service, Marketing, Talent, Custom and so many more)

Did you know that you can work with a Power BI team to create incredible reports off of your data "repositories" (pulling data from many different places) AND you can then embed these Power BI reports in a Power Platform, Power Portal. Why use a Power Portal over a custom web page or some other option? well there is that little gem of application and/or data access security. Yes, the templates are also incredibly nice, but where Microsoft shines is in the layers of awesome. 

One of the reasons that I continue to focus and grow within the Power Platform is the huge flexibility and pivoting of new technologies to meet the demanding business needs. These needs are met leveraging the same platform and the platform continues to grow and be supported. 

 

Certifications and Testing

Become Microsoft Certified

As we role into the sometimes slower holiday days I thought a share of the Microsoft Certification Poster might be helpful for those interested in the following: 

Knowledge Sharing Power Platform Vocabularly

One of my favorite ways to learn is to share knowledge. I find that all of the other perspectives I get from this exercise really help me shift and refine what I have learned. 

In the last two years I have been under the fire house learning. It is both exciting, amazing and daunting when we consider how much more there is always to learn. It is also a twist for those of us who have years of experience. The experience makes a huge difference, but it also always has to be continually refined.

One of the first major learning tips is to get your head around the vocabulary quickly. It has served me well to think about the following.

The Power Platform, this is really an evolution to getting closer and closer to using the entire Microsoft Stack of awesome. The long loved deep integration to Office is now 100 times better AND there is also the deep integration to Azure and many of the new Azure functions. 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 "Apps" are all Model Driven Power Apps on the Power Platform. 

Power Automate (Flow) The ability to automate, respond and receive responses and an alignment/replacement or stepping stone to both work flows and logic apps and you can learn more here.

Power BI Much loved and amazing reporting and business intelligence and analytics and you can learn more here

 

Power Virtual Bots, Not only bots, but Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and you can learn more here and here.

Understanding LinkedIn Integration to the Model Driven Sales Hub App in the Power Platform

Many people talk about the integration between Dynamics 365 Sales or The Power Platform Sales Hub Model Driven App and LinkedIn, but not everyone really understands all of the possible use cases.

Here is an extremely well crafted demonstration video on "Relationship Sales" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFTzL292JQE&pp=wgIECgIIAQ%3D%3D

Power Platform Resources and Documentation

The Microsoft DOCS team has been incredibly busy over the last numerous months. You will find that many (if not all) documentation found at Docs.Microsoft.com has been updated and has a 2020 associated date. If you are not sure where to get started take a look at this incredibly helpful LINKS list. 

https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-powerapps-learning-resources/

One Why | Model Driven Apps | Configurable Role Based Entitlement Security | Who gets to access What

1) Business Unit Hierarchy | The ability to divide the data into isolated silos with bridges of controlled access aligned to the defined.(Security + Performance)

2) Out of the Box Entities | The configuration of entity permissions when the entity is doing backend functionality for the system and not something such as Account, Contact....

3) Management Hierarchy | The ability to give permissions to a manager based on the permissions and data and functions that their child team member has access to.

4) Field Level Security | The ability to mask, encrypt and control who can see a specific field within an entity

5) Entity Security | The ability to control who can Create, Update, Read, Delete, Append, Append to and Share specific out of the box entities or custom entities by Organization, Business Unit, Business Unit Hierarchy or User Ownership. 

6) Flow Context | The ability to control what permissions a flow runs under, either Contextual User or a Defined User such as a system account.

AND there is more so when considering "Building Your Own", consider if you want to recreate the concept of Role Based Entitlement 

  

In this world of many choices, some times some choices are slightly better than others. Needless to say releases continue to be released.

In this world of many choices, some times some choices are slightly better than others. Needless to say releases continue to be released. 

Take for instance the difference between an Excel Workbook and a Power App. 

More than likely Excel will meet some of the needs. There have certainly been many companies that have used Excel to solve many problems, because it was the tool available. The same applies to cutting down a tree. You can cut down a tree with an Axe or a Saw, but if you have to cut trees every day then you might want a chainsaw. 

Learning to use that chainsaw might be harder than learning to use a saw, but it is worth it. 

Power Apps give more and there are different levels of learning and different levels of delivery. 

A "Canvas" Power App, potentially a lower learning curve, but a great fit for the person who might just use Excel to solve a problem. A Canvas App can even be an App using data in Excel.  

A "Model" Power  App, higher learning curve, but meets the needs that can take months and months of green field development. What custom developer wants to build Role Based Entitlement and Complex security? 

A "Portal" Power App, a model app PLUS portal offering both the complexity meeting needs that model delivers and the SEXY user interface that users crave. 

The key in the world of the Power Platform and the key to any technology is to understand what comes with the offering and what it was designed for and where the gaps are that the developers continue to refine. 

The Power Platform might be new to you, but it is not new. The offering includes a variety of maturity layers and is no longer just a sparkle. It is the new agile, it is the platform to deliver empowerment and solutions at the speed that is needed for today.