Simulation game designed to train students to handle a bankruptcy case using Power Platform
Technology is transforming the education sector, increasingly helping teachers around the world to provide better, more interactive learning experiences. Dutch institution Avans Applied Science University is a prime example. Here, a law teacher (with no technical background) has recently created a simulation game designed to train students to handle a bankruptcy case as it would happen in real life. Built using Microsoft Power Platform, the game takes students through various steps of the case. All with the help of a chatbot created using Power Virtual Agents, which interacts with students and asks them legal questions.5 ways to evolve your Firstline Workforce for the new normal
As organizations continue to refocus their operations to support and empower employees while maintaining business continuity, we have been working to create and improve capabilities in Microsoft Teams to support their efforts. These capabilities help you to better connect the Firstline Workforce with your corporate offices, digitize manual processes, equip them with the right devices and, accelerate their onboarding, all on a foundation of security that you expect from Microsoft 365.
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Power Automate & Planner In a world of ever-increasing deadlines, content management, or a campaign for outreach. Sending emails tracking Todo's and keeping track of deliverables can be a daunting task. In a previous blog we talked about Microsoft Loop, a great tool for real-time collaboration and project management. Planner’s ease of use and intuitive design gives you many ways to view your project called a plan. You can build it from scratch or use many of the templates for the most relevant scenario. Power Automate is a cloud-based platform that allows you to run, schedule and create your own automated workflows. This can be very helpful if you need to see reminders, emails, notifications, and much more. Power Automate works seamlessly with Microsoft and third-party applications. Some flows are very easy to use. We will follow a scenario to learn how we can use a scheduled flow. Scenario An editor at Contoso. is responsible for managing the publication of blog posts. To streamline the process, they use Microsoft Planner to track the progress of each blog post and Power Automate to send scheduled summary emails. Creating The Planner Board Navigate to Microsoft 365 login at https://m365.cloud.microsoft.com. Sign in with your user credentials and authenticate with the Microsoft Authentication App. While you are signed in, navigate to the top-left corner of the App launcher (Grid icon), then select the planner app or use the search bar by typing “Planner.” Navigate to the bottom-left corner of the screen and click “New plan” then select “Basic.” The editor creates a new plan in Microsoft Planner called "Marketing Blog" or whatever you would like. Select the desired group from the dropdown menu, then click "Save" button. In the top left-hand menu, select "board" for the kanban view. Create buckets for different stages of the publication process by typing in the "Add a new bucket" area. Create the following buckets. "Backlog," "Final Draft," "Review," and "Published." Each blog post is added as a task in the relevant bucket. For example, a new blog post idea is added to the "Final Draft" bucket. Tasks to Accomplish Now that we have created the planner, let's assume the role of the editor. The editor must closely monitor the blog editorial calendar, which is represented by our Planner board. To streamline the process of tracking outstanding items and blockers, the editor should receive a scheduled summary of each bucket we have created. The editor will need to perform the following tasks The editor assigns tasks to team members responsible for drafting, editing, and reviewing the blog posts. The editor regularly updates the status of each task, moving them to the appropriate bucket as they progress through the stages. Lastly, the editor will receive a summary every Monday at 9:00 AM before the teams Morning standup meeting. You can tailor the time to your needs. Using Power Automate for Scheduled Summary Emails You can access Power Automate from the Microsoft 365 App Launcher, or directly by going to https://make.powerautomate.com/enviroments. Once you’re logged in: Click “Templates” on the left-hand panel. In the search bar above, type “Create a daily summary of Planner tasks by bucket.” Click on the corresponding card. The editor sets up a Power Automate flow to send a weekly summary email to the team. They create a scheduled cloud flow in Power Automate, specifying the start date, time, and frequency (e.g., every Monday at 9:00 AM). Scroll to the bottom of the page and sign into your “Planner” and “Office 365 Outlook” account then press the “continue” button. In the top tab click on the “Reoccurrence” card. Add the following information “Interval,” “Frequency,” “Time zone,” and “Start time.” For the time portion please use military time and the (Year-Month- 24T- 00:00) change the relevant time. Next add the “List buckets” by clicking on the corresponding card and entering the plan you created under “Parameters,” PlanId “Marketing Blog.” Next add the “List Tasks” add the PlanId again under the parameters. Then add your username or email address to the last card “Send an email.” Lastly save your flow. Testing the Flow It is recommended that you first test your flow. This is beneficial to flag any issues and the process and see how best to troubleshoot the flow. Note: Trigger: The event that starts automation. Actions: What happens after the trigger (e.g., creating or updating a Planner task). Next, click on the top-right ribbon and select the test button. You will see two options. However, the automatically test will be greyed out because there is no initial test. Click “Manually.” The flow is now listening for a trigger to perform an action. Just like the one we set up. Go to your Outlook email and see if you received the email. It may take some time to run. However, if an issue has occurred see if there is an issue with the flow. If the flow was successful, you should see an email like the one below. The Reviewing and Collaborating The editor reviews the summary email to ensure all tasks are on track and deadlines are met. They use the summary to identify any bottlenecks or tasks that require additional resources. The editor collaborates with the team to address any issues and ensure a smooth publication process. In Conclusion Automating tasks in Microsoft Planner with Power Automate can significantly reduce manual overhead and enhance team productivity. By leveraging triggers, conditions, and planned actions, you ensure tasks are created, tracked, and completed more efficiently. Whether it’s converting emails into tasks, updating task statuses, or sending reminders for approaching deadlines, harnessing the power of automation in Planner can transform the way you manage work. Hyperlinks Microsoft Planner for admins - Microsoft Planner | Microsoft Learn Templates | Microsoft Power Platform Power Automate Documentation Planner Templates on Power AutomateCreating Tables in Dataverse with Copilot: A Guide for Nonprofits
In the quest to maximize impact and streamline operations, nonprofits are increasingly turning to technology solutions that offer robust data management capabilities. Microsoft Dataverse is one such solution, providing a secure and scalable environment for storing and managing data. In this blog, we'll explore what Dataverse is and how nonprofits can create tables in Dataverse to enhance their data management practices. What is Microsoft Dataverse? Microsoft Dataverse is a cloud-based data storage solution that allows organizations to securely store and manage data used by business applications. It provides a unified data platform that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365, and other Microsoft services. Dataverse supports both standard and custom tables, enabling organizations to model and manage their business data effectively. Benefits of Using Dataverse for Nonprofits Centralized Data Management: Dataverse offers a centralized platform for storing all your nonprofit's data, from donor information to volunteer records. This ensures data consistency and accessibility across the organization. Enhanced Security: With built-in security features, Dataverse ensures that your data is protected and access is controlled. This is crucial for maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. Seamless Integration: Dataverse integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft products, allowing nonprofits to leverage tools like Power Apps, Power Automate, and Dynamics 365 to build custom applications and automate workflows. Scalability: As your nonprofit grows, Dataverse can scale to accommodate increasing data volumes and complexity, ensuring that your data management practices remain efficient and effective. How to Create Tables in Dataverse with Copilot Creating tables in Dataverse is a straightforward process that allows nonprofits to organize and manage their data effectively. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started: Sign In to Power Apps: Begin by signing in to Power Apps. If you don't have an account, you can create one at Power Apps. Navigate to Dataverse: In the left navigation pane, select Tables. Create a New Table: Select New table -> Create New Tables. There are different options to create the tables. Choose start with Copilot. Use prompt to describe the tables you want to be created then Select Generate. Add Columns: Once Copilot has created the initial table and columns, you can utilize Copilot to add/remove additional columns, tables as needed. These columns can store various types of data, including text, numbers, dates, choices, or lookup fields. Customize each column to ensure it accurately captures the specific data required for your nonprofit's operations Refer to the image below for a detailed example on how to remove a column from the 'Borrower' table. Set Up Relationships: Dataverse allows you to define relationships between tables, such as one-to-many or many-to-many relationships. This helps in linking related data and ensuring data integrity. Copilot can be used to remove or add relationships. Save and exit: Select save and exit to create the tables. Customize and Manage: After your table is established, you can further customize it by incorporating forms, views, and business rules. These enhancements facilitate more efficient data management and interaction. In a future blog, we will delve into creating a model-driven application using these tables. Navigate to the left-hand menu, select 'Tables,' and then choose the table you have created. After your table is established, you can further customize it by incorporating forms, views, and business rules. These enhancements facilitate more efficient data management and interaction. In a future blog, we will delve into creating a model-driven application using these tables. Real-World Example: Volunteer Management Imagine a nonprofit that needs to manage its volunteer activities more efficiently. Here’s how they could use Dataverse to create a custom table for volunteer management: Create a Volunteer Table: The nonprofit creates a table named "Volunteers" with columns for volunteer name, contact information, availability, and skills. Define Relationships: They set up relationships between the "Volunteers" table and other tables, such as "Events" and "Tasks," to link volunteers to specific activities. Customize Forms and Views: Custom forms and views are created to make it easy for staff to enter and view volunteer information. By leveraging Dataverse, the nonprofit can streamline its volunteer management processes, ensuring that all data is accurate, accessible, and secure. Conclusion Microsoft Dataverse offers nonprofits a powerful platform for managing their data effectively. By creating custom tables, organizations can tailor their data management practices to meet their specific needs, enhancing efficiency and impact. Whether it's managing donor information, tracking volunteer activities, or organizing fundraising events, Dataverse provides the tools needed to drive mission success. Additional Resources Create tables in Microsoft Dataverse - Training Add a Microsoft Dataverse database - Power Platform | Microsoft LearnHow to Get Started with Solutions in Power Apps for Nonprofits
Efficiency and adaptability are key to maximizing impact for nonprofits. Microsoft Power Apps offers a powerful suite of tools that can help nonprofits streamline their operations, engage donors and volunteers more effectively, and ultimately drive greater mission impact. In this blog, we'll explore what solutions in Power Apps are and how nonprofits can create new solutions to meet their unique needs. What Are Solutions in Power Apps? Solutions in Power Apps are packages that contain one or more apps and components, such as site maps, tables, processes, web resources, choices, and flows. They are designed to transport these components from one environment to another or to apply a set of customizations to existing apps. Solutions are essential for implementing application lifecycle management (ALM) in Power Apps and other Power Platform products, such as Power Automate. For nonprofits, can create solutions that help automate processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance overall efficiency. Here are some key benefits: Tailored to Specific Needs: Custom solutions can be designed to meet the unique requirements of a nonprofit, whether it's managing donor relationships, tracking volunteer hours, or organizing fundraising events. Improved Efficiency: By automating repetitive tasks and streamlining processes, custom solutions help nonprofits save time and reduce manual errors. Enhanced Data Management: Integrating data from different sources into a single platform improves data accuracy and accessibility, making it easier to generate reports and insights. Cost-Effective: Building custom solutions with Power Apps is often more affordable than purchasing off-the-shelf software or hiring developers for bespoke applications How to Create New Solutions in Power Apps Creating a new solution in Power Apps is a straightforward process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you started: Sign In to Power Apps: Begin by signing in to Power Apps and selecting Solutions from the left navigation pane. If you don't see it, select More and then choose Solutions. Create a New Solution: Select New solution. Complete the required fields: Display Name: The name shown in the list of solutions. Name: A unique name for the solution, generated from the display name. Publisher: Choose the default publisher or create a new one. It's recommended to create a publisher for your organization to use consistently. Version: Enter a version number for your solution. This is important for tracking changes and updates. Save the Solution: After filling in the required fields, select Save. You can also add optional information, such as a description or a configuration page. Add Components: Create New Components: Use the New command to create different types of components, such as apps, tables, or flows. Each component type will have a different creation experience. Add Existing Components: Use the Add existing command to bring in components that are not already in the solution. Conclusion Power Apps solutions offer nonprofits a versatile and powerful way to enhance their operations and achieve their mission goals. By following the steps outlined above, your nonprofit can start creating custom solutions that drive efficiency and impact. Additional Resources Create a solution in Power Apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn Solutions in Power Apps - Power Apps | Microsoft Learn Degrees of Change automates nonprofit operations with Power Apps, Power ... Dynamics 365 and Power Platform | Microsoft Nonprofits🎉 Exciting Opportunity! Share Your Experience with Microsoft's Fundamentals Certification Exams! 🎉
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