Microsoft 365 & Power Platform product updates call
đĄMicrosoft 365 & Power Platform product updates call concentrates on the different use cases and features within the Microsoft 365 and in Power Platform. Call includes topics like Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, Microsoft Teams, Power Platform, Microsoft Graph, Microsoft Viva, Microsoft Search, Microsoft Lists, SharePoint, Power Automate, Power Apps and more. đ Weekly Tuesday call is for all community members to see Microsoft PMs, engineering and Cloud Advocates showcasing the art of possible with Microsoft 365 and Power Platform. đ On the 28th of April we'll have following agenda: News and updates from Microsoft Together mode group photo Ayça BaĆ â Vision Analysis and Policy Search in Custom Engine Agents SĂ©bastien Levert â Use coding agents to build your Copilot Chat declarative agent April Dunnam â Transforming your Power Apps to Copilot Agents đ & đș Join the Microsoft Teams meeting live at https://aka.ms/community/ms-speakers-call-join đïž Download recurrent invite for this weekly call from https://aka.ms/community/ms-speakers-call-invite đ See you in the call! đĄ Building something cool for Microsoft 365 or Power Platform (Copilot, SharePoint, Power Apps, etc)? We are always looking for presenters - Volunteer for a community call demo at https://aka.ms/community/request/demo đ Resources: Previous community call recordings and demos from the Microsoft Community Learning YouTube channel at https://aka.ms/community/youtube Microsoft 365 & Power Platform samples from Microsoft and community - https://aka.ms/community/samples Microsoft 365 & Power Platform community details - https://aka.ms/community/home 𧥠Sharing is caring!Microsoft Power Platform community call - March 2026
đĄ Power Platform monthly community call focuses on different extensibility options for builders, makers and developers within the Power Platform. Typically demos are from our awesome community members who showcase the art of possible within the Power Platform capabilities. đ Looking to catch up on the latest news and updates, including cool community demos, this call is for you! đ On 18th of March we'll have following agenda: Power Platform Updates & Events Latest on Power Platform samples Shiv Sharma (Ameriprise Financial Services) - Design Full App Pages in Minutes with AIâPowered Generative Pages in Power Apps Darshan Magdum (Nihilent) - Adding Filters and Microsoft Teams Width to Adaptive Cards, and Tooltips & Anchor Tags via YAML in Copilot Studio Giridhar Mungamuri (EY) - Getting Started with Power Apps Code Apps: Build Your First Real App with the New ProâCode Experience đ Download recurrent invite from https://aka.ms/powerplatformcommunitycall đ & đș Join the Microsoft Teams meeting live at https://aka.ms/PowerPlatformMonthlyCall đĄ Building something cool for Microsoft 365 or Power Platform (Copilot, SharePoint, Power Apps, etc)? We are always looking for presenters - Volunteer for a community call demo at https://aka.ms/community/request/demo đ See you in the call! đ Resources: Previous community call recordings and demos from the Microsoft 365 & Power Platform community YouTube channel at https://aka.ms/community/videos Microsoft 365 & Power Platform samples from Microsoft and community - https://aka.ms/community/samples Microsoft 365 & Power Platform community details - https://aka.ms/community/homeHow To Use The Microsoft Teams Milestones App
This Microsoft Teams Tutorial will demonstrate how to use the Microsoft Teams Milestones sample app. The Milestones app is a lightweight project tracking tool that provides a simple visual interface that illustrates the progress to completing project work. A sample app is one built on the Power Platform to demonstrate the extensibility of Teams when using Powerapps and Power Automate to augment it with custom solutions. Note that this app is not a full fledged project management app and more importantly it doesn't integrate with Tasks By Planner and To Do out of the box. You could build flows in Power Automate to create that integration however. https://youtu.be/uPUJTuYGiQw What are your thoughts about this app?Microsoft 365 & Power Platform Community call - Community demos
đĄ Microsoft 365 & Power Platform Development bi-weekly community call focuses on different use cases and features within the Microsoft 365 and Power Platform - across Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, SharePoint, Power Apps and more. đ Looking to catch up on the latest news and updates, including cool community demos, this call is for you! đ On 18th of December we'll have following agenda: Copilot prompt of the week CommunityDays.org update Microsoft 365 Maturity Model update Latest on PnP Framework and Core SDK extension Latest on PnP PowerShell Latest on Copilot pro dev samples Latest on Power Platform samples Picture time with the Together Mode! Mike Givens (CACI) Automating smart Approval cancellations in Power Automate with Dataverse Ben Fetters (Peak Power Apps) â Creating a comments section in Canvas Apps with JSON Ejaz Hussain (Advania UK) â Integrate Copilot Agents into SharePoint: OOTB and Programmatic Approaches (Client API & WebChat) đ Download recurrent invite from https://aka.ms/community/m365-powerplat-dev-call-invite đ & đș Join the Microsoft Teams meeting live at https://aka.ms/community/m365-powerplat-dev-call-join đ See you in the call! đ Resources: Previous community call recordings and demos from the Microsoft Community Learning YouTube channel at https://aka.ms/community/youtube Microsoft 365 & Power Platform samples from Microsoft and community - https://aka.ms/community/samples Microsoft 365 & Power Platform community details - https://aka.ms/community/home 𧥠Sharing is caring!Microsoft Power Platform community call - December 2025
đĄ Power Platform monthly community call focuses on different extensibility options for builders, makers and developers within the Power Platform. Typically demos are from our awesome community members who showcase the art of possible within the Power Platform capabilities. đ Looking to catch up on the latest news and updates, including cool community demos, this call is for you! đ On 17th of December we'll have following agenda: Power Platform Updates & Events Latest on Power Platform samples Supercharge Your Date Logic: The Ultimate Working Day Calculator for Power Automate â Ian Tweedie (Capgemini) Animated Navigation in PowerBI â James Mounsey-Moran (Trustmarque) Building a copilot for Dataverse DevOps â Shashank Bhide (Kerv Digital) đ Download recurrent invite from https://aka.ms/powerplatformcommunitycall đ & đș Join the Microsoft Teams meeting live at https://aka.ms/PowerPlatformMonthlyCall đ See you in the call! đ Resources: Previous community call recordings and demos from the Microsoft 365 & Power Platform community YouTube channel at https://aka.ms/community/videos Microsoft 365 & Power Platform samples from Microsoft and community - https://aka.ms/community/samples Microsoft 365 & Power Platform community details - https://aka.ms/community/home đĄ You want to do a demo in this call? - Please fill in the following form and we'll get you scheduled - https://aka.ms/community/request/demo
From Chalkboards to Cloud: How the Greater Austin YMCA Is Transforming Child Care Through Technology
How do you launch a first-of-its-kind childcare model in a rapidly growing city? For the Greater Austin YMCA, the answer was bold: a sweeping digital transformation powered by Microsoft tools like Teams, OneNote, and PowerApps. The result? Seamless collaboration across departments and the successful launch of two YMCA Tomorrow Academy TM early education centersâinnovative, tech-enabled learning environments designed to meet one of the communityâs greatest needs. A New Vision for Early Childhood Education The YMCA Tomorrow Academy is more than just childcare. Itâs a nurturing, purpose-built space where children from six weeks to five years old can thrive. The curriculum emphasizes early literacy, STEM, creative arts, and nature playâsupported by the YMCAâs holistic Constellation of Care TM model, which includes family wellness, nutrition, hygiene, and parent-teacher engagement. But building these centers require more than visionâit demanded real-time contributions and detailed collaboration from every department across the Greater Austin YMCA. The Digital Pivot That Made It Possible Before 2021, the YMCAâs operations still included many cumbersome analog components. Staff drove to meetings, shared paper documents, and relied on walkie-talkies that often failed. That changed when Kathy Kuras became President and CEO in February 2021 and brought her experience from the YMCA of Greater Boston, where she had helped modernize operations with Microsoftâs support. Kuras and her leadership team partnered with Microsoft to overhaul the Yâs technology footprint, introducing tools like Teams, OneNote, and BizApps to connect staff across locations and streamline workflows. âThese tools are central to the hub of the work that gets done,â says Kuras. âThey make work more efficient, respectful of peopleâs time, and intuitive.â From facilities to marketing to classroom staff, everyone became part of a unified digital ecosystem. âOur staff would say, âOur CEO uses this, our CMO uses this, and Iâm a teacher and Iâm using it now,ââ says COO Shaq Brown. âThat togetherness was a big culture shift.â A Childâs Words That Say It All When 4-year-old Lennon Pool told his mom, âI love it here,â after his first day at the Dove Springs YMCA Tomorrow Academy, it was music to her ears. His mom, Andie Connors-Pool, is also the Director of People at the Greater Austin YMCAâand deeply involved in the Academyâs development. âThere have been times my kids donât want to leave at the end of the day,â Connors-Pool says. âTheyâre just hugging on their teachers. You donât get that everywhere.â Thanks to Microsoft tools, teachers can now update curriculum, track enrollment, and communicate instantly. âGone are the days of broken walkie-talkies,â Connors-Pool adds. âNow, if someone needs a break, they just send a quick Teams message.â A Model for the Nation The success of the YMCA Tomorrow Academy has already sparked interest from other YMCAs across the country. âTheyâre knocking on our door,â says Brown. âWeâre still iterating, but the interest is real.â With plans to launch four to five more academies by 2030, the Greater Austin YMCA is focused on placing them in communities with the greatest need. The challenge now is securing funding and building partnerships to scale the model. âItâs a first-of-its-kind for us in Greater Austin,â says CMO Sarah Inbau, âwith the potential to scale across Texasâand nationally.â Technology That Feels Like Home At the heart of this transformation is a simple goal: to make families feel supported, safe, and connected. The YMCA Tomorrow Academy is proof that when technology, teamwork, and heart come together, extraordinary things can happen. From chalkboards to cloud-based collaboration, the Greater Austin YMCA is building a future where every child has a place to thriveâand where a childâs joyful âI love it hereâ is the ultimate measure of success. To learn more about the YMCA Tomorrow Academy and its impact, visit: How a technology overhaul helped the Greater Austin YMCA fill a childcare gap - SourceBuild a Custom CRM in a Weekend Using Microsoft Power Platform
Introduction You donât need a massive budget or a team of developers to build a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. With Microsoft Power Platform, you can create a tailored CRM solution for your organization in just a weekendâno code required. Whether youâre tracking donors, clients, volunteers, or stakeholders, this guide walks you through the process using Power Apps, Dataverse, and Power Automate. Tools Youâll Use Power Apps (Canvas App) Dataverse (or SharePoint Lists if youâre on a tight budget) Power Automate (for workflows) Optional: Power BI for reporting Step-by-Step Guide 1. Define Your Core Entities Think about what you need to track: Contacts, Organizations, Interactions, Opportunities? Create a quick list of fields (e.g., Name, Email, Status, Last Contacted) 2. Set Up Your Dataverse Tables Go to Power Apps > Tables > New Table Create your entities and fields (e.g., Contact table with columns for name, email, and relationship status) 3. Build a Canvas App Use the Power Apps Canvas App from blank Connect it to your Dataverse tables Add screens for: Home/Dashboard Contact list (Gallery) Contact details/edit form Add new contact 4. Automate with Power Automate Example flow: âWhen a new contact is added, send a welcome emailâ Add flows for reminders to follow up, or flag inactive contacts Check out this blog for an example power automate flow creation Streamlining Non-Profit Operations with Power Automate Templates (Video Tutorial Included) | Microsoft Community Hub 5. Test and Share Share the app with your team 6. Use Security Roles in Dataverse to Manage Access Once your CRM is ready, youâll want to control who can view, edit, or manage different parts of the system. Thatâs where Dataverse security roles come in. Hereâs how to set them up: 1. Go to the Power Platform Admin Center Visit https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com Select the environment where your CRM lives 2. Open Security Roles Navigate to Environments > [Your Environment] > Settings Under Users + Permissions, click Security roles 3. Create a New Role Click + New role Name it something like CRM_ReadOnly, CRM_Admin, or CRM_Contributor Click Create 4. Set Table Permissions In the role editor, go to the Core Records or Custom Entities tab For each table (e.g., Contacts, Interactions), set permissions: Read = Organization (for full visibility) Create/Edit/Delete = User or None, depending on the role Example: A read-only user would have Read = Organization, and all other permissions set to None 5. Assign the Role to Users Go to Users + Permissions > Users Select the user(s) you want to assign the role to Click Manage roles, check your new role, and click Save 6. Test It Out Have the user log in and confirm they can only access what theyâre supposed to Pro Tips: You can assign multiple roles to a userâpermissions are cumulative Use Teams in Dataverse to manage access for groups For sensitive fields (like donation amounts), use Field-level security Use Business Rules in Dataverse to add logic without code (e.g., auto-fill fields) Theme the app to match your orgâs branding Version it: Save iterations as you go, especially before big changes Final Thoughts This type of solution is ideal for teams that have outgrown spreadsheets but donât want the cost or complexity of traditional CRM tools. With the Power Platform, youâre in control of the features, experience, and dataâand you can iterate fast.SharePoint and Power Apps: Managing Roles and Permissions
One of the key aspects of SharePoint security is managing permissions at the list or item level, which allows you to control who can view or edit the data. This granular control is essential for maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of sensitive information within your organization. By effectively managing permissions, you can ensure that only authorized personnel have access to specific data, thereby reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Whether you choose to restrict access to the entire list for simplicity or use item-level permissions for more advanced scenarios, SharePoint provides the tools you need to keep your data secure. Restrict Access to the Entire SharePoint List This happens in SharePoint itself, not Power Apps. You need to manage permissions at the list or item level: Go to your SharePoint site > Open the List. Click on the gear âïž > List settings. Under Permissions and Management, click Permissions for this list. Stop inheriting permissions (click the ribbon command: Stop Inheriting Permissions). Remove default access groups (like "Members" or "Visitors"). Add a specific SharePoint group or individuals who should have full access âan admin or manager, not end users. End users will only interact with the list through Power Apps â they donât need direct list access. Please keep in mind that if users need to edit entries, they must have access to the list. Without proper permissions, they won't be able to see or edit the list. The next user permissions option is ideal for users who need to edit their own entries. Use Item-Level Permissions in SharePoint This is only advisable if you can enforce it consistently: Go to List settings > Under Advanced settings. Scroll to Item-level Permissions. Choose: â Read access: Only their own â Create and Edit access: Only their own This works well only if users are submitting forms (e.g., time-off requests) that shouldnât be visible to others. Prevent Users from Viewing or Editing Power App Code This is configured through Power Apps and Microsoft Admin Center. Limit Who Has Access to Edit the App In Power Apps Studio: Go to File > Share. Remove or do not add users as Co-owners. Instead, share as Users only â give them âCan useâ permission. Use Environment Roles (Dataverse or Environment Scope) In the Power Platform Admin Center (https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com): Go to Environments > Click your environment > Security roles. Set roles so users: Are not Environment Admins or Makers. Only have User roles in production environments. Summary of What to Check: Task Where Goal Limit list access SharePoint List Settings Prevent users from directly viewing data Use item-level permissions SharePoint Advanced Settings Let users only see/edit their own submissions Limit app editing Power Apps Share Panel Ensure only owners can edit Secure environment roles Power Platform Admin Center Block access to Maker/Admin capabilitiesBuilding a Power App with SharePoint: A Series for Nonprofits
Introduction to the Series âĄïž Next: Building a Power App with SharePoint: An Overview Welcome to our step-by-step series on building a functional Power App connected to a SharePoint List â designed specifically with nonprofits in mind. Whether you're a nonprofit staff member looking to simplify your internal workflows or a tech-savvy volunteer eager to streamline operations, this series is for you. Weâll walk you through creating a simple yet powerful app that helps track records, use filters, and guide users through intuitive navigation â all using low-code Power Platform tools. This app can serve as a foundational template for many nonprofit scenarios like volunteer intake, service tracking, or resource request forms. Each blog post in this series will build on the last, using a SharePoint List as our backend and Power Apps as the frontend. đ„ Take a Quick Look at the App Want a quick look at the final product before diving into the steps? Watch this short video overview of the custom Power App we built using SharePoint Lists and Power Apps. What Weâll Cover in This Series Hereâs what you can expect across the series: Blog 1: Why Power Apps + SharePoint? A Nonprofit-Friendly Overview Weâll explain what SharePoint is, why itâs a powerful tool for storing data, and how it works seamlessly with Power Apps to create simple, low-code solutions for your organization. Blog 2: Building a Power App with SharePoint â Setting Up Your SharePoint List Before jumping into Power Apps, youâll need a SharePoint List to hold your data. This post walks through how to create a list, configure the right columns, and prepare it to integrate with your app. Blog 3: Creating the Power App â Screens, Forms, and Filters In this final part, weâll walk you through connecting your list to Power Apps, building the form screen, adding a view screen with filters, and setting up basic navigation to create a clean user experience. Who This Is For This guide is tailored for nonprofit professionals, accidental techies, or small teams trying to make the most of Microsoft 365 tools they already have. You donât need a development background â just curiosity and a desire to build something helpful! Before You Begin To follow along, youâll need: Access to Power Apps A SharePoint List you can connect to Basic familiarity with how Microsoft 365 works By the end of this series, youâll have a working Power App that can be used as-is or adapted to suit your nonprofitâs needs. Letâs get started! đ Explore the Series Series Introduction An Overview of the SharePoint/PowerApps Combination Setting Up Your SharePoint List Building Your Power AppEnhancing Nonprofit Operations: Power Apps and Power Automate Integration
Why Nonprofits Should Embrace Power Apps and Power Automate Power Apps and Power Automate are part of Microsoftâs Power Platform, designed to provide robust, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for organizations of all sizes. For nonprofits, these tools present a golden opportunity to customize and automate processes without the need for extensive technical expertise or a hefty budget. Cost-Effective Solutions: Microsoft offers nonprofits significant discounts on its software, including Power Apps and Power Automate, making it a budget-friendly choice. Customizability: Both tools can be tailored to address the unique needs of any nonprofit, whether itâs tracking donors, managing volunteers, or automating grant application workflows. Improved Efficiency: Automating repetitive manual tasks reduces errors and saves time, enabling organizations to focus on what matters mostâtheir mission. Enhanced Collaboration: These tools integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft products like Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics, making information sharing and teamwork more fluid. "Using Power Apps and Power Automate was a turning point for us. We no longer spend hours manually tracking donations and managing schedules. Itâs like gaining an extra team member without the added cost!" â Sarah M., Director of Operations, Helping Hands Foundation A Step-by-Step Guide: Automating Donation Tracking The following guide provides an example of how nonprofits can use Power Apps and Power Automate to enhance their operations effectively. While this guide is a helpful starting point, please note that it may not apply to every situation, as each organizationâs needs are unique. Step 1: Define Your Needs Start by identifying what aspects of donation tracking need improvement. Do you want to automate the acknowledgment process? Is it vital to have an updated database of donors in real time? Step 2: Create a Power App Use Power Apps to build a user-friendly form where donors can input their information, such as name, email, and donation amount. Customize the app with your organizationâs branding to ensure a professional look. Step 3: Set Up Power Automate Design an automated workflow using Power Automate. For example, configure the flow to: Send a confirmation email to the donor immediately after they submit the form. Update your donor database in SharePoint or Excel. Generate a donation acknowledgment letter for your records. Step 4: Test and Refine Before launching your app and automation workflow, test the system thoroughly to ensure it performs as expected. Make adjustments as necessary to improve functionality and usability. Step 5: Launch and Monitor Roll out your new system and monitor its performance. Use the analytics features in Power Platform to gather insights into donor behavior and workflow efficiency. Unleashing the Potential of Customization No two nonprofits are alike, and Power Apps and Power Automate recognize this by offering unparalleled customization. Whether itâs building a dashboard to track project milestones or creating a workflow to process grant applications, these tools can be adapted to meet your specific needs. Their flexibility ensures that your nonprofit can evolve and innovate as your organization grows. Impact Beyond Efficiency The benefits of these tools extend beyond operational efficiency. By automating routine tasks, organizations can allocate their saved time and resources to programs that directly impact the communities they serve. Power Apps and Power Automate empower nonprofits to operate more strategically, making every dollar and minute count. Call to Action Are you ready to take your nonprofit operations to the next level? Explore the endless possibilities of Power Apps and Power Automate today. Begin with a small project like donation tracking or volunteer management and experience the transformative impact firsthand. For guidance, check out Brandon Antoine's blog about getting started with Power Apps and Streamlining Non-Profit Operations with Power Automate Templates (Video Tutorial Included) | Microsoft Community Hub To deepen your understanding further, visit Microsoftâs Power Platform Overview and their Nonprofit Offerings to access resources designed specifically for your organizationâs needs. Your mission is too important to be bogged down by inefficiencies. Leverage technology, embrace innovation, and let your nonprofit shine brighter than ever!
