Hands-On Power Apps Tutorial - Beginner to Pro [Full Course]

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to build applications using Microsoft Power Apps. We will cover building a time card management system through model-driven and canvas applications. By the end of this session, you will understand how to create tables in Dataverse, design your application, and implement functionalities to manage time card entries effectively.

Chapter 1: About Your Instructor

• Instructor: Brian Knight from Pragmatic Works, a Power Apps MVP.
• Overview of Brian's background, including his experience with the Power Platform, authoring books, and providing training and resources.

Chapter 2: Agenda Overview

• Objectives for the session:
  • Build a time card system to log hours for projects.
  • Discuss and create model-driven and canvas applications.
• Types of applications to be covered:
  • Canvas applications: Flexible and visually appealing, connecting to various data sources.
  • Model-driven applications: Data-centric and structured, suitable for more technical users.
  • Power Apps for Teams: Integration within Microsoft Teams.
  • Power Pages: Create external-facing applications for data sharing.

Chapter 3: Setting Up

1. Access Power Apps:
   • Go to make.powerapps.com.
   • If you do not have access, sign up for the Power Apps Developer Plan.
2. Creating Your Environment:
   • Choose a non-default environment for your applications.
   • Set up a developer environment if necessary.

Chapter 4: Building a Dataverse Table

1. Create a New Solution:
   • Click on "Solutions" in the left sidebar.
   • Select "New Solution" and name it (e.g., "Time Card Management").
   • Create a new publisher and define a prefix for your tables.
2. Create Tables:
   • Create a table named "Project".
   • Ensure the table name is singular.
   • Create another table named "Time Card".

Chapter 5: Adding Columns to the Time Card Table

1. Define Columns:
   • Project (Lookup to Project table).
   • Employee (Lookup to the Contact table).
   • Description (Multiline text).
   • Hours Worked (Decimal).
   • Build Date (Date only).
   • Approval Status (Choice with options: Pending, Approved, Rejected).
2. Common Pitfalls:
   • Ensure column names are singular and descriptive.
   • Use appropriate data types for each column.

Chapter 6: Adding Forms, Columns, and Views

1. Create Views:
   • Navigate to the Time Card table and select "Views".
   • Create a new view to display relevant information, filtering as needed.
2. Create Forms:
   • Go to "Forms" within the Time Card table.
   • Create a main form to add or edit time card entries.
   • Configure the form fields and set default values.

Chapter 7: Creating a Model-Driven Application

1. Build the Application:
   • Click "New App" and select "Model-Driven App".
   • Name your app (e.g., "Timekeeper Admin").
2. Add Pages:
   • Link to the tables created earlier (Project, Time Card).
   • Organize the views logically for user access.

Chapter 8: Creating a Canvas Application

1. Start a New Canvas App:
   • Click "New App" and select "Canvas App".
   • Choose a responsive layout (tablet or phone).
2. Design the Interface:
   • Add a header, project list, and time card entry form.
   • Use containers for responsive design.
3. Connect to Data:
   • Add connections to the Dataverse tables (Project, Contacts, Time Cards).
   • Filter and display relevant data in the application.

Chapter 9: Implementing Functionality

1. Add Save Functionality:
   • Create a button to save time card entries using SubmitForm(FormName).
   • Handle success and error notifications.
2. Test the Application:
   • Play the application and ensure all functionalities work as expected.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to set up and create applications in Microsoft Power Apps, focusing on a time card management system. You covered creating Dataverse tables, designing model-driven and canvas applications, and implementing functional workflows. As next steps, consider exploring more advanced features in Power Apps, such as integrating Power Automate for workflow automation or utilizing Power BI for reporting and analytics.