DownloadCreate AI Presentation

Building Your First Canvas Application

A hands-on guide to getting started with PowerApps

Introduction

  • Welcome to the session on building your first canvas application
  • Presented by Brian Knight from Pragmatic Works
  • Objective: Learn how to build a canvas application using PowerApps
  • Key points: Introduction, Speaker's background, Overview of the session, Housekeeping

About the Speaker

  • Name: Brian Knight
  • Background: Founder of Pragmatic Works, PowerApps MVP, Author of 16 books
  • Twitter handle: @brianknight
  • Expertise: PowerApps, Azure stack, Power Platform
  • Blog: pragmaticworks.com
  • YouTube channel: youtube.com/pragmaticworks

Housekeeping

  • Donation link: Feeding America (see chat window)
  • Discount offer: 50% off PowerApps bootcamps at Pragmatic Works
  • Three-hour session: Hands-on and interactive
  • Pausing and rewinding: Take advantage of YouTube functionality
  • Database access: Instructions provided in video description
  • Chat moderators: Matt Peterson and Mitchell

Anatomy of PowerApps

  • PowerApps: Part of the Power Platform (Power BI, Power Automate, Power Virtual Agents)
  • Cross-platform: Works on mobile, PC, and Mac
  • Low code solution: No coding experience required
  • 300+ data sources: Cloud and on-premises
  • Common Data Services (CDS): Pre-built data tables and connectors
  • Canvas Apps, Model-Driven Apps, and Portals

Canvas Apps

  • Connect to any data source
  • Pixel-perfect design capabilities
  • Mobile and cross-platform support
  • 300+ data connectors, including SharePoint and SQL Server
  • Limitations: Cannot be shared, slower performance with on-prem data sources

Model-Driven Apps

  • Built on Common Data Services (CDS)
  • Faster development with pre-built data models
  • Business process engines and advanced form capabilities
  • Data-driven architecture
  • Integration with Dynamics 365 and other services
  • Restricted sharing and premium connections

Portals

  • Allows external users to access applications
  • Website-like interface
  • Licensing based on capacity
  • Ideal for providing access to large audiences
  • Support for forms, wizards, and data collection
  • Limitations on data import and scalability

Choosing the Right Data Source

  • SharePoint: Best for small data sets (<5000 rows)
  • Common Data Services: Pre-built data tables and connectors
  • Premium connections: Restricted by license
  • Considerations for data security and performance

Next Steps

  • Create a personal environment (optional)
  • Review licensing and subscription plans
  • Explore the PowerApps cheat sheet for useful code snippets
  • Access additional resources from the speaker's YouTube playlist
  • Consider registering for other free courses and sessions

Related Presentations

Budget Preparation and Its Implementation in Pharmacy Practice

Heritage: Our Shared Identity

Mahina's Annual Strategy

Decoding Informal Economies

Exploring Existence: Philosophy Unveiled

Fast Food: Hidden Costs