We’ve got an action-packed schedule lined up, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to dive deep into Microsoft Power Platform technical readiness and best practices. You’ll also gain hands-on experience with the technology and learn how to apply it in real-world scenarios. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting your journey with Microsoft Power Platform, this conference is designed to provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to succeed. But it’s not just about the sessions and workshops; it’s about the connections we make and the community we continue to build. 

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The latest innovations in Microsoft Power Platform

In case you missed it this morning, Charles Lamanna delivered an inspiring keynote, highlighting the latest innovations and future directions for Microsoft Power Platform. His keynote was followed by Jeff Teper and Kim Manis, who brought us the latest and greatest news on Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Fabric. Here’s a quick overview of the key takeaways: 

• Microsoft Power Automate AI recording for desktop flows—public preview: AI Recorder simplifies the creation of desktop flows by reducing errors associated with recording clicks and keystrokes. It offers a “show and tell” experience, making it easy for users of all skill levels to record desktop flows.

• Power Automate generative actions with inline cloud flows—EAP: This feature enables users to create and manage cloud flows directly within their workspace in Power Automate, enhancing productivity and streamlining workflows. 

• Desktop flows from natural language—public preview: The ability for users to generate desktop flows in Power Automate using natural language is now in public preview, simplifying the automation process and making it more accessible. 

• Two-action panes in the Power Automate designer—generally available: Gain a more flexible and efficient design experience in Power Automate designer by allowing users to work with multiple action panes simultaneously. 

• Coauthoring in Microsoft Power Apps—generally available: Coauthoring enables multiple makers to work on different parts of a canvas app simultaneously, speeding up development and making collaboration seamless and efficient. 

• Generate a plan with Copilot in Power Apps—limited preview: This will now help users generate detailed plans for their Power Apps projects, facilitating better planning and execution. 

• GitHub Copilot in Power Pages—public preview: Professional developers using GitHub Copilot chat in Microsoft Visual Studio can now leverage a Microsoft Power Pages agent for page-specific coding assistance, blending pro-code with low-code and moving website development into the AI future. 
• Copilot agents in Microsoft Copilot Studio—public preview: Copilot agents boost productivity by automating tasks and retrieving information quickly. Integrated with Microsoft 365 Copilot, they enhance workflows by connecting to your organization’s knowledge and data sources. Read more about our announcement on Copilot Agents in this blog, published on September 16, 2024.
• Agent builder—public preview: Agent builder is a new, lightweight Copilot Studio experience that makes it simple for users of any skill level to build Copilot agents directly within BizChat and SharePoint and publish them as Copilot extensions. Read more about our announcement. 
• Enhanced Copilot Studio capabilities: The core platform now features GPT-4o as the default model, offering more precise answers than GPT-3.5 Turbo. Copilot Studio can handle larger knowledge sources (up to 512MB) and interpret images, diagrams, and tables in PDFs, enhancing its accuracy, efficiency, and versatility for modern businesses.

Explore opportunities to connect at the Power Platform Community Conference

As mentioned, there are so many opportunities to connect with fellow Microsoft Power Platform enthusiasts so hold on to your hats! Here’s what you can look forward to: 

• Keynote presentations: Ryan Cunningham will be hosting a thrilling panel discussion on security, research, and intelligent applications with Thomas Dohmke, Vasu Jakkal, and Jamie Teevan. They’ll be talking about the future of technology in the era of AI on Friday, September 20, 2024. 

• Breakout sessions: With more than 100 breakout sessions, you’ll have the chance to dive deep into Microsoft Power Platform technical readiness and best practices. 

• Hands-on workshops: Don’t hesitate to participate in one of the 20 full-day workshops to get hands-on experience with new Microsoft Power Platform technology and learn how to apply it in real-world scenarios. 

• Ancillary activities: Enjoy 15 additional activities, including meetups, community activation events, and even talent shows. 

• Show floor: Explore more than 60 partner booths and visit the Microsoft Booth to engage one-on-one with Microsoft experts, see product demos, collect unique event stickers and pins, and attend additional theater content in our dedicated theater space.  

Continuous product innovation with Microsoft Copilot and AI 

Finally, we want to extend a huge thank you to you, the Power Platform community, for your continued support and enthusiasm. Your feedback and engagement drive our innovation and success. The Power Platform community is a vibrant and diverse group of individuals who are passionate about driving change and making a difference. The impact of the developments contributed by this group extends beyond just our immediate projects, influencing broader industry trends and setting the stage for future advancements.  

This week is a celebration of that spirit, and we’re excited to see the amazing things that will come out of this conference as the insights shared during this event are invaluable. So, let’s dive in, learn, share, and make this the best PPCC yet!  

Looking ahead, don’t forget to register for Microsoft Ignite, taking place in November 18–22, 2024, for even more exciting innovations on the horizon for Microsoft Power Platform. You can also always stay connected throughout this week and post-conference by joining the Power Platform LinkedIn Community. This is the home of all ongoing product updates and insights, but also a place to share your experiences and connect with each other.  

The post AI-powered business innovation with the Power Platform Community appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, this event is designed to inspire, educate, and connect developers, IT professionals, business users, and like-minded tech enthusiasts who share enthusiasm for digital transformation. Microsoft is the proud lead sponsor of the third annual Power Platform Community Conference: a three-day, in-person, action-packed community event taking place at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, from September 18 through September 20, 2024. At PPCC, get ready to:

• Take advantage of the latest cutting-edge advancements in technology with generative AI and Microsoft Copilot.
• Gain skills and learn best practices to help your team stay ahead of the newest developments.
• Connect with like-minded individuals who share your interest.
• Have direct access to experts who can answer your questions for your business scenarios.

The event kicks off with pre-conference workshops on September 16 and September 17, followed by the main event from September 18 through September 20. Additionally, there will be a day of post-conference workshops on September 21.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to be part of the Microsoft Power Platform revolution. Register now and join us for an event that will inspire, educate, and empower you to achieve more.

Thriving together: The Microsoft Power Platform community experience

Prepare to immerse yourself in the dynamic world of low-code/no-code. This group of problem-solvers, developers, and analysts is united by a common goal: to unlock the full potential of Microsoft Power Platform. By exchanging ideas, best practices, and building on each other’s work, this vibrant community breaks down barriers and elevates the platform to new heights. The Microsoft Power Platform community paves the way for a future of seamless integration, automation, and data-driven decision-making, enriching the lives of businesses and individuals alike.

This year, PPCC will continue to feature the latest and greatest in generative AI and Copilot with several sessions showcasing how these cutting-edge technologies are transforming Microsoft Power Platform and the business landscape. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from Microsoft’s senior thought leaders, product experts, and engineers who are driving these innovations.

Building on the success of previous events such as the European Power Platform Conference, DynamicsCon, TechCon365, and Global Power Platform Bootcamp, this year’s conference may be our best yet.

Networking is a key component of the PPCC experience. The conference provides numerous opportunities for attendees to connect with their peers, share ideas, and learn from each other. Whether it’s during sessions, workshops, or social events, there are plenty of chances to build relationships and expand your professional network.

In addition to the educational and networking opportunities, the conference also offers a chance to hear real-world customer stories and shared insights from industry leaders. These stories provide valuable perspectives on how Microsoft Power Platform is being used to drive digital transformation and achieve business success.

Be sure to follow the Microsoft Power Platform Community LinkedIn for more announcements, exciting executive speaker lineup updates, and continued Microsoft Power Platform Product Weeks coverage.

What’s new and next for Microsoft Business Apps

This year, we’re thrilled to present an exceptional lineup of keynote speakers who are leading the industry. Dive into 150 interactive sessions covering a diverse range of topics, many of which are led by Microsoft’s senior thought leaders and product experts.

On day one of the conference, you’ll gain valuable insights from Charles Lamanna, Corporate Vice President, Business and Industry Copilot, as he discusses how generative AI and Copilot are transforming software engineering. Jeff Teper, President of Microsoft Collaborative Apps and Platforms, will explore the future of collaboration and productivity. Kim Manis, Vice President of Product for Microsoft Fabric and Power BI, will highlight the latest advancements in data analytics and visualization.

Participate in 20 hands-on technical workshops designed to provide practical knowledge that’s immediately applicable to your work. These workshops cater to all skill levels, from beginner to advanced.

Learn about the newest features and capabilities of Microsoft Power Automate from Sangya Singh, Vice President, Power Platform Intelligent Automations. Discover how Microsoft Dataverse drives data-driven decision-making with insights from Nirav Shah, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Dataverse. Ryan Cunningham, Vice President, Power Platform Intelligent Applications, will showcase the transformative potential of Microsoft Power Apps and Microsoft Power Pages. Kim Manis will provide comprehensive coverage of Microsoft Power BI. Ilya Grebnov, Vice President and Deputy Chief Technology Officer, Business and Industry Copilot, will discuss the architectural innovations behind Microsoft Power Platform, and Omar Aftab, Vice President, Conversational AI, will introduce the latest in Microsoft Copilot Studio. These sessions are crafted to equip you with the knowledge and skills to stay ahead of the curve, whether you’re looking to deepen your expertise or explore new areas.

PPCC 2024 will also feature an array of breakout sessions and other engaging activities hosted by Microsoft product teams, the Microsoft Power Customer Advisory Team (CAT), Power BI CAT, Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs), super users, and experts from around the globe.

Join the fun at the Power Platform Community Conference

The Power Platform Community Conference is not just an event; it’s an experience that brings together a diverse group of individuals who are passionate about digital transformation. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the industry, network with like-minded individuals, and gain practical knowledge that can be applied to their work.

This conference is a must-attend event for anyone who is passionate about digital transformation and wants to stay ahead of the curve. With a packed agenda, a stellar lineup of speakers, and a vibrant community of attendees, this year’s conference promises to be an unforgettable experience. So, don’t miss out—register now and join us in Las Vegas for the 2024 Power Platform Community Conference.

Register for the event and make your MGM Grand Hotel reservation today.

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The post Showcasing AI innovation at the third annual Power Platform Community Conference appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

Customers are already achieving innovation and efficiency with Microsoft Power Platform and Copilot. Cineplex, a prominent media and entertainment company in Canada, has revolutionized its operations by leveraging Microsoft Power Platform products to drive automation across various departments, from finance to guest services, saving the company over 30,000 hours annually.   

Create custom copilots with new agent capabilities with Microsoft Copilot Studio

With Microsoft Copilot Studio, we’re introducing new agent capabilities that enable copilots to orchestrate tasks and functions. Developers provide their copilot with a defined task, equip it with the necessary knowledge and actions, and then Copilot Studio orchestrates dynamic workflows and acts behind the scenes to seamlessly integrate them to automate the task. These capabilities in Copilot Studio are available for customers in limited private preview. It’s early days, and we look forward to learning alongside our customers before wider availability later this year.  

Consider the customer success function, which involves many repetitive tasks. A copilot can help new customers navigate through an onboarding experience, offer training and relevant resource guides, seek feedback that can shape future enhancements, and respond promptly when a customer flags a concern.

These new capabilities allow you to delegate authority to your copilot to automate long-running business processes, reason over actions and user input, leverage memory, learn based on user feedback, record exception requests, and ask for help when it encounters unfamiliar situations. Now, your copilot can recall past conversations to add relevant context and deliver new levels of personalization to experiences that revolutionize how your work gets done. And your copilot follows tight guardrails so you always stay in control.

Whether you’re building using natural language, starting from a template, or using topics to define and control copilot responses, these advancements—together with our commitment to security and responsible AI—mean that Copilot Studio provides an optimal approach for you to build and manage your own custom copilots. 

New Copilot connectors make it easy for developers to integrate and innovate

In addition, Copilot Studio is introducing Copilot connectors to simplify how developers connect their business and collaboration data to their copilots. Copilot connectors include more than 1,400 Microsoft Power Platform connectors, Microsoft Graph connectors, and Power Query connectors—with Microsoft Fabric integrations coming soon. This makes it possible for copilots to use various data sources, including public websites, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft Dataverse tables, Microsoft Fabric OneLake, and Microsoft Graph, as well as leading third-party apps. IT teams will soon be able to curate and manage available Copilot connectors to ensure their developers are using a trusted catalog.

New capabilities coming soon to Copilot Studio will also allow developers to publish their copilots as Copilot extensions. These extensions expand the actions that Microsoft Copilot can take on the user’s behalf, customize grounding knowledge with relevant business data, and enable hand-off to other copilots.

Introducing AI flows in Power Automate

We’re also bringing enhancements to Power Automate by delivering new AI-powered automation tools. With AI flows, automation shifts from rules-based to AI-based automation that is adaptive and outcome-based. And with the new AI recorder, desktop flows are getting smarter and more intuitive too. Just show and tell—with your voice—and AI recorder will automate for you.  

Today in Power Automate, you can rapidly and easily build cloud and desktop flows. With AI flows, a new type of workflow, available in an early access program, provides an entirely new approach to process automation that uses generative AI to streamline operations and reduce costs. Now, Power Automate can interpret process objectives, generate automation plans, autonomously select actions, and validate outcomes—all while allowing for easy adjustments. Developers can set guardrails to control the boundaries of autonomy for the AI flow, ensuring safe execution. AI flows make it easier to create more resilient and more capable automations.

AI recorder allows developers to develop robotic process automations (RPA) through screen sharing and voice coaching, leveraging multi-modal understanding for comprehensive training. Using AI, the Power Automate recorder captures the user’s desktop process through voice and video, completing UI automation in minutes, instead of days. This combination of visual and voice allows AI recorder to more easily adapt to changes. For example, it can promptly detect UI changes in app interfaces and then any necessary edits can be made using natural language with Copilot. This feature is available in an early access program.

Microsoft Power Platform invests in new capabilities for professional developers

As AI and Copilot dramatically shift how apps are developed, the developer skills become even more critical. From debugging, to security, to troubleshooting, developers will play an even more pivotal part in providing technical expertise and oversight. This will be particularly important as the sheer number of solutions and apps being built skyrockets with Copilot.

Microsoft Power Apps already empowers professional developers to create modern enterprise applications at scale with ease and efficiency―supporting developers to do their best work using a combination of Copilot, code, and low-code. We’re excited to share new enhancements, demonstrating our investment to make sure that Power Apps continues to be a critical tool in any ProDev’s toolkit.

With native Git integration, developers can synchronize their Power Apps environment with Git repositories. And unlike previous application lifecycle management (ALM) tools, Git integration and pipelines in Microsoft Power Platform are readily available and drive consistency in ALM processes and governance across projects. Additionally, the ability to work directly with code in Microsoft Power Apps Studio further increases effectiveness. From within Power Apps Studio, developers can now view and use source code in a readable YAML format, create templates for screens, reuse code, and store files in a code repository. This all contributes to a more efficient app-development process. 

Experience the future of automation and innovation today

As technology advances at a swift pace, the combination of generative AI and low-code is fundamentally changing how developers build solutions. The growing shift from coding to developing with natural language promises to be as transformative as the impact of cloud platforms and open-source software. In this AI era, low-code technology is essential for your developer toolchain and enables you to easily build generative AI-powered applications and copilots.

Try Copilot Studio and Power Automate to start building solutions that drive efficiency and productivity in your organization today. The Power Apps Developer Plan unleashes your imagination to create powerful apps that transform the way you work. Don’t wait―join the revolution and start building with low-code and AI today.

Lastly, we want to invite you to our community conferences this year:

• The European Power Platform Conference (EPPC) will take place in Brussels, Belgium, June 11 through 13, 2024 at SQUARE Brussels Meeting Centre. Register here.
• The Power Platform Community Conference (PPCC) will take place in Las Vegas, United States, September 18 through 20, 2024 at MGM Grand. Register here.

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Check out these blogs and sessions at Build

• Blog post: The future of conversational AI with Copilot Studio: Now build copilots that can act like agents 
• Blog post: Revolutionize the way you work with automation and AI 
• Blog post: Power Apps is making it easier for developers to build with Copilot and each other
• Blog post: Power Pages: The new standard in secure, AI-driven web development  
• Blog post: Unlock new levels of productivity with Microsoft Dataverse and Microsoft Copilot Studio  
• Featured breakout: Shaping next-gen development: the future of Copilot in Power Platform 
• Breakout: What’s new with Microsoft Copilot Studio 
• Breakout: Building the apps of the future today with Power Platform and Copilot 
• Breakout: Revolutionize the way you work with automation and AI 
• Breakout: Reimagine Enterprise Website building with Low Code using Power Pages 
• Breakout: Activate enterprise data in AI-enabled business applications   
• Podcast: Visit the WorkLab Podcast to hear Charles Lamanna talk about no-code tools and how business leaders can use them to transform their organization.

The post New ways of development with copilots and Microsoft Power Platform appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

AI and Microsoft Copilot empower non-coders and coders alike

AI is still unfolding its full potential for the world, but its transformational effect on how businesses work is already evident. Copilot is constantly becoming more helpful within the low-code ecosystem of Microsoft Power Platform—new features are being released every month and with Microsoft Build coming up this May, we will be sharing the next wave of Copilot innovation.

We’re thrilled to see the excitement in the community. At the Microsoft Power Platform Conference, we spoke with attendees and gathered their thoughts on how Copilot empowers them as developers, makers, and end-users to elevate their personal work and business operations. Whether it’s facilitating data management and process optimization, streamlining app creation, or achieving superior business outcomes, Copilot is revolutionizing their work and enhancing their overall effectiveness.

Enabling innovation starts with strong security and governance

Microsoft is built on trust. With the introduction of generative AI technology and Copilot to Microsoft Power Platform products, we affirm our dedication to safeguarding data and processes within Microsoft. Our unwavering commitment to data security, privacy, and responsible AI principles inform every facet of our development journey. Customers can confidently trust that their data remains theirs, protected by robust measures at every turn.

Who better understands the crucial role of security and governance within Microsoft Power Platform than those leading its practices within their organizations and actively building apps and automations on our comprehensive low-code platform? While our engineers responsible for building Microsoft Power Platform may possess deeper technical insights, let’s first hear from people in business who are using Microsoft Power Platform: Nishant Kumar (S&P Global), Blake Jones (Chevron), Farzeen Daruwala (Coca Cola Bottling Canada), Mohammed Alkuhlani (Baker Hughes) and Mary Myers (WorldMax). They will share their perspectives on why they trust and feel confident in building with Microsoft Power Platform in the video below.

Traditional code developers and other makers alike find speed, ease, and scale with Microsoft Power Platform

Is this going to be simple enough? Will it scale? And how fast can we get to seeing the real value?

These questions are critical whenever you’re thinking of a new project—whether it’s a brand-new scope or modernization of an existing solution.

Ahmed Salih, Senior Power Platform Solution Architect at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Microsoft MVP shared how easy it was to bring Microsoft Power Platform, and especially Microsoft Dataverse, to his organization with so much security and accessibility right out of the box.

“We have people who are nurses, accountants, students, teachers who actually can go there and create security models in Dataverse. So, as a pro developer, imagine you come there, how efficient you can be.”

Ahmed Salih, Senior Power Platform Solution Architect at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Microsoft MVP

Hear what Ahmed had to say in the video below.

Yes, it’s true that Microsoft Power Platform does see remarkable success with makers who don’t come from a traditional coding background because it’s simpler for them to start building solutions with the visual tools, Microsoft Power Fx language, and the useful features in Microsoft Power Platform that help accelerate the work. But traditional developers get the same advantages, combined with their deep experience and know-how—resulting in an even more powerful combination than “just” a code-first approach can provide.

Discover firsthand accounts from individuals beyond Microsoft MVPs about the simplicity and value they’ve experienced when using Microsoft Power Platform.

We interviewed Michael McCullough (Amtrak) with and Mark Stocks (JE Dunn Construction), and they both attest to the ease of establishing and scaling Microsoft Power Platform practice.

“We went from two apps six years ago to 6,238 apps as of this year. We went from two developers six years ago to 538 developers as of last month.”

Michael McCullough (Amtrak)

In the video below, learn more from them as they talk about their transformation and slashing development time from months to mere days and enabled the creation of intricate business applications.

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The excitement and energy around Copilot, governance, security, and Dataverse is steadily increasing.

In Q3 earnings we shared that more than 230,000 organizations have used AI capabilities in Microsoft Power Platform, which was a strong 80% increase over the previous quarter.¹ Our product teams are dedicated to advancing governance and security for people and organizations using Microsoft Power Platform. Enabling fast and scalable innovation is at the core of the Microsoft Power Platform offering—whether it’s building apps, automating processes, designing and deploying pages, or customizing and creating copilots.

We can’t wait for the next event so we can share new exciting news with our community. If you’re thinking about joining us for Microsoft Build this May, you can register here.

¹ Microsoft Fiscal Year 2024 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call, January 30, 2024

The post The Microsoft Power Platform community is buzzing about Microsoft Copilot, governance, and scale appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

Redefine what’s possible with AI 

Join Microsoft product leaders and engineers on April 10, 2024, for an in-depth look at the latest AI features and capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. You’ll learn how advances in AI and Microsoft Copilot can help you connect teams, processes, and data, and respond to changing business needs with greater agility—and see how organizations across several industries already take advantage of the newest AI features to streamline business processes and accelerate low-code development. 

Register now to see key presentations from Microsoft leaders, including:

• Business Applications Launch Event – 2024 release wave 1. Charles Lamanna, Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Business Applications and Platforms, will provide opening remarks and shed light on the strategy and vision behind the new Copilot and core platform capabilities in 2024 release wave 1. 
• Leading a new era of AI-generated low-code app development with Microsoft Power Platform. Sangya Singh, Vice President, Microsoft Power Automate, will talk about the way Microsoft Power Platform is reinventing software development with AI-powered no-code development and how Copilot is making development more accessible by enabling people to create innovative solutions through natural language.
• Redefine how business is done in the new era of generative AI. Hear Julie Strauss, Vice President, Generative AI Experiences – Business Applications,discusshow next-generation business application experiences powered by generative AI will help businesses solve strategic, cross-domain business problems by bringing together business domain insights and business process data. See how new capabilities combine with existing task-based Copilot experiences to allow any business user to explore business optimizations powered by a completely new way to discover, visualize, and interact with business data.  

And that’s just a small sample of what we’ve got planned. You’ll also hear directly from other Microsoft leaders about their vision for AI and low-code solutions and get timely tips on how to use these new technologies to take on your business’s toughest challenges. If you have questions about new AI features, how Copilot experiences work, or what’s new in low-code tools, take advantage of the live Q&A chat with Microsoft experts throughout the event. 

Explore new AI features and capabilities for Microsoft Power Platform

The 2024 release wave 1 contains hundreds of new features across Microsoft Power Platform applications—here are just a few of them:   

• Microsoft Power Apps now includes Copilot features to accelerate app development with AI and natural language, allowing customers to create enterprise grade apps and use their data and systems of record faster. Microsoft Power Pages now includes Copilot experiences that support building intelligent websites, including design, page layouts, content editing, data binding, learning, chatbot, accessibility checking, and securing the site faster.
• Power Automate will now have Copilot capabilities across cloud flows, desktop flows, and process mining. Customers can use natural language to discover optimization opportunities, build automations, and quickly troubleshoot issues.
• Microsoft Copilot Studio is introducing rich capabilities to integrate with OpenAI GPTs, along with new channels such as WhatsApp and software lifecycle capabilities, such as topic level import/export and role-based access control.

See what AI can do for you

Microsoft customers are already doing amazing things with the new AI features in Microsoft Power Platform, and we can’t wait to inspire you with key customer stories. Register now and join us to see what’s new in the 2024 release wave 1.  

Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event  

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 

9:00–10:30 AM Pacific Time (UTC-7)  

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The post Join us to see what’s new with AI in Microsoft Power Platform appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

Microsoft engineers and industry experts provide a session lineup with deep dives into the technologies you can bring to your work today, including .NET 8, Microsoft Visual Studio 2022, C# 12, .NET MAUI, and latest in AI, Azure, web technologies, and Microsoft Power Platform. Plus, you have the power of an in-person event to get your questions answered by the experts who make the products you depend on.

We’re happy to be part of the CODE Magazine 30th anniversary celebration and excited to have their leadership and team at DEVIntersection bring their favorite topics to the mix of subjects at the conference for you.

AI, especially language models, has exploded onto the scene. Microsoft is here to help you navigate this fantastic opportunity to create competitive advantages for your organization. In addition, you’ll find some great Microsoft Power Platform topics targeting everything your development team needs to know to add Microsoft Power Platform as part of your development strategy.

DEVintersection and the Azure + AI Conference focus on the latest in technologies from Microsoft with leadership and industry experts—get your answers here.

Register for DEVIntersection.

Featured Microsoft Power Platform sessions:

• Accelerating application development for code-first developers
• Extending the Power Platform with C# and TypeScript—AMA
• Power Platform +SAP + Copilot—On your marks, get set, go
• Getting started on Power Apps as a traditional developer
• Elevating UI in Power Apps: Bridging low-code with pro-code aesthetics
• Automate and scale your business processes with ease using Power Automate
• How to extend the Power Apps user interface with React components to give low-code makers even more power!
• How to build and debug Power Platform custom connectors for your ASP.NET web API right from inside Visual Studio
• Harness the capabilities of Power Fx within the Power Platform CLI and Azure DevOps

See the full list of sessions here.

Interested in learning more about how Microsoft Power Platform accelerates productivity for professional developers? Sign up for our monthly newsletter to get the latest updates.

The post Join Microsoft at the DEVIntersection Conference in Orlando appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

Extending your Copilot and conversational experience with enterprise data using plugins

Customers have been asking how they can use Copilot to tap into enterprise data, remove data silos, and improve productivity and collaboration. With plugins, customers can ensure their copilots can securely integrate with this most critical line of business data. At Ignite, we are announcing the ability to extend your Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 with Microsoft Power Platform plugins and Microsoft Copilot Studio. We’re introducing three ways in which customers can leverage the power of data inside Copilot for Microsoft 365 or their own Microsoft Power Platform copilots.  

1. Using the existing Microsoft Power Platform connector ecosystem of more than 1,100 live connectors, customers and partners can enable their users to access and update data from external systems. Customers can leverage existing certified Microsoft Power Platform connectors as Microsoft Copilot Studio Topics, which in turn can enrich Copilot for Microsoft 365. 

We are extending the capabilities of our more than 50 intelligent supply chain solutions with Microsoft Power Platform, [Microsoft] Fabric, and Copilot. For instance, Accenture’s supplier risk control tower solution builds the digital twin using Dataverse and Fabric to predict delays and offers recommendations to supply chain operators through the copilot for real-time collaboration with suppliers and automated execution to mitigate disruptions. Through the Power of 3 with Microsoft, Accenture, and Avanade, we are able to infuse rich data and intelligence through Copilot into the broader Microsoft 365 and business application ecosystem, thus enhancing decision making and overall productivity for our clients. 

– Kumar Majety, Cloud Supply Chain Solution Lead, Accenture 

2. With prompt builder, customers can build, test, and deploy AI prompts that will instruct copilots to perform specific actions when asked. In addition, prompts can be grounded in business data to customize your prompts with real-time business data. For example, makers can teach Copilot to produce a specific case summary, case classification, or draft an email reply according to their company policy and based on their company’s case history stored in Dataverse.

3. With Power Automate flow plugins, users can expose the tasks they have in Microsoft Planner by asking “What are my planner tasks?” Similarly, users can find the list of approvals assigned to them by asking “List my approvals.”  

Companies, developers, and ISVs can extend their products into Copilot using plugins 

Our partners have expressed their excitement about taking part in the age of AI. Enabling their products and services as plugins across low-code applications allows them to become part of the extensibility opportunity. ISVs can leverage existing Microsoft Power Platform connectors for creating AI plugins or import existing OpenAI plugins to use in public preview.

“We are thrilled to participate with Microsoft in this age of AI and provide value to our joint customers. The introduction of Power Platform connector as a plugin for Microsoft Copilot opens up an entirely new set of ways for our clients to deliver exceptional customer service.” 

– Kumar Krishnasami, Founder and CEO, Desk365 

Accelerate content generation scenarios with AI Builder GPT prompts 

Generative AI and Microsoft Power Platform create a powerful combination to bring to life next-generation workflows.  

To enable more organizations to leverage the power of generative AI, we are excited to announce the general availability of GPT prompts within AI Builder. Prompts are how users can interact with large language models like GPT, instructing the next generation of AI models to perform specific tasks. However, starting from zero can be tough, but by using AI Builder, users can now integrate generative AI prompts within their Power Automate workflows, Power Apps, Dataverse tables, and copilots. To help users get started, a prebuilt library of ready-to-use prompts is available and includes common scenarios like summarization, classification, content extraction, translation, and sentiment analysis. The prompts also comply with Microsoft’s approach to responsible AI. Users can also craft their own prompts, grounded with company data to produce specific outputs that are unique to their business.  

Build apps better and faster with Dataverse and Copilot AI assistance

Copilot in Power Apps is an AI companion that lets low-code makers easily create apps from ideas through natural language or from existing data in Excel and is one of the fastest-growing ways to build enterprise-ready business solutions backed by Dataverse.

The following capabilities are now generally available: 

1. From ‘idea to app’ within a few minutes using natural language

Makers can describe the app that they want to build and have a Dataverse table and app generated through an interactive Copilot AI-assisted experience. Previously, many makers would spend multiple days gathering requirements, building a prototype, getting feedback, testing, and iterating with business users. Now, with Copilot-assisted app creation, makers can prototype an app faster than ever before, and iterate with business users to build the desired business apps.  

2. Import from Excel to build your apps

Makers can use Copilot AI assistance and the power of Dataverse to import data from Excel to create configurable tables in minutes. Makers were previously facing issues when wanting to scale their app from Excel to a wider audience and use cases—from size limitations, concurrent usage challenges, and governance. The process to upgrade from your Excel file to Dataverse was historically lengthy and prone to errors. With two clicks under two minutes, makers can now import their Excel files into Dataverse, and get suggested table schema to build their next Copilot-enabled apps.  

3. Build formula columns in Dataverse

Now generally available, Formula columns are the next generation of columns in Dataverse. Based on Power Fx, they use the similar Excel-like language you use for Power Apps. Makers can also use natural language to generate formulas, now in public preview. Formula columns empower citizen developers to express business logic on top of existing columns and reference columns from other tables, directly in Dataverse.  

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Activate Azure data to unlock AI-driven insights with Dataverse Link to Microsoft Fabric 

We are excited to announce the general availability of Link to Fabric, a no-copy, no-ETL (extract, transform, load) direct link between Dataverse and Microsoft Fabric. With the general availability of Microsoft Fabric, low-code makers can derive AI-driven insights across business apps and data sources and drive action.  

If your organization uses Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Microsoft Power Platform with Microsoft Power BI, Link to Fabric provides an even simpler data integration option. Your low-code makers can work with their data securely in Fabric without the need to export data or build and maintain data pipelines. 

Low-code makers can Link to Microsoft Fabric from the Analyze menu in the Power Apps maker portal command bar. The system validates configuration and lets you choose a Fabric workspace without leaving the maker portal. When you confirm, the system securely links all your tables into a system-generated Synapse Lakehouse in the Fabric workspace you selected. Your data stays in Dataverse while you can work with all Fabric workloads like SQL, Python, and Power BI without making copies or building pipelines. As data gets updated in Dataverse, changes are reflected in Fabric near real time. 

Activate low-code app development atop your Fabric OneLake with Dataverse virtual tables  

We are also excited to announce the preview of Dataverse virtual tables over Microsoft Fabric, which enables your low-code app builders to connect to data in Microsoft OneLake and build Power Apps, and drive business actions without data copy, no-ETL, or third-party integration tools. Additionally combined with Power Pages, low-code makers can build external-facing websites and drive action from insights with partners, suppliers, and customers.  

Pattern Energy, a developer and operator of utility-scale wind and solar power facilities across the United States, Canada, Japan, and Mexico, is on a mission to accelerate the world’s transition from fossil energy to a sustainable future. Timely and detailed insights on projects in Dynamics 365 are combined with data from the field to keep track of issues and avoid delays in bringing green energy to the grid. Pattern Energy has empowered a team of low-code makers who can get actionable insights across their data sources and act faster within all their business units across the globe. 

“We worked with Microsoft from early stages of the Fabric preview and realized the features were going to be a game changer for us. Exporting data from Dynamics 365 has never been easier. With Power Platform and OneLake, our teams have access to near real-time data, actions, and workflows. Once all these features are made generally available we’re excited to deploy across our organization; giving everyone at Pattern the tools they need to accelerate their ability to make data-driven decisions.”  

– Duncan Gifford, Director, Enterprise and Data Architecture, Pattern Energy 

Learn more

• Learn more about Microsoft Dataverse.
• Extend Copilot with Microsoft Copilot Studio.
• Read more about Dataverse Link to Fabric.

The post Accelerate Copilot extensibility and Power Apps creation with Microsoft Dataverse appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

This release wave introduces hundreds of new features across Microsoft Power Platform applications, including enhanced capabilities for governance, administration, and professional development. Updates for Dynamics 365 include innovation to help employees be more productive, create exceptional customer experiences and deepen relationships, and drive meaningful growth across the business. This release also features new AI capabilities in Copilot—which more than 130,000 organizations have now experienced—that help to improve insights, save time, and enhance creativity across Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform.  

Tune in to the launch event, live or on-demand, for a concise overview of the release wave, as well as a firsthand look at how organizations like Nestlé, Kodak Alaris, Northern Trust, Centrica, Spark NZ, Domino’s Pizza UK and Ireland, and Suffolk are adopting these capabilities to drive transformative changes in their businesses.

Some of the themes at the event include:

• A new era of AI-powered customer service and field service
• Transforming enterprise resource planning (ERP) with AI
• Enhancing customer experience through AI-driven transformation
• Leading a new era of AI-generated low-code app development with Microsoft Power Platform

A new era of AI-powered customer service and field service

As a frontline for customer loyalty, service agents and field teams need access to information and insights to understand customer needs and respond appropriately. New Copilot capabilities for Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service will help reduce time spent on common tasks, as well as introduce enhancements to the Customer Service workspace. Updates include improved inbox functionality, a redesigned voice experience, enhanced collaboration through Microsoft Teams, and integrated diagnostics for administrators—all aimed at boosting agent productivity and operational efficiency.

During the session led by Jeff Comstock, Corporate Vice President, Customer Service, we demonstrated how Copilot assists customer service and field service processes, including customer self-service, across various channels.

We also revealed how customers like Northern Trust Corporation, a leading wealth and asset management institution, can use Copilot to assist the client services team with tasks ranging from account reviews and case investigations to post-resolution wrap-ups. Northern Trust Corporation has not only gained recognition for its innovative financial services, but also for its unwavering commitment to customer service. With Dynamics 365 Customer Service as a steadfast component of its journey, the latest capabilities in release wave 2 can help the client service teams at Northern Trust be even more efficient, effective, and customer-focused, streamlining its workflow and enhancing its ability to provide timely and accurate support to clients. 

The session also delved deeper into the field service domain, where Centrica, a global energy services company, effectively manages its sizable workforce of 12,000 field operatives on site by harnessing the new capabilities of Dynamics 365 Field Service, streamlining processes from task assignments to issue resolution.

To learn more about release wave 2 capabilities for Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Field Service, visit the release planner.

Transforming ERP with AI

The new release wave harnesses AI, automation, and analytics to help organizations drive greater operational efficiency across finance, supply chain, and operations—capabilities that enhance visibility, automate processes, extend coverage, and deliver a more integrated experience across departments.

Updates to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance include the general availability of extended planning and analysis, which brings together operational and financial planning to continuously plan, act, and analyze. In addition, the general availability of business performance analytics streamlines financial reporting by centralizing data from multiple business processes and in an easy-to-use interface.

Updates to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management include improvements in demand planning, as well as procure-to-pay processes. Copilot will now suggest actions that can help purchasing agents make better decisions in response to new and updated information that affects open purchase orders.

At the launch event, Georg Glantschnig, Vice President, AI ERP, showcased how Domino’s Pizza UK and Ireland is improving its demand planning accuracy by using AI. These new features have greatly enhanced its capacity to serve more customers by precisely planning food requirements, thereby reducing food waste, and improving environmental sustainability through more efficient facility operations. Additionally, the process of fulfilling purchase orders has also seen a remarkable enhancement, thanks to Copilot.

We also demonstrated how New Zealand’s largest telecommunications and digital services provider, Spark NZ, is transforming its finance and supply chain operations with Microsoft Dynamics 365. It can now automate many of its financial processes—including vendor invoice processing, automatic revaluation of foreign currency transactions, transaction reconciliation, billing, and complex tax calculations. Human resources can also streamline processes, from hiring to self-service vacation time requests and tracking.

See the release plans for Dynamics 365 Finance, Supply Chain Management, Project Operations, and Human Resources.

Enhancing customer experience through AI-driven transformation

With Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights, and Copilot you can use data and insights that used to be hidden, unlock capabilities previously out of reach, and reach new levels of productivity and collaboration.

The new release wave introduces a variety of solutions to help marketers and sales professionals use Copilot to deepen their understanding of their target customer base, streamline engagement processes, and push the boundaries in crafting exceptional customer experiences. 

In the closing keynote session, Lori Lamkin, Corporate Vice President, Customer Experience, demonstrated how Kodak Alaris, a global technology company, effectively used Copilot within Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Insights. Taking advantage of the new AI capabilities, it tapped into previously hidden data to target its customer base, unlocking capabilities that were once out of reach. Using Copilot, it was able to create unique personalized content to keep customers informed about its services and effortlessly establish new levels of productivity and customer connection, attracting new businesses like never before.

For more details, review the release plans for Dynamics 365 Sales and Dynamics 365 Customer Insights.

Leading a new era of AI-generated low-code app development with Microsoft Power Platform

Copilot in Power Platform ushers in a new era of AI-assisted low-code development. Copilot features in release wave 2 make it even easier to quickly create solutions.

At the launch event, Sangya Singh, Vice President, Power Pages, showcased how Copilot plays a vital role in democratizing development, enabling a broader audience—both citizen and professional developers—to create innovative solutions using natural language.

Through the lens of Suffolk, one of America’s largest construction companies, we demonstrated how Microsoft Power Automate helped them streamline critical material request processes, enabling teams to use Copilot in Power Automate to build flows by describing what they need.

We also showcased how Microsoft Power Apps can help Suffolk facilitate efficient coordination of construction status updates, and how the generative answers capability in Microsoft Power Virtual Agents can search industry resources for answers, reducing manual research. We also demonstrated how Microsoft Power Pages improves collaboration with multiple partners on construction projects, and how Microsoft Power BI can help Suffolk visualize safety data at construction sites across the globe, highlighting the trends, causes, and outcomes of incidents and near misses so that preventative actions can be easily identified and implemented.

In addition to enhancing daily business operations, Copilot within Microsoft Power Platform has significantly improved the governance and administrative experience, expediting the development of these applications.

Visit the Microsoft Power Platform release planner for more details.

Tune in to the Microsoft Business Applications Virtual Launch Event 

Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event

Tune in live or on-demand for a concise overview of the release wave.

Watch now

Watch the launch event on-demand for in-depth insights and demonstrations of the new capabilities across Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. You can also delve into several deep-dive presentations on topics including Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, responsible AI practices, and a fireside chat that explores the latest features in this release wave.

Don’t forget to explore the detailed release plans for Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform to stay informed about what’s new and on the horizon.

We also invite you to learn more about the latest AI innovation at Microsoft Ignite 2023, taking place in Seattle from November 14 through November 17, 2023, with online sessions available live and on-demand on November 15 and November 16. Register today.

The post Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event introduces wave of new AI-powered capabilities for Dynamics 365 and Power Platform appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

That’s why industry leaders are turning to AI-powered, low-code and no-code solutions as a way to help their people do their jobs more efficiently and help their business stand out among competitors. The potential for AI at work is practically endless. Understanding how your teams can accomplish more with AI is key for any business in the digital space.

Business Applications Launch Event

Experience the new era of AI-powered business

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Explore the future of AI

Join us for a first look at the latest innovations for Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 at the tenth Microsoft Business Applications Launch event on October 25. Hundreds of new features, plus tons of AI updates—it all adds up to one great opportunity to find out more about AI and what it can do for your organization.

Register now to hear from thought leaders and Microsoft Power Platform experts about the future of AI, and be first to catch a glimpse of the latest AI capabilities helping businesses work more effectively, including:

• New copilot features in Power Apps that boost developer productivity, give every user access to natural language assistants, and generate admin insights.
• Improved copilot experience in Power Pages that makes building websites, connecting to your data, and managing it all easy.
• The latest AI in Power Automate that makes automating and authoring faster by helping you build new cloud and desktop flows with improved process mining.
• New AI features in Power Virtual Agents like multilingual bots, generative answers and actions, and interactive voice response (IVR) integration with Dynamics 365 Customer Service.

You’ll also get updates on Power BI, Microsoft Dataverse, governance and administration, solution extensibility, and ISV experiences to help you analyze, act on, and automate the data that fuels your business.

Hear from Charles Lamanna, Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Business Applications and Platforms, about how our customers are innovating every day with Microsoft Power Platform, then catch the latest AI capabilities in action, with real-world demos and guidance on how to:

• Develop stronger insights, reduce costs, and enhance creativity with intuitive, AI-powered solutions.
• Help employees and teams focus on revenue-generating work by creating automation solutions that let them avoid repetitive tasks.
• Elevate collaboration by connecting people, data, and processes across your organization with the newest AI-powered tools.

Insights on how AI can empower your employees

To understand what’s ahead in AI-assisted low-code and no-code solutions—and what your employees can do with them—you’ll hear directly from Microsoft leaders about their vision for AI, customer service, and operations. Get timely tips on how to use these brand-new technologies to take on your business’ toughest challenges, and if you have questions about new AI features, how Copilot experiences work, or what’s new in low-code, stay for the live Q&A chat to get them answered by experts.

10 events’ worth of innovation

It’s hard to believe this will already be our tenth Business Applications Launch Event—a perfect moment to look ahead and reaffirm our commitment to business app innovation. But the best is yet to come. I’m looking forward to celebrating this milestone with our customers and partners, along with all the new features our team has been cooking up. I can’t wait to see what your business does with them next.

Register now. And join us to experience the new era of AI-powered business.

Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event

Wednesday, October 25, 2023 

9:00 AM–10:30 AM Pacific Time (UTC-7)

The post See new AI for Microsoft Power Platform at our tenth launch event appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.

With advanced AI enhancing low-code development, more than 126,000 organizations have experienced Copilot in Power Platform. These new copilot capabilities make it easier than ever to get started with Microsoft Power Platform, thereby democratizing development for an even wider audience.

Over the past year, as we’ve seen rapid growth in Microsoft Power Platform—our monthly active Power Platform community members has grown to more than 5.2 million. This expanding community will play a pivotal role in shaping Microsoft Power Platform’s AI-driven future. To further aid the community’s growth, I’m excited to announce advancements in copilot, incredible designer updates for Power Automate, and automated environment routing to accelerate maker onboarding.

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Drive organization-wide innovation with Copilot in Power Platform

New Copilot capabilities in Power Pages are making it much easier to build data-driven websites. With a few sentences and clicks, developers can use Copilot in Power Pages to create websites and multi-step forms.

Using natural language to describe the website they want to build, developers can tell Copilot in Power Pages to generate a sitemap and homepage with various layouts and site themes. They can further refine and modify the website using Copilot in the normal point-and-click design studio. Lastly, makers can effortlessly design and build intuitive multi-step forms with just a few words. The Copilot experience simplifies website creation into fewer steps, providing a significant productivity boost.

We have also evolved the Copilot control in Power Apps, enabling makers to fully customize their AI-assistants and extend their Copilot through Power Virtual Agents. For example, makers can now directly add websites and unstructured content to their Copilot control, in addition to structured data sources, exponentially boosting the capabilities of the embedded copilot. Every app can now have a powerful Copilot! This is possible due to the seamless integration of Copilot control with Power Virtual Agents’ generative actions.

Enable faster development with the new Power Automate flow designer

Together with improvements to next-generation AI in Power Automate, we’re fueling faster development by enabling Copilot by default and making the version three designer generally available.

Today, tens of thousands of users are using the new designer in public preview. They’re more satisfied with the authoring experience and are creating flows with Copilot that are 50 percent more likely to run in production than those built without AI assistance. Based on user feedback, we’ve further refined Copilot in Power Automate by expanding its ability to populate more parameters in the flows and actions it generates.

Streamline governance and security for your makers with automation in Managed Environments

We’re expanding on Managed Environments with a set of capabilities to help automate routing of makers to their own development environments, so people can easily get started with the full capabilities of the platform in a way that’s manageable at scale.

Environment routing allows admins to automatically place makers in their dedicated developer environments rather than the shared default environment. This ensures that makers start building in a scalable and governable manner from the beginning. Once makers are ready to deploy a new or updated solution, they can securely push it to a production environment via Power Platform pipelines. Pipelines automate in-product application lifecycle management (ALM) and ensure IT is informed of upcoming deployments with approval workflows and GitHub-based auditing.

IT can go a step further by having Copilot generate deployment notes and descriptions of all applications in Managed Environments, ensuring compliance with security practices at scale. Lastly, advisor in Managed Environments offers proactive recommendations and inline actions, helping administrators stay ahead of security threats at scale.

Extending the Power Platform community

Last year at Microsoft Power Platform Conference (MPPC), we announced the Power Up program, a three-month guided curriculum with self-paced learning, hands-on labs, instructor-led sessions, and more to help citizen developers build key skills in low code to advance their careers. Building on the successful launch of the Power Up program, which attracted more than 22,000 participants from more than 180 countries, we are excited to announce our latest expansion. In response to community feedback and to promote collaborative learning, this year, we are introducing group learning opportunities.

But that’s not all—we have an exciting invitation. If you’re passionate about Microsoft Power Platform and eager to make a difference, we invite you to join our Super Users group. Super Users play a crucial role in enhancing our community by answering questions, creating educational content, and providing valuable support. In return, Super Users enjoy exclusive benefits, including access to monthly meetings with Microsoft and expert badges.

For those interested, please join the Power Up and Super User programs.

What’s next

Thank you to the community members, customers, and partners who joined us this year for the Microsoft Power Platform Conference! Please register for Microsoft Ignite, November 14–17, 2023 to learn about even more great new capabilities coming to the platform.

For those who wish to follow the Power Platform Conference remotely, please join the Power Platform LinkedIn Community.

The post The AI revolution: Supercharging low-code with the Power Platform community appeared first on Microsoft Power Platform Blog.