Repeat after me, “Power Platform is not the sole preserve of D365 CECustomer Engagement is the collective title of D365 first party apps built on CRM technology (Sales, Service, Marketing, etc). consultants!”
I still find it necessary to remind our good friends in the D365 CECustomer Engagement is the collective title of D365 first party apps built on CRM technology (Sales, Service, Marketing, etc). camp that although Power AutomatePower Automate is Microsoft’s service for creating automated workflows between apps, streamlining repetitive tasks., Power Apps, and Dataverse, owe their origins to the D365 CRMCustomer Relationship Management is a technology used to manage interactions with existing and potential customers./xRM platform, they are now for everyone. Equally, it has been hard to draw D365 F&O consultants into the Power Platform, as it’s historically perceived as “something the CECustomer Engagement is the collective title of D365 first party apps built on CRM technology (Sales, Service, Marketing, etc). folk deal with”.
Imagine my delight when I learnt about the recent release of “Extending Dynamics 365 Finance and Operation Apps with Power Platform“, by Adrià Ariste Santacreu, and got hold of an early copy. During a recent period of ill-health confined to bed, I had a great opportunity to review this fantastic new book from cover to cover.
As I mention in my own bio, I’ve been working with F&O since the first SaaSSoftware-as-a-Service is a subscription-based model for accessing software applications over the internet, hosted on remote servers. version, and with Power Platform since 2019. I view most subject matter – including this book – primarily through a user-focused lens, and with that in mind, I’d definitely recommend this book to both functional and technical users interested in extending the functionality of D365 F&O.
The book starts with a solid introduction to all components, ensuring freshers are brought up to speed, whilst aligning understanding for the more experienced. Part 1 concludes with a chapter covering deployment and configuration. It does so in sufficient detail to make it easy to follow, with relevant screenshots, and important considerations clearly highlighted out in callout boxes. Later on, Part 4 does a great job of building on this area, exploring the necessary elements of Applicated Lifecycle Management, i.e. keeping the lights on!
Some users may be tempted to skip past these sections for the “good stuff” in Part 2, but it’s important background knowledge to understand or consolidate. Even if you’re not involved in these aspects of deployment, it will always help if, for example, you need to signpost system administrators to fix underlying configuration.
As alluded to, Parts 2 and 3 are where the exciting bits happen, especially for those of us that really enjoy fixing our customer’s challenges – seeing the smiles on their faces when (i) you tell them that you can fix a problem they have, and (ii) when they see that fix working for real! Adrià gives us some great practical examples, all detailed step-by-step, and covering use cases such as augmenting workflow approvals; embedding Power Apps; and applying custom AIArtificial Intelligence is a field of computer science dedicated to creating systems that mimic human intelligence. models. There is lots of food for thought, and the selected examples offer a great baseline for solving other problems in equally creative ways.
Generally, the content is well broken down, with plentiful screenshots, code boxes, lists, and callouts. The author avoids extensive prose and maintains an approach throughout that us easily digestible to the modern reader.
The test your knowledge sections struck the right balance between consolidating knowledge and making you feel like you haven’t been listening! The author’s passion for the subject certainly comes through. Although he and I connected on LinkedIn, I don’t know him personally, but it’s quite obvious why he is multiple MVP awardee.
The risk with anything MS-related in print is their penchant for frequent name changes. Case in point, Virtual Agents has already been renamed CopilotMicrosoft Copilot is an AI companion that assists with tasks like coding, writing, generating images, and answering questions. Studio since publication. Hopefully there aren’t too many such changes to come too soon…
Although much of the subject matter can inevitably be found online with a lot of digging around, the structure of the book makes it a very handy reference guide and especially in print, it provides a welcome break from the screens we are all otherwise glued to, day in, day out.
To wrap up, I would reiterate that this book is invaluable for those starting out with Power Platform or those looking for a prompt on how to approach certain challenges. All F&O consultants need to learn Power Platform – for a long time it has not been the sole preserve of CECustomer Engagement is the collective title of D365 first party apps built on CRM technology (Sales, Service, Marketing, etc). consultants and as Microsoft’s road map ticks on, it will gain more and more precedence.
TL;DR? This is a well-structured book, with accurate and relevant content, presented clearly and concisely. I highly recommended it for any D365 F&O user with even just a passing interest in customisation!
A version of this review has also been published on the Amazon UK website: https://packt.link/dGftJ
The book can also be found at Amazon.com: https://packt.link/JaYNU