CoE Starter Kit and ALM Accelerator January 2024 release

Key insights

 

The January 2024 release of the CoE Starter Kit and ALM Accelerator brings several updates and enhancements to Power Platform governance and management tools. A notable change is the update of most sync flows to utilize the Modern Dataverse connector, replacing the Legacy connector, with an opt-in feature through the Setup and Upgrade Wizard app.

New additions include a feature to report on whether the Maker Copilot is enabled in an environment. The release also closes an inventory gap that previously prevented reporting on Chatbots in Teams environments. This is now possible with the Modern Dataverse connector. Additionally, organizations can now define what 'cross-tenant' means with configuration settings introduced in this version.

The release has also redesigned dataflows for the Data Export / BYODL version, resulting in improved performance and robustness. This update enhances monitoring capabilities and optimizes the data export process for Power Platform environments.

• Sync flows have been updated to the Modern Dataverse connector from Legacy, which is opt-in.
• A feature to detect if Maker Copilot is enabled in environments has been added.
• Chatbots in Teams environments can now be inventoried using the Modern Dataverse connector.
• Cross-tenant configurations can be customized for organizations.
• Dataflows for Data Export / BYODL have been reworked for better performance.

About the Center of Excellence (CoE) Starter Kit

The CoE Starter Kit is a pivotal component for enterprises utilizing Microsoft's Power Platform, enabling the creation and management of a Center of Excellence. This initiative is imperative for fostering successful deployment, control, and support of Power Platform projects across the company. The kit includes robust tools for inventory and governance, administrative applications, and insightful reports to optimize resource usage and gasp compliance. It also provides a suite of standards and templates to ensure consistent development practices, as well as strategies for managing changes and enhancing user training, thereby promoting a flourishing community of Power Platform users. Organizations benefit from improved governance, increased efficiency, enhanced adoption, optimized performance, security, and controlled costs. Utilizing the CoE Starter Kit, a firm can construct a thriving Power Platform CoE and reach a sophisticated level of maturity in the application of the Power Platform.

 

The Center of Excellence (CoE) Starter Kit and Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Accelerator January 2024 release has now been made available to users, marking an early achievement for the new year. This update includes several enhancements and bug fixes to improve performance and user experience. To learn more about the details of this release, interested parties can review the complete release notes.

One significant improvement in this release is the transition to the Modern Dataverse connector for most synchronization flows, replacing the Legacy connector. However, since the modern Dataverse connector features are still in preview, users will need to opt-in to take advantage of these updates. The Setup and Upgrade Wizard app can assist users in making this switch.

Another valuable addition to the release is the capability to report on the status of Maker Copilot within an environment. Additionally, gaps in reporting on chatbots in Dataverse for Teams due to previous connector limitations have been addressed with the modern connector. As a result, users who opt for the modern connector will benefit from a complete inventory of chatbots in Teams environments.

The update also allows organizational customization regarding the definition of cross-tenant relationships, thanks to Pete Puustinen's contributions. Additionally, the performance and robustness of dataflows powering the Data Export / Bring Your Own Database Logging (BYODL) version have been significantly improved.

For those unfamiliar with the CoE Starter Kit, it is a robust collection of templates, tools, and best practices that aid in the establishment and oversight of a Center of Excellence for the Microsoft Power Platform. The intention of a CoE is to support an organization's effective and governed use of Power Platform solutions, ensuring they are adopted successfully and maintained appropriately.

The kit encompasses several key components:

• An inventory and governance framework to track Power Platform resources for consistency and policy adherence.
• Pre-built applications and reports for administrative insights into Power Platform activities.
• Development standards and templates that help establish consistent practices and workflows throughout the organization.
• Change management guidance to assist with the communication and implementation of Power Platform changes.
• Community building and support resources that encourage continuous learning and engagement with Power Platform.

The adoption of the CoE Starter Kit affords several benefits, such as better governance, enhanced efficiency through automation, wider user empowerment for independent problem-solving, improved performance and security, and reduced costs via standardized processes.