Integration of Model-Driven Apps with Microsoft 365 Collaboration

A New Era for Microsoft 365 Integration on Power Platform

Microsoft has introduced a unique approach to collaboration by integrating Microsoft 365 with a feature called Model-Driven Apps on the Power Platform. This upgrade is designed to boost the efficiency of businesses and promote smooth workflows within teams. The Power Platform's latest innovation will not only support automating business processes but also allow the apps to extend to flexible platforms such as Microsoft Teams.

The Model-Driven Apps feature allows developers to create low-code collaborative applications. Up until now, Graph APIs and advanced developer tools were employed to include Microsoft 365 collaboration capabilities into your apps. The introduction of the Collaboration controls in Power Apps supports the creation of Model-Driven Apps without the need for extensive code.

Furthermore, the Collaboration controls have revolutionized app development in Microsoft's Power Platform by allowing developers to add Microsoft 365 capabilities in Power Apps custom applications. Now they can improve user workflows and facilitate business process collaboration in Teams and Power Apps.

The integration of the Microsoft 365 Collaboration controls, built on top of the Power Apps Control Framework (PCF), makes it easy to add to existing applications. One significant advantage of adding the Collaboration controls to the Power Apps is that model-based apps can be published, enabling developers to leverage their capabilities fully.

Developers can now effortlessly create and manage tasks backed by Planner, schedule meetings backed by Outlook and Teams calendars, and add virtual appointments using Bookings from within the app. The added feature of allowing external customers to schedule meetings with users is made possible with Bookings.

The Collaboration controls also extend to SharePoint, allowing users to enable file collaboration from within the app. This upgrade places a considerable amount of control in the hands of developers, transforming how tasks are created, assigned, tracked, and managed.

In addition to these, Power Automate has a Collaboration controls connector that enables developers to create automated processes to help facilitate collaboration. This feature is a game-changer for developers as it allows the creation of tasks automatically when a record is created.

Lastly, it's important to mention the impressive capability added with the Dataverse Virtual Tables. They enable developers to interact with Graph via OData APIs. This adoption of virtualization enhances developer interaction with Microsoft Graph, especially with the new Collaboration controls' external system, and it's definitely bringing about a drastic shift in how applications are developed.

The Collaboration controls' backing by Microsoft 365 ensures easy task management via Tasks by Planner, which users can access. Moreover, the ability to view and join meetings from Outlook and Teams calendar, view approvals in the Approvals app, and files in SharePoint is also enabled.

In summary, Microsoft has introduced powerful and flexible tools that bring significant efficiency to business processes and improve collaboration within teams. The integration of Model-Driven Apps with Microsoft 365 on the Power Platform is one such step that has brought this major transformation.

For more detailed information on the installation, building, and deployment of Model-Driven Apps to Teams using the Collaboration controls, consider visiting the Microsoft Teams documentation page on the official website.

To acquire the Collaboration controls for your Power Platform environment, please visit Microsoft AppSource on the official website. Please note that the tenant admin may need to request the Collaboration controls' deployment to your Power Apps environment.

Read the full article Microsoft 365 Collaboration Integration for Model-Driven Apps

Learn about Microsoft 365 Collaboration Integration for Model-Driven Apps

Microsoft has integrated 365 Collaboration with Model-Driven Apps to provide a unified platform for tracking and automating business processes. Through Microsoft 365 solutions and platform capabilities, these apps can be brought to collaborative surfaces like Microsoft Teams. Whether it's Visual Studio for pro-code or Power Apps for low-code, Microsoft enables the creation of applications specific to your requirements.

In the past, achieving M365 collaboration capabilities in your apps was achieved through Graph APIs and pro-developer tools. Now Microsoft is enabling the creation of collaborative low-code apps with the introduction of Collaboration controls in Power Apps. These controls allow M365 capabilities to be added into your custom apps to simplify user workflows when collaborating in Teams and Power Apps.

In practical terms, you can simply drag-and-drop controls to bring Microsoft 365 collaboration to your app. This feature enables productivity gains for your users, allowing them to collaborate on approvals, files, meetings, notes, and tasks while remaining in context of your app. Once you’ve added the controls to your form, you can publish your app and start leveraging their capabilities.

• Tasks, backed by Planner, can be created and managed with the same user experience as Microsoft Planner.
• Meetings can be scheduled with team members from within the application, with support from Outlook and Teams calendars.
• With Bookings, you can facilitate scheduling by allowing external customers to create meetings with your users.
• Files can be stored in SharePoint, enabling collaborative file management from within your app.
• Approvals can be requested and tracked within the team.
• Automated processes can be created to facilitate collaboration with the new Collaboration controls connector in Power Automate.

Furthermore, a set of Dataverse Virtual Tables has been introduced, allowing developers to interact with Graph via OData APIs. These can be used for programmatic access to the data created by the Collaboration controls. Also, since the controls are backed by M365, your users can also access their tasks in Tasks by Planner, view and join meetings from Outlook and Teams calendars, view approvals in the Approvals app and files in SharePoint.

It's important that you are aware of possibly having to request your tenant admin to deploy the Collaboration controls to your Power Apps environment. Overall, the introduction of these controls drastically enhances the functionality and interactivity of Power Apps, thereby increasing its viability as a collaborative platform in various business contexts. More information about this is available in Microsoft Teams documentation.

More links on about Microsoft 365 Collaboration Integration for Model-Driven Apps

Bring Microsoft 365 collaboration to your model-driven apps

Aug 4, 2022 — Bring Microsoft 365 collaboration to your model-driven apps · Getting started is easy; drag-and-drop in Power Apps · Create and manage tasks, ...

Application with Collaboration controls - Teams

Jul 4, 2023 — Collaboration controls are designed for model-driven applications. The following section covers how to create a model-driven app. Note.

Keywords

Microsoft 365 Integration, Model-Driven Apps, Collaboration tools, Office 365 Apps, Microsoft Teams Integration, Enterprise Collaboration, Microsoft PowerApps, Sharepoint Integration, Dynamics 365 Apps, Business process automation