Introduction
Microsoft Power Apps have an Administration area in which all Entities, Fields, Relationships, Processes, and Flows are specified.
Power Framework has an advanced design based on the use of Custom entities, such as the:
- Hierarchy of Portfolios, Programmes and Projects.
- Registers of related information including Risks, Issues, Change Requests, and Benefits.
The Power Framework Application shares some of the System Entities that are inbuilt in all the Power Apps such as the:
- Users
- Tasks
- Security Roles and User Privileges
Creating Software Applications in Microsoft Power Apps
Software is designed, specified, and created on the Microsoft Power Apps website.
Every Power Apps Environment has its own Dataverse database and its own address.
For example:
https://make.powerapps.com/environments/a370612a-9867-42dd-bb87-e3c3f9fa9fa5/
- The Microsoft Site: https://make.powerapps.com
- Environment: a370612a-9867-42dd-bb87-e3c3f9fa9fa5
The following screenshot shows Power Apps Home Administration and the Tables (entities) that have been created within the environment. There are both Custom and Standard Tables/entities.
Once the Tables/entities are created then the required Columns/fields are created.
At the heart of the system are the Tables/Entities contained within the application.
Below we can see the Columns/Fields contained in the Project Table/entity.
The other Tabs enable the following to be defined for the Table/entity:
- Relationships
- Business Rules
- Views
- Forms
- Dashboards
- Charts
- Keys
- Commands
- Data
The sample screen below shows the Column/field definition.
When you click, either the Add Column button or the Column/field name you will see the details in a panel on the right side of the screen.
This example Column/field below is the Project Name, with the following properties:
- The Project Name Column/field is a Text field
- It is a mandatory “Required” field when you are adding new Project records
- It is “Searchable”
- Auditing has been enabled
Entity Relationship Diagram
The purpose of the following section is to give an understanding of the key Entities and how they are related.
The document referenced in the Appendices is a detailed Entity Relationship Diagram presented as a Pdf document.
Power Framework Core Solution Entity Diagram
The entity diagram is provided to help visualise the entities and relationships contained in the Power Framework Core Solution. The entities consist of a mix of Custom Power Framework Entities as well as a wide variety of System Entities.
Power Framework Core Entities and Fields
Also referenced in the Appendices Entity Relationship Diagram is a link to an Excel spreadsheet that documents all Entities and Fields contained in the standard Power Framework Core Solution.
High-Level Solution Landscape
As previously described, Power Framework has been designed as a Power App within the Microsoft Power Platform.
The Power Framework Power App uses the interconnected Power Platform functions such as:
- Power BI for reporting.
- Power Automate for process automations for functions such as approvals and updates.
- Dataverse which holds all the data tables/entities.
- Data Connectors to integrate with other Microsoft software including Microsoft Planner, and Project.
The diagram below illustrates where the Power Framework Power App sits within the Microsoft Power Platform:
The diagram below illustrates how the Power Framework Power App connects to the other Power Platform elements and Work Management tools:
Work Management
Power Framework provides several optional integrations with work management and planning tools. The aim of Power Framework is not to replace the detailed day to day planning tools that are running. Rather, the aim is that Power Framework coordinates the detailed information held elsewhere on different tools.
- Project Online
- Note: Project Online requires a dedicated PWA (Project Web App) SharePoint site.
- Project for the Web
- Note: Project for the Web has been developed as a Power Apps Solution and is deployed into the same Power Apps environment as Power Framework.
- Planner
- Microsoft DevOps
- Jira
For example, when you are working with a Power Framework Project you will specify the required Project Tool.
This will create a quick link to the tool and synchronise Milestones from the tool.
Connectors to other tools can be created on request, using Power Automate integration capabilities (see here).
Power Automate is used to develop integrations such as:
| Integration Type | Trigger | Note |
| Power Framework Planning Tool record creation |
The trigger is initiated when a Power Framework Project is moved to the Initiate stage. |
For each Power Framework Project, the user selects the associated planning tool, such as Planner, Project, or Project for the Web. Once the Power Framework Project reaches the Initiation phase in the Project workflow, the connected Planning Tool record is created in the selected tool automatically. The URL and unique ID of the connected Project/Planner/Planner for the Web record are stored in the Power Framework Project record. |
| Milestones |
This trigger is scheduled (e.g. once per day). |
Milestone Tasks in the connected work management tool are synchronised into the Power Framework Project Milestone table. This allows key events to be monitored across all connected work tools. |
Collaboration Connectors
Microsoft Teams
- Power Framework can automate the creation of Microsoft Teams or Teams channels for newly created Power Framework Projects.
Office 365
- Microsoft Excel and Word template integrations are easily configured.
Other Business Applications
- Integrations can be set up with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business software applications, such as Sales, Marketing, or Operations.
- Integrations are possible with external software that runs outside of the Microsoft 365 and Power Apps Platform. Such connectors would be required when integrations to external finance systems are required.
Microsoft SharePoint
- Setting a default SharePoint site for the Power Framework App enables you to store all documents related to a Project record.