What is our primary use case?
We are an IT consulting company. We provide IT solutions to other companies.
We have had a few different requirements, one requirement was to create a simple online form that can be used by the clinics. When patients arrive, they will be given a TAB, to complete the form, which will be printed directly to the receptionist, once they complete the form.
Another application was supply chain management. Using PowerApps, we replicated the entire supply chain management. The corporate users will send the requisition to the purchasing department for review and approval, after which it will be distributed to prospective vendors.
Vendors will then submit their quotes for review. Multiple quotes can also be reviewed concurrently. This is all done with PowerApps. After they have reviewed them, they can select a vendor and process the PO.
In the third scenario, we developed a public relations system that you would find here in the UAE.
PROs must manage and obtain visa permissions in the United Arab Emirates. We have documentation with a two-year expiration date. As a result, we've developed a document management system that uses a Power Automated workflow system to view the alert and process the documents for all employees.
These are the workflows that we have worked on recently and have been created using Microsoft PowerApps and Power Automate.
What is most valuable?
Because there is no need for lengthy code, applications can be created quickly. That's the beauty of PowerApps in general, whether I'm using Power Automate or PowerApps for UI development. And the UI is very user-friendly.
When I am developing any user UI, it gives me complete flexibility. I can manage in any way I want.
It is constantly being improved. I've been using it for three years and have noticed that upgrades are happening on a regular basis, and it's becoming more and more user-friendly, both for developers and for users.
We can now also share it on Microsoft Teams. As a result, it is becoming increasingly powerful.
It is very easy to use.
What needs improvement?
A web interface is one thing that I don't see. I can create an interface for mobiles and tabs but only for PowerApps.
If you can have something like Power Web with it, that will be a classic because we are developing user interfaces, but we cannot access those user interfaces using a browser.
If we can get into that mode of publishing for the public users, which is something different, and I am not sure how that can be done, but I'm sure we can come up with something.
We occasionally have some issues where we can't grant access until and unless a user is created in Active Directory. This is something that should be worked on, and when it is, it will be powerful.
When it comes to PowerApps, debugging can be difficult at times. It would be beneficial to simplify it.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Microsoft PowerApps for three years.
We are working with the latest version.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We have not had any performance issues, or any other issues, because it is on the cloud.
We are completely satisfied with Microsoft PowerApp's stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Because almost everyone uses Office 365, it is very simple to scale Microsoft PowerApps.
Our company has five developers among its users. Our clients, on the other hand, vary; we have one client who has over 500 users.
How are customer service and support?
I've spoken with technical support, and they're fantastic. They provide you with a very good response from the moment you launch your ticket.
On a few occasions, when I launched a ticket, I receive full support and they were able to help me with everything.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use Office 365 online which includes Microsoft PowerApps, Power Automate, and Power BI.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is extremely simple for me. I am an IT professional, but it is easy, even for others.
I have worked with many who have been using other tools and when they were introduced to PowerApps, they expressed that it is amazing.
It didn't take long for me to install, only a couple of minutes, because I've been using Office 365 since 2013, but I've never used PowerApps before. I started only recently, in 2018.
One of my clients asked me to create a small app in PowerApps for him. That's where we began. I had a PowerApps application ready in a week.
We don't require any maintenance as it is on the cloud.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Microsoft's pricing is comparable with other similar solutions.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I had evaluated Mendix. We prefer Microsoft, we have used Microsoft from the beginning.
What other advice do I have?
I am a VB developer. I began my career in 1995 or 1996. I'm a die-hard VB developer, and I love PowerApps because, I used to write a lot of code, but now with PowerApps, things are so simple and easy, we can have customized applications for end users in no time at all.
Aside from standard ERP and solutions, businesses still have a high demand for customized or tailor-made user interfaces. That is where I believe PowerApps is extremely useful.
As an IT company, I would strongly recommend this solution to anyone who is interested. It is one of the best tools available. If you are a Microsoft fan, you will definitely enjoy this product.
As IT consultants we have provided support and trained a couple of customers who are using it and also enjoying it.
I would rate Microsoft PowerApps a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Microsoft Azure
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.