As I recently joined MIBAR team as a Power Platform consultant, my first project involved developing an internal Power Apps solution for submitting quarterly blog contents.
The goal was to replace the manual and tedious process of checking and sending each submission to the marketing team for publishing on our website with a more streamlined and agile solution. I was amazed by the powerfulness of a “low code” platform that allows organizations to create custom apps and automated processes that meet their business requirements. The task was to create a solution to maintain visibility and management of the process to ensure the employees can submit contents in time. The solution I developed allows users to submit their contents, which are then reviewed and approved – all performed within the Microsoft Teams app.
To begin, I mapped out a step-by-step plan to architecture the solution. This included identifying the data model and tools, outlining the overall submitting process, and determining triggers for automated flows. I found myself needing to inquire these questions and put myself in the end-users’ shoes to devise the most accessible and efficient solution. On a quarterly basis, an automated cloud flow is triggered to loop through the employees, generating an initial record and setting the deadline for each topic and content submission. This process then sends a reminder notification via Teams chat message. Upon accessing the app, users first submit their topic along with a brief description. Once their topic is approved, they can proceed to upload their content post. Upon approval of the content, an automated flow is triggered to email the content to the marketing team for confirmation and publication on our website. Users also have the option to request an extension by specifying the reason and number of days needed. This extension request also undergoes the approval process. Another important factor was considering psychological elements, such as simple user-friendly UI and notification alerts. Visually appealing color scheme, prominent buttons, user-friendly navigation for easier user engagement in the app were all important factors to consider.
What made the app readily accessible was its integration within the Microsoft Teams platform.
By clicking the dropdown located above the chat, the “Quarterly Content Submission” app can be launched. Since the user’s credentials have already been authenticated for app access, there is no need for a separate login process. The app navigates the user to the initial screen below, where they can submit the Topic, Description, Content File, and Keywords.
Clicking on “Submission Status” on the top left corner enables the viewing of everyone’s submission status, with the option to exclusively edit personal submissions.
The project entailed more than just creating an application. It encompassed a comprehensive understanding of the business requirements and data structure, effective communication with colleagues, ability in utilizing the tools, asking insightful questions, and most significantly, utilizing these experiences to integrate myself into the MIBAR team. With the guidance of my team, I managed to build the solution successfully despite the challenges and limited knowledge of the entire platform and its usage.
Discovering the efficiency of hosting an app within Teams, utilizing Teams messages for notifications, and linking back to the embedded app were truly fascinating. Why not implement and leverage this potent platform to enhance your business to the next level?
Let MIBAR help your business do more with Microsoft Power Apps, part of the Microsoft Power Platform that lets you easily build the business apps you need and extend or customize the apps you already use (like Microsoft Teams). Contact the MIBAR team today to get started.
