What is Microsoft Power Platform?
Four low-code tools — Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Copilot Studio — that let UK organisations build applications, automate processes, analyse data, and deploy AI without large development teams.
Talk to a Power Platform ExpertMicrosoft Power Platform is a suite of four connected tools that sit on top of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure and let organisations solve business problems with software — without the cost and complexity of traditional application development. The four tools are Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Copilot Studio.
The "low-code" label can undersell what the platform actually does. Mid-market organisations use Power Platform to replace legacy custom software, integrate systems that were never designed to talk to each other, give managers real-time visibility into operations, and now build AI agents that interact with their business data. These are not toy projects — they're production systems running core business processes.
What makes the platform compelling is that all four tools share a common data layer (Microsoft Dataverse), a common security model, and native connectivity to the rest of the Microsoft ecosystem. A solution built across all four tools is a single, coherent system — not four separate point solutions bolted together.
At a glance
What Each Tool Does
Each tool solves a distinct problem — and because they share data, security, and connectors, combining them multiplies the value of each.
Power Apps
Power Apps lets you create purpose-built applications for web and mobile without traditional software development. Canvas apps give you a blank canvas and full design freedom. Model-driven apps build structured, data-centric experiences on top of Microsoft Dataverse — ideal for process-heavy scenarios like case management, field operations, and supplier portals.
Common use cases
- Field engineer inspection and sign-off app
- Supplier onboarding and qualification portal
- Internal project intake and approval tracker
- Warehouse goods-in mobile application
Power Automate
Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) connects your applications and services to automate repetitive work. Cloud flows run in response to triggers — a form submission, an email, a record change — or on a schedule. Desktop flows automate legacy Windows applications that have no API, using robotic process automation (RPA). With 900+ connectors, most integration work requires no custom code.
Common use cases
- Automated purchase order approvals with escalation
- Invoice extraction from email into finance system
- New customer record sync between CRM and ERP
- Daily operational reports delivered to Teams
Power BI
Power BI is Microsoft's business intelligence platform. It connects to virtually any data source — Dataverse, Dynamics 365, Excel, SQL, SharePoint, Salesforce, and hundreds more — and transforms that data into interactive dashboards and reports. Business users can explore data themselves without relying on IT for every new question. Power BI Premium and Microsoft Fabric extend it into enterprise-scale analytics.
Common use cases
- Real-time sales pipeline and forecast dashboard
- Operations KPIs across multiple sites in one view
- Financial performance vs. budget with drill-down
- Customer service SLA tracking and trend analysis
Copilot Studio
Copilot Studio (formerly Power Virtual Agents) lets you build AI-powered conversational agents and custom Copilots without machine learning expertise. Agents can answer questions from your knowledge base, trigger Power Automate flows, query Dataverse, and hand off to human agents when needed. From internal HR chatbots to customer-facing service assistants, Copilot Studio is the low-code entry point to AI in your organisation.
Common use cases
- Internal HR assistant answering policy questions
- Customer-facing order status and returns agent
- IT helpdesk first-response and ticket logging bot
- Sales team product knowledge and pricing assistant
How Power Platform Fits Into the Stack
Power Platform doesn't exist in isolation. Its value multiplies when combined with the broader Microsoft ecosystem your organisation likely already uses.
All Dynamics 365 applications are built on Dataverse — the same data platform Power Platform uses natively. This means you can extend D365 with Power Apps, automate D365 processes with Power Automate, report on D365 data with Power BI, and build AI agents over D365 data in Copilot Studio. No separate integration required.
Power Platform is woven into the M365 experience. Power Automate flows trigger from Outlook and SharePoint. Power Apps appear as tabs in Teams. Power BI reports embed in SharePoint pages and Teams channels. Users access Power Platform capabilities inside the tools they already use every day.
Power Platform runs on Azure, giving you enterprise-grade availability, security, and compliance. When you need more — Azure Functions for complex logic, Azure Service Bus for high-volume messaging, or Azure Synapse for large-scale analytics — Power Platform connects to those services natively.
Dataverse is the relational data store at the heart of Power Platform. It provides tables, relationships, business logic, role-based security, and a Web API — all shared across every Power Platform tool. Building on Dataverse means your apps, flows, reports, and agents all operate on the same consistent, governed data.
Key Benefits for Mid-Market Organisations
The case for Power Platform in a 100–2,000 person UK business isn't theoretical. These are the practical advantages that drive adoption.
Rapid time to value
Typical Power Platform solutions go from concept to production in weeks, not months. Focused delivery phases mean your teams are using working software quickly — and the business case proves itself before significant budget is committed.
Leverage what you already pay for
Power Platform licences are bundled with most Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 subscriptions. Many organisations already have access and don't realise it. Building on what you have reduces cost and keeps data within your existing governance boundaries.
One connected data layer
All four tools share Microsoft Dataverse as their native data platform. An app built in Power Apps, a flow in Power Automate, a report in Power BI, and an agent in Copilot Studio can all read from and write to the same tables — no data duplication, no synchronisation headaches.
Built-in security and compliance
Power Platform inherits Microsoft's enterprise security infrastructure — Azure Active Directory, Conditional Access, Data Loss Prevention policies, and Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels. Data stays within your Microsoft tenant and within your existing IT governance framework.
Scales with your ambition
Start with a single flow or a small team app. The same platform scales to enterprise deployments across hundreds of users, complex multi-system integrations, and mission-critical processes. Your investment compounds as you build more on the same foundation.
Bridges IT and the business
Power Platform's low-code model lets business analysts and operations leads build and iterate on solutions themselves, with IT maintaining governance and oversight. This removes the backlog bottleneck that kills most internal automation initiatives.
Power Platform in Your Sector
How UK mid-market organisations in the sectors Kompound serves are using Power Platform to solve real operational problems.
Manufacturing
- Production line quality inspection apps replacing paper checklists
- Maintenance work order management on mobile for engineers
- Supplier performance dashboards pulling from ERP and email
- Automated non-conformance reporting with escalation workflows
Distribution & Logistics
- Goods-in scanning apps integrated with warehouse management systems
- Automated proof-of-delivery confirmation and customer notification
- Real-time inventory dashboards across multiple depot locations
- Driver scheduling and route optimisation approval flows
Professional Services
- Client onboarding and engagement setup automation
- Project profitability and utilisation dashboards for partners
- Timesheet and expense approval workflows
- Knowledge base chatbot for client-facing teams using Copilot Studio
Healthcare
- Patient intake and referral tracking apps replacing paper forms
- Compliance and audit checklist apps with automatic record-keeping
- Staff rostering and leave approval flows
- Operational KPI dashboards across care settings
Financial Services
- Client due diligence and onboarding workflow automation
- Regulatory reporting dashboards with audit trail
- Internal exception management and escalation apps
- AI agent for first-line client query handling
Is Power Platform Right for You?
An honest assessment of where Power Platform excels and where its boundaries lie.
If you own a process that currently runs on spreadsheets, email chains, or paper — Power Platform can replace it with a proper app and automated workflow in weeks.
Power Platform lets business users build and maintain low-risk solutions themselves, freeing your developers for work that genuinely requires code.
You likely already have Power Platform licences included. The data, identity, and security infrastructure is already in place. The incremental cost to start is low.
Power Platform handles many scenarios traditionally solved with bespoke applications, at lower cost and faster delivery. For highly specialised or high-volume transactional systems, a hybrid approach may be more appropriate.
Power BI covers most BI and reporting needs well. For complex data engineering, very large data volumes, or advanced ML modelling, Microsoft Fabric or Azure Synapse are the right complements.
Common Questions
Is Power Platform the same as Power BI?
No — Power BI is one component of the Power Platform. The platform comprises four tools: Power Apps (application development), Power Automate (workflow automation), Power BI (business intelligence and reporting), and Copilot Studio (AI agent development). Power BI can be licensed and used independently, but it's most powerful when combined with the rest of the platform.
Do we need developers to use Power Platform?
Not for most scenarios. Power Platform is explicitly designed so that business analysts, operations leads, and technically-minded non-developers can build and maintain solutions. That said, professional developers using pro-code techniques (custom connectors, Azure Functions, PCF controls) can extend Power Platform significantly for complex requirements. The best outcomes typically come from a combination of business-led building with developer oversight and governance.
How does Power Platform licensing work?
Licensing varies by tool and usage. Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 licences include limited Power Platform seeding rights. Power Apps and Power Automate offer per-app and per-user plans for broader use. Power BI has a free tier, Pro licences for sharing, and Premium for advanced capabilities. Copilot Studio is licensed by message capacity. Microsoft's licensing model is complex and changes regularly — we always recommend a licensing review before committing to a deployment model.
What's the difference between Power Platform and SharePoint?
SharePoint is a document management and intranet platform. Power Platform is an application development and automation platform. They're complementary: SharePoint stores documents and team sites; Power Platform builds process applications on top of your business data. Power Automate can trigger from SharePoint events, and Power Apps can surface SharePoint data — but for operational business processes, Power Platform (with Dataverse) is the more capable foundation.
Can Power Platform connect to our existing systems?
Yes. Power Platform ships with over 900 pre-built connectors covering Microsoft services, popular SaaS platforms (Salesforce, SAP, ServiceNow, Google Workspace), databases, and generic protocols like REST APIs. For systems without a pre-built connector, custom connectors can be built to wrap any REST or SOAP API. On-premises data sources are accessible via the On-Premises Data Gateway.
How does Power Platform relate to Dynamics 365?
Every Dynamics 365 application is built on Microsoft Dataverse — the same data platform Power Platform uses natively. This means Power Platform tools connect to Dynamics 365 data without integration work. A common pattern is using Dynamics 365 as the operational CRM or ERP core, and Power Platform to extend it with custom apps, automate processes that span multiple systems, and report across D365 and other data sources simultaneously.
Go Deeper
Understand the components that make Power Platform work — and see how Kompound delivers Power Platform solutions for UK businesses.
Power Platform Solutions
SolutionHow we scope, build, and deliver Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Copilot Studio solutions for UK mid-market organisations.
What is Microsoft Dataverse?
GlossaryThe data platform that underpins Power Platform. Understanding Dataverse helps you understand what makes Power Platform solutions so cohesive.
Data & Analytics Solutions
SolutionHow we extend Power BI with Microsoft Fabric and Dataverse to build data intelligence platforms for organisations that need more than dashboards.
AI & Copilot Solutions
SolutionDeploying Microsoft Copilot and Copilot Studio to build AI-powered capabilities on top of your Power Platform and Dynamics 365 data.
Ready to explore Power Platform for your business?
Whether you're starting from scratch or trying to unlock more value from a Power Platform investment that hasn't delivered, our UK-based team can help you move quickly and get it right.
Our initial consultation is complimentary. We'll discuss your objectives and provide honest guidance on next steps.