Rachel Profitt, Jason Green, Chris Garty, Sunil Garg, Murali Kumanduri, Vasavi Bhaviri Setty

August 20, 2020

Using the Power Platform to Extend Finance and Operations AppsPart 1: Use Cases and Recommended Practices

11

Rachel ProfittRachel.Profitt@Microsoft.comSr. FastTrack Solution Architect

Twitter: @rachelprofittwww.linkedin.com/in/rachelprofittwww.dynamics365lady.com

2

Objectives

• Describe use cases for Power Automate with Finance and

Operations apps.• Describe use cases for Power Apps with Finance and Operations

apps.• Describe use cases for Power Virtual Agents with Finance and

Operations apps.• Describe use cases for leveraging the Common Data Model and

Common Data Service with Finance and Operations apps.• Review DO's and DON'Ts for Application Lifecycle Management

of Power Platform Components with your Finance and

Operations

3

Common Data Service

Dual Write

Tightly coupled, bi-directional, near real-time integration

Virtual Entities

Your F&O data in the Common Data Service

Data Integrator

Point-to-point asynchronous integration

Industry Accelerators

Industry specific components to help you build vertical solutions quickly

4

Dual Write

Overview

• Tightly coupled, near real-

time, bidirectional

integration

• Common data automatically

flows to CDS

• No-code/Low-code principle

• Online and offline mode

Managing Dual Write

• Customize entity and field

mappings

• Error management

• Alert settings

• Change legal entities for

mapping

CDS Changes

• Decimal data type to replace

money data type

• Date effectivity

• More currency and exchange

rate support

• Unit conversions

Links Dual Write Home Page ALM for Dual Write Dual Write TechTalk 5

Virtual Entities

Benefits

• No copying of data

• No code/low-code extensions

• Create Power Apps

• Create Power Automate Flows

• Create Power Virtual Agents

Examples for F&O Users

• Create a Power App to make

data entry more simplified

• Create app experiences with bar

code scanning and picture taking on a device

• Trigger Power Automate flows

for emails or automation

Examples for CE Users

• View credit information such as

credit limits, collection letters,

and so on.

• View product or inventory information.

• View asset maintenance

information or fixed asset

details.

Links Finance and Operations Virtual Entities FAQ 6

Data Integrator Use Cases

Data Integrator Platform

• Templates

• Projects

• Connection Set

• Mappings

Field Service Integration

• Accounts CE-> F&O

• Products F&O -> CE

• Work Orders CE -> F&O

• Invoices F&O -> CE

• Agreement Invoice CE-> F&O

Prospect to Cash Integration

• Sales CE-> F&O

• Products F&O -> CE

• Contacts CE -> F&O

• Sales Quotes CE -> F&O

• Orders CE -> F&O

• Invoices F&O -> CE

Links Integrate data into the CDS Prospect to cash Field service integration 7

Industry Accelerator Use Cases

Automotive

• Entities like deals, fleet,

warranties, and test drives

• Includes data model, Power BI,

Canvas app, and Model-Driven app samples

Insurance

• Entities like property, casualty,

and life insurance

• For both producer and agency

management

• Includes data model, sample

apps, and dashboards

• Integrates with D365 Sales

Banking

• Entities like banks, branches,

loans, and financial products

• Includes data model, sample

apps, and dashboards

Links Automotive Accelerator Banking Accelerator Insurance Accelerator 8

Industry Accelerator Use Cases

Healthcare

• Entities like patient, practitioner,

and related person

• Includes data model, sample

apps, and dashboards

K-12

• Entities like students, educator,

donors, behavior management,

attendance

• Includes data model, parent and student portal, sample apps,

and dashboards

Higher Education

• Entities like students,

internships, scholarships, grants,

and accomplishments

• Includes data model, student portal, sample apps, and

dashboards

Links Healthcare Accelerator Higher Education Accelerator K-12 Education Accelerator 9

Industry Accelerator Use Cases

Nonprofit

• Entities like constituent

management, fundraising,

awards, program delivery, and

impact tracking

• Includes data model, 8 model-

driven apps, dashboards, data

integrator templates

Media and Communications

• Entities like event and venues,

sports management, ticketing,

advertising, sponsorships, guest

interactions, and loyalty programs

• Includes data model, 5 model-

driven sample apps, sample

portal, and dashboards

Manufacturing

• Entities like supplier

onboarding, API onboarding,

supplier management console

• Includes data model, sample portal, sample apps, and

dashboards

Links Nonprofit Accelerator Manufacturing Accelerator Media and Communications Accelerator 10

Power Automate

Low-Code/No-Code solution to help you

build workflows between your favorite

applications

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Purchase requisition

submitted

Approval to multiple

people

Send email and add to

Teams site

Update Purchase

requisition as Approved

Power Automate Use Case: Workflow

Purchase Requisition Workflow

When to use:

• You want the approvers to be able to approve

directly from their email.

• Additional actions are needed when it is approved.

Considerations:

• All workflows are supported

• Must validate the work items – Execute Action:

Validate

• Must complete the work items – Execute Action:

Complete

Links Workflow Business Events Business Events and Workflow Approvals 12

Power Automate Use Case: Alert Rules

Update SharePoint Metadata

Attach File in F&O

Request W4 from Vendor

Vendor CreatedWhen a Vendor is Created Alert Rule

When to use:

• Interaction from non system users required.

• Update other systems.

• Notifying people with richly formatted emails.

Considerations:

• Only one flow can trigger alert rules – use a switch

statement

Links Alerts as Business Events Business Events and Power Automate If and Switch Functions 13

Power Automate Use Case: Instant (Button) Flow

New Product is Launched Button Flow

When to use:

• Repetitive tasks

• Cannot create an alert

• No data entity exists

Considerations:

• Must manually click Flow button to start

• Must share or invite others to the flow to use

• New Automate menu coming to F&O soon

Flow button is

clicked

Input for

product ID

Folder createdTemplates

duplicated

Email sentTeams channel

updated

Links Introducing Instant Flows Instant Flows with User Input Share Button Flows 14

1

• A schedule is started in 3rd party retail software

2

• Retail workers and shifts are retrieved from F&O

3

• Approval process is done in Power Automate

Power Automate Use Case 4: Inbound Flows

Get a Record

• You can use Power Automate to query

records in any public entity.

• Use OData filters, sorting, and other

query actions.

Create a Record

• You can create new records on public

entities*

• You can delete existing records in public

entities*

• Must pass all required fields, and the

record is validated.

1

• Test results are recorded in an external lab management systems

2

• The related quality order is updated with the test results

3

• Quality orders are validated, and inventory blocking is released

1

• A new contract is won in an

external system

2

• Create a new project in

F&O

3

• Send an email to project

team about the new project

Update a Record

• You can update existing records in public

entities*

• Pass any fields on the Entity.

Manufacturing Lab Test Results

LinksDynamics 365 for Finance and Operations Connector 15

Power Automate Use Cases: OData Actions

1. Create a Flow and add a step.

2. Search for Dynamics 365 Fin & Ops Connector.

3. Select Execute action.

Custom OData Actions

• Decorate with [SysODataActionAttribute}

• Can optionally take parameters

4. Select the Instance.

5. Select the Action.

6. Enter additional attributes as required.

Links Actions on OData Entities Build and Consume Data Entities

In this example, you can see the

Bill of Materials Header – Approve

action.

This actions approves the BOM

that you pass in with the personnel number you pass in.

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Power Automate Use Cases: Custom Business Events

Automate Production Processes

• When a production order is started…

• When a production order is finished…

• When a BOM is approved…

Automate Procurement

• When a purchase requisition is approved…

• When a purchase order is received…

• When a vendor invoice posted…

Automate Month End

• When a period is closed

• When a task is completed/created

• When a consolidation is performed

• When a journal is posted

Links Business Events Developer Documentation Business Events Use Cases 17

Once a day, hour, or minutes

On a date that you specify

After a number of days, hours or minutes

Power Automate Use Cases: Scheduled Flows

Automate Quality Processes

1. Twice a day, create new quality order tests

2. Every hour, update quality order statuses

Process a List of Items

1. Check customer credit limits once per day.

2. Check status of journals once per week.

3. Check for timesheets at the end of each day.

Automate Month End

1. Copy month end tasks to Teams on specific day

of month

2. Automatically perform actions at a specific date

and time.

Links Run Flows on a Schedule Alerts as Business Events 18

UI Flow Use Cases

When a quality order is generated – Create

lab test in external lab management system

Recruiting system hires a worker from a

referral – create worker and referral bonus

When a Voucher is Posted – Post in Other ERP

Links Introduction to UI Flows Setup UI Flows Use WinAutomation with UI Flows 19

Power Apps

Canvas Apps

Low-Code/No-Code drag and drop

approach to app development

Model-Driven Apps

Component focused approach to App Development

Power Apps Portals

Low-Code/No-Code approach to build

external web site development

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Canvas Apps Use Cases

Embed into a workspace

• Employee referral program

• Customer onboarding and credit

application

• Quality order test result entry

Launch from Power Apps button

• IT help desk or case management app

• Employee/project feedback app

• Sales rep capture app for the field

Embed into a FastTab

• Show MES information for a Production

order

• Show contract information for a Project

• Show telephony information on Customer

Service dashboard

Links Embed Power Apps 21

New Product Setup

• External database• Look up prices and discounts

• Get the description and details • Sets up the product through Power Automate

• Create the product

• Create the released product• Use the product on the order immediately

• Create the order• Create the released product

Create order

Product does not

exist

Create product

Add product to

order

Links Start a Flow in a Canvas App 22

AP Invoice Automation

• Power Automate looks for emails• Determines the vendor and form recognizer to

use

• Pulls the invoice into the CDS • Power App

• Shows side by side view• Power Automate to approve

• Route for review and approval

Links AP Invoice Automation Starter Kit 23

Model Driven Apps Use Cases

Retail

• B2B or custom orders app

• Sales rep quality inspection app

• Self-service app/kiosk

Service Industry

• Project contract app

• Site inspection app

• Customer prototyping app

Manufacturing

• Shop floor monitoring app

• Scheduling app

• Quality assurance app

Links 24

Power Apps Portals Use Cases

Customer Portal

• B2B Portal

• Create orders

• Look up orders

Employee Portal

• Company pulse/social media

feed

• Company and employee

resources

• Request system for HR and IT

Vendor Portal

• Vendor application

• EDI configuration portal

• Pricing and product portal

Links Customer Portal for D365 SCM 25

Visit a Business Solution

Your SOCIAL DISTANCING

solution to get to your new

“normal” in the office.

• Branch Admin: Power Apps Model

Driven app to administer the requests

• Booking App: Power Apps Canvas app

for office personnel to book visits on

behalf of customers

• Branch App: Power Apps Canvas app for

monitoring visitors

• Power Portal:: Power Apps Portal for

customers to book their visit.

Links Booking App Example 26

Power Virtual Agents

Power Virtual Agents is the present and future of Conversational User Interface for Business Applications.

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Commerce Chat with Power Virtual Agents

❑ Configure chat experience in eCommerce with retailer

branding

❑ Configure this as proactive chat experience that shows up on

specific criteria

•On specific pages – specific product pages, moving between

specific pages

•Based on number of visits

•Location based

•Visibility based on data range

•Number of items in cart, cart value

•Trigger specific topic directly based on context

❑ Customer context passed directly to Power Virtual Agents

❑ Power Virtual Agents Content Pack with headless Commerce

API’s using Power Automate

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Power Virtual Agents Use Case – Procure to Pay

1

2

3

4

5

6

REQUISITIONConsumablesBy category

From catalog/punch out

APPROVALEmail

BrowserMobile

PURCHASE ORDERFrom PlanningFrom RFQ/Bid

Manual

ASNReceive Ship Notification

3 WAY MATCHEDI

RECEIVECapture quality

Landed cost

S

Negotiate/Confirm PO

S

Invoice

S S

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Power Virtual Agents Use Cases

Employee Chat Bot

• Embed as part of Employee Self Service

Portal

• Ask questions about HR, procurement,

benefits and T&E

Vendor facing chatbot

• Embed as part of Vendor Portal

• Answer queries on Vendor onboarding, terms,

good receipts, invoice matching and payments30

Power Virtual Agents Use Cases - Continued

Business to Business Customer Portal

• Embed as part of Customer Portal

• Address question on payments, onboarding, products pricing etc.

• Business using Virtual Agents and Power Automate to send proactive messages on

overdue collections

Links Customer Portal for D365 SCM

Quality Management Example

• Embed as third-party app in SCM

• Embed in a Power App

• Ask questions about quality test results

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Mixed Reality

Dynamics 365 Remote Assist

Empower technicians to collaborate more efficiently by

working together from different locations with Dynamics 365

Remote Assist on HoloLens, Android, or iOS devices.

Dynamics 365 Guides

Help employees learn new skills faster with Dynamics 365

Guides on HoloLens devices—no coding required.

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Dynamics 365 Remote AssistBreaking Through Barriers for Digital Transformation

Onboarding new

generation of employees

Transferring knowledge

from aging workforce

Reducing turnover of

contractors

Integrating relevant data

into existing workflows

Connected data from

IoT devices

Training employees on

complex tasks

Reducing time to fix or

maintain equipment

Keeping employees safe

on the job

Complexity of

machines & systems

Multiple data

systems

Changing

workforce

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Dynamics 365 Remote Assist Use Cases

Commerce – Contactless Shopping and

Service

• Collaborate with store personnel for

purchasing help

• Collaborate with Service Technician for

Customer Service

Field Service/Asset Management

• Collaborate with back office personnel

• Integrate with IoT data and devices

• Integrate data into existing workflows

and business processes

Internal Quality/Production Outage

• Collaborate with remote personnel

• Monitor and adjust safety procedures

• See what’s happening on the floor real-

time

• Train users on new equipment

Links Overview of Remote Assist Setup for Remote Assist Remote Assist on the HaloLens 34

Integrate Asset Management with Dynamics 365 Guides

1• Configure Dual Write

2• Flight MRGuidesFeature

3• Enable Config Keys

4• Setup guides

Setup Process

Links Integrate Asset Management Guides Setup Dynamics 365 Guides 35

Integrate Asset Management with Dynamics 365 Guides

1

• Use the PC to create a guide

• Use the HoloLens to place holograms

2

• Create a Maintenance checklist

template

3• Link the guide to the template

4• Create and process work orders

Configuration Process

Links Authoring Guides on a PC Authoring Guides on the HoloLens 36

Extension Scenarios with Dynamics 365 Guides

Quality Order Guides

• Extension to add guides to tests or test groups

• Extension to see guides from the quality order

Manufacturing Execution Guides

• Extension to add Guides to the operation instructions

• Extension to see guides from the job card device

Links Integrate Asset Management Guides User Interface Development 37

Dynamics 365 Customer Voice

Formerly Forms Pro

Gather and track the customer metrics that matter

to your business based on survey data, and then

rapidly act as insights surface—all with

Dynamics 365 Customer Voice.

38

Dynamics 365 Customer VoiceSimple-yet-powerful feedback management solution

Power BI Power Automate Power AppsDynamics 365

Customer Voice39

Customer Voice Order Satisfaction Use Case

Collect Data

• Ask about shipping quality

• Ask about product quality

• Net promoter scores

Automate Processes

• Notify product and shipping

managers when there is a

problem

• Send surveys automatically

• Integrate with Power Automate

Analyze Data

• Analyze customer sentiment

• Review individual responses

• Analyze trends

Links Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Overview Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Documentation Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Blog 40

Customer Voice Quality Check Use Case

Automation Experience

✓ Use Power Automate to

automatically send from

a CRUD update on a

virtual entity

✓ Create a business event

and use Power

Automate

✓ Create a button

extension to call custom

logic

✓ Automatically update

F&O with response data

Embedding Experiences

✓ Embed as a third-party

web app through

Personalization

✓ Embed in a Model-

Driven Power App

✓ Add a link to a

workspace

✓Mash up survey results

with F&O data with

Power BI

Check for quality on

delivered services

Validate project

performance

Gather feedback for

an assessment

Links Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Overview Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Documentation Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Blog 41

Customer Voice Employee Satisfaction Use Case

Automation Experience

✓ Use Power Automate

from a CRUD on the

CDS

✓ Create an Alert rule to

trigger a Power

Automate

✓ Automatically update

HR with response data

✓Mash up survey results

with HR data with

Power BI

Embedding Experiences

✓ Embed as a third-party

web app through

Personalization

✓ Embed in a Model-

Driven Power App

✓ Add a link to a

workspace

Annual pulse about

benefits

Self evaluation for

performance

Quarterly feedback

check about manager

Links Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Overview Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Documentation Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Blog 42

Application Lifecycle Management

43

EnvironmentsEnvironments are containers that administrators can use to manage apps, flows, connections, and other

assets; along with permissions to allow organization users to use the resources

Azure AD Tenant

Environments

44

Environment – Key facts

Tied to geographic location

Target different audiences

Every tenant has Default

Non-default have greater control

Links Power Platform Admin Center Environment Overview Create Environments 45

Establishing an Environment Strategy

Links Establish and Environment Strategy Change Environment Types Automation of Admin Tasks

Assign admins the Power Platform Service admin

role

Restrict the creation of new environments to

admins.

Treat the default environment as a ‘Personal

productivity’

Establish a process for requesting access or

creation of environments.

• Environments for specific business groups or

applications

• Individual-use environments for POCs and

trainings

46

PACKAGE AND MAINTAIN

COMPONENTS

CREATED AND AUTHORED

BY A PUBLISHER

MANAGED UNMANAGED

Solutions

Data ModelEntities

Attributes

Forms

Views

Charts

Relationships

Global Option Sets

User InterfaceModel Apps

Canvas Apps

Web Resources

PCF Controls

Dashboards

Sitemap

Dialogs

Process/CodeAssemblies

Custom Activities

Plug-ins

Workflow Definitions

Flows

Workflow

Business Process

Rules

OtherReports

Templates

Security Roles

FLS Profiles

System Settings (transport only)

Virtual Entities

App Modules

Links Solutions Overview Create Solutions Solution Checker 47

Solution DO’s and DON’Ts

DO’s

✓ Use the same publisher in all solutions

✓ Include only changed assets

✓ Use source control

✓ Ship managed solutions

✓ Automate your ALM

✓ Use the Solution Checker

✓ Use the Solution Packager

DON’Ts

✓ Use the default publisher

✓ Use multiple publishers

✓ Include the entire entity

✓ Click add all assets button

✓ Use unsupported customization techniques

Links Customization Concepts DO’s and DON’Ts Solution Checker Solution Packager Tool 48

Power Platform Build Tools for Azure DevOps

Automate common build and deployment tasks

• provisioning/de-provisioning of environments

• synchronization of solutions

• generate build artifacts

• deploy to downstream environments

• run the solution checker

Links Power Platform Build Tools Download Power Platform Build Tools Overview ALM TechTalk

INSTALL BUILD PIPELINE TO EXPORT FROM DEV

BUILD PIPELINE TO GENERATE

BUILD ARTIFACT

RELEASE PIPELINE TO DEPLOY TO

PRODUCTION

49

Create

Repo

Export

Unmanaged

Unpack

Solution

Check in

to source

Provision

Environment

Deploy

Dependencies

Pack Source

Code fromRepo

Import

Solution

Run Unit

Test

Run Solution

Checker

Export

Solution

Unpack to

Repo

Run Solution

Checker

Pack Solution

Run

Integration Test

Run Unit

Test

Import as

unmanaged

Increment

Version

Export

Managed

InitiateGetting started, faster

BuildBuild and walk away

ReleaseAutomated, Predictive, Repeatable

ALM Powered by Azure DevOps

50

Upcoming Sessions in the Series

Get registered now https://learning.eventbuilder.com/TechTalkPowerPlatformSeriesFY21

Part 2: The Common

Data Service

September 9/10th

Part 3: Power

Automate

September 23/24

Part 4: UI Flows

October 7/8th

Part 5: Power Apps-

Canvas Apps

October 21/22nd

51

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Thank you!

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Please visit https://experience.dynamics.com/ideas/ to share and upvote.

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Appendix of Resources

53

Power Automate Resources

Documentation• 6 Tracks

• 100’s of pages

Learn Power Automate• 6 Learning Paths

• 31 Modules

• 2 Certifications

Videos• 50+ videos

• 8 Playlists

• Subscribe and collaborate

54

Power Apps Resources

Documentation• 6 Tracks

• 100’s of pages

Learn Power Apps• 22 Learning Paths

• 78 Modules

• 4 Certifications

Videos• 150+ videos

• 10 Playlists

• Subscribe and collaborate

55

Power Virtual Agents Resources

Documentation• 6 Tracks

• 100’s of pages

Videos• 15+ videos

• 4 Playlists

• Subscribe and collaborate

Training

• PVA in a day

• Best Practices and sessions

from MBAS

56

Common Data Service Resources

Documentation• 9 Major Topics

• 100’s of pages

Learn CDS• 3 Learning Paths

• 23 Modules

• 2 Certifications

57

Industry Accelerators Resources

Documentation• Industry Accelerators Docs

• Blog

AppSource• Automotive

• Education

• Financial services

• Healthcare

• Manufacturing

• Media and communications

• Nonprofit

GitHub• Automotive

• Education

• Financial services

• Healthcare

• Manufacturing

• Media and communications

• Nonprofit

58

Mixed Reality Resources

Documentation• Dynamics 365 Guides

• Dynamics 365 Product Visualize

• Dynamics 365 Remote Assist

• 3D Content Guidelines

Learn• Learn Remote Assist

• Product Visualize Blog

• Guides Blog

Videos• Remote Assist YouTube

• Guides YouTube

59

Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Resources

Documentation• 5 Tracks

• 50+ pages

Learn Customer Voice• 1 Learning Paths

• 6 Modules

• 2 Certifications

60

Power Platform Administration Resources

Administer Power Platform

Documentation

• 20+ Sections

• 100’s of pages

Center of Excellence Starter Kit

• Set up guidance

• What’s includes

• How to guidance

ALM with Power Platform

• 5 Sections

• 50+ pages

• Scenario-based

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