How to Build Custom Solutions with Power Platform and AppSource
You can make and share custom solutions with power platform and AppSource. Microsoft says to start with AppSource first. Then use power platform next. Last, think about custom development for Dynamics 365 Business Central. Your choice is important for each business need. Look at how these choices are different:
Think about what you need as you look for the best choice for your business.
Key Takeaways
Begin with AppSource to look for ready-made solutions. This helps your business save time and money.
Use Microsoft Power Platform tools like Power Apps and Power Automate. These help you make custom solutions that fit your needs.
Plan your app development with care. Set clear goals and know what users need to build good solutions.
Update and take care of your app often after you publish it. This keeps it working well and meeting what users expect.
Get feedback from users to make your app better. Use surveys and other tools to learn what users want and make changes.
Microsoft Power Platform and AppSource
What Is Power Platform?
Microsoft Power Platform helps you make apps, automate work, and look at data. It has four main tools. Power Apps lets you build your own apps by dragging and dropping things. Power Automate helps you set up steps to do boring tasks for you. Power BI shows your business data in simple charts and reports. Power Virtual Agents lets you make chatbots that answer questions and help people. These tools work together. They help you fix problems fast and make your business better.
What Is AppSource?
AppSource is a store from Microsoft. You can find apps, add-ons, and extras for many Microsoft products. When you look in AppSource, you see apps made by Microsoft and other companies. These apps help you add new things to your business tools without building from the start. You can try apps, read what others say, and pick what works best for you.
Why Use Both?
You get the most help when you use Power Platform and AppSource together. First, look in AppSource for what you need. Many companies find what they want there. This saves time and money. If you need something special, use Power Platform to make your own solution. For example, ABN AMRO Bank and Daimler Truck used Power Platform to help customers and manage rules. If you follow the usual steps—AppSource first, then Power Platform, and last custom work—you will choose the best way for your business.
Tip: Always look in AppSource before you build something new. You might find what you need right away!
Planning with Power Apps
Identifying Needs
When you plan with power apps, look at how your business works. Focus on what you do each day, not just the tools you use. Find problems that take a lot of time or need people to do things by hand. Notice if you use paper or email to move information. These things show where power apps can help you.
Here is an easy way to find out what you need:
Pick the business process you want to make better.
Choose what data you need to gather and use.
Go through each step and see how the data moves.
Set a clear goal for your solution.
Tip: When you know what you need, you can make a power apps solution that helps your business work better.
Mapping Requirements
After you know what you need, match your needs to power apps features. Look at your current systems and see where power apps can help. Check how data moves between your systems and find ways to connect them. Decide if you need to build a custom app or use a template. Test your solution before you use it for real work.
Best Practices
You get the best results with power apps when you plan first. Set clear goals and know what your users need. Make your app easy to use and keep it the same everywhere. Build your app in small parts. Make sure your app is fast and works well. Write down what you do so you can update it later. Always keep your data safe.
Check your apps often for problems. Update your app when users give feedback. Change your app as your business changes.
Note: Careful planning with microsoft power platform helps you build a solution that grows with your business and helps you work better.
Building on Power Platform
Using Power Apps
You can make your own solution with power apps by following easy steps. First, learn about microsoft power platform. Next, find out what your business needs. Then, plan how your solution will work. Use scrum or agile ways to organize your tasks. Build your solution with power apps tools. Test your apps to see if they work right. Set up safe places to launch your apps. Always think about security and rules. Teach users how to use the new solution. Keep helping and fixing your apps as your business changes.
Learn about power platform.
Find out what your business needs.
Plan your solution.
Use scrum or agile ways to work.
Build your solution with power apps.
Test your apps for problems.
Set up safe places and launch.
Think about security and rules.
Help users learn and use the app.
Keep fixing and helping with your solution.
Tip: If you follow these steps, you will make power apps that fix real business problems and help people work better.
Integrating Power Automate
Power apps get even better when you add power automate. This helps you do tasks automatically and connect your data. You can start workflows from your apps and let power automate do the steps. This makes your business faster and easier. The table below shows how power automate helps your solution:
Note: When you connect power apps and power automate, you help your business do more and grow.
Leveraging Microsoft Power Platform Tools
There are many tools to help you build custom solutions on the platform. These tools make it easier to build, test, and launch power apps.
Power Platform CLI helps you manage places and dataverse jobs.
Power Platform Tools for Visual Studio Code let you launch solutions from your code editor.
Power Platform Tools for Visual Studio help you build plug-ins and workflows fast.
Visual Studio connected service helps you make custom connectors.
ALM developer tools help you test, launch, and control your projects.
Dataverse developer tools help you do more with your data platform.
Power Apps Test Engine (preview) lets you test canvas apps automatically.
Tip: Use these tools to build faster and keep your solution safe and strong.
AppSource Package and Publishing
Creating an AppSource Package
You need to get your appsource package ready before sharing your custom solution. This package has everything Microsoft needs to check and publish your app. You must put certain files in your package. Each file does something important. The table below shows what you need:
Check that every file is right and current. If you forget a file or use the wrong kind, your appsource package might not pass. Always check your package before moving on.
Tip: Keep all your package files in one folder. This helps you update and send your appsource package easily.
Submission Steps
You have to follow steps to send your custom appsource package. Each step helps Microsoft know about your app and checks if it follows the rules. Here is a simple guide:
Send a pre-approval to Microsoft with your company and app info.
Sign up for a Microsoft Development Center account.
Save your app name on appsource.
Make a managed solution for your product.
Build a dynamics 365 package.
Put your appsource package together.
Set up an Azure account and make a blob storage account.
Upload your appsource package to the storage account.
Make SAS (Shared Access Signature) information.
Create a new offer in the Cloud Partner Portal.
Publish your offer and wait for Microsoft to check it.
Fix problems and upload a new appsource package if needed.
Show a working demo to Microsoft.
Turn on your offer and see your app on appsource!
Plan for some time to finish these steps. The review can take a few hours or up to three business days. If your appsource package is still waiting after two days, this is normal.
Note: Always keep your package files ready. You might need to update your appsource package if Microsoft finds problems.
Certification Tips
You want your appsource package to pass the first time. You can stop common problems by following some best tips. Here are some tips to help you:
Test your custom app for bugs and speed problems before sending your package.
Make sure all info about your app is full and true.
Follow Microsoft’s design and interface rules.
Protect user privacy and do not collect extra data.
Add enough features to make your app helpful and new.
Check your package for missing files or wrong kinds.
Security is very important for your appsource package. Use audit tools in dynamics 365 to log events and keep data safe. Manage accounts and roles with care. Use server-to-server authentication for safe connections. If you connect to on-premises systems, use a data gateway. Many businesses use IP allowlisting for outbound connections, so include the whole Azure region if needed. Make sure your Azure services work in the right cloud and region.
Tip: Check your appsource package with your team before sending. A second look can find small mistakes.
If Microsoft finds problems, you can fix them and upload a new appsource package. Most rejections happen because of bugs, missing info, privacy issues, or not enough features. Take your time to check everything before you send your package.
After Publishing on AppSource
Updates and Maintenance
When your solution is on AppSource, you must keep it working well. Update your app’s listing if you change features, prices, or design. Make sure you follow Microsoft’s marketplace rules to avoid trouble. Fix problems fast if Microsoft finds them in daily tests. If you wait too long, your app might be taken off the Teams Store. Always check that your contact details in Partner Center are right so you get important news.
Here are some good ways to handle updates and maintenance:
Change your app’s listing when you update features or prices.
Check Microsoft’s rules often and make sure your app follows them.
Fix bugs and make your app better for users.
Act fast if Microsoft’s tests find any problems.
Keep your contact info correct in Partner Center.
Tip: If you want to remove your app, you can stop selling it from the Product Overview page and tell your customers.
User Feedback
User feedback helps you make your app better for everyone. You can get feedback with surveys, interviews, or support tickets. Tools like Lyssna, SurveyMonkey, Hotjar, and Zendesk help you collect and study what users say. Sort feedback into groups and match it to what users need. This helps you see what is most important. Use feedback to plan your next updates. When you make changes from feedback, tell users how their ideas helped.
Ways to use feedback:
Group feedback by themes to find big trends.
Match feedback to user needs for better understanding.
Use feedback to plan your product changes.
Turn feedback into clear actions and fixes.
Tell users about updates made from their ideas.
Note: Listening to users helps build trust and keeps them interested in your app.
Continuous Improvement
Continuous improvement keeps your solution strong and helps you compete. Focus on the most important user and system steps to make things faster. Automate tasks to save time and stop mistakes. Fix old problems and make your databases work faster. Help your team always look for ways to get better. Learn about new Power Platform features and use them to improve your app. Being on AppSource lets more people see your app and trust it. Working with Microsoft products makes your app even more reliable.
Key ways to keep doing well:
Focus on important steps for better speed.
Automate tasks to work faster.
Fix old problems and make better choices.
Make databases faster.
Help your team always try to improve.
Check new platform features often.
Fix things before they become big problems.
🚀 Publishing is just the start. Keep making your solution better to help users and stay ahead in the market.
You have lots of ways to build custom solutions. The table below shows important choices for AppSource, Power Platform, and custom development:
You can show off your business and let people try your apps. You can change your services to fit what customers want. Use Power Apps Documentation, Forums, Blog, and Gallery to learn good ways to work. Try the Power Apps Developer Plan to build and test apps for free. Join community talks to share ideas and get better at using Power Apps. 🚀
FAQ
How do you choose between AppSource and Power Platform?
You start by checking AppSource for ready-made apps. If you need something special, you build with Power Platform. You save time and money when you pick the right tool for your business.
Can you update your app after publishing on AppSource?
Yes, you can update your app anytime. You change features, fix bugs, or improve design. You follow Microsoft’s rules and keep your app listing current.
What skills do you need to build with Power Platform?
You do not need to code. You use drag-and-drop tools. You learn basic logic and data skills. You follow guides and use templates to help you build faster.
How do you get feedback from users?
You ask users with surveys, interviews, or support tickets. You use tools like SurveyMonkey or Zendesk. You group feedback and plan changes based on what users say.
Is your app safe on AppSource?
Microsoft checks every app for safety. You follow security rules and protect user data. You use audit tools and manage accounts carefully. Your app stays safe for users.