Governance in the Power Platform is very important. It helps your organization succeed. Without good governance, you might have problems. These problems can include security issues, bad licensing management, and weak data rules. Good governance can make your processes easier. It can also improve compliance and help citizen developers.
Are you curious about starting your governance journey? What steps should you take for a smooth start? Let’s explore Power Platform Governance. We will see how to build a strong foundation.
Key Takeaways
Make a clear plan to manage data use, user roles, and app management well.
Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) rules to keep sensitive information safe and follow the law.
Set user roles to explain responsibilities and improve security in the Power Platform.
Build a Center of Excellence (CoE) to focus on governance and share best practices in your organization.
Check and update governance rules often to fit changes in your organization and the Power Platform.
Power Platform Governance Overview
What is Governance?
Governance in the Power Platform means having a clear plan. This plan makes sure you use the platform following your organization’s rules and laws. It includes setting clear rules about data use, user roles, and app management. This plan helps you keep control over data, use resources wisely, and be open about what happens on the platform.
Think of governance as the traffic rules for your Power Platform journey. Just like traffic laws keep drivers safe, governance helps you use the platform safely and effectively. Without it, you might create a messy environment where problems can happen.
Importance of Governance
Good governance is very important for many reasons. First, it stops uncontrolled app creation. When citizen developers make apps without help, your organization faces data security risks. Here are some key points to think about:
Uncontrolled App Creation: Without governance, anyone can make apps, which can cause security problems.
App Sprawl: Apps can grow quickly, making it hard to manage and track what’s being used.
Ownership Issues: If a developer leaves, their apps may not have an owner, making them useless.
Erroneous Business Flows: Wrong or broken flows can mess up business processes and hurt productivity.
Data Security Risks: Poor data management can cause breaches, putting sensitive information in danger.
The fast growth of the Power Platform without central governance leads to big management problems. IT teams often find it hard to answer simple questions about the apps and flows being used. This lack of clarity makes management harder, leading to reactive instead of proactive governance.
To avoid these issues, you should create a governance plan that includes important parts like:
Supporting management at a larger scale
Making an environment strategy
Setting up reactive governance controls
Managing the default environment
By focusing on governance, you can improve visibility, gain control, and make managing your Power Platform easier. For example, admins can check activities with weekly reports, making sure security rules are followed. This proactive way not only protects your data but also lets your users create new ideas within a safe plan.
Governance Elements
Tenant Settings
Tenant settings are very important for a safe and effective Power Platform. They help you manage how users use the platform. Here are some key tenant settings to think about:
To balance new ideas and control, check your current IT setup and security needs. This check helps you create environments like production, development, and testing, each with specific security settings. Follow these steps to set up your tenant settings:
Access Admin Settings: Go to the admin settings in the Power Platform.
Locate Tenant Settings: Find tenant-level settings for Power Pages and site visibility.
Delegate Control: Choose people or teams to manage site visibility settings.
Save Changes: Remember to save your changes to apply the new settings.
Center of Excellence
A Center of Excellence (CoE) is very important for Power Platform governance. It gives central control for managing environments and makes sure data rules are followed. Here’s how a CoE can improve your governance plan:
It combines environment monitoring, usage data, and compliance reports.
Admins can find apps that are not used much and enforce Data Loss Prevention rules.
The CoE Starter Kit gives you tools to create strong governance processes.
By encouraging teamwork among groups, the CoE helps you make governance plans easier and improve platform use.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Policies
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies are key for keeping sensitive information safe. They stop unauthorized sharing and control which connectors can be used in app building. Here are some common DLP policies:
Decide which connectors are for business and which are not.
Set rules to stop using non-business connectors with business connectors in the same app.
Regularly check and update DLP policies to deal with new risks.
DLP policies help make sure you follow standards like GDPR and HIPAA, protecting your organization’s data.
User Roles
Defining user roles is very important for good governance in the Power Platform. Each role has specific tasks that help keep order and security. Here’s a list of important user roles:
By giving clear roles and tasks, you can protect your organization’s interests and encourage teamwork.
Implementing Governance
Putting governance in place at your organization is very important. It helps you get the most out of the Power Platform. It’s not only about making rules; it’s about building a system that helps your goals and supports your users. Let’s look at how to put governance into action.
Assessing Needs
Before starting with governance, check your organization’s needs. Here’s how to do this:
Evaluate Current Policies: Review your current governance practices. Find out what works and what needs fixing.
Define Governance Objectives: Set clear goals for managing and using the Power Platform. What do you want to accomplish?
Develop Governance Policies: Write clear guidelines on how to use and manage the platform.
Establish Roles and Responsibilities: Give clear roles to people involved in governance. Who will be in charge of what?
Regularly check your policies and change them based on user activity and new features of the platform. This ongoing check makes sure your governance stays useful and effective.
Defining Processes
After checking your needs, it’s time to set up the processes for your governance work. Here are some best practices to think about:
Develop a Clear Governance Strategy: Write down your goals, roles, and policies for using the Power Platform.
Create a Dedicated Power Platform Team: Form a team to manage and support the platform. This team will help with use and make sure rules are followed.
Establish a Center of Excellence (CoE): A CoE can help set governance policies and share best practices in your organization.
Implement a Robust Security Model: Include checks, access controls, and regular audits to keep your data safe.
Monitor and Review Usage: Track data to find areas that need improvement. Regularly check how the platform is used and change your plans as needed.
By following these steps, you’ll build a strong base for governance that helps your organization’s goals.
Engaging Stakeholders
Getting stakeholders involved is key for good governance. You want everyone to feel important and informed. Here’s how to engage different groups:
Regular updates on policy changes and governance plans help keep things clear. Getting feedback helps you see challenges and successes in following governance rules.
By involving stakeholders, you create a sense of ownership and commitment to governance. This teamwork can lead to better results and a stronger Power Platform governance plan.
Resources for Support
Microsoft Documentation
When you start with Power Platform governance, Microsoft’s official documents are very helpful. They have a lot of resources to help you with best practices and how to implement them. Here are some important documents to look at:
Management at scale - Tips on managing Power Platform at a large level. Link
Establish an environment strategyIdeas for setting up environments in Power Platform. Link
Implement reactive governance controls - Details on how to set up governance controls reactively. Link
Security and governance considerationsSummary of security and governance for Power Platform.Link
Microsoft updates its documents often, so check them regularly. You want to know about the latest changes, like the removal of some features in Power Automate coming in August 2025.
Community Forums
Joining community forums can really help your governance journey. These places let you meet other users, share stories, and learn from each other. Here’s why being part of a community is important:
Collaborative Development: Tech communities help share knowledge and spark new ideas.
Support Network: You can find answers to your questions and get tips from experienced users.
Feedback Loop: Talking with others helps you see challenges and wins in governance.
Training Programs
Taking part in training programs is key for learning Power Platform governance. These programs give you the skills to set up good governance strategies. Here are some choices:
ONLC provides complete Microsoft Power Platform Certification Training, focusing on real-world uses and hands-on practice. Their programs cover important topics, getting you ready for recognized certifications at different levels.
By using these resources, you’ll boost your knowledge and keep improving your governance practices. Remember, good governance is a journey that never ends, and staying updated is very important!
In this blog, we looked at the key parts of Power Platform governance. You found out why governance is important. It helps stop problems like uncontrolled app creation and data security risks. Starting your governance journey can bring big benefits, such as:
Saving time and resources
Keep in mind, good governance helps you manage risks and encourages teamwork in your organization. Use the resources given to keep learning and improving your governance practices. Your path to a well-governed Power Platform begins today! 🚀
FAQ
What is the first step in starting Power Platform governance?
Begin by checking what your organization needs. Look at current policies, set clear goals for governance, and define roles and responsibilities. This base helps you build strong governance plans.
How often should I review my governance policies?
You should check your governance policies often, about every few months. This keeps them useful and effective as your organization and the Power Platform change.
What is a Center of Excellence (CoE)?
A Center of Excellence (CoE) is a group that leads governance efforts. It watches over environments, enforces rules, and shares best practices to improve Power Platform use in your organization.
Why are Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies important?
DLP policies keep sensitive information safe by controlling how data is shared and which connectors can be used. They help stop data leaks and make sure you follow rules like GDPR and HIPAA.
How can I engage stakeholders in governance?
Involve stakeholders by giving regular updates and asking for their feedback. Change your communication based on their interest and influence to create a sense of ownership in the governance process.