Imagine building robust business applications without
writing a single line of code. That's the magic of Copilot in Power Apps! This
AI-powered tool empowers both seasoned and new developers to create
sophisticated apps using natural language. We'll explore how this AI-powered
assistant can help you create, modify, and enhance your apps using simple,
everyday language, making app development more accessible and efficient for
everyone. Let's get started building your first app!
What Does it Cost to use Copilot in Power Apps?
Power Apps, a low-code development environment created by
Microsoft, is available for free to developers. However, if you want to create
apps using the Copilot in Power Apps, you'll need to upgrade to Power
Apps Premium, which is currently $20/month. A
free trial is available, which you can use to try out the example in this
article.
Creating an App with Copilot in Power Apps
To get started with Copilot in Power Apps, go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/power-platform/products/power-apps and click the Try For Free button. After you sign up for the trial, you'll be taken to the Power Apps home screen shown below:
To begin creating an app with Copilot in Power Apps, simply enter a prompt into the prompt text area. For example, you might say something like "Manage employee vacation requests."
After a moment, an app will be created. You can review what Copilot did by reading Copilot's description in the chat window on the right.
To run the app, click the Save and Open App button. Opening the app for the first time takes a minute or two, after which it will appear in Power Apps Studio.
For this app, Copilot created three screens: a welcome screen, an employee screen, and a vacation requests screen. Copilot also created two data tables (one for employees and one for vacation requests) and populated them with sample data. At this point, you can edit the screens or data tables, or you can simply click the Preview button at the top of the screen to see what you've got before you continue.
The generated app is simple, but surprisingly functional,
and it would serve as a good starting point for creating something that's more
customized to your individual needs.
Modifying Your App Using Copilot
In addition to being useful for creating apps, you can also
use Copilot in Power Apps to modify and enhance existing apps. To modify an app
in Copilot, choose one of the pre-written prompts from the Copilot sidebar. The
options are:
- Create: Useful for adding new user interface components, such as screens, buttons, or forms.
- Change: The Change prompt can be used to modify existing components of the application.
- Ask: The Ask prompt is the one to use when you want to know how to do something yourself or to get more information about making a more advanced change.
When you click one of the prompt choices, Copilot will
respond with several suggestions for things you may want to do, as shown in
Figure 6. You're not limited to these prompts, of course, but they can give you
a good idea of the types of changes Copilot in Power Apps is able to make by
itself.
When you click one of these prompts, the text of the prompt will be copied to the prompt input area at the bottom of the Copilot sidebar, where you can complete it and submit it. Although you don't have to use the prewritten prompts with Copilot in Power Apps, in my experience they tend to be more reliable than writing your own.
To test out making changes with Copilot, start with
something simple, like adding a new button. When you submit the prompt 'Add a
button', a new generic button will appear on the current screen, and copilot
will show you a confirmation message where you can choose to keep the change or
undo it.
I've found that many of the types of changes suggested by
Copilot (such as adding a button or changing the text of a label) are things
you may be able to do faster without using Copilot. It may take some
experimentation to figure out which changes are worth asking Copilot to make
and which you can make yourself.
Tips for Getting the Best Results from Copilot in Power Apps:
- Be
clear and concise: Use simple language and avoid jargon.
- Break
down complex requests: If you have a complex task, break it down into
smaller, simpler steps.
- Provide
context: The more information you give Copilot, the better it will
understand your needs.
- Don't
be afraid to experiment: Try different phrases and see how Copilot
responds.
By using natural language and providing clear instructions,
you can leverage Copilot's AI capabilities to create, modify, and enhance your
Power Apps with ease.
For customized Copilot training for your team contact us or visit our MicrosoftCopilot training course list to browse our classes. Any course can be
customized for your organization or group. We also offer live, public, online
courses that are hands-on and led by Copilot experts with real-world
experience.
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