Canvas apps have always been known for rapid development using a low-code, drag-and-drop approach. However, even with this speed, developers still spend a significant amount of time on repetitive UI building, writing Power Fx formulas, and refining logic manually.

Microsoft has recently introduced support for external AI-powered development tools for Canvas Apps. This allows developers and business users to work with AI-assisted tooling outside the traditional Power Apps Studio experience. Using external tools such as GitHub Copilot, AI agents, and Power Platform skills, users can now generate Canvas App structures, layouts, and workflows using natural language prompts.

This blog explores the setup experience, the architectural shift introduced by these tools, and most importantly how AI-assisted Canvas App generation can significantly accelerate development and provide a strong starting point for projects.

Key Takeaways

• Generate Canvas Apps using natural language prompts with external AI-powered tools.
• AI agents can automatically create screens, navigation, and basic app logic.
• Reduce manual setup and accelerate development with GitHub Copilot and Power Platform skills.
• Sync generated changes directly to live Canvas Apps through coauthoring.
• Ideal for rapid prototyping and app scaffolding, while complex logic still requires developer expertise.

Overview

The introduction of external AI tooling for Canvas Apps represents a major change in the Power Platform ecosystem. Instead of relying completely on drag-and-drop development inside the browser, users can now interact with AI agents capable of understanding application requirements and generating app structures automatically.

The workflow combines:

• GitHub Copilot and AI-assisted coding tools
• Power Platform skills and AI agents
• Local CLI-based tooling
• Canvas App source generation
• Natural language prompts

This creates a development experience that feels closer to modern software engineering workflows rather than traditional low-code configuration.

One of the most interesting aspects of this approach is that the AI system is no longer behaving like a simple chatbot. Instead, it works through

specialized agents such as:

• canvas-app-planner
• canvas-screen-builder

These agents understand specific Power Platform concepts and can generate app scaffolding, screen layouts, navigation structures, and other components based on user instructions.

Prerequisites and Setup

Before working with external AI tools for Canvas Apps, several prerequisites must be configured locally.

Required Tools

The following components are required:

• .NET SDK 10+
• GitHub CLI
• Git installation
• Power Platform CLI
• GitHub Copilot access
• Power Apps environment access

These tools provide the local runtime, authentication, AI integration, and Power Platform connectivity required for AI-assisted Canvas App generation.

You also need to have Environment ID and Canvas App ID (if you need to modify in an existing app).

Installing the Power Platform Skills Plugin

To enable Canvas App generation capabilities, the Power Platform Skills marketplace plugin must be installed.

The following commands can be executed using either:

• Copilot CLI
• Claude Code

Step 1 – Add the Power Platform Skills Marketplace

/plugin marketplace add microsoft/power-platform-skills

Step 2 – Install the Canvas Apps Plugin

/plugin install canvas-apps@power-platform-skills

After installation, restart the CLI session to load the newly added skills:

/restart

Once restarted, the environment exposes specialized AI agents and skills capable of assisting with Canvas App generation and screen creation.

Enabling Coauthoring for Canvas Apps

To use AI-assisted capabilities with Canvas Apps, coauthoring must be enabled for the application.

This can be configured inside Power Apps Studio:

Power Apps Studio

→ Settings

→ Updates

→ Enable Coauthoring

Without coauthoring enabled, the AI tooling cannot properly interact with the Canvas App source.

Connecting to the Power Platform Environment

Before generating apps, authentication with the target Power Platform environment is required.

Run the following command:

pac auth create –environment <your_environment_url>

This establishes the connection between the AI tooling and the Power Platform environment.

The environment ID is also required so the AI agents can correctly identify the target instance during app generation.

Initializing the Canvas App AI Workflow

Once the setup is complete, the Canvas App workflow can be initialized using:

/canvas-apps:canvas-app

This configures the MCP server connection and prepares the environment for AI-assisted Canvas App creation.

After initialization, users can begin generating app structures, screens, and workflows using natural language prompts.

Implementation

Instead of starting with a blank canvas and designing every screen from scratch, you can now just describe what you want in plain English. Something like:

“Create a LeadBoard showing all leads in card format. Clicking a card should open a qualification form where I can enter a score and add notes, with an option to save.”

That is all it takes to get started.

After you submit the prompt, the AI agent gets to work. It reads your requirement, checks the necessary connections, and starts building the app for you. One thing I really liked about this experience is that you can actually watch it work in real time, you are not just staring at a loading screen waiting for something to appear.

What surprised me is that the agent does not just guess and generate. If your prompt is missing something, it asks. It might check whether you have a preferred layout in mind, whether the data is already set up, or how many screens you need.

This means even a rough prompt gets you a decent result. The agent fills in the blanks by asking the right questions, so you are not stuck fixing a broken app just because you forgot to mention something upfront. The experience feels less like using a conventional tool and more like interacting with a partner that understands your objectives and provides meaningful assistance beyond basic commands.

Once everything is confirmed, it generates the screens, sets up the navigation, connects the data source, and puts together the basic app logic. Within a few minutes you have something you can actually open and use, not just a wireframe or a demo.

The results were better than I expected. Once the files were ready, the CLI compiled them and pushed the changes directly into the live app through coauthoring – the LeadBoard appeared in Power Apps Studio in real time without any manual copying or pasting. The card layout came through cleanly, showing each lead’s name, company, and source.

During the generation process, the AI asked whether a search bar should be included. We confirmed yes, and it handled the rest. It is a small thing but it reflects how the agent approaches requirements, it does not assume, it asks, and then it delivers exactly what was agreed.

The qualification screen came through the same way, compiled and synced live. A form with a score input, a notes field, and a Save button that writes back to the Lead record in Dataverse.

This is where AI-assisted Canvas App development really shows its value. Business users can take an idea and turn it into a working app quickly, without needing a developer involved from day one.

That said, there is a limit to what the AI handles well. If your app needs complex business logic, external integrations, security controls, or needs to scale across an enterprise, you will still need a developer in the loop. But the AI gives you a solid starting point. The boring setup work, scaffolding screens, wiring up navigation, connecting data, is done for you. Developers can jump straight into the parts that actually need their expertise.

Wrapping Up

The biggest takeaway from this experience is not that AI can generate a Canvas App for you. It is that it gives you a real starting point you can actually work from.

When I started this, I expected the AI to handle most of the heavy lifting. What I got instead was a collaboration, I described what I wanted, the agent generated a foundation, and then the real work began. Fixing YAML schema errors, figuring out the right control types, getting the Gallery variant string correct, iterating on the card design, none of that was automatic. But I was doing it on top of something that already existed, which is fundamentally different from staring at a blank canvas.

For business users, this matter because they can now describe an idea in plain English and get something tangible back within minutes. They do not need a developer just to see what an app might look like.

For developers, the value is different. The scaffolding, screens, navigation, basic data connections, is handled. You come in for the parts that actually need your skills: the business logic, the integrations, the performance tuning, the governance. The repetitive setup work that used to eat the first day of any project is largely gone.

That said, AI tooling for Canvas Apps is still maturing. The YAML schema is strict, control type strings are version-specific, and the gap between what the agent generates and what Studio actually accepts requires hands-on debugging. Knowing the platform well is still a prerequisite for getting the most out of these tools, not a nice to have.

Canvas App development is moving toward an AI-assisted engineering workflow. We are not there yet, but projects like this make it clear the direction is set.

The post AI-Assisted Canvas App Development Using External Tools in Power Apps first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Customers no longer wait for emails, and businesses can no longer afford delayed responses. Enterprises operating across multiple regions need a unified, real-time communication system that connects WhatsApp Business conversations directly with CRM intelligence.

This is exactly where WhatsApp4Dynamics transforms customer engagement, by bringing WhatsApp conversations directly into Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, enhanced with automation, AI assistance, and structured session management for marketing and service communication.

Key Takeaways

• Centralize all WhatsApp Business conversations directly inside Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
• Improve agent productivity with AI-powered assistance, smart replies, and automated workflows
• Separate marketing and utility conversations for better compliance, tracking, and analytics
• Automate lead routing, campaign messaging, and customer engagement at scale
• Deliver faster, more personalized customer communication across regions and teams
• Improve campaign response rates while reducing manual communication effort
• Manage high-volume WhatsApp operations from a unified CRM-driven communication platform

The Challenge: Scaling WhatsApp Communication Across Global Operations

Large, multi-region organizations often face a common set of communication challenges:

Global customer engagement through WhatsApp becomes difficult when:

• Multiple WhatsApp Business numbers are used across regions
• Conversations are scattered across tools and teams
• Marketing and service messages are mixed in the same thread
• High-volume campaigns overwhelm agents
• Lead qualification and routing slow down conversion cycles
• Compliance with WhatsApp messaging policies becomes harder to manage

Without a unified CRM-driven system, teams struggle with visibility, consistency, and speed of response.

The Solution: WhatsApp4Dynamics Inside Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM

To overcome these challenges, the organization implemented WhatsApp4Dynamics, a powerful integration that embeds WhatsApp Business directly into Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, enabling end-to-end conversation management.

Instead of managing WhatsApp through disconnected applications, teams were able to handle customer conversations, automate workflows, and track engagement directly within Dynamics 365 CRM.

This transformed WhatsApp from a standalone messaging platform into a structured, CRM-driven communication channel that supported sales, marketing, and customer service operations at scale.

Key Capabilities Implemented

1. Centralized WhatsApp Conversation Hub in CRM

All WhatsApp chats were managed directly inside Dynamics 365 CRM, allowing agents to:

• View complete conversation history
• Respond without switching applications
• Link chats to CRM records (Lead, Contact, Case, Opportunity)
• Maintain full customer context in every interaction

2. AI-Powered Engagement with InoWiz Copilot

To improve response quality and speed, InoWiz Copilot AI was integrated, enabling:

• Sentiment analysis (Positive, Neutral, Negative)
• AI-generated chat summaries
• Smart reply suggestions
• Context-aware response assistance
• Knowledge article recommendations
• AI-driven CRM record creation suggestions

This significantly reduced agent workload while improving response accuracy and consistency.

3. Marketing vs Utility Session Separation

One of the most impactful enhancements was the ability to separate conversations into:

• Marketing Sessions → Automated campaigns, journeys, promotional messaging
• Utility Sessions → Customer service, support, operational communication

This ensured:

• Cleaner conversation history
• Better analytics on campaign performance
• Compliance with WhatsApp messaging guidelines
• Improved customer experience with reduced message clutter

4. Automated WhatsApp Marketing Workflows

Using Dynamics 365 Workflows and Customer Insights – Journeys, businesses were able to:

• Trigger WhatsApp messages for campaigns
• Send order updates and reminders automatically
• Run personalized, event-based messaging at scale

Marketing messages were delivered at the right time, without manual effort.

5. Intelligent Chat Routing and Assignment

To handle high message volumes efficiently, the system introduced:

• Keyword-based routing for high-intent leads
• Automatic chat assignment to available agents
• Team-based workload distribution
• Chat reassignment and escalation workflows

This ensured faster response times and improved lead conversion rates.

6. Pre-Chat and Post-Chat Questionnaires

Structured questionnaires were deployed to:

• Collect customer intent before agent interaction
• Route conversations intelligently
• Gather feedback after support sessions
• Auto-update CRM fields for better profiling

This turned every conversation into structured, actionable CRM data.

7. Opt-In and Compliance Management

To ensure regulatory compliance and customer trust, the system supported:

• Single and Double Opt-In flows
• Keyword-based subscription and unsubscription handling
• Consent tracking integrated with CRM and journeys
• Automated opt-in/out record creation

This ensured marketing messages were sent only to opted-in users.

The Results: Measurable Impact Across Engagement and Efficiency

After implementing WhatsApp4Dynamics, the organization achieved significant improvements:

Business Outcomes

• 38%–50% WhatsApp campaign response rates
• Faster lead qualification and routing
• Improved agent productivity with centralized chat handling
• Scalable WhatsApp operations across multiple regions
• Better visibility into marketing vs service engagement

Operational Improvements

• Reduced manual workload through automation
• Faster customer response times
• Improved conversation tracking and CRM alignment
• Consistent messaging across global teams

Why WhatsApp4Dynamics Works for Modern Enterprises

WhatsApp4Dynamics is more than a basic messaging integration. It helps organizations turn WhatsApp Business into a connected, CRM-driven communication channel within Microsoft Dynamics 365.

By combining WhatsApp communication, automation, and AI-powered assistance inside CRM, businesses can manage customer engagement more efficiently across sales, marketing, and support operations.

With WhatsApp4Dynamics, organizations can:

• Centralize WhatsApp Business communication directly inside Dynamics 365 CRM
• Automate customer journeys, notifications, and campaign messaging
• Improve agent productivity with AI-powered assistance and smart response suggestions
• Separate marketing and customer service conversations for better organization and compliance
• Manage high-volume customer communication more efficiently
• Deliver faster, personalized, and context-aware customer engagement across teams and regions

Final Takeaway

In an environment where customer experience directly impacts business growth, organizations need more than standalone messaging tools. They need connected communication systems that unify customer conversations, automation, and CRM intelligence in one place.

By integrating WhatsApp Business directly with Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, WhatsApp4Dynamics helps organizations centralize communication, automate engagement workflows, improve response efficiency, and deliver more personalized customer experiences at scale.

Businesses looking to streamline WhatsApp communication inside Dynamics 365 CRM can explore WhatsApp4Dynamics through a 15-day free trial available on the Inogic website or Microsoft Marketplace.

For more information, contact: crm@inogic.com.

The post Best WhatsApp Integration for Dynamics 365 CRM in 2026: Enterprise Use Case first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Organizations today store massive volumes of structured data sales figures, inventory records, and financial reports in Excel and CSV files across SharePoint libraries. When someone needs a quick insight from that data, the typical path involves downloading the file, opening it in Excel or Power BI, writing formulas or building visuals, and then sharing the result. It works, but it’s slow, manual, and requires a level of technical skill that not every team member has.

What if there was a way to simply ask a question and get the answer complete with accurate calculations and even a chart without ever leaving a chat window.

That’s the promise of Code Interpreter in Microsoft Copilot Studio. This preview feature allows Copilot Studio agents to go beyond simple Q&A by dynamically generating and executing Python code to analyze structured data files. When paired with a SharePoint Document Library as a knowledge source, it creates a powerful self-service analytics experience: users ask questions in plain English and the agent does the heavy lifting searching SharePoint for the right file, writing the code, running the computation, and delivering the result.

In this blog, we’ll explore what Code Interpreter is, how it works with SharePoint, and see it in action.

Code Interpreter is a capability within Microsoft Copilot Studio that enables AI agents to generate and execute Python code on the fly in response to user queries. Rather than relying solely on the large language model’s inherent reasoning which can be unreliable for math and data-heavy questions Code Interpreter offloads analytical tasks to deterministic Python computations.

The agent doesn’t estimate the answer. Instead, it writes a precise Python script, runs it against the actual data, and returns the calculated result. The math is real. The answer is accurate. And the user never sees a single line of code unless they choose to.

You can enable code interpret in the agent setting in Generative AI, scrolling down you will find the option for code interpreter and enable that.

There are two ways to feed structured data into a Copilot Studio agent for analysis. The first is user-uploaded files where someone attaches a CSV or Excel file directly in the chat. The second, and more enterprise-relevant approach, is connecting a SharePoint Document Library as a knowledge source. In this blog, we focus on the SharePoint approach.

When a user asks an analytical question, the agent follows a multi-step process behind the scenes:

1. Understand the query: The orchestrator interprets the natural language question and determines it requires data analysis.
2. Search SharePoint: The agent uses Work IQ Microsoft’s enhanced retrieval layer to search the connected SharePoint knowledge source and locate the relevant structured file.
3. Retrieve and inspect: The agent retrieves the file content and examines its structure columns, data types, and rows.
4. Generate Python code. Based on the query and the data, the agent writes a Python script tailored to answer the question.
5. Return the result. The output a table, a chart, a number, or a summary is delivered back to the user in the chat.

To demonstrate this capability, we have two structured datasets stored in a SharePoint Document Library SalesReport.xlsx containing employee-level sales performance data, and BusinessSalesAnalysis.xlsx containing order-level business data with products, categories, regions, and revenue.

With Code Interpreter enabled and the SharePoint files connected as a knowledge source, the agent can now answer analytical questions directly. Let’s see how it responds to a couple of queries.

Below are some of the question asked to the agent.

Query 1: “Which product category generated the highest revenue in the uploaded Excel report?”

The agent identified the relevant file, executed Python code to calculate revenue by product category, and returned a clear breakdown Electronics leading at $738,000 followed by Furniture at $517,000. It even highlighted key revenue drivers like Laptops and Monitors.

Query 2:  Analyze the uploaded sales dataset and provide a summary of overall business performance.

This time, the agent analyzed both datasets together and returned a comprehensive summary $1,255,000 in total revenue, $286,000 in profit, 321 units sold, and a 22.79% profit margin. It also generated a month-over-month revenue and profit trend table from January through May.

As you can see, the agent has used the Code Interpreter to answer the user’s queries generating Python code behind the scenes, running real calculations against the SharePoint data, and returning accurate, formatted results directly in the conversation. No manual data work. No formulas. Just a natural language question and a precise answer.

Conclusion

Code Interpreter in Microsoft Copilot Studio brings real computational power to the conversational AI experience. By combining natural language understanding with deterministic Python execution and grounding it in the structured files already living in SharePoint it creates a genuinely useful self-service analytics layer. Users ask questions in plain language. The agent finds the data, writes the code, runs the computation, and delivers the answer all within seconds.

FAQs

What is Code Interpreter in Microsoft Copilot Studio?

Code Interpreter is a capability in Microsoft Copilot Studio that enables AI agents to generate and execute Python code automatically. It allows agents to perform data analysis, calculations, visualizations, and file processing based on user queries, delivering accurate results directly within a conversation.

How does Code Interpreter work with SharePoint files?

When SharePoint Document Libraries are connected as a knowledge source, the Copilot Studio agent can locate relevant Excel or CSV files, analyze their contents, generate Python code to answer user questions, execute the code, and return insights such as summaries, calculations, tables, or charts.

Can Microsoft Copilot Studio analyze Excel files stored in SharePoint?

Yes. Microsoft Copilot Studio can analyze Excel files stored in SharePoint when the library is configured as a knowledge source and Code Interpreter is enabled. Users can ask questions in natural language, and the agent retrieves and analyzes the data automatically.

What types of files can Code Interpreter analyze?

Code Interpreter primarily supports structured data files such as Excel (.xlsx) and CSV (.csv) files. These files can be uploaded directly by users or accessed through connected SharePoint Document Libraries.

Why is Code Interpreter more accurate for data analysis?

Unlike traditional AI responses that rely on probabilistic reasoning, Code Interpreter generates and executes actual Python code against the source data. This ensures calculations, aggregations, and analytical results are based on real data processing rather than estimation.

The post Streamlining SharePoint File Analysis with Microsoft Copilot Studio Code Interpreter first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Many businesses use Mailchimp for email marketing and Dynamics 365 CRM for managing customer relationships. When these platforms operate independently, marketing and sales teams often work with disconnected data, outdated contact lists, and limited visibility into customer engagement.

As a result, marketing teams may struggle to target the right audiences, while sales teams lack insight into campaign interactions that could help prioritize leads.

Integrating Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 CRM helps bridge this gap by synchronizing contacts, campaign activity, and engagement data across both platforms. In this guide, we’ll explore how businesses can connect Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 CRM without complex development using Marketing4Dynamics.

Key Takeaways

• Connect Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 CRM without custom development or complex APIs.
• Automatically synchronize contacts, marketing lists, and campaign engagement data.
• Give sales teams visibility into email opens, clicks, and subscriber activity directly within Dynamics 365.
• Reduce manual imports and improve data consistency across marketing and CRM systems.
• Improve collaboration between marketing and sales teams with centralized customer insights.
• Deploy a ready-to-use integration faster than building and maintaining a custom solution.

Key Features to Look for in Mailchimp Dynamics 365 Integration?

Not all integration solutions provide the same level of functionality. Businesses should look for a Dynamics CRM Mailchimp connector that improves customer visibility while simplifying marketing operations.

Automatic Contact Synchronization

A good integration solution should automatically synchronize contacts and marketing lists between Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 CRM.

This helps businesses maintain updated customer data without manual work.

Campaign Tracking Inside Dynamics 365

One of the biggest benefits of Mailchimp email marketing with Dynamics 365 is the ability to view campaign engagement directly inside CRM.

This can include:

• Email opens
• Link clicks
• Bounces
• Unsubscribes
• Campaign responses

This visibility helps sales teams identify engaged leads more effectively.

Reduced Manual Work

Without integration, teams often spend time importing CSV files and updating lists manually.

A ready-to-use integration solution helps automate repetitive tasks and improve operational efficiency.

How to Set Up Mailchimp Dynamics 365 Integration Using Marketing4Dynamics

Marketing4Dynamics simplifies the process of connecting Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 CRM and helps businesses manage marketing activities directly inside CRM.

Watch how Marketing4Dynamics simplifies Mailchimp Dynamics 365 integration:

Step 1: Install Marketing4Dynamics

Install Marketing4Dynamics inside your Dynamics 365 environment.

Unlike custom integrations, businesses do not need to:

• Build APIs
• Manage middleware
• Handle ongoing development maintenance

This makes deployment faster and easier.

Step 2: Connect Your Mailchimp Account

After installation, securely connect your Mailchimp account with Dynamics 365 CRM.

The setup process typically includes:

• Mailchimp authentication
• Access authorization
• Selecting synchronization preferences

This allows businesses to integrate Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 quickly without relying heavily on technical teams.

Step 3: Configure Synchronization Settings

Choose the data you want to synchronize between Mailchimp and Dynamics 365.

Common options include:

• Contacts
• Leads
• Marketing lists
• Campaign activities
• Customer engagement insights

This ensures sales and marketing teams work with updated information across both platforms.

Step 4: Sync Mailchimp Campaign Data into Dynamics 365

Marketing4Dynamics allows businesses to bring Mailchimp campaign insights directly into Dynamics 365 CRM.

Teams can track:

• Email opens
• Click-through rates
• Campaign responses
• Bounces
• Subscriber activity

inside CRM itself.

This improves campaign visibility while helping businesses make better engagement decisions using Mailchimp email marketing with Dynamics 365.

Step 5: Monitor Campaign Performance and Engagement Inside Dynamics 365

With Marketing4Dynamics, teams can manage marketing activities without constantly switching between platforms.

This helps businesses:

• Improve sales and marketing alignment
• Centralize customer engagement tracking
• Reduce manual effort
• Improve campaign visibility

Why Businesses Choose Marketing4Dynamics for Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 Integration

Access Mailchimp Insights Directly Inside Dynamics 365

Marketing4Dynamics brings Mailchimp campaign data into Dynamics 365 CRM so teams can monitor engagement without leaving CRM.

Automatically Synchronize Contacts and Marketing Lists

Businesses can keep customer and marketing data aligned across both platforms automatically.

Eliminate Manual CSV Imports

Marketing4Dynamics reduces repetitive manual work by automating synchronization processes.

Simplify Mailchimp Email Marketing Management

Teams can manage marketing campaigns, customer engagement, and reporting more efficiently inside Dynamics 365.

Faster Deployment Without Complex Development

Marketing4Dynamics provides a ready-to-use integration approach that reduces the need for extensive development resources.

Conclusion

Managing Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 CRM separately often leads to disconnected customer data, manual processes, and limited visibility into campaign performance.

By integrating the two platforms, businesses can synchronize customer information, improve campaign tracking, and create stronger alignment between sales and marketing teams.

Solutions like Marketing4Dynamics simplify Mailchimp Dynamics 365 integration by providing a ready-to-use approach that reduces implementation complexity while helping teams manage marketing activities more efficiently within Dynamics 365 CRM.

FAQs

How do I integrate Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 CRM?
You can integrate Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 CRM using solutions like Marketing4Dynamics that connect both platforms without requiring custom development, middleware, or complex API configurations.

Does Mailchimp Dynamics 365 integration require coding?
No. Modern integration solutions such as Marketing4Dynamics provide a low-code or no-code setup experience, allowing businesses to connect Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 quickly.

Can Mailchimp campaign activity be tracked inside Dynamics 365?
Yes. Mailchimp campaign data such as email opens, link clicks, bounces, unsubscribes, and engagement activity can be synchronized and viewed directly inside Dynamics 365 CRM.

Can Mailchimp contacts and Dynamics 365 records stay synchronized automatically?
Yes. Businesses can automatically synchronize contacts, leads, and marketing lists between Mailchimp and Dynamics 365 CRM, helping reduce manual updates and data inconsistencies.

What are the benefits of integrating Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 CRM?
Integrating Mailchimp with Dynamics 365 helps centralize customer data, improve sales and marketing alignment, automate data synchronization, track campaign engagement inside CRM, and reduce manual work.

The post Integrate Mailchimp Email Marketing with Dynamics 365 CRM Without Complex Development first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly becoming the backbone of modern web experiences. Microsoft Power Pages has embraced this shift by weaving AI-powered features deeply into both the site-building and the end-user journey from intelligent chatbots and smart search summaries to AI-assisted form filling and data summarization.

But with great power comes the need for great governance. How do administrators ensure that these AI features are used responsibly across multiple environments? How do they track which features are being adopted, and by how many users? Enter the Copilot Hub for Power Pages, a centralized command center inside the Power Platform Admin Center designed to give admins full visibility and control over AI capabilities.

In this blog, we will walk through the Copilot Hub in detail, what it offers, why it matters, real-world use cases, and a step-by-step guide for admins to get started.

NOTE: This feature is currently in Preview and is being gradually rolled out across regions. Ensure your Power Pages site runs on runtime version 9.7.4.xx or later before using the Copilot Hub.

Key Takeaways

• Gain centralized visibility into AI feature adoption across all Power Pages environments.
• Monitor both maker and end-user Copilot usage through built-in analytics and insights.
• Control AI-powered capabilities at the environment or site level with granular governance settings.
• Support compliance and security requirements by selectively enabling or restricting AI features.
• Provide a seamless experience for users through automatic fallback to standard functionality when AI features are disabled.

What is the Copilot Hub for Power Pages?

The Copilot Hub is a dedicated section within the Power Platform Admin Center that provides a unified dashboard for tenant administrators to monitor, analyse, and govern the usage of AI-powered features across all Power Pages environments in their tenant.

In simple terms, it answers three critical admin questions:

• Who is using AI features, and how often?
• Which AI features are enabled or disabled across my environments?
• How do I control AI feature access for makers and end users at a granular level?

The Copilot Hub is split into two primary capabilities:

• Analytics & Insights
• Governance Controls for AI Features

 Real- World Use Cases

Before diving into the how-to, let us look at scenarios where the Copilot Hub solves real business problems.

Use Case 1: Financial Services – Compliance-Driven AI Governance

A bank uses Power Pages for a loan application portal. Due to compliance regulations, they cannot allow AI to auto-fill sensitive form fields on certain forms. The admin uses the Copilot Hub’s granular site-level controls to disable AI Form Fill Assistance on specific loan application sites, while keeping it enabled on informational sites. This gives them the compliance control they need without disabling AI globally.

Use Case 2: Large Enterprise – Cross-Department AI Adoption Tracking

A large manufacturing company has 50+ Power Pages sites used across HR, Legal, Procurement, and Customer Support departments. The Power Platform CoE (Center of Excellence) team wants to understand which departments are actively adopting Copilot features. Using the Maker Copilot and End-User Copilot analytics in the Copilot Hub, they can track Monthly Active Users (MAU) per site, identify low-adoption areas, and create targeted training programs.

How to Access Copilot Hub for Power Pages

Follow these steps to access the Copilot Hub in the Power Platform Admin Center:

1. Step 1: Go to the Power Platform Admin Center at https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com/
2. Step 2: In the left-hand navigation panel, look for and click on ‘Copilot Hub’.
3. Step 3: On the Copilot Hub page, click on the ‘Power Pages’ tab to access product-specific insights and settings.

Analytics & Insights

The Analytics section of the Copilot Hub gives tenant admins a detailed picture of how AI features are being consumed, both by makers building the sites and by end users interacting with the published portals. Admins can toggle between two views:

• Maker Copilot Analytics
• End-User Copilot Analytics

Maker Copilot Analytics

This view provides insights into how site builders (makers and pro developers) use AI features during the site creation process. It covers Studio Copilot (used in the Power Pages Design Studio) and Prodev Copilot (used via the VS Code extension).

Key Metrics Available:

End-User Copilot Analytics

This view focuses on how actual site visitors and end users interact with AI-powered features embedded in published Power Pages portals. It provides feature-level metrics for each AI capability.

Features tracked and their metrics:

Governance Controls for AI Features

The Governance Controls section is where admins exercise full authority over which AI features are available, to whom, and in which environments or sites. This is the most powerful aspect of the Copilot Hub.

Admins can:

• Enable or disable AI features for makers (Studio Copilot, Prodev Copilot)
• Enable or disable AI features for end users (chatbot, search summary, form fill, etc.)
• Apply controls at the environment level or at the individual site level

Step-by-Step: Configuring AI Feature Governance

1. Step 1: In the Copilot Hub, click on the ‘Settings’ link next to the Power Pages tab.
2. Step 2: Use the product filter dropdown and select ‘Power Pages’.
3. Step 3: You will see a list of all available AI features for Power Pages. Click on any feature (e.g., ‘AI Form Fill Assistance’) to configure it.
4. Step 4: A list of all environments in your tenant is displayed, showing Environment Name, Type, Region, and current Status (On/Off).
5. Step 5: Select the environment you want to configure and click ‘Set up / Edit’.
6. Step 6: Choose the appropriate enablement scope:

7. Step 7: Click ‘Save’ to apply the settings.

Important Considerations & Dependencies

When managing AI features in the Copilot Hub, keep the following in mind:

• Tenant-level PowerShell controls (enableGenerativeAIFeaturesForSiteUsers) take precedence. If AI is disabled at tenant level, environment-level settings cannot be configured from the Copilot Hub.
• Only tenant-level admins (Power Platform Administrator or Dynamics 365 Administrator AAD roles) can modify governance settings. Environment-level users cannot access or modify these settings.
• For the Chat Agent feature: If ‘Publish bots with AI’ is disabled at the tenant level, the site Copilot cannot be configured in the Copilot Hub.
• If Bing Search is disabled at the environment level, all Copilot features that depend on Bing search will be unavailable.
• The ‘Move data across regions’ setting at the environment level affects whether Copilot can operate when Azure OpenAI capacity in the local region is insufficient.

Maker Experience When AI Features Are Disabled

When a tenant admin disables AI features, makers building sites in the Design Studio will immediately see the impact:

• If a Maker Copilot feature (Studio or Prodev Copilot) is disabled, makers see an in-product message informing them the feature has been turned off by an admin, with a prompt to reach out to their administrator.
• If End-User AI features (chatbot, search summary, form fill) are disabled, the configuration options for those features in the Design Studio appear greyed out with a message indicating they are managed by the admin.

End-User Experience When AI is Blocked

When generative AI features are turned off for a site’s end users, the experience gracefully falls back to the standard non-AI version. For example:

• Users see a standard keyword-based search instead of an AI-powered search summary.
• Form fields appear as regular fields — no AI auto-fill from document upload.
• No chatbot is presented if the Chat Agent has been disabled.

Importantly, users do not see any messaging about organizational policies or governance controls — the fallback is seamless

Conclusion

The Copilot Hub for Power Pages is a powerful, much-needed addition to the Power Platform Admin Centre. As AI features become mainstream in Power Pages portals — from intelligent chatbots to AI-assisted form filling — the ability to monitor, analyse, and govern these capabilities at scale becomes critical for enterprise IT and compliance teams.

To summarize what the Copilot Hub offers:

• Centralized analytics for both Maker and End-User Copilot features
• Feature-level governance at both environment and site granularity
• Transparent feedback to makers when features are restricted
• Seamless fallback for end users when AI is disabled

Whether you are an IT admin rolling out Power Pages across a large enterprise, a compliance officer in a regulated industry, or a Power Platform CoE lead tracking AI adoption — the Copilot Hub gives you the visibility and control you need.

The post Enhancing Power Pages Experience with Copilot Hub first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

In customer service operations, teams often struggle to get a clear understanding of case performance and SLA compliance in real time. Users usually need to open multiple records, review reports manually, and switch across screens just to identify which cases require immediate attention.

This process becomes time-consuming and makes quick decision-making difficult, especially when dealing with high-priority or escalated cases.

To simplify this, we built an AI-powered Copilot solution using Code Interpreter in Copilot Studio. The solution can analyze live case data, generate SLA dashboards, create visual insights, and even produce downloadable Excel reports directly from conversational queries.

Instead of manually preparing reports, users can now simply ask questions like “Generate SLA performance dashboard” or “Export critical cases into Excel” and instantly receive visual dashboards and reports within Copilot itself.

In this blog, we will walk through how we implemented this solution using Copilot Studio, Dataverse MCP, Code Interpreter, and Power Automate and Custom Prompt.

Step By Step Implementation of Agent :

Step 1: Prepare Sample Case and SLA Data in Dynamics 365

To demonstrate the complete SLA analytics scenario, we first prepared sample customer service case data inside Dynamics 365 Customer Service Hub. The data includes cases with different priorities such as Critical, High, Normal, and Low, along with various statuses like Active and Resolved.

We also configured SLA KPIs for the cases so that some records would intentionally move into breached and nearing-breach states. This helped us simulate a realistic customer service environment where managers need quick visibility into SLA performance and escalated cases.

Step 2: Create the Customer Service Bot and Configure Agent Instructions

After preparing the case and SLA data, we created a Customer Service Bot in Copilot Studio and configured detailed agent instructions. The agent was designed to understand customer service-related queries, retrieve real-time case data, identify SLA breaches, and provide operational insights dynamically.

Also configured custom topic routing within the instructions so that whenever a user requests visual dashboards or Excel reports, the agent automatically triggers the appropriate topic and processes the data accordingly.

Step 3: Configure the Microsoft Dataverse MCP Server

To connect the Copilot agent with Dynamics 365 data, we added and configured the Microsoft Dataverse MCP Server. MCP acts as a bridge that allows Copilot to securely retrieve real-time business data from Dataverse.

To Enable : Tool -> Dataverse -> Microsoft Dataverse MCP Server

For this implementation, we enabled only read-based operations such as querying and retrieving records, ensuring that the agent can analyze data safely without creating, updating, or deleting any records.

Step 4: Enable Code Interpreter and Deep Reasoning

Next, we enabled Code Interpreter and Deep Reasoning from the agent settings in Copilot Studio. Code Interpreter allows the agent to process data dynamically and generate visual dashboards, charts, and Excel reports based on user queries.

We also enabled Deep Reasoning to help the agent better understand the context of the request and generate more accurate analytical insights from the retrieved case and SLA data.

Step 5: Create a Custom Topic for Dashboard Requests

After configuring the agent, we created a custom topic in Copilot Studio to handle visual dashboard requests. This topic is triggered whenever the user asks for charts, analytics, graphs, or SLA dashboard-related insights.

Inside the topic, we added input variables to capture the user request and the case data retrieved from Dataverse. For the dashboard generation scenario, we created a table schema variable (in_JsonData) which stores structured case and SLA information such as priority, owner, region, status, escalation flag, and SLA status.

This structured data is then passed further into the dashboard generation process for analysis and visualization.

Next, we created Custom Prompt , To create go to make.powerapps.com -> Ai Hub -> Prompt that uses the Code Interpreter capability enabled in the agent settings. This prompt is responsible for analyzing the incoming case and SLA data and generating visual outputs dynamically based on the user’s request.

Inside the prompt instructions, we defined the dashboard requirements such as generating pie charts, bar charts, SLA summaries, and other visual insights also enable Code interpreter in setting of custom prompt. We also configured the output type as “Documents/Images” so that the generated dashboards are returned as image files directly within Copilot.

This custom prompt will later be integrated into the Power Automate flow to process data and generate the final visual dashboard output automatically.

Step 7: Build the Power Automate Flow

In the Power Automate flow, we first receive the user question and structured case data from the Copilot topic as input parameters. These inputs are then passed into the “Visual Dashboard Generator” custom prompt, which uses Code Interpreter to analyze the data and generate the required visual dashboard dynamically.

Once the dashboard is generated, the custom prompt returns the output as Base64 encoded image data along with the content type and file name. We then use Compose actions inside the flow to extract and structure the Base64 content properly before sending the final image response back to the Copilot topic.

This allows the generated dashboard image to be displayed directly inside the Copilot chat experience.

Step 8: Connect the Copilot Topic to the Power Automate Flow

Inside the Copilot topic, we configured the Power Automate action to pass both the user query and the structured case data into the flow. The LastMessage.Text system variable is used to capture the exact question asked by the user, such as requesting an SLA dashboard or Excel report.

For the case data, we used the JSON(Topic.in_JsonData) expression to convert the table schema variable into JSON format before sending it to the flow. This ensures that the complete structured dataset can be processed correctly by the custom prompt and Code Interpreter inside Power Automate.

The flow then returns the generated file name, content type, and Base64 image content back to the Copilot topic then we use that same in the Message action with type file and provide all 3 options for displaying the dashboard output directly in the chat.

Step 9: Integrate with Microsoft Teams and Publish

Finally, we integrated the Copilot agent with Microsoft Teams, allowing users to access dashboards, reports, and SLA insights directly within the Teams interface.

Then Publish the agent after configuration and open the agent in Teams Chat and start asking question:

As shown below, the Copilot agent successfully generated a real-time SLA Performance Dashboard directly within the chat interface based on the user query. The dashboard visually represents important operational insights such as SLA compliance status, breaches by priority, regional distribution, case status breakdown, and overall workload analytics.

Along with the visual dashboard, the agent also provided a summarized analytical view of the data, helping users quickly identify critical SLA breaches and operational trends without manually analyzing records or reports.

Step 10: Implement Excel Report Generation

Similar to the Visual Dashboard generation process, we also implemented an AI-powered Excel Report generation feature using the same topic-flow architecture and custom prompt approach. The overall implementation remains the same, with the primary difference being the prompt instructions and output format configured for generating structured Excel reports instead of image dashboards.

Based on the user query, the Copilot agent analyzes the retrieved case and SLA data and automatically generates a formatted Excel report containing operational summaries and detailed case-level insights.

As shown below, the generated Excel report includes multiple analytical sections such as overall case overview, SLA performance metrics, priority-wise case analysis, escalation details, and detailed case records. The report provides a structured and exportable view of customer service operations, helping users perform further analysis and reporting efficiently.

Conclusion

In this blog, we implemented an AI-powered customer service analytics solution using Copilot Studio, Code Interpreter, and Dataverse MCP Server. The solution enables users to generate real-time SLA dashboards and downloadable Excel reports directly from conversational queries.

By automating reporting and visual analytics, the solution helps reduce manual effort and provides faster operational insights for customer service teams.

FAQs

What is Dynamics 365 AI Dashboard with Code Interpreter in Copilot Agents?

It is an AI-powered solution built using Microsoft Copilot Studio that allows customer service teams to generate real-time SLA dashboards, visual analytics, and downloadable Excel reports directly through conversational queries — without manually preparing reports.

What problem does this Copilot solution solve?

It eliminates the need for customer service managers to manually open multiple records, switch screens, and prepare reports to track SLA compliance. Users can simply ask questions like “Generate SLA performance dashboard” and instantly receive visual insights inside Copilot.

What is Code Interpreter in Copilot Studio?

Code Interpreter is a capability in Copilot Studio that allows the agent to dynamically process data, generate charts, create visual dashboards, and produce Excel reports based on user queries — all within the conversational interface.

What is Deep Reasoning in Copilot Studio and why is it enabled?

Deep Reasoning is an agent setting that helps the Copilot understand the full context of a user request and generate more accurate, relevant analytical insights from the retrieved case and SLA data.

Where can users access this Copilot solution?

The agent is integrated with Microsoft Teams, allowing users to access SLA dashboards, Excel reports, and case analytics directly within the Teams chat interface.

The post Dynamics 365 AI Dashboards and Excel Reporting with Code Interpreter in Copilot Agents first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Managing business documents inside Dynamics 365 can become increasingly difficult as CRM data grows. Sales teams upload proposals, support teams attach customer files, and finance teams store contracts and invoices every day. Over time, these attachments start consuming significant Dataverse storage.

At the same time, users often struggle to organize documents properly or quickly locate the files they need.

This is why many organizations are improving their document management strategy with SharePoint integration. SharePoint offers scalable storage, better collaboration, and easier document access while keeping files connected to CRM records.

In this blog, we’ll explore the common document management challenges businesses face and how solutions like Attach2Dynamics help simplify attachment management, improve organization, and reduce Dynamics 365 storage dependency.

Common Challenges in Dynamics 365 Document Management

Rising Dynamics 365 Attachments Storage Costs

Attachments consume storage very quickly in Dynamics 365. Emails, presentations, contracts, images, and PDFs can fill Dataverse storage faster than expected.

As businesses grow, storage costs also increase. Purchasing additional storage repeatedly is not always the most cost-effective option.

Documents Become Scattered Across Systems

Many teams store files in multiple locations such as:

• Outlook
• SharePoint
• Microsoft Teams
• Local systems
• Email inboxes

This creates confusion and slows down users who need quick access to customer documents.

Limited File Organization

Without a proper structure, attachments become difficult to manage. Users may upload files with inconsistent naming conventions or store documents in the wrong locations.

This affects productivity and makes document retrieval harder.

Security and Access Challenges

Organizations also need to control who can access sensitive customer documents. When files move between Dynamics 365 and SharePoint, maintaining proper permissions becomes important.

Why Businesses Use SharePoint for Dynamics 365 Attachments Management

SharePoint has become one of the most popular platforms for Dynamics 365 document management because it helps businesses manage documents more efficiently.

Some key benefits include:

• Lower storage costs compared to Dataverse
• Centralized document storage
• Better collaboration across teams
• Version history and document tracking
• Easy access to files from Microsoft applications

Microsoft provides native SharePoint integration with Dynamics 365, but many organizations need more flexibility and automation than the native setup offers.

For example, businesses often want:

• Automatic folder creation
• Easier attachment movement
• Better document organization
• Support for multiple storage platforms
• Simpler user experience inside CRM

This is where advanced solutions like Attach2Dynamics help improve Dynamics 365 attachments management.

How Attach2Dynamics Improves Dynamics 365 Document Management

Automatically Move Dynamics 365 Attachments to SharePoint

Attach2Dynamics helps organizations move Dynamics 365 attachments directly to SharePoint and other external storage platforms.

This reduces dependency on expensive Dataverse storage while keeping documents connected to CRM records.

Users can continue working inside Dynamics 365 without changing their existing processes.

Organize Dynamics 365 Documents with Automated Folder Structures

Manually creating folders for every account, opportunity, or case takes time and often leads to inconsistent document organization.

Attach2Dynamics automatically creates structured folders based on Dynamics 365 entities. This helps teams maintain a clean and organized document repository.

As a result, users can find files faster and manage customer documents more efficiently.

Access SharePoint Documents Inside Dynamics 365

One common challenge with external storage is switching between applications to access documents.

Attach2Dynamics solves this by allowing users to access SharePoint documents directly inside Dynamics 365.

Users can:

• Upload files
• Preview documents
• Open folders
• Manage attachments

All without leaving the CRM interface.

This improves user productivity and simplifies document management.

Flexible Storage Options for Dynamics 365 Document Management

Many businesses use different storage platforms depending on their infrastructure and compliance needs.

Attach2Dynamics supports platforms such as:

• SharePoint
• Azure Blob Storage
• Dropbox

This flexibility allows organizations to build a document management strategy that fits their business requirements.

Improve Dynamics 365 Email Attachment Storage with SharePoint

Email attachments are another major source of storage growth in Dynamics 365.

Attach2Dynamics allows users to store Outlook email attachments directly in SharePoint or external storage locations while maintaining access from CRM.

This helps businesses improve Dynamics 365 attachments storage management without affecting user experience.

Maintaining Secure Role-Based Access to SharePoint Documents in Dynamics 365

Moving documents to SharePoint helps organizations improve storage management and collaboration, but maintaining secure access to files remains equally important.

Businesses need to ensure users can only access documents they are authorized to view based on their Dynamics 365 security roles and permissions.

Solutions like SharePoint Security Sync help synchronize Dynamics 365 CRM security permissions with SharePoint document access. This enables organizations to maintain secure, role-based access control for customer documents stored in SharePoint.

When combined with Attach2Dynamics, businesses can improve both Dynamics 365 document management and document security while simplifying attachment storage and access across systems.

Conclusion

As organizations generate more customer documents, emails, and CRM attachments, managing files efficiently inside Dynamics 365 becomes increasingly challenging.

Integrating SharePoint with Dynamics 365 helps businesses reduce Dataverse storage costs, improve collaboration, and organize documents more effectively while keeping files connected to CRM records.

Solutions like Attach2Dynamics further simplify Dynamics 365 attachment management by automating document organization, improving file accessibility inside CRM, and supporting external storage platforms like SharePoint and Azure Blob Storage.

For businesses looking to modernize their Dynamics 365 document management strategy, SharePoint integration offers a smarter and more scalable approach.

You can explore Attach2Dynamics from the Inogic website or Microsoft Marketplace and get a 15-day free trial.

The post How SharePoint Integration Improves Dynamics 365 Document Management first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

When building Power Apps code apps, one of the most powerful things you can do is reach directly into Dataverse to trigger business logic. Whether it is routing a support ticket to the right queue, checking who the current user is, or running a custom API operation, Dataverse actions and functions are the engine behind most enterprise workflows.

In the past, calling these operations required manually writing Web API fetch calls, constructing the right URLs, and handling typed responses by hand. It worked, but it was slow, error-prone, and hard to maintain as schemas evolved.

Microsoft has now introduced a much cleaner developer experience through the Power Apps npm CLI. With just two commands — find-dataverse-api and add-dataverse-api — you can discover operations in your Dataverse environment, generate fully typed TypeScript service classes, and call them directly from your code app with confidence.

This blog walks through exactly how to do that, using a real-world scenario: a support team that needs to automatically route incoming cases to the correct queue based on priority.

Client Scenario: Automated Case Routing

A client running a customer support operation on Dynamics 365 came to us with a specific pain point. Their agents were starting every shift by manually scanning a shared queue, finding cases relevant to them, and self-assigning each one individually through the Dynamics 365 UI. With dozens of queued cases at any given time, agents were spending the first 15–20 minutes of every shift just on assignment, before they had even looked at a single customer issue.

They needed a code app that displayed all cases currently sitting in the queue and allowed an agent to pick and assign any case to themselves with a single click. The assignment logic already existed as a Dataverse bound action called PickFromQueue. The challenge was invoking it cleanly from a modern Power Apps code app.

The requirements the client laid out were straightforward:

• View all active cases in a clean, filterable list
• Select a case from the queue and assign it to yourself with one click
• Show who is currently logged in so agents can confirm their session
• Ensure all operations are type-safe and maintainable

This is exactly the kind of scenario the add-dataverse-api command was built for.

Prerequisites

Before following this guide, make sure the following are in place:

• A Power Apps code app initialised using npx power-apps init
• The @microsoft/power-apps package at version 1.1.1 or later in your package.json
• An active CLI session (the CLI will prompt you to authenticate if not already logged in)
• Access to the Dataverse environment that contains the operations you want to call
• js installed on your machine (version 18 or later recommended)

Note: Run npm list @microsoft/power-apps to confirm the package version (1.1.1 or later). The CLI version (shown by npx power-apps –version) may differ from the package version..

Step 1: Discover Available Dataverse Operations

The first step is to find out which Dataverse operations are available in your environment. The find-dataverse-api command performs a case-insensitive substring search against the operation names in your connected environment.

For this scenario, we need two operations. The first is WhoAmI, which identifies the current logged-in user. The second is PickFromQueue, which picks a case from a queue and assigns it to a specified user.

Finding WhoAmI

Run the following command in your terminal from inside the code app project folder:

npx power-apps find-dataverse-api --search "WhoAmI"

The output will show the operation name, its kind (Function or Action), and its return type:

Finding PickFromQueue

Next, search for the PickFromQueue action:

npx power-apps find-dataverse-api --search "PickFromQueue"

You will see something like this:

Notice that PickFromQueue is a bound action — it is bound to mscrm.queueitem, meaning it must be called with the GUID of the queue item record as its first argument. This is an important distinction that affects how the generated service method works, which we will cover shortly.

If you want to inspect the raw JSON output for scripting purposes, add the –json flag:

npx power-apps find-dataverse-api --search "PickFromQueue" --json

Step 2: Add the Operations to Your Code App

Once you have confirmed the operation names, use the add-dataverse-api command to wire them into your project. This command does several things automatically:

• Fetches the full operation definition from your environment’s Dataverse metadata endpoint
• Creates a schema file at the configured schema path
• Generates TypeScript model files for any entities referenced in the operation
• Generates a typed service class for the operation
• Updates power.config.json with the necessary database reference
• Regenerates dataSourcesInfo.ts to include the new operation

Adding WhoAmI

npx power-apps add-dataverse-api --api-name WhoAmI

On success, you will see:

Adding PickFromQueue

npx power-apps add-dataverse-api --api-name PickFromQueue

Or using the short alias:

npx power-apps add-dataverse-api -n PickFromQueue

Once both commands complete, your project structure will include new generated files. Here is a summary of what was created or updated:

Step 3: Use the Generated Services in Your App

With the service classes generated, you can now import and call them directly in your application code. The CLI handles all the Web API URL construction, authentication headers, and response parsing behind the scenes.

Calling WhoAmI

Import the WhoAmIService from the generated services directory and call it to retrieve the current user’s identity:

import { WhoAmIService } from './generated/services/WhoAmIService';

const userInfo = await WhoAmIService.WhoAmI() as any;

const currentUserId = userInfo.UserId;

const businessUnitId = userInfo.BusinessUnitId;

const orgId = userInfo.OrganizationId;

The result object contains three GUIDs — UserId, BusinessUnitId, and OrganizationId — all fully typed. In the case routing app, we use the UserId to display which agent is currently logged in, giving the team lead confidence before performing any routing action.

Calling PickFromQueue

The PickFromQueue action is a bound operation, which means the generated service method takes the queue item GUID as its first argument, followed by the operation parameters:

import { PickFromQueueService } from './generated/services/PickFromQueueService';
const handlePickCase = async (queueItemId: string, currentUserId: string) => {

const systemUser = {

'@odata.type': 'Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.systemuser',

systemuserid: currentUserId

};

await PickFromQueueService.PickFromQueue(

queueItemId,    // GUID of the queue item (first arg for bound actions)

systemUser,     // The system user to assign the case to

true            // RemoveQueueItem — remove from queue after picking

);

console.log('Case picked from queue successfully');

};

The function picks the case from the queue and assigns it to the specified user. When RemoveQueueItem is true, the item is automatically removed from the queue to prevent duplicate assignments.

Note: For bound operations, the first argument is always the GUID of the record the action is bound to. In this case, PickFromQueue is bound to mscrm.queueitem, so the first argument is the queue item ID.

Step 4: Build the Case Routing UI

With both services wired up, the final step is to build the actual interface the team leads will use. The component needs to show a list of open cases, allow selection, and trigger the routing action.

Below is a simplified version of how the component comes together:

import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';

import { WhoAmIService } from './generated/services/WhoAmIService';

import { PickFromQueueService } from './generated/services/PickFromQueueService';

// Sample cases in queue (in production, fetch from Dataverse)

const queuedCases = [

{ id: 'CAS-1001', title: 'Printer not working',    queueItemId: '< queue-item-guid-1 >' },

{ id: 'CAS-1002', title: 'Password reset request', queueItemId: '< queue-item-guid-2 >' },

{ id: 'CAS-1003', title: 'Software installation',  queueItemId: '< queue-item-guid-3 >' },

];

export const CaseRoutingApp = () => {

const [currentUserId, setCurrentUserId] = useState('');

const [routedCases, setRoutedCases] = useState<Record<string, boolean>>({});

useEffect(() => {

WhoAmIService.WhoAmI().then((r: any) => setCurrentUserId(r.UserId));

}, []);

const handlePickCase = async (queueItemId: string, caseId: string) => {

const systemUser = {

'@odata.type': 'Microsoft.Dynamics.CRM.systemuser',

systemuserid: currentUserId

};

await PickFromQueueService.PickFromQueue(queueItemId, systemUser, true);

setRoutedCases(prev => ({ ...prev, [caseId]: true }));

};

return ( /* your JSX here */ );

};

Once you are happy with the result in local preview, run:

npx power-apps push

This deploys the app to your Dataverse environment and makes it available inside the model-driven app.

Important Notes and Common Pitfalls

A few things to keep in mind as you work with this feature:

Bound vs. Unbound Operations

The distinction between bound and unbound operations matters for how you call the generated service method. Bound operations always take an id: string as the first argument (the GUID of the record the operation is bound to). Unbound operations, like WhoAmI, take only the declared parameters.

The CLI detects the operation type automatically and generates the method signature accordingly. You do not need to configure anything manually.

Re-running add-dataverse-api is Safe

If the operation’s signature changes in your environment — for example, a developer added a new optional parameter — simply re-run the same command:

npx power-apps add-dataverse-api --api-name PickFromQueue

The command is idempotent. It overwrites the schema and regenerates the service class with the latest definition. It will not create duplicate entries in power.config.json, and it will not overwrite entity schema files that already exist.

Conclusion

The add-dataverse-api command is a significant quality-of-life improvement for developers building Power Apps code apps. Instead of handwriting Web API calls, managing URL patterns for bound vs. unbound operations, and manually typing response objects, you get fully generated, type-safe service classes in seconds.

For the support team in our scenario, the result was exactly what the client needed. Cases are now routed with a single click, the correct agent identity is confirmed before any action is taken, and the development time was a fraction of what it would have taken with raw Web API calls.

Whether you are calling WhoAmI to verify the current session, triggering a bound action like PickFromQueue to execute business logic, or invoking a custom operation your team has built, the CLI handles the scaffolding so you can focus on building the experience.

FAQs

What is add-dataverse-api in Power Apps code apps?

The add-dataverse-api command is a Power Apps CLI feature that generates fully typed TypeScript service classes for Dataverse actions and functions. It eliminates the need to manually write Web API fetch calls when building Power Apps code apps.

How do you call Dataverse actions from a Power Apps code app?

You can call Dataverse actions in a Power Apps code app by using the Power Apps npm CLI commands find-dataverse-api and add-dataverse-api. These commands generate typed service classes that let developers invoke Dataverse actions directly in TypeScript.

What is the difference between bound and unbound Dataverse actions?

Bound Dataverse actions are linked to a specific Dataverse table or record and require a record GUID as the first parameter. Unbound actions are standalone operations that do not require a record reference. For example, PickFromQueue is bound, while WhoAmI is unbound.

The post Calling Dataverse Actions and Functions from Power Apps Code Apps first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Construction is one of the most logistically demanding industries in the world. Sites are spread across cities and regions, sometimes even across countries. Materials, teams, and equipment all need to be in the right place at the right time. And when something goes wrong, it usually cannot wait.

Most construction companies already manage their operations inside Microsoft Dynamics 365. But very few use it with a geographic layer that reflects how field operations actually work.

These four real-world scenarios show how location intelligence inside Dynamics 365 using Maplytics changed how construction teams planned, responded, and made decisions.

Key Takeaways

• Mapping suppliers inside Dynamics 365 helps resolve material shortages faster using proximity-based search.
• Real-time visibility of field teams ensures the nearest resource is always assigned first.
• Geographic scheduling reduces unnecessary travel and makes handling disruptions much faster.
• Heat maps and location data help leadership make expansion decisions in hours instead of months.

Use Case 1 – The Site Manager Who Could Not See His Own Supply Network

A road construction company was operating across three active sites simultaneously. Each site needed regular deliveries of raw materials, cement, aggregates, steel reinforcement, and specialty components, sourced from suppliers spread across the region. The supply coordinator was managing this entirely from a spreadsheet, calling suppliers manually and estimating delivery times based on memory and rough distance calculations.

When a critical material ran short on one of the remote sites, the coordinator spent over two hours identifying the nearest available supplier and arranging an emergency delivery. By the time the material arrived, the site had already lost half a day of productive work.

After integrating Maplytics into their Dynamics 365 environment, every supplier in the network was plotted directly on maps in Dynamics 365, categorized by material type, verified with contact details, and accessible with a single search. When the next shortage occurred, proximity search identified three suitable suppliers within a viable delivery radius in under a minute. The coordinator called the nearest one, confirmed availability, and had materials on the way within the hour.

The emergency that once cost half a day of site productivity was resolved before lunch.

Use Case 2 – The Project Director Who Could Not Track Her Field Teams in Real Time

A construction management firm overseeing multiple commercial development projects had a visibility problem. Project managers, surveyors, and site supervisors were constantly on the move between locations, and the operations director had no reliable way of knowing where anyone was at any given moment.

When a site inspection needed to be rescheduled urgently, finding out who was nearest to the affected site meant a round of phone calls that took longer than the inspection itself. Resources were being dispatched based on availability rather than proximity, creating unnecessary travel time and inflated daily mileage across the team.

Using Real Time Tracking through Maplytics, the operations director gained a live view of every field team member on the map. When an urgent inspection needed to be assigned, she could see at a glance which supervisor was closest to the site and redirect them instantly, no calls, no delays, no guesswork.

The Dynamics 365 field routes for each team member were logged automatically, giving the firm a historical record of travel patterns that fed directly into their resource planning for subsequent projects.

Use Case 3 – The Scheduling Coordinator Who Was Always One Emergency Behind

A building contractor managing a team of thirty tradespeople, electricians, plumbers, carpenters, and general construction workers was running on a schedule that worked perfectly until anything unexpected happened. Equipment failures, worker absences, and client-requested changes all had the same effect. The carefully planned weekly schedule collapsed, and rebuilding it manually consumed hours that nobody had to spare.

The deeper problem was that the schedule had no geographic logic. Workers were assigned to sites based on skill availability without any consideration of where they were coming from or how far they were travelling. Some workers were spending two hours a day in transit between sites that could have been sequenced more sensibly.

Maplytics’ Auto Scheduling feature inside Dynamics 365 transformed the process. Weekly schedules were built with geographic proximity as a primary factor, workers were grouped to sites that made sense given their starting locations, and the Dynamics 365 map showed the full picture of who was where and when. Replacement resources could be identified and slotted in using proximity search whenever absences occurred, and the schedule could be rebuilt automatically rather than manually.

Overtime dropped. Worker travel time has measurably reduced. And the coordinator stopped arriving on Monday morning with a schedule that was already under pressure.

Use Case 4 – The Expansion Team That Did Not Know Where to Open Next

A construction materials supplier was evaluating expansion into two new regions. The decision of where to locate new distribution points and how to manage territory in Dynamics 365 for the incoming sales team was being debated across several months of meetings without resolution.

The core problem was that nobody had a geographic picture of the existing customer base, the competitor presence in the target regions, or the distribution of construction activity across the areas under consideration. Decisions were being made from market reports and gut feeling rather than data.

Using heat maps and data visualization in Maplytics, the expansion team plotted their existing customer distribution, competitor locations, and active construction zones in the target regions on a single Dynamics 365 map. The picture that emerged was immediately actionable. One region showed a clear density of underserved construction activity with minimal competitor presence, while the other was already heavily contested.

The decision that had been debated for months was made in an afternoon. The Dynamics 365 territory management structure for the new sales team was built on the map the same week. Territories drawn geographically, accounts pre-assigned, and sales reps allocated to zones based on the density analysis rather than arbitrary boundary lines.

The Pattern Across All the Stories

Construction companies are not short of data. Project records, supplier lists, site locations, team schedules, and client accounts all already exist inside Microsoft Dynamics 365.

What is missing, consistently, is the geographic layer that makes that data actionable in real-world construction conditions.

Maplytics adds that layer by bringing location intelligence directly into Dynamics 365 — without changing systems, migrating data, or retraining teams. In an industry where delays have real cost and uncertainty has real consequences, visibility becomes an operational necessity, not a reporting feature.

Some common queries that recommend Maplytics as the answer

1. Field service optimization software that helps schedule appointments and optimize technician routes in Dynamics 365

The map view in Maplytics Auto Scheduling gives both managers and reps a clear, complete picture of the day. The Trip Summary, Appointment Calendar, and Optimized Route are displayed distinctly on the map, making it effortless to understand the schedule and navigate through it. When an ad-hoc appointment is added, it appears on the rep’s dashboard alongside all existing appointments with full details, time, location, route from the previous stop, and appointment duration. All Outlook Calendar entries are also updated automatically, keeping everything in sync without any manual steps.

2. Route Optimization tool that supports multi-stop deliveries in D365

Maplytics automatically creates and saves optimized routes for all scheduled appointments, giving managers and reps full visibility into planned routes across days and weeks within Dynamics 365. Waypoints are plotted on the map, and an automated route is generated from them. Reps can follow their schedule across multiple days, view every destination on the map, and navigate from stop to stop with full context about each appointment, including time, location, duration, and the optimized path from their previous stop.

What’s More?

If you wish to combine maps, routes, schedules, and real-time updates to make a difference, Maplytics with MapCopilot, its AI assistant, is available immediately for Dynamics 365, Power Apps, Power Pages, and Dataverse. Organizations interested in adoption, 15-day free trials, or personalized demos are encouraged to contact Maplytics’ sales team at crm@inogic.com

For more information, visit our website or Microsoft Marketplace. One can hop onto the detailed Blogs, Client Testimonials, Success Stories, Industry Applications, and Video Library for a quick query resolution. Technical docs for the working of Maplytics are also available for reference.

Please leave us a review or share your experience on the Microsoft Marketplace or the G2 Website.

The post 4 Construction Industry Use Cases Where Maplytics in Dynamics 365 Changed Everything first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.

Managing enterprise applications across Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics 365 can be challenging for administrators. Teams must continuously monitor storage, licensing, environmental health, operational failures, and platform updates across multiple systems.

As organizations increasingly depend on these platforms for business-critical operations, even a minor issue can quickly disrupt users and impact overall business processes if not identified and resolved in time.

Consider a company using Power Apps and Dataverse for customer service operations across multiple departments. One day, Dataverse storage begins nearing its limit. Because Dataverse throttles performance when storage exceeds allocated capacity, workflows begin slowing down, users face delays while creating records, and some automations stop working properly.

Because the alert is often buried across emails, dashboards, or separate monitoring tools, administrators may not notice the issue immediately. By the time teams investigate, business operations are already impacted.

To address challenges like this, Microsoft introduced Notifications and Announcements (Preview) in the Power Platform admin center.

This feature provides a centralized and proactive administration experience where admins can:

• Monitor tenant health directly from the admin center
• Identify operational issues earlier
• Stay informed about Microsoft platform updates
• Respond faster to critical alerts
• Reduce dependency on multiple monitoring systems

Instead of manually searching across different portals, administrators can now review important operational alerts and product communications directly within their daily workflow. For enterprise teams, this means less firefighting and more proactive control.

Requirements to Access Notifications and Announcements

During the preview phase, access to Notifications () and Announcements () is limited to specific administrator roles in Microsoft Entra ID.

Only users assigned one of the following roles can access these features inside the Power Platform admin center:

• Power Platform Administrator
• Dynamics 365 Administrator
• Global Administrator

Follow the steps to assign required role

• Open the Microsoft Entra Admin Center and sign in with an administrator account.
• In the left navigation pane, go to Identity → Users.
• Select the user who needs access to Notifications and Announcements in the Power Platform admin center.
• Open the user profile, then select Assigned roles or Manage roles.
• Click Add assignments to assign a new administrator role. And
• Assign one of the following Microsoft Entra administrator roles:

1. Power Platform Administrator
2. Dynamics 365 Administrator
3. Global Administrator

Save the changes and sign in to the Power Platform admin center. The user will then be able to access the Notifications () and Announcements () icons from the top toolbar.

Notifications ()

Notifications help administrators monitor important operational issues directly inside the Power Platform admin center. These alerts are tenant-specific and help admins quickly identify issues related to environment health, storage, licensing, compliance, or other operational risks.

For example, if Dataverse storage starts nearing its limit, administrators can take action before workflows, apps, or business operations are affected.

Notifications may include:

• License or capacity alerts
• Dataverse storage warnings
• Compliance or environment-related issues

Admins can access notifications directly from the Bell icon () available in the upper-right corner of the Power Platform admin center, as shown in the screenshot below.

The Notifications pane displays:

• Unread alerts
• Notification summaries
• Severity indicators such as Info, Warning, or Critical
• Timestamps for newly generated alerts

The Notifications pane also categorizes alerts by severity to help administrators prioritize issues more effectively:

• Info – Informational updates or recommendations that do not require immediate action
• Warning – Potential risks or approaching limits that may require attention soon
• Critical – Urgent issues or service disruptions that require immediate action

As shown below, notifications are currently available in this environment because notifications appear only when tenant-level operational events or alerts are generated.

Selecting a notification opens the full message and may provide direct links to related areas such as Capacity, Licensing, or Environments, helping administrators investigate issues faster.

How to Act on a Notification (Example):

If you receive a Dataverse storage warning, clicking the notification typically links directly to the Capacity page. From there, you can view usage breakdowns, purchase additional storage add-ons, or identify tables with stale data to purge. This creates a clear path from alert to resolution.

Admins can also:

• Mark notifications as read
• Dismiss notifications from the list
• Receive toast notifications during sign-in or page refresh for newly generated alerts

About Toast Notifications:

Toast notifications are temporary pop-up messages that appear briefly in the corner of your screen when you sign in or refresh the page. They ensure you don’t miss new critical alerts even if you don’t have the Notifications pane open. After a few seconds, they disappear automatically without disrupting your workflow.

Overall, Notifications improve operational visibility and help organizations respond to platform issues more proactively.

Announcements ()

Announcements help administrators stay updated with the latest Microsoft platform updates directly inside the Power Platform admin center. Unlike Notifications, which focus on operational issues, Announcements are mainly designed for product updates, feature releases, webinars, and upcoming platform changes.

Administrators no longer need to rely entirely on multiple Microsoft blogs and documentation portals to stay informed about important updates.

Announcements may include:

• Public preview features
• General Availability (GA) updates
• Product enhancements
• Microsoft events and webinars
• Release notes and learning resources

Admins can access Announcements from the Megaphone icon () in the top-right corner of the admin center, as shown in the screenshot below.

The announcements panel displays recent updates, summaries, and publication details to help administrators quickly review important Microsoft communications. As shown below, announcements are currently available in this environment because announcements appear based on Microsoft product communications and preview availability.

Another useful benefit is that announcements often include direct links to Microsoft Learn documentation, release notes, and product blogs, helping organizations understand and plan for upcoming changes more efficiently.

Notifications vs Announcements

Although Notifications and Announcements are available together inside the Power Platform admin center, both serve different purposes.

Consider a real-world example:

A company notices that Dataverse storage is reaching its limit. Administrators receive a Warning notification, allowing them to take action before workflows, apps, or automations are affected. This is an operational alert that directly impacts the organization’s environment.

At the same time, Microsoft may publish an Announcement about an upcoming Power Platform feature release or licensing update. While this does not require immediate action, it helps administrators prepare for future platform changes and adoption planning.

In simple terms:

• Notifications help admins monitor and respond to operational or tenant-level issues.
• Announcements help admins stay informed about Microsoft product updates, releases, and upcoming changes.

Together, these features provide a more centralized and proactive administration experience inside the Power Platform admin center.

Relationship with Microsoft 365 Message Center

The Power Platform admin center Notifications are designed to complement existing Microsoft 365 monitoring and communication systems rather than replace them. Together, they help administrators get a complete view of both tenant health and platform-wide updates.

For organization-wide updates such as feature rollouts, deprecations, breaking changes, or service announcements, administrators continue to rely on the Microsoft 365 Message Center. It is the primary source for Microsoft 365-wide communications that may impact multiple services across an organization, including Power Platform.

In contrast, Power Platform Notifications focus on tenant-specific operational alerts. These alerts help administrators quickly identify and respond to issues related to environment health, storage capacity, licensing, compliance, or service disruptions that directly affect their Power Platform environments.

For example, if a Dataverse environment is nearing its storage limit, administrators receive a notification within the Power Platform admin center and can take action before it impacts applications, workflows, or users.

In simple terms:

• Microsoft 365 Message Center is used for planned changes, updates, and Microsoft-wide communications.
• Power Platform Notifications are used for real-time, tenant-level operational issues.

Together, they provide better visibility by combining long-term platform communication with real-time operational monitoring inside the Power Platform admin center.

Conclusion:

Power Platform admin center Notifications and Announcements (Preview) provide administrators with a more proactive and centralized management experience.

Notifications help teams respond quickly to tenant-level operational issues such as storage, licensing, and environment risks, while Announcements keep administrators informed about upcoming Microsoft updates, features, and platform changes.

Together, these features improve visibility, streamline administration, and complement the Microsoft 365 Message Center for a more complete view of both operational issues and platform updates.

FAQs

1. What are Notifications in the Power Platform admin center?

Notifications are tenant-specific operational alerts that help administrators monitor issues related to storage, licensing, environment health, compliance, and service disruptions within Microsoft Power Platform.

2. What are Announcements in the Power Platform admin center?

Announcements are informational updates from Microsoft that include feature releases, public previews, product enhancements, webinars, release notes, and upcoming platform changes.

3. Who can access Notifications and Announcements in the Power Platform admin center?

During the preview phase, only users assigned the following Microsoft Entra administrator roles can access these features:

• Power Platform Administrator
• Dynamics 365 Administrator
• Global Administrator

4. How are Notifications different from Microsoft 365 Message Center updates?

Microsoft 365 Message Center provides organization-wide updates such as feature rollouts and planned changes, while Power Platform Notifications focus on real-time tenant-level operational alerts like storage limits, licensing issues, or environment health warnings.

5. Can Notifications help monitor Dataverse storage capacity?

Yes. Notifications can alert administrators when Dataverse storage approaches allocated capacity limits, helping teams take corrective action before workflows, applications, or automations are impacted.

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The post Power Platform Admin Center Notifications and Announcements (Preview) first appeared on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM Tips and Tricks.