Whats New with Power Platform July 2021

I am headed out on a family vacation so I plan to keep this one short and sweet but did not want to miss the opportunity to tell you about some of the great things happening across the Power Platform. There is a little bit for everyone.

Power Platform release wave 2 plan:

Ride the wave!

Microsoft has released their wave 2 plan for the Power Platform and for Dynamics 365. Starting August 2, certain Power Apps preview features will be available for early access. These early access features are mainly focused on model-driven apps. These features are expected to be generally available in October.

Polymorphic

Multi-table lookups, also called polymorphic lookups, are now available in Dataverse (preview). This function will allow you to look up two different tables simultaneously without the need for multiple lookups. This feature is expected to perform better in model-driven apps, although it should still work in canvas apps.

W365

Microsoft has released their new cloud pc, Windows 365. Windows 365 will allow you to connect all your devices and Microsoft programs in the cloud. Microsoft hopes that this will improve the lives of hybrid workers, that is, workers who are neither entirely remote, nor entirely in-person. This feature is now widely available.

Power BI Makeover

Power BI users do not worry, the Power Platform release is not the only place where updates are being rolled out. Power BI got a makeover in the form of a new update. This update includes the long-awaited Power Automate visual which will allow you to trigger flows directly from your report. Other updates include new visuals, connectors, modeling views and sensitivity labels. On top of all that, Power BI and Power Portals can now be linked. The new connection comes in the form of Power BI dashboards and tiles that can be embedded within a Portal app.

All together now

Containers are now generally available in Power Apps. Containers serve a variety of purposes but are primarily used for dynamic sizing of controls and are very useful for creating responsive apps.