Home » What are PCF (Power Apps Component Framework) components and how do they help users and developers?

What are PCF (Power Apps Component Framework) controls and how do they help users and developers?

Low-code solutions are becoming increasingly popular, not just among professional developers but also within the broader workforce, where individuals are increasingly taking on the role of “citizen developers.” As awareness and adoption of low-code technologies grow, vendors are continually expanding the available options.

Interacting with data and information is a daily necessity in many organizations. While countless software options exist for nearly every use case, businesses still encounter unique processes and scenarios that demand a more tailored approach.

Building a custom application from scratch can be a significant investment of time and resources. Low-code tools offer an efficient alternative, allowing organizations to enrich existing applications or develop new ones without extensive development cycles. Here, I will focus on one such powerful tool within the Microsoft ecosystem.

The Power Apps Component Framework (PCF) is an innovative low-code solution that can significantly impact the scope, timeline, and cost of implementing new business applications. By using PCF, organizations can greatly enhance their experience with Microsoft Power Apps and Dynamics 365.

What is PCF (Power Apps Component Framework)?

PCF is a low-code framework designed for creating custom user interface (UI) components. These components are essentially visual controls, such as interactive buttons, dynamic sliders, or sophisticated checkboxes, that perform specific actions.

What sets PCF components apart is their support for modern web development practices, enabling the creation of highly advanced and interactive experiences.

By embedding PCF controls in Dynamics 365 or other Power Apps applications, you can bring interactivity to your data, providing users with richer context and a more intuitive way to engage with information.

An example dashboard using PCF controls.

Each PCF control is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor its appearance and behavior to your specific preferences with minimal development effort, using the extensive libraries provided by Microsoft. This allows you to choose from a wide spectrum of button variants, enhanced tables, interactive sliders, and dynamic windows, opening up a vast array of possibilities.

The Power Apps Component Framework is a core element of the Microsoft Power Platform, enabling the creation of custom solutions that can simplify complex processes into a single click. It offers complete customization to meet individual business needs and can seamlessly connect to virtually any data source.

For example, you may want to retrieve customer data from a Credit Information Agency. This task typically involves filling out forms and manual data entry. With a PCF control, this entire process comes down to a single click, fetching and presenting the information instantly.

What are the key features of PCF controls in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps?

PCF controls offer multiple features that allow us to customize and optimize applications:

Reusability

You can create components once and reuse them in multiple applications and forms, making interfaces consistent and your code more efficient.

Portability

You can group all HTML, CSS, and TypeScript files into a single package. This facilitates easy migration between environments.

Caching

PCF components can retain information without the need for reloading each time, which is important for performance optimization as it avoids unnecessary data processing. For instance, if a component needs to display product information, caching prevents it from fetching that data every time it loads, leading to a faster, smoother user experience.

Extensibility

With this framework, we also gain access to a rich set of APIs that allow for:

What are the advantages of using PCF components?

Using PCF controls in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps offers several distinct advantages for organizations

Tailored user experiences

With the Power Apps Component Framework, it’s possible to easily create custom components that are fully aligned with how your organization uses Dynamics 365 and Power Apps. They’re fully adaptable to individual branding and accessibility standards. As a result, businesses can benefit from unique, customized solutions that deliver functionality comparable to applications built from scratch by a dedicated programming team, but with much greater efficiency.

Time and resource savings

Components are reusable, meaning that once an element is created, it can be used in multiple places. This directly translates into time and resource savings, eliminating the need to create the same functions multiple times. Consequently, businesses can create the necessary interfaces faster, even on a budget.

A diagram showcasing the combined capabilities of Power Apps and Azure

Native Power Platform integration

A significant advantage of PCF is that it’s a native part of the Power Platform. This ensures seamless compatibility and collaboration with other Power Platform services like Power Automate (for workflow automation) and Power BI (for business intelligence). PCF components are also optimized for performance, leading to faster and smoother operation of applications within the Microsoft ecosystem.

Enhanced data interaction and insights

With PCF controls in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps, users gain greater control over how data from the Dataverse is presented and how users can interact with it. This can lead to a significantly better and deeper understanding of data, and ultimately to more informed business decisions.

How can businesses use the Power Apps Component Framework?

Companies can use PCF to create highly engaging and functional applications.

Rich, interactive controls

PCF makes it easy to develop custom components such as interactive product cards, dynamic price sliders, or advanced data visualizations that go beyond the capabilities of standard Power Platform controls.

Performance-driven applications

Where speed and performance are crucial, PCF helps create fast and smooth applications. Examples include interactive charts and tables that maintain application state even after reloading, significantly improving performance.

Adding a map component into a Power App

Adding device capabilities

With access to a rich set of APIs, PCF enables the creation of applications that use device functions such as camera, location, and microphone. This can facilitate creating highly interactive data visualizations and specialized business tools.

Custom data interaction

We can also use PCF to create custom code components to significantly enhance user experiences with data presented in forms, views, navigation bars, and application screens, making working with data more intuitive and efficient.

How to get started with PCF?

The Power Apps Component Framework is included in your Power Apps license, so you don’t need to install it separately. You can enable it directly within your Power Apps Admin Center, in the “Environments” section.

Enabling the PCF controls in Power Apps (Source)

Once PCF is enabled, you gain the ability to create, add, and modify components within your applications as needed.

If you require further guidance on using PCF controls in Dynamics 365 to their full potential, don’t hesitate to reach out. We possess in-depth knowledge of the Power Platform and are ready to assist you in using its features to best support your business goals.