Low-code solutions are becoming increasingly popular not only among pro developers but also among clients who often work as citizen developers. The awareness of technology and willingness to use low-code solutions by larger market players are growing. One of the components of low-code solutions is the Power Apps Component Framework (PCF), the application of which can significantly impact the scope, time, and costs of implementation.
PCF enables the creation of user interface (UI) components that are visual controls performing actions such as buttons, sliders, checkboxes, etc. By embedding PCF into the CRM system or Power Apps application, we gain access to the entire data context. PCF components support modern web practices, enabling the creation of more advanced and interactive components.
Each PCF control can be customized to the client’s preferences with minimal developer effort, using rich Microsoft libraries. There is a wide spectrum of button variants, tables, sliders, and windows with even more possible applications to choose from.
PThe Power Apps Component Framework (PCF) is a key element of the Power Apps platform allowing the creation of custom solutions, simplifying complex processes to a single click. PCF can be fully customized to meet individual client needs and can integrate with any database. For example, if you want to retrieve customer data from a Credit Information Agency, a single click is enough instead of filling out forms and rewriting data.
Components can be reused in various applications and forms, increasing code efficiency and consistency. All HTML, CSS, and TypeScript files can be grouped into a single package, facilitating migration between environments. PCF components can retain information without the need for reloading each time, which is important for performance optimization as it avoids unnecessary work. For instance, if a component had to retrieve information about which product to display each time it loads, this could slow down the application.
We also gain access to a rich set of APIs that allow for managing the lifecycle of components, accessing contextual data and metadata, as well as utilizing device functions such as the camera, location, and microphone.
Thanks to PCF, implementation companies can create custom components fully tailored to how organizations use Dynamics 365 and Power Apps, as well as compliant with Corporate Identity and/or accessibility guidelines. This means that clients can benefit from unique and fully personalized solutions that functionally do not concede to solutions built by a team of programmers from scratch. Components are reusable, meaning that once a component is created, it can be used in multiple places. This translates into time and resource savings, as there is no need to create the same functions multiple times. This way, the client can get a ready-made system faster and reduce the budget.
A significant advantage of PCF components is that they are natively integrated with many Power Platform elements, meaning they can easily collaborate with Power Automate or Power BI. They are also optimized for performance, resulting in faster and smoother application operation.
With PCF components, Dynamics 365 and Power Apps users gain greater control over how data from Dataverse is presented and what interactions each user can have with it. This can lead to significantly better and deeper understanding of data, and ultimately to more informed business decisions..
What are the benefits of using PCF for clients?
Companies can use PCF to create custom components such as interactive product cards or price sliders that are more advanced and interactive than standard controls.
Where speed and performance are crucial, PCF can help create fast and smooth applications, such as interactive charts and tables.
PCF can help create applications that are able to maintain their state even after reloading, which is important for performance optimization.
With access to a rich set of APIs, PCF can help create applications that utilize device functions such as camera, location, and microphone, for creating interactive visualizations.
PCF can also help create custom code components that can significantly enhance user experiences with data on forms, views, navigation bars, and application screens.
See the latest insights from Netwise
What are PCF (Power Apps Component Framework) components and how do they help users and developers?
Low-code solutions are becoming increasingly popular not only among developers but also among clients. One of the components of low-code solutions is the Power Apps Component Framework (PCF), the application of which can significantly impact the scope, time, and costs…
Read more
Microsoft introduces: Copilot for Sale and Copilot for Service
Family of Microsoft Copilot tools has expanded with additional solutions. Next to the already well-known solution, Microsoft Copilot for Sales and Microsoft Copilot for Service have appeared.
Read more
What is the Brand Profiles tool in Customer Insights Journeys?
What is the Brand Profiles tool in Customer Insights Journeys? For what type of organization was it created? What benefits await the user? In this guide, you will learn about its practical application and how to configure and customize emails…
Read more