Power Hour Podcast

Spend Days Making Your Power Apps? Use This Tool: Power Hour Podcast #29 - Lukas Pavelka #2

Stop wrestling with responsive Canvas Apps. Lukas Pavelka is back to demo the brand-new Power Apps for Figma DesignKit UI, a beta responsive layout system, rapid icon swapping, one-click PDF docs, and a Power BI DesignKit prototype for dataflows. If you build on the Power Platform and care about speed, consistency, and client-ready prototypes—this one’s loaded. What you’ll learn 1. New DesignKit UI (v4.1.3) and layout improvements 2. Responsive screens (beta): top/content/bottom containers + quick tweaks in Power Apps 3. Swap Icons while preserving size and color (huge time-saver) 4. Clickable Figma prototypes that mirror Power Apps navigation (import now, export planned) 5. Theme & style controls across containers (batch text/background updates) 6. Auto-generated PDF documentation (screens, colors, typography, icons) Roadmap: annotation maker, user prefix, extended property maker, inherited naming, property helper, UDF maker Model-driven progress + Power BI DesignKit (free) for dataflows import/export between Figma & Power BI Timestamps 00:01 Intro & why this episode matters 00:28 What’s new: rebuilt UI + release v4.1.3 04:31 The pain of responsive Canvas Apps (and the fix) 05:03 Responsive containers: top/content/bottom (beta) 09:56 Getting parity in Power Apps (and plans for v4.5) 12:28 Swap Icons demo 13:21 Prototyping flows between screens in Figma 16:38 Model-driven updates in progress 17:15 Styles/Theming: fast container-wide edits 18:18 Training & GoCollab community plan 20:56 Documentation push & videos 21:52 One-click PDF doc export 22:15 Roadmap deep-dive (annotations, prefixes, UDFs) 27:50 Power BI DesignKit (free) first look: dataflows import/export 31:28 Lukas’ ask: honest feedback from the community ---Try/buy DesignKit for Power Apps: https://designkit.cz/Follow Lukas Pavelka on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lukas-lp-pavelka/Powercademy: https://powercademy.com ---

Pre-Sales, Trust & Content: Power Hour Podcast #28 - Dian Taylor

Six-time Microsoft MVP Dian Taylor went from HR to leading with pre-sales demos that actually solve problems. We unpack how to listen, build trust, avoid “feature fireworks,” and create content without burning out - plus what’s real vs hype with Copilot and Copilot Studio for Dynamics 365.What you’ll learn:1. Pre-sales doesn't mean implementation: why “lightweight” discovery + tailored demos win2. The trusted-advisor stance: listen for pain, not features3. Smoke-and-mirrors (ethically) and the Tell-Show-Tell framework4. Consistent content without burnout (cadence, unique POV, seasons)5. Where Copilot/Copilot Studio shines today in Sales & Customer Service6. Community as a career accelerant; learning as a forever-skillTimestamps: 00:00 Intro & Dian’s path from HR → Dynamics 365 (6x MVP) 05:56 Skills that separate great pre-sales engineers 12:14 The sales bit; Tell-Show-Tell 18:07 Community + content: filling the “no more training” gap 23:16 Finding your lane & staying consistent 31:58 What’s exciting in Copilot Studio right now 37:39 Navigating constant change without overwhelmLinks: 👉 Learn with us: Powercademy.com 👉 Dian’s blog: https://d365goddess.com/ | YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@D365Goddess 👍 Like, subscribe, and drop your favorite takeaway. 🔗 Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howdangrashid/

Microsoft MVP Secrets & Community Super-powers: Power Hour Podcast #27 - Cat Schneider

What really happens after you earn Microsoft MVP status? 🎖️ Cat Schneider went from Florida state-government analyst to Power Platform wizard, MVP, and accessibility champion. In this episode, she reveals how community involvement (plus a dash of ADHD-fuelled curiosity) accelerated her career - and how you can tap the same playbook. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN - The real mindset behind becoming an MVP (hint: it’s not the badge) - Practical ways introverts can network at conferences - without the awkwardness - Cat’s favorite accessibility tips (why screen-reader-friendly, emoji-heavy UX) - Why “don’t be a gatekeeper” should be every maker’s mantra - The origin story of the UX/UI Allies user group and how to get involved TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Cat Schneider’s origin story 03:03 – Discovering the Power Platform & community 05:46 – Conference adventures (dino suits included) 08:56 – First steps to contributing back 11:57 – Accessibility best practices for makers 14:51 – Networking tips for introverts 17:59 – Demystifying the MVP journey 20:58 – The true essence of “Most Valuable Professional” 30:08 – Life changes & renewal realities 32:13 – Why contribution beats recognition 33:36 – Navigating career transitions 39:19 – Overcoming self-doubt 46:06 – Launching the Accessibility User Group 51:04 – Screen readers & inclusive design ► Level-up your skills at Powercademy.com! ► Like this episode? Smash that 👍, subscribe, and ring the 🔔 so you never miss a Power Hour. ► Connect with Cat on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yerawizardcat/ ► Join the UX/UI Allies user group: https://community.powerplatform.com/usergroups/details/?groupid=74f25fad-a83a-4acd-9f79-a51fc5b59bcb

Dynamics 365 Business Central - What, Why, How: Power Hour Podcast #26 - Andrew Wingate

Why watch?ERP veteran Andy Wingate demystifies Dynamics 365 Business Central - the cloud ERP that every SMB seems to be buzzing about nowadays. From real-world implementation horror stories to AI-powered invoices, Andy I spill hard-won lessons you won’t find in the docs.Key takeaways1. What Business Central is (and isn’t) inside the Dynamics 365 family2. How ISVs super-charge BC when out-of-the-box falls short3. Soft-skills that turn consultants into trusted advisors4. The most common implementation mistake: underestimating time & testing5. Learning paths: Microsoft Learn, community forums, and Andy’s own resources6. Copilot & AI agents already live in BC—and how to adopt them responsiblyTimestamps 00:00 Intro to Business Central & ERP 02:24 Core functionality breakdown 05:54 COVID’s impact on cloud ERP 09:08 Business Central ↔ Dataverse integration 15:26 Why soft skills matter in consulting 21:51 Learning pathways & resources 27:28 LinkedIn productivity hacks 28:54 Building the BC community 30:10 Top implementation mistakes 36:56 Testing & user training tips 41:16 The future: AI inside BC 48:10 Prepping your org for AINext steps 🌐 Powercademy.com – deeper dives & free tools 🔔 Like / Subscribe / Bell – weekly Power Platform insights🤝 Connect with Andy – https://andy.ms/in 📲 Blog + WhatsApp feed – https://andy.ms/bcrss 📝 Technical blog – https://blog.wingate365.com/ 🏢 Venture (Andy’s day job) – https://venture.ms 📚 BC vs FO guide (Venture) – https://venture.ms/BCvFO

Power Pages & AI Vibe Coding: Power Hour Podcast #25 – Nick Doelman

Are Power Platform devs about to get super-powers?Microsoft MVP Nick Doelman joins me to break down exactly how Power Pages, Dataverse fundamentals and “vibe coding” with AI are reshaping the way we build customer-facing apps. If you’re a maker, consultant or pro-coder wondering what the next wave of Power Platform work looks like, this episode is your roadmap.What you’ll learn (fast-scan bullets)- Why “Power Pages is a huge skill to have.”- The 3-step roadmap from Dataverse rookie to Power Pages pro- How “vibe coding” + GitHub Copilot slashes build time (and what still trips you up)- Practical ways to calm “AI anxiety” and keep your career future-proofCommunity hacks that turned Nick into a 6-time MVP (and how to start small)- The reality of leaving Microsoft for indie consulting - freedom vs. safety netsTimestamps 00:00 – Intro & Nick’s career snapshot 06:09 – Why learning Power Pages matters now 11:52 – Your roadmap to Power Pages mastery 17:47 – Vibe Coding explained 29:55 – Bridging pro-code ↔ low-code 33:02 – Handling AI anxiety 42:44 – MVP path & community tips 52:50 – From Microsoft employee to solo practice 👉 Like & subscribe for weekly drops. ⚡️ Dive deeper at Powercademy.com 🔗 Connect with Nick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickdoelman/ 🔗 Follow Howdang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howdangrashid/