Power Platform Solutions for Beginners

Microsoft Learn tells us that...

"Solutions are used to transport apps and components from one environment to another or to apply a set of customizations to existing apps. A solution can contain one or more apps as well as other components such as site maps, tables, processes, web resources, choices, flows, and more.

Solutions are the mechanism for implementing application lifecycle management (ALM) in Power Apps and other Power Platform products, such as Power Automate."

Great!

But if you're just starting out in the world of low code/no code development, what does this mean?

Solutions are like neatly organized folders that help you group together and manage everything related to your apps, automation, and data tools in one place.

Imagine you're building a house. You have different parts like walls, windows, doors, and electrical wiring. A Solution is like a toolbox that keeps all the materials and plans for that house together. Instead of having bits and pieces scattered everywhere, everything you need is stored in one place.

Why Use Solutions?

• Stay Organized – If you're creating an app, an automated workflow, or a data table, a Solution keeps everything together so you don’t lose track of parts.

• Easy to Move – You can take all the parts of your project and move them to another environment (for example, from a test area to a live working space) without missing anything.

• Work as a Team – If others are working with you, a Solution makes it easier to share and update things without causing confusion.

What Can Be Inside a Solution?

A Solution can hold:

• Apps (like Power Apps)

• Automated workflows (like Power Automate flows)

• Chatbots (like Power Virtual Agents)

• Data structures (like Dataverse tables)

• Custom actions or buttons

Two Types of Solutions:

1. Default Solution – Think of this as a junk drawer where everything you create is placed by default. It works, but it can get messy.

2. Managed & Unmanaged Solutions – These allow you to control and organize your work better.

   • Unmanaged: Like a rough draft—you can change and edit things freely.

   • Managed: Like a final version—you can't edit it directly, which is useful when sharing finished work with others.

Key Takeaway

If you're starting in Power Platform, Solutions help you keep things organized, move your work easily, and collaborate smoothly. It’s a good habit to create a Solution for any new project instead of just using the default space.