An Introduction to Microsoft Power Apps Copilot: Your AI Assistant

An Introduction to Microsoft Power Apps Copilot: Your AI Assistant

Microsoft Power Apps makers often face challenges with data sources, formula syntax, and building user-friendly interfaces quickly. SharePoint lists and Excel files are common, but Copilot's capabilities are currently limited there and excel with Dataverse tables. This session provides a comprehensive overview of Power Apps Copilot features for both app creators and end users.

Paul Stork (Microsoft MVP for 16 years, author of an O'Reilly Power Automate book, principal architect at Don't Panic Consulting) covers prerequisites, history, maker tools, user controls, and prompting best practices. He demonstrates real-time examples in the Power Apps studio, highlights recent updates like the April 4th feature release, and addresses common frustrations from rapid product changes.

What You Will Learn

• Current prerequisites for enabling Copilot in Power Apps, including settings in the maker portal and regional limitations
• History of Copilot evolution from 2021 natural language Power FX generation to today's expanded capabilities
• How to create canvas apps from scratch using natural language prompts, starting with automatic Dataverse table generation
• Techniques for using Copilot inside the studio to generate tables, modify existing apps, and refine layouts
• Writing Power FX formulas via Copilot in the function bar by describing desired behavior in comments
• Generating descriptions for existing formulas to add documentation comments automatically
• Embedding Copilot Control for chat-based queries against app data sources like Dataverse
• Implementing the new Copilot Answer Control for pre-defined queries with clickable buttons on screens
• Prompt engineering tips to improve Copilot outputs and avoid common generation errors

Key Takeaways

1. Enable Copilot prerequisites first. Check maker portal settings and ensure Dataverse access, as SharePoint support lags and internet searches often list outdated requirements.
2. Describe formulas in plain English. Use the function bar Copilot to generate Power FX from comments or explain existing code, saving time on syntax recall and improving app maintainability.
3. Leverage new controls for users. Add Copilot Control for free-form questions or Answer Control for standard queries to make apps more interactive without custom coding.
4. Refine prompts iteratively. Treat prompting as an art, start simple, add specifics like table names or desired output format to get reliable app generations.

About the Speaker

Paul Stork is a Microsoft MVP with 16 years of recognition, transitioning from SharePoint and Office 365 to Power Platform Business Apps. He owns Don't Panic Consulting, authored a 2023 O'Reilly book on Power Automate, and actively supports the community on Microsoft Power Platform forums.

Who Should Watch This

This session suits Power Apps makers new to Copilot who want hands-on guidance through setup and core features. You will benefit if you build apps with Dataverse or plan to migrate from SharePoint, as Paul explains current limitations and workarounds.

Experienced developers familiar with Power FX may still gain from formula assistance and new controls like Copilot Answer Control. Skip if you already deploy production Copilot apps, though prompting tips could refine your workflows.

Power Automate users should note the teased follow-up session, but this focuses solely on Power Apps integration points.