Delivering the low-code apps to the employees across the organizations using PowerApps, therefore, has shown incredible growth in the last few years.
Being, Dynamics Service Provider, our customers have continuously asked us: what about the people outside our organization? Sharing the app with the outside world has been the #1 priority for them.
Microsoft introduced the PowerApps Portals, which promotes the ability to build low-code responsive websites that allow external users to interact with the data stored in the Common Data Service, or even browse content anonymously.
Below are the capabilities of PowerApps Portals:
- Minimal code solution for creating multi-language, responsive websites for users external, as well as internal employees
- Allow external service providers like Microsoft Account, Linkedin, Facebook, Azure AD B2C, etc. or even allow anonymous access
- Use WYSIWYG designer to create website content and enrich with CDS/Dynamics data using familiar constructs like forms, views, charts, dashboards
- Pro dev extensibility and templating capabilities to design complex business processes
- Use pre-built templates like Customer Self Service, Partner Management, Event Management, Community Self Service, or Create your portal
Quick and easy setup experience
- Configure a new App type called “Portal” from PowerApps home
- Create a portal CDS or Dynamics database
- Use a prebuilt Dynamics application template like customer self-service, partner management, event management, etc. or create your portal
Easy to use portal Designer experience
- Simplified Portal Designer to customize the content of your website
- Create and manage pages in few clicks that increases your productivity multifold
- Select predefined layouts or create your templates (web templates)
Expose your CDS/Dynamics data in few clicks!
- Create/Update new form/view in just one click
- Advanced form/view capabilities like geolocation, custom actions, workflow, etc.
Extend to multiple audiences using PowerApps Portals
- Create Portals for users outside of your organization as well as internal employees
- Allow a variety of login providers like Microsoft, Facebook, LinkedIn, Azure AD B2C, etc
- Let Self Service Registration for end-users or extend it to select users
- Support Anonymous access for select content
Create a user-friendly, responsive, and multi-language website
- Design Pixel-perfect websites using your CSS
- Use bootstrap themes to build a responsive site
- Supports language variations like English, French, etc.



Profile Management and Security Model
- All Portal users are modeled as contacts in the CDS database
- Self Service Profile Management right within the portal
- Allow users to link identities from multiple identity providers
Integrate with other Microsoft Services
- Unite PowerBI embed Components like reports, dashboards, and titles
- Integrate SharePoint, Azure Blob Storage as document storage
- CRM Charts embed in the portal
- Ability to access CDS data and enable personalization using a liquid templating language
- Use CDS server-side constructs like code plugins, workflows in addition to Microsoft flow to extend business logic
- Display Bing map on the portal
- Ability to display Image Gallery of event celebration in your organization
- Display the working hours of your organization
PowerApps Portals += Dynamics 365 portals
Previously, Dynamics 365 Portals were offered as an add-on to customer engagement apps. However, now available as a standalone in PowerApps.
Moreover, PowerApps Portals is the platform on which Dynamics 365 portals works.
Capabilities:
- Extends Portals beyond Dynamics 365 Applications and allows you to create a portal on CDS
- Provide a simplified low code/ no-code designer experience to create portals
- All the capabilities of Dynamics 365 portals will be available and will work as it is
In conclusion, portals are more attractive for small and medium-sized companies. The creation of a portal has become simpler and more intuitive, and at the same time, the pricing model has become more cost-effective with less usage. If you wish to learn more about creating low-code apps you can contact us at sales@intech-systems.com.