A comprehensive implementation guide from ecosystem overview to greenfield deployment
Nine interconnected services — each serving a distinct purpose, designed to work as one platform
| Component | What It Does | Who Uses It | Native SaaS? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power Apps | Build custom business apps (canvas + model-driven) | Citizen devs, pro devs, analysts | Yes — fully cloud |
| Power Automate | Automate workflows (cloud flows, desktop RPA, BPF) | Business users, process owners, IT | Cloud flows: SaaS; Desktop RPA: Windows machine |
| Power BI | Business intelligence, dashboards, data visualization | Data analysts, executives | Service: cloud; Desktop: free Windows app |
| Power Pages | Secure external-facing business websites | Web devs, marketing, CX | Yes — fully cloud |
| Copilot Studio | AI-powered chatbots and autonomous agents | Bot builders, helpdesk, service | Yes — fully cloud |
| AI Builder | Pre-built and custom AI models (doc processing, predictions) | Automation specialists | Yes — runs in cloud |
| Dataverse | Cloud relational database — the backbone | App devs, DB admins, architects | Yes — managed cloud (Azure SQL) |
| SharePoint Online | Document management, lists, team sites, intranet | Everyone in the org | Yes — part of M365 |
| Microsoft Lists | Structured data tracking (rebranded SP Lists) | Business users, PMs | Yes — part of M365 |
Desktop Flows / RPA requires a Windows machine, and the On-Premises Data Gateway requires a Windows server to reach on-prem data.