Tag: PowerApps

If you read my previous post, Introduction to PCF: The Future is NOW! you will know that I am extremely passionate about PCF. However, this passion is not just because this is the direction Microsoft Power Platform, PowerApps and all Dynamics 365 1st Apps are going. It is a passion because I do believe it has filled a gap we always felt when building Dynamics 365 CRM solutions for many years. This gap was the lack of ability of building native components within a Dynamics 365 Form, View and Dashboard. Many years ago, we did IFrames (yeah – sounds bad but was normal then) and then we used Web Resources all the way. Now, it is PCF!

So, you want to learn more about PCF, here are some really interesting resources to get you going (updated regularly):

Microsoft PCF Resources:

• http:/aka.ms/PCFBlogs
• http://aka.ms/PCFDocs
• http://aka.ms/PCFForums
• http://aka.ms/PCFIdeas
• http://aka.ms/PCFDemos
• http://aka.ms/OfficeUiFabric

The Infamous PCF Gallery: https://pcf.gallery/

Official Documentation: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/developer/component-framework/overview

PCF Tooling: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/developer/component-framework/create-custom-controls-using-pcf

Introduction to PCF: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNDbZcgVMi0

PCF Forum: https://powerusers.microsoft.com/t5/PowerApps-Component-Framework/bd-p/pa_component_framework

 

Happy PCFing!

Introduction:

Microsoft PowerApps Component Framework, widely known as PCF, is framework that allows PowerApps Makers and Dynamics 365 Developers build code components for model-driven and for canvas apps (currently public preview) to provide enhanced user experience for users to work with data on forms, views, and dashboards.

In other words, PCF is framework that can allow you to build any control to embed natively on any Model-driven form (and now canvas apps).

For example, a field that displays an integer value, can be replaced with a custom PCF control in the form of a colourful slider or a dial or a knob or whatever your imagination take you.

Many are asking how different is Dynamics 365 and PowerApps PCF from Web Resources that we have spent years using to build custom embedded screens. PCF is different. HTML Web Resources are rendered separate to the form, while PCF is rendered as part of the same context and loads at the same time as any other native component on any Dynamics 365 / PowerApps form. Most of Microsoft’s modern components and 1st Apps are built based on PCF. For example: Most of Dynamics 365 Marketing custom controls are build as PCF components and re-used throughout the Marketing solution.

You can read more about PCF in Microsoft’s official documentaiton:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/developer/component-framework/overview

 

The Future is Now!

When you think about PCF, don’t think of it as this future way of building components. While you can still build HTML Web Resources, PCF is the new norm and you better get used to it! Here at TechLabs London, we have re-built all of our custom components as PCF for both our IP add-ons and throughout our iProperty Cloud solution modules.

So, if there is anything you can take away from this Post, please make sure it is:

Starting building your custom components in PCF now and don’t wait until it becomes more widely used. It is the future, but we have it now!