[DRAFT] Common components

Power Platform

• Part of: Architecture: work in progress collection
• Last reviewed: 7 September 2026
• Owner: Head of Architecture

Power Platform

Power Platform refers to a suite of Microsoft applications that allow you to:

• build custom applications with a point and click approach (Power Apps)
• automate business processes and workflows to avoid repetitive tasks (Power Automate)
• build intelligent chatbots to triage frontline customer queries (Power Virtual Agents)
• create externally facing websites that deliver information and services to customers (Power Pages)
• create visuals and analyse data for business insights (Power BI)

Power Platform tools can all interconnect to share data and create powerful solutions, and they are designed be no-code or low-code. This means you do not need to be a professional software developer to build your services.

Benefits of Power Platform

Important benefits include the following.

Cheaper to develop, run and support

Complex solutions can be developed and supported by DfE users with self-learning and a small license cost. No need to procure third-party solutions with expensive development teams.

Empower users to develop their own solutions

By putting non-developers in control of designing and developing your own solutions, it reduces the risk of third-party development teams building something that does not meet your users’ needs or your requirements.

Reduces the dependency on shadow IT

Power Platform is a DfE approved and supported service. Using it instead of procuring third-party services removes the risk of unapproved IT services being used and potentially risking DfE data.

Automation

Utilising the suite of tools within the power platform has the potential to automate repetitive, everyday tasks and free up time for DfE users to focus on other activity.

Fully integrate with other MS tools

Power Platform is part of Microsoft 365, so integrates seamlessly with other 365 services and allows you to leverage existing data held in Microsoft apps.

Documentation

All documentation for Power Platform is stored on the Power Platform Hub (opens in new tab, DfE SharePoint users only) .

Support

Power Platform is managed centrally by the Digital Tools Support Team. They action all service requests, implement platform level changes, apply automated governance controls and manage licensing. Any applications or service built on power platform must be supported by the team or individual who built it. The Digital Tools Support Team do not provide any application or service level support.

All requests for Power Platform can be supplier via a single Service Portal request form (opens in new tab, DfE SharePoint users only) .

We are building a community of Power Platform ‘makers’ who offer support and help to each other. You can join this community on Teams (opens in new tab, DfE Teams users only) or Yammer (opens in new tab, DfE SharePoint users only) .

Further guidance

Explore documentation, training, and videos for Microsoft Power Platform .

Contact

Email Erhan Tahir, Service Manager at erhan.tahir@education.gov.uk