I’ve been using Microsoft Flow for a few years now, and it’s been a good ride…

and now..

Microsoft Flow is evolving into Power Apps.

How I got here- Lotus Notes saved my bacon in 2000

I started with the low-code model where I used Lotus Notes to build a full sysztem to handle a huge project I was working on .

I didnt have the time to CODE a information system to support my project - so I fell in love with Notes.

We had about 140 people all together on the project. We had a QA department and so did the customer. And it was all very complicated. We had a contract with the customer that tied customer QA- and UAT with line items in the contract.

I needed a system that was very custom to support all this. The developers code a feature- which is connected to a contract line item which is connected to the UAT approaval test- which we need to track - and revise- and all this ties back to the contact . And when we release to the customer- we give them a document showing this release and what line items in the contract where done.

I setup a low-code Lotus notes system- and setup the customer with it was well.. The could test - and edit documents in notes- which would sync with out documents in notes etc.

I would have not had the time to code such a complex system- and in the early 2000s - nothing existed that could to this.

So I built a lotus notes low-code multi-qa- contract linked - replicated information system .

Since then - i have moved into Microsoft Flow , and am happy about it. But my brain has had to evolve out of the Lotus mindset..

it looks like my brain needs to evolve again- with the new Power Apps .

What is Power Apps?

Power Apps is Microsoft’s low-code application development platform.

The goal is to help users create apps without needing hardcore coding skills.

The Basic Ideas behing Power Apps:

• Create full-fledged apps with custom UIs, forms, and business logic.
• Integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365, and tons of third-party services.
• Automate workflows just like Flow but more flexibile
• Use AI and data analysis in ways Flow could only dream of (But AI today vs then is a whole new thing :) )

What Power Apps Does Better Than Flow

1. More Than Just Automation – Flow was good at automation, but Power Apps lets you build actual apps instead of just linking different parts together.
2. Better UI & Forms – You can design a full UI with Power Apps, for internal business tools and data entry apps.
3. More Customization – Flow had limits on customization, but Power Apps is much more flexiable
4. Advanced Data Handling – more data sources and it looks better at transformaing and displaying data.

What I Loved About Flow (And Still Do)

1. Super Simple Automation – Flow was basically “connect the dots” automation, making it easy to use.
2. Great for Quick Fixes – If you just needed to automate something small, Flow was perfect. No need to build an entire app.
3. Integration King – Flow played well with hundreds of apps and services, from SharePoint to Twitter.

What Wasn’t So Great About Flow

1. Limited UI – Flow was great for automation, but it couldn’t handle creating custom user interfaces.
2. Scaling Issues – Some complex workflows in Flow got messy fast. Debugging them? ummm.. not fun….
3. Data Handling Was Meh – Handling and displaying data wasn’t Flow’s strong suit. (though to be fair.. neither is my cat.. “Mittens”…)