The different names may cause some confusion, but it is the same powerful low-code platform. In late July, Microsoft announced the release of Dataflex, now known as Project Oakdale.
Project Oakdale provides relational data storage while supporting rich data types. Users can utilize Power Apps to build low-code applications for Microsoft Teams and beyond. Let us explore how Project Oakdale is helping businesses, just like yours, harness the power of customization and automation to reinvent the workplace.
Getting to Know Project Oakdale
The way we live and work is rapidly changing, and Microsoft launched Project Oakdale to continue to support this shift to a hybrid remote work environment. Project Oakdale is Common Data Service with some enterprise features reserved primarily for the Pro version. This transformative platform enables everyone to build, deploy, and manage apps and intelligent chatbots in Microsoft Team integrated with Power Apps and Power Virtual Agents.
Together Microsoft’s Project Oakdale, Power Platform, and Teams are the perfect technology trio, enabling businesses to address real, complex business problems. But the question is, who will use it and how? The rebranding, renaming, and reintroduction can be slightly confusing, so here are the answers to your pressing questions so you can use Project Oakdale every day in the office or hybrid remote environment.
Who Uses It?
Project Oakdale is aimed at app developers and business leaders who want to solve business problems within their teams. It can offer users a streamlined experience to configure data models and manage proper security requirements. Depending on how technical your applications need to be, the Pro version, which is now still referred to as Common Data Service (CDS), may be the best platform for you.
App Building and Process Automation on the Power Platform
The integration of the Power Platform and Project Oakdale helps you avoid wasting time switching between multiple services and apps. Developers and creators can build, deploy, share, use, and administer Power Apps solutions directly within Teams, using responsive app layouts. Once the application is live, users can automate Teams processes with Power Automate for 365 for an end-to-end experience.
By using both the Power App Studio and the Virtual Power Agents Portal in Teams, creators can use drag and drop simplicity to build apps and deploy bots. With this built-in data platform combined with a user-friendly data table, there is no need to connect to storage. The ability to create custom data tables that are scenario specific enables your team to optimize processes, drive greater collaboration, and enhance efficiency.
Link the Power Platform to Your Business Data
In Microsoft Teams, everyone collaborates and communicates in different ways. Project Oakdale and the Power Platform understand this dynamic and bring it to building and using apps, chatbots, flows, and data. Data visualization is vital to building many solutions, which is why Project Oakdale and the Pro version of CDS extends these capabilities with support for paginated reports in Power BI. The Power BI app for Teams gives people a place for all data visualizations, streaming the reporting process.
One Platform— Boundless Solutions
Project Oakdale is available with your Teams license, which supports up to one million rows and has a robust set of capabilities for low-code application development, customization, automation, and integration. You can create solutions with confidence, knowing that you can always upgrade to the Pro version with advanced capabilities on the Common Data Service.
Your development team or technology partner can help advise which version your team needs to create custom solutions, but the opportunities are endless. For example, your team can plan an itinerary for a company event using a Microsoft Teams App with an Excel-like interface or use pre-made development templates to share data throughout the entire organization. No matter what you need to build within Teams, Project Oakdale is for you to use.
If you are unsure how to navigate this new addition to your Team’s license, or you are looking for a custom software solution to solve your complex business problems, the Microsoft experts at Bauen Solutions are ready to help. Ask yourself, “If I could create anything, what would it be?” With tools like Project Oakdale, Teams, and Power Platform, your answer can quickly become a reality.
